Prayer and Scripture

"Praise the LORD, I tell myself, with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.  

Praise the LORD, I tell myself and never forget the good things he does for me.  

 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.  

He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.  

He fills my life with good things.  My youth is renewed like the eagle's.  

 The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly." 

 Psalm 103:1-6

There are times where the heart is so soft, it is touched by anything that has the fingerprints and the teachings of God.   Where the word has been planted and watered and breaks through the soil of a life to bear fruit and it is juicy and filling to anyone who witnesses it.

God's words melt and make the lips speechless.    To just hear a song that sings of your faithfulness and love brings one to tears.   They are unashamed to kneel and bow.  

It's odd the confidence of man.  It blows and is confined to one place... the thirsty desert.   Those in it are blind to it.   We don't knows what awaits us on the other side of the door, or the ticking minutes on the clock, or the opening and closing of eyelids, or the rising and setting of the sun.  

The assurance a Christian has sits and rests on prayers and the promises of God which are stepping stones that seem to cross a expanse of unknowns.   We get up each morning and pray for a word that will give us the assurance to walk in the all the unknowns.  Many times the only thing we see is just the illuminated stone in front of us.   

Each step on this path we relinquish more of our perceptions, control, and wants.   We become aware of our insecurities and weaknesses and our daily need to walk in God's grace and power.   Deeper becomes the reality and understanding the of hope we preach.   Deeper we examine the path God has constructed for us to walk with Him so we might see he is trustworthy and his provision is perfect.

Perfect is the will of God.  Perfect is his way.  Perfect is his love.

  

Stay Out of the Stirring Pot.

I have heard?  Yes.
Have I seen the report on the NBC network making a joke of Jesus Christ's return? No.
It is bothersome but Jesus doesn't need to be defended.  HE'S GOD.
A god that needs to be defended is no god at all.  Remember the bible story of Gideon?

"Bring out your son," they shouted to Joash. "He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherah pole." But Joash shouted to the mob,"Why are you defending Baal?  Will you argue his case?  Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who knocked down the his alter!  From then on Gideon was called Jerubbaal, which means "Let Baal defend himself," because he knocked down Baal's alter." Judges 6:30-32

Am I surprised at this lack of respect by NBC?  No.  It is part of the world so is speaks as the world speaks.

Do I think this disregard will bring Jesus Christ to the forefront of people's minds?  We can hope for inquiring minds.  God can use anything to help save the lost - God can even use what the devil meant to destroy to bring people to himself.  

Why do we have to ask ourselves as Christians, "Why this scoffing and disregard for Jesus?"  Jesus foretold us that events like this would happen?  

 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” ⁴ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, ⁵ for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. ⁷ Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. ⁸ But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
⁹ “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.¹⁰ And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. ¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. ¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come." Mathew 24:3-14

Jude spoke of this as well, "In the last times there would be scoffers who purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable.  Now they are here, and they are the ones creating divisions among you.  They live by natural instinct because they do not have God's Spirit living in them." Jude 1:18-19

Why this hate and persecution?  People foolishly deny the truth and make fun of the truth so they don't have to face the truth.  They make fun to make themselves feel better.  But that is dangerous if they continue to think that way.  "But God shows his anger from heaven against the sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves." Romans 1:18

People hate and persecute what they don't understand but Jesus said what? 
18 "When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. 19 The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? 'A servant is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! 21 The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don't know God who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me hates my Father, too. 24 If I hadn't done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty. But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us -- me and my Father. 25 This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: 'They hated me without cause.' John 15:18-25 (NLT)

Peter wrote, "Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you.  If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing,  making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs.  But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian.  Praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name!  For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin first among God's own children.  And if even we Christians must be judged, what terrible fate awaits those who have never believed God's Good News?  And 'If the righteous are barely saved, what chance will the godless and sinners have?'" 1Peter 4:14-18

People who do these hateful things don't understand the depth and truth and reality of Jesus Christ.  To them Jesus Christ is a religion.  They throw him on the stockpile of all other religions not realizing they are grouping God with mere idols and mere men.  They may know Jesus was a real man but they don't realize he is also God, the Son of God, who paid the price for our sin.  Can I blame them?  No!  For once I was just as blind and deaf to the truth as they are.  The true reality of Jesus Christ was not made known to me until I was born-again.  Even though I considered myself a Christian because I prayed to God on occasion and celebrated Easter, Christmas and participated in Christian activities, my measure faith was a mere skeleton of bones before I was born-again.   There was no organs, flesh, muscles of faith on me at that time.  I am reminded of Ezekiel.
   

Ezekiel 37:1-10 The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. ² He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. ³ Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”
⁴ Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! ⁶ I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
⁷ So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. ⁸ Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
⁹ Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”
¹⁰ So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

 
So try not to be hypocritical, you and I too were ONCE the same in as those who didn't consider anything sacred how how our sinful thinking and actions separated us God.

In order for them to see the truth and come to realize the truth, they must be born again just as we were born again.  This was not by any imagination or human effort but by faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of God.  This faith changed our heart and opened our eyes and ears.   We were born-again.  We became a new creature in Christ Jesus and now we know and truly believe.


Jesus said "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." John 3:3

Jesus continued, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again'.  The wind blows wherever it wants.  Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."  John 3:5-8

The Holy Spirit comes when you genuinely give your life to Jesus.  

2 Corinthians 5:17 says "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

^"No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.  When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.  But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.  Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" 1 Corinthians 2:11-16

The Apostle Paul, who once use to help hunt down, kill, imprison, and persecute Christians because of their faith in Jesus Christ, was saved by the Lord Jesus Christ.   Paul dedicating the rest of his life to serve Jesus Christ said this:  ^"If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing.  Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God."  2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Paul is saying these people are mere puppets of the devil. They are driven by the spirit of deception/ the spirit of this world.   They don't know what they are doing.  They don't care what they are doing because they have been blinded by the Devil.  Satan has them so wrapped up in HIS world and THE understanding he wants them to BELIEVE that they can't see or understand the saving message of Jesus Christ hence they will perish because they choose to be affirmed by the false ideals of this world instead of God.  (It reminds me of the movie of the matrix.  They believe what they see which is false then not believe in what they can't see which is true.)  

People put their value in the things of this world instead of in the Creator- who created them and has a plan for them.  A plan- out of the hamster wheel they continue to run on day after day chasing after "things" to give them a so-called "good life".  You might as well be a dog chasing their own tail.  In that scheme nothing will ever be good enough and/or satisfying enough.

I was watching a documentary called "happy" and it spoke of a phenomenon happening in Japan and is spreading across the world where people are dying in their thirties and forties from being over worked.   They call it Karoshi.   

(Australian Institute of Marketing) AIM website said this: "Over 10,000 people die from overwork each year in Japan alone, according to conservative estimates.  It affects workers of all ages and occupations, including middle and upper-level managers. The Japanese government now recognizes karoshi as a legal cause of death, and victim's families are entitled to compensation."

Little comfort that provides.  Money does not replace lives lost and maybe lost to all eternity.   The hamster wheel lie kills.
    
Busy people, lost in the hustle and bustle of life take little thought if any at all of their need for Jesus Christ as their Savior and Shepherd in life.   When I was up visiting family in the Pacific Northwest I loved to look at the islands and mountains and when I mentioned how much I missed them, my siblings told me that they forget they are even there sometimes.  God is like those beautiful surroundings that we forget to glance at and pay attention to - He is there for us.
 
The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:1-4 "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,"
 
The Apostle Peter writes,  "Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. ⁴ They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” ⁵ They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. ⁶ Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. ⁷ And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. ⁸ But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. ⁹ The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 2 Peter 3:3-10

God's word is living.  He knew what would be on our doorstep and what we would be faced with so it is a great gift to have these encouraging words to lift up our soul.   Jesus spoke them to his disciples knowing all what they would face.

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.  

God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted. 

 God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.

 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied. 

God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy. 

God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.

 God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God. 

 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.   

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. Matthew 5:3-12

Having God's assurance we then can see things a bit differently and we can have compassion and pity on those who don't know the LORD.  

  

God is our the source of our strength, comfort, and confidence, and peace Jesus tells us to do something we cannot due without having GOD being first or foremost focus in our life.  “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!  In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.  But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you,  O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

  

  

Is There A God?

Is There A God By Jeff Johnson

I was watching a movie last night (Sunday) on Netflix.  It was a movie of some college students who make a film called "Beware of the Christians http://youtu.be/IMIydiF69mA"  These young Christian men go to Europe to find out what people think about God and what people think about certain topics such as sex, drinking, heaven, hell, and so on.
 
The movie's journey is part evangelistic and part searching and part discovery.   From the information given by the young men, they had all grown up in the Christian church but really didn't have a God "encounter" or if they did they didn't share it in the movie.  What was the spring board to this journey was a question.  "Do I believe what I believe because I was told it or because I experienced and continue to experience the truth and reality of God?"

I have found in teaching young adults that I can teach them the word of God and how to apply it or put it into practice but what makes the word of God come alive is God working in their lives.  He is the one who makes the truth of the word come alive.     

Our testimonies/ God "encounters" are what God has done in our life which speaks volumes of the reality of God to not just others but ourselves.   I can give the word of God to other people but if there is no personal experience to go with that word it is difficult for them or anyone else to understand, except, seek it and walk it out.

Why do you think God says to fellowship with one another and build one another up?

I can't tell you all the times God has used people to touch my life.   They have encouraged me and I have encouraged them.   Now if I were to slip away into my comfort hobbit hole of a life I would find it very difficult, after a while, to be encouraged because I would just have my thoughts to contend with.  Not saying God wouldn't continue to speak to me and touch my life but life isn't just about us and ourselves and our little bubble of a world.  God made other people, uniquely different from ourselves but just as special, to touch our lives and we to touch their lives.

These real life experiences bring spiritual nourishment to our soul and we never know what kind of mustard seed of a tree will vigorously grow or Godly yeast that will knead into the bread dough of humanity.   When we have God's word weaved into the God given purposes, directives and experiences in our life we KNOW that God isn't a religion but real unquestionable truth.

You and I as Christians are the living testimony of God's truth.  People don't just hear the words but see the difference God has and is continuing to make in our lives.   With no real living testimony and no Holy Spirit guided action/direction, all people see most times is religious words or you and I  belonging to some "religious" group.  It's not until people come to Christ that they can see back at all  the Christians in their life.  Strange but true.  When I became a Christian those lights in my school days became abundantly transparent.  They were Nancy, Kurt, Kerry, Pat (Patricia), Kim, Bill, Joe, ..... (list goes on and on.)  

In "Beware of the Christians" God is loving knocking on these young men's door with questions. God is pushing and prodding, and encouraging Christians to take a step of faith and many times it starts with a question.   Questions like: What is my purpose?  What is the value of my faith in God? How does it show up in my life?

The more God brings these questions for us to consider, the more we reflected and questioned how to put those truths to real practice.

The more God brought these questions for the young men in "Beware of the Christians" to consider, the more they saw how important it was to live their lives for Christ.   This was not just for their own well being and fulfillment but the importance to be a living testimony to other people.  But again that living testimony can not be lived out without our collaboration, trust, submission, obedience, in God.

They, like every Christian, is looking to how to apply God's living truths to their life in the midst of a world that practices and preaches and teaches and advertises things like prosperity and denies, ignores, fights and even rages against God's truths. 

Every Christian, I hope, is looking for what Jesus wants them to do, not what seems okay or passable or negotiable in some kind of religious standard.

The world doesn't care about God's truths because they only see God and God's people as part of organized religion, judgmental, hypocritical, and a system of do's and don'ts.  The world doesn't care about God or his truths because they believe life is all about them and a means to to get things, make themselves happy, and experience all there is to experience of the world which in total reality leads them no where and unfulfilled.  Chasing after things that never satisfy.

People believe in false ideas made of man, the understandings of man and the corrupt thinking of man.  They don't even consider going to the source- GOD!   Instead they only look to the ways of themselves instead of God.  God is the one who brings about new understanding in life, contentment, peace, grace, and confidence (not within ourselves or the things of this world) but in HIM (God). The meaning of life can not be found unless God is active in our life!

These college students, who made this film had to ask themselves what is "religion" verses how does God want me to live?  What have I made into a religion... instead of really walking the path of faith that is trusting in God? They seem like really blanketed questions but when applied to all areas of life they bring about the desire to change from and mature as a Christian trusting in Christ.

I read this the other day: "I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way.  I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them.  Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

The path of faith is not our plans but God determining our footsteps.  The path maybe planned and smoothed out ahead of us but we are blind to everything except what God is putting a light on at the moment and in order to continue along that unfamiliar way or path we have to trust God.  

The good solid questions these young men faced (and if not disregarded down the road) will lead them to a fulfilling confident purposeful life in God.  They will find that God is not a "god" of religion but a God who can be found, trusted and collaborated with.  They will find their purpose in what God designed and created them to do and be and find peace and contentment in doing what God planned for them long ago.   Instead of religion they will find a relationship with God.

The one thing that disturbed me and I took away with this film was a lot of people in Europe don't seem to care about knowing God.   They seem to think their salvation to heaven is based on good and bad deeds.  And what they measure as good and bad deeds on are based on the understandings within themselves.   They say, "I haven't murdered anyone, I pay my taxes, I don't steal, and I volunteer at the local elementary school so I must be going to heaven."  But the truth is no one can get to heaven by their "good" deeds.  A person may be able to show their faith in Jesus Christ through good deeds but it is only through faith in Jesus Christ does one have the righteousness to enter heaven.  It is not our righteousness but in Jesus Christ's righteousness can we enter heaven.   That righteousness is faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  

Jesus, the Son of God, paid the way so we could go to heaven.   Jesus, the Son of God, gave us the gift of salvation in heaven, but we have to accept that gift in order to receive salvation in heaven.

This gift of salvation genuinely received should give us a change of heart, where we don't want do sin or do the things we know are wrong.  We don't make a practice of practicing sin or doing wrong.   Where... when we do wrong we ask God to forgive us for our sin, knowing the high price Jesus Christ paid for our sins on the cross -so we could go to heaven instead of hell.

How do I know this? Because Jesus Christ has changed me and is continuing to transform me as I trust in him.  He is constantly showing me things and encouraging me in my faith in HIM.  He is teaching and helping me to not be caught up in myself but caught up in him. 

People don't seem to value their souls.  They put value on themselves based on what they own or have or not own or not have.  They put value on themselves based on their abilities or capabilities or inabilities or incapability.   They put value on themselves based on what other human beings think of them.   They regard their soul after death like leaves that fall to the ground in the autumn to be swept away by whatever - not realizing that if they had just turned to God, God would reveal himself to them.   They don't realize the soul after death is either dragged into hell or carried into heaven based on if they haven’t or have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

They don't realize the "things" they have acquired in this life don't matter to God.   No matter degrees, titles, money, possessions, achievements matter to God but living in relationship with him.

They don't realize it not about appearances but the heart that matter to God.   They don't realize that if they turned and sought God, God would have a relationship with them, give them a fulfilling purpose and they would see their need for Jesus Christ in their life and to be saved in Jesus Christ.

They would ask God questions and God would reveal those answers to them just as he has to me.   God is no respecter of persons,  He has no favorites. I am not anymore special then anyone else.  Check it out book of Acts in the bible Chapter 10 verse 34 

This is no good that so many people don't know God.   They have their own ideals of who God is - that is if they believe in God at all.   I said to myself, "You got to be kidding?  There are a lot of people in Europe that don't know God- probably just as many in America.   This amazed me considering the roots of my Christian heritage that were passed down from relatives who came from Europe so many years ago. 

Some may think I was brainwashed by my family members and friends to accept Jesus Christ but I know first hand that isn't even true or the case.  I may have been surrounded by Christians, did Christian activities, but I wasn't living a Christian life.  I was stubborn and prideful.  Did this sin and that sin.  I had many many misconceptions about God.   God however still loved me.   When I got in a pinch I would pray and He would answer but I never thought much about thanking him afterward.  But it wasn't until I found myself stuck in a deep hole, that I prayed to God seeing my life as worthless.   I asked God to take my life and seeing what I could not, He picked me up out of the hole.   He told me how much He loved me and then gave me a new life I did not deserve.

The Ways Christians Are Viewed

It is funny if you say you are a Christian, the world holds you to a higher standard.  That isn't a bad thing.  People expect us to never mess up or have a bad moment but is that realistic?  We aren't God but I suppose in a way it is good that we aren't perfect because in humble apologies we show another characteristic of a Christian.  Not prideful to admit wrong.

I am not sure why Christians are considered judgmental.   I know some are zealous but the reason some are zealous is because they have been changed/transformed.   They know the truth and they want to share that truth with others.   They know, it wasn't by them making themselves right with God, but by the grace of God- God made them children of God.  And they want to share that life giving truth with others.

I know many Christians are hypocrites.  They are because they forget who they are.   The get tricked into prideful thinking and they forget no one is perfect.   They start depending on themselves and not on God.   They get a little knowledge in the head and they become big headed not realizing that before they speak or act -the knowledge needs to go to the heart and meditated on with God first.

Some may have started with God but they stopped having a relationship with God so now they are stumbling and their confidence, which once came from their relationship with God, has now suffered.   These are all things to remember when a person becomes a Christian. 

Is there a God? YES!

I know God.   I can't live this life of faith without him.  He knows me better then I know myself.  My faith without God would be like a fad of fashion, here today and gone tomorrow.  Is being a Christian easy?  No! But the Christian life is to rely on God.  If the Christian life were easy why would we need to rely on God so heavily?  Everyday I look to him for words of encouragement.   He is my strength and confidence.

We could go this way and that way with why this happens and that happens but the fact is we live in a cursed world and this world pushes God away and then we expect him to come to the rescue.  If we as a nation, or a people or an individual push God away how can he protect us, how can he help us, how can he reassure us, and comfort us?

But even though this world is a cursed world we don't have to be cursed ourselves.  We can have a relationship with him and no matter what happens with us we will have the reality and confidence of knowing God and having heaven as your eternal destination because we believe in Jesus Christ as our LORD and Savior.

If you want to know God and know him first hand for yourself I ask you to ask God to reveal Himself to you in a mighty way.  There are only two options after this life- heaven or hell.

Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.  Jesus told us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." Book of John chapter 14 verse 6 (John 14:6)

Jesus Christ said, "Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures." Book of John chapter 10 verse 9 (John 10:9)

I don't know if this sounds harsh to you or not- but Jesus paid for our salvation.  Salvation is something we do not have to work for, it was paid for when Jesus was nailed on the cross for our sins/ wrongs.

Jesus speaking about himself said "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it."  John 3:16

Heaven or hell is all about what you do with Jesus.   God the Father wasn't be selective in how one gets into heaven, he just said, "My Son, Jesus is the only way into heaven."  God gave one choice (Jesus) and humanity not liking that answer has continued to try to come up other ways to fool themselves only to sadly say- fool themselves into a fiery torturous prison in hell where there is total separation from God.

All the prophets of God point to Jesus as the Messiah/ Savior.   Ask yourselves, What is more HOLY then God's own blood?  Nothing!  God's own blood (Jesus blood) wiped out our sins so we can approach God.   We can become children of God through Jesus.   Jesus is the only way to saved.   If this sounds harsh think about this: sometimes the truth is harsh. We get hard truths everyday but it doesn't make those truths untrue.

If you want to get to know God and Jesus Christ as your Savior, I can only show you, figuratively speaking, the door.  It is has to be you to make the step.  The good news is you already instinctively know there is a God.  

In the book of Romans, chapter 1, verse 21 it says you already know there is a God. (Romans 1:21)

But "just knowing there is a God" is like just knowing the appearance of your neighbor but not knowing who she or he really is or what they like or dislike.    It's like knowing there is some really good fresh food in your refrigerator and deciding to not eat any of it even though you are really hungry.  

The word of God also says, "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Since you already know God exists, "sincerely" seek him and you will be rewarded you.

Jesus says "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. "  Matthew 7:7

God is waiting for you to seek him.  He has been waiting for you to come to Him.  He isn't waiting for you to fix yourself, I didn’t fix myself I just gave him who I was and he transformed me- yep a Jesus Freak. God is waiting to unveil himself in ways that you thought were impossible and use you in ways you never thought were possible.

If God is asking you to come, don't be afraid- come.   If you want God to reveal himself to you, he will do it.  I heard a story of a family in India who had all these pictures of all these false gods and a picture of Jesus.  A missionary prayed with the family and the next time he visited all the pictures of all the false gods were taken down except the picture of Jesus.  Curious, the missionary asked what happened to the other pictures and the family said, Jesus was the only God who answered their prayers.

God is no respecter of persons.  God will reveal himself to you if you sincerely seek Him.  It will be your choice to give your life to Jesus and receive and live the life he planned for you long ago.

If you have decided to give your life to Jesus, you can simply pray what is on your heart.   Asking God to forgive you and ask Jesus to come into your life and transform your life.  In Jesus Name Amen.

People are searching for meaning in their life.  They are searching for purpose.  They are searching for fulfillment.  They are searching for peace.  They are searching for encouragement.  They are searching for assurance.   They are searching for contentment.   They are searching for some form of acknowledgment.  They are searching for confidence.   They searching for empowerment.  They are looking for a way out of the pointlessness and out of this feeling of being stuck.  They are looking for nourishment for their souls.  They are searching for someone who really understands who they are and what they feel.   They are looking for love.   They unknowingly are looking for God’s love because in his love, he provides all these things.

May God bless you with the indispensable reality of Himself and continue to bless you with the indispensable reality of Himself as you seek after Him.  In Jesus Name Amen.