Why Do Bad Things Happen to God's People

Last month our pastor taught on 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. He said the question we often ask is "Why do bad things happen to good people?" But Romans 3:12 makes it clear that there are no good people, "All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:12

Instead, the question should be, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" This is quite a different perspective from popular opinion.

Here are 10 of the reasons our pastor gave why bad things happen to God's people, according to the scriptures:

1. Verse 3-4: It allows me to know God better. Suffering is a prerequisite for knowing God's comfort.
2. Verse 4a: It equips me to be a comfort to others. You can relate to their problem and to the solution.
3. Verse 5: It is part of belonging to Christ. Abundant sufferings and abundant comfort is part of the package of belonging to Christ. (The cross has demolished for all time that life is fair).
4. Verse 6a: It is the price of reaching lost people. (2 Corinthians 12:15)
5. Verse 6b-7: It is the opportunity to demonstrate my faith. When do people watch me most closely? When suffering comes into my life!
6. Verse 8: It causes me to focus on what's really important. C. S. Lewis said, "God whispers in our pleasure, but He shouts in our pain."
7. Verse 9: It keeps me from trusting in myself.
"God won't put more on you than you can bear." This is not in the Bible as people often claim.
Verse 8 says "...we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength." This is "more than we can bear."
8. Verse 9b-10: It makes me trust in God alone.
9. Verse 11a: It shows me my need of others. When you're suffering, you ask others to pray. It also allows me to ask for help and allow others to serve me (and vice versa).
10. Verse 11b: It brings more praise to God. Results of others praying: I get help and God gets more thanks.

Concerned

But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?" Jonah 4:10-11

Another point in the Book of Jonah was very convicting to me. God had made a vine grow up around Jonah to provide shelter from the sun and wind and then He destroyed it. God was using this as an object lesson for Jonah. After He destroyed it Jonah got all upset over this vine. God made the point to Jonah that while he was so concerned with this vine, God's concern was for the people of Ninevah (who were lost & needed God's truth revealed to them).

The question from this is what are my concerns?
Are my concerns all about me?
Are they about the temporary things and not things of eternal value?
Are they about my comfort?
Are they about what I want?

God has one concern: PEOPLE. God's point was that our concerns should be His concerns. Vines die, fads end, material goods will perish. People will live forever--somewhere; that is what God cares about and that is what I should care about. I'm praying for God to make my concerns the same as His!!

Abounding in Love

Last week while visiting Joplin I got to go to my sister's church in Carthage. I always enjoy the sermons there. This particular Sunday the topic was on the Book of Jonah. I learned so much! I suppose because I have never really heard a teaching on that book before. I had read the book on my own, but I had some misunderstandings about it.

We all probably know the story. God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell the people there to repent and turn to God. Jonah refuses and ends up in the belly of a big fish. I always thought that Jonah didn't want to go because he was scared. However, that is not really the reason (well, I suppose that could have been part of it). The people of Nineveh were enemies of the Israelites. To put it bluntly, Jonah hated them. The reason He didn't want to go is because He knew God's character and He didn't want to see God show compassion to his enemy. Jonah wanted God to punish them for their evil ways.

So Jonah goes to Nineveh, tells them to repent and they do! And God shows them mercy!! Jonah's response to God not only reveals his own heart, but it reveals the heart of God:

He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." Jonah 4:2-3

God is...
gracious
compassionate
slow to anger
abounding in love
one who relents from send calamity

He is at Work

Lately, I have seen so much bad stuff going on around me (at least that is what it seems to be). Pregnancies being lost, marriages on the brink, teenagers filled with anger and rebellion, disease taking over bodies...I could go on and on. Sounds depressing, right?

As I work on a Bible study on the Book of Esther, I am reminded of God's providence and sovereignty. Esther's story is such a great example and reminder that God is always in control. Just when we think God isn't paying attention to these horrible circumstances, just when we think that He obviously has more important things He is tending to, scripture reminds us that even if we may not see it with our two little eyes--God is at work!!

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who WORKS out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will," Ephesians 1:11

"for it is God who WORKS in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:13

God is at work in every situation, whether it is good or bad. Just when the Jews thought they would all be killed according to Haman's plans, we see God's work in the situation. Before any of those plans were created, God was already orchestrating His plans to place Esther, a Jew, in the role of Queen of Persia. From human perspective, the situation looked hopeless. It looked like there was only one possible outcome. It looked like God had turned His back. However, unbeknownst to all of them, God was at WORK!!

Does your situation look hopeless? Does it look like there is only one possible outcome? Does is it seem as though God has turned His back on you? Remember, God is at WORK!!

Christianity vs. Religion

A couple of weeks ago the pastor of my church made a great point.
He said that you spell religion D-O
You spell Christianity D-O-N-E

What a simple way to explain it. All world religions minus Christianity require works to attain salvation. With all other "religions," you must pray certain prayers, reach a higher level of enlightenment, be at church every week, give a certain amount of money, do more good than bad, and so on and so on.

There is ONE faith that stands alone: Christianity.

It is not a lifestyle.
It is not a set of rules to follow.
It is not a way of morality.
There is nothing you can DO to be saved because it was DONE on the cross. As Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished."
I could never do enough good things to stand before the Holiness of the Perfect God. Thankfully, Christ did it all. It is DONE...there is nothing more I can DO...but choose to surrender.

Proof

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13: 34-35

In addition to telling others the Good News of salvation in Jesus, we are called to demonstrate it in another way: love. Jesus said that others will know we are His followers if we love each other. We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ the same way Jesus loves us. What a high standard to meet!

Today I am praying for God to help me to make it a priority to demonstrate love above all other things. Not the emotional, feel good, passionate kind of love. The love that Jesus demonstrated--sacrificial love. Love that puts others before myself. Love that costs me everything and you nothing. I'm thankful Jesus provides us such a perfect, worthy example.

Do Not Worry

I've mentioned in previous posts my struggle with worry. Recently my worry has been focused on health issues first with Landon and now with myself. There is one area of worry that continues to haunt me since becoming a stay at home mom--money. As we all know, living off one income is extremely difficult. While it is something that is very important to our family and we know that is where God wants us to be, it is still very challenging to trust that our finances will work out. All of this has been hitting me hard here lately as our medical debt rises over the past few weeks.

Thankfully, God's word continues to remind me of what my attitude and mindset should be. God promises to provide, but there is a condition. I overlooked part of this for a long time, until I read the passage in context. There are several verses here, but please read it because I know it will be a blessing to you:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34

Notice that Jesus promises that if we seek first the kingdom of God, He will provide our clothes, food, drink, etc. If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and doing His will, everything we need will be provided for us.

I must confess that since I began staying home, God has continued to provide for us and bless us abundantly. As we struggled with this decision while I was pregnant, we would look at our budget and just think there was no way possible to do it. Thankfully we serve the God of the impossible!

Who Am I To Question?

Yesterday I faced some continued complications with my health. I was given some potentially scary news and my immediate emotional reaction was worry. I think when anything bad happens to us we begin to question God and His motives (which is exactly what the enemy desires). My immediate reaction was to feel sorry for myself and think "why me?!"

Fortunately, God didn't allow this thinking to last too long, however. I was immediately reminded of the story of Job found in the Old Testament. Satan gains permission from God to test Job's faith. Job loses everyone and everything and eventually begins to suffer physically. Job and his friends question God and God's response puts things into perspective. It puts things in perspective for me too!

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.

Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-

while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?" Job 38:4-7

When I question God in these ways, He reminds me that He alone is God. He alone created the universe. When I doubt or question Him, His response can be, "Oh, I'm sorry Ms. Know-it-all. Since you know so much, where were you when I spun the earth into motion? Where were you when I created man?" Ah, how humbling. Even in the most horrible circumstances--God is in control. He has a plan and a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11).

There is one thing I must remember daily. My life isn't going to be perfect. My life isn't even going to probably usually be close to perfect!! BUT, I have one purpose. My purpose is to glorify God in all that I do (1 Corinthians 10:31). What a challenge. I must fall on my knees daily before Him and pray that He will help me do that. I know I can't do it on my own!

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..." Ephesians 1:11

Those close to me know that over the past few weeks I have gone through a very horrible experience. And also if you know me, you will know that I am not a very private person. I am almost always eager to share what is going on or has happened. My husband and I are very opposite in this regard. I feel like everything that I go through God can use to encourage someone else--so why not share it!

So back to my point, a few weeks ago I lost the sweet baby I was carrying. I was seven weeks pregnant and, unfortunately, had an ectopic pregnancy. I had to have emergency surgery and through God's mercy I am alive and healthy. I feel as though I should be sorrowful and mourning, but God has overshadowed any grief with a spirit full of thanksgiving. I am so grateful for how He has worked through the situation. So many blessings have come through the awful ordeal that I can't help but praise Him and thank Him. The above verse reminds me that He is in complete control and will work even the bad and ugly out in His will. Ahh, I'm so glad He is in control. I don't know why this happened, but PRAISE Him because He knows!!

I could be angry. I could be hurt. I could be questioning. But by God's mercy He reminds me of what His will is for me. His will is for me to be thankful in ALL situations:

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I know bad things may happen in the future and I may not have this perspective then. But I must give God all the praise and glory right now because He has given me His perspective in this situation. I can only pray that He would continue to give me this perspective in the future when things are hard. So when people ask me how I am doing, I can only say--I am doing better than I deserve!! Praise Jesus!

Itchy Ears

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Do you think the above verses could ever apply more than today? In a society where truth is relative, it is easy to see we are living in the time the above verses warned about. There are so many who listen to teaching that makes them feel good, that makes them comfortable, and challenges them in no way. The Bible warns us from following such false teaching. Even though God's Word can make us uncomfortable at times, even though it often convicts us, and even though it doesn't always make for warm and fuzzy conversation--it is truth. Sound doctrine does not waver in relativism. In a society where tolerance has taken on a new meaning, it is easy to see Paul's warning being lived out.

Feast of Trumpets

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Trumpet blasts are blown for the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, known as the Feast of Trumpets. Somehow I had never learned this until recently, but many believe the Rapture will happen on the last trumpet blast during the Feast of Trumpets. These individuals believe that is the trumpet blast Paul was speaking of in the above verse. Of course, we are told we don't know when Jesus will rapture believers to heaven. He said of that day and hour no one knows, but we are to watch for the signs. What is interesting is that the Feast of Trumpets is also known as "No one knows the day or hour" to the Jewish people. The reason for this being that it was celebrated at the appearing of the new moon--which they had to wait to watch for.

While we aren't to set dates, we are to watch for signs. Could September's Feast of Trumpets be it? I'm waiting anxiously to find out! We might not have much time left!!

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

This is one of my favorite songs. God knows it is and even blessed me when our praise team at church sang it the day I got baptized (Feb. 6, 2005). I love the lyrics.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

I'm Adopted

It is popular thinking that we are all children of God. But is that what the Bible says? Scripture gives a clear definition of who God's children are:

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." John 1:12-13

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus," Galatians 3:26

According to God's Word, those who believe in Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as their Savior have become children of God. Christians are adopted into God's family through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is even more explanation of this given in Galatians 4. Adoption is a wonderful thing, but I don't think there is any better adoption than that in Jesus Christ!

As Christians it often seems like we are misunderstood by the world. Being a follower of Jesus often results in negative reactions from others. But the Bible says that will happen to us, because it happened to Jesus too!

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known." 1 John 3:1-2

The above chapter in 1 John goes on to tell us how we can recognize children of God:

"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:10

Children of God are obedient to God's teaching and love their brother.

If you are interested in reading more scripture supporting the above, here a few:
Romans 9:8
John 8:42
John 8:44
Ephesians 1:5

So, have you been adopted yet?! We have all been given the opportunity to become children of God--the choice is ours. Don't wait another day to make that decision!

Not Peace, but a Sword

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw—
a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

While Jesus came to establish peace for us with God the Father, His purpose on earth was not to establish peace for us in this life, contrary to the opinion of many. As we read in the above verse, Jesus warned His disciples that He did not come for peace, but a sword. Genuine followers of Christ will suffer persecution, conflict, and the loss of friends. When a Christian stands unwavering in the truth of God, they will at some point face the disgust of others and the loss of people they love (even members of their family, as mentioned in the verses above!).

By my very nature, I am a people pleaser. I like for people to like me. Unfortunately, when we as Christians choose to stand firm (Ephesians 6:14-15) in the teaching of scripture, there will be people who hate us and choose to not have anything to do with us; but we must make a choice. We either choose the praise of men (John 12:43), or we choose to take up our cross and follow Christ.

The Gospel of John

"Sanctify them by the truth; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." John 17:17

It always amazes me how God tells you exactly what you need to hear, when you need to hear it. Sometimes it is something you never knew, but often times it is something you already know and God wants to reassure you of it. Last night as I was doing my Bible study, the lesson was about how God's word is truth. Truth isn't relative, it isn't what we think in our head, or what we hope it to be. Truth is God's word. The above verse from John was discussed in the lesson and it was perfect timing.

I had been wanting to mention this study because it really is one of a kind. Pull Up a Chair: You, Me, and the Gospel of John is a great study that goes all the way through the Book of John--chapter by chapter. I love it because it is simple and straightforward. It clearly teaches God's truth and plan of salvation. It is especially good for someone new to the Bible, but I think it is great for a seasoned Christian, as well. I highly recommend it!

The Great Commission

Last night I read the very end of Matthew, where Jesus gives the "Great Commission:"

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

This was Christ's last commandment before ascending to heaven. He told His disciples and all who follow Him to "make disciples." How are we told to do that? By baptizing them and teaching them everything Jesus commanded.

After reading that scripture, I feel convicted to "go" and share The Gospel, encourage new believers to be baptized and learn (and obey) the commands of Jesus. What a great responsibility He entrusted us with!!

The Woman at the Well

I had to post this video because I just love it so much!! Christ's encounter with the woman at the well in John 4: 3-30 is such a great demonstration of His deity, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. While He confronts our sin, we who accept His sacrifice on the cross do not stand condemned! Praise God for His unending love.

Knowing God

"Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" Matthew 22:37

Jesus commands us to love God with everything we've got. In a recent Bible study I was in, we were discussing how there are some things that as humans we just can't wrap our minds around. We don't have all the answers and it is prideful and arrogant of us to believe we can or should know everything God knows. In this Bible study a lady put it this way--she said many people ignore the verse commanding us to love God with everything we've got, but instead they want to know God with all they've got. That is not what we are commanded. We are commanded to love. God is infinite in wisdom and the pride that caused Satan to fall from heaven can deceive us into thinking we can be as knowledgeable as God.

As a side note, God doesn't call for blind faith. He tells us He gives wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5-8)and that we are to test everything we are taught or told to scripture, to ensure its validity: "Test everything. Hold on to the good. " 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Two Gates

Let's be blunt: God's word says that not very many people will end up in heaven.

Ouch.
That is a scary thought.
That is a thought denied by our society.
That is a thought Satan doesn't want us to think about.

But Jesus said it:

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

In Luke, Jesus explains how there are no second chances:

Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' " Luke 13:23-25

Will few people go to heaven because God is unloving and mean? Absolutely not. The Bible says God "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2: 4. In fact, God is waiting for you to come to Him: "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:8-9 People go to hell because of unrepentant hearts and unbelief, not because God is unkind and mean.

God does not want anyone to perish!! He loves you and wants a relationship with you. If you haven't yet, go to Him before the door is shut forever.

Eternity is a long time to be wrong.

He's Coming Back!

In a previous post I had mentioned the rapture. Well, right now I am going through a study on the Book of John. We are in chapter 14 and just came across this verses:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ²In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John14:1-3

Jesus promised that while He would leave for a period of time to prepare a place for us in heaven, He would come back and take us to be with Him.

A description of the rapture is given in the New Testament:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

God promises that Jesus will return and first take the dead in Christ and then us who are alive now. It could happen at anytime. Jesus said He will come like a thief in the night---when we are least expecting it.

I'm thankful for Jesus and His promise to come back and get us. And when we are in the middle of our daily struggles and stresses, we are to use this promise to encourage each other. What are you dealing with today? Does it have eternal consequences? Take comfort in the fact that in the twinkling of an eye all our problems will disappear!!

Born Again

"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:3

There are many people who believe that because they were raised in church, or because their parents were Christians and always "practiced" Biblical traditions in their home--that they are somehow automatically going to heaven. They may state something to the effect of, "I have always been a Christian." But is that possible? According to Jesus in the above verse, we must all come to a point in our lives when we are "born again," in order to spend eternity in heaven.

So what does it mean to be born again? In this passage Nicodemus (a Pharisee) asks how we can literally be born out of our mother's womb again. Obviously that is not possible. Jesus explains:

"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3: 5-8

Jesus's phrase "born again" literally means "born from above." In other words, being born again is an act of God from above where we are given eternal life when we make a decision to choose (and believe) Jesus as Savior and Lord of our life.

As I have stated before, we are saved not by any good deeds we do (or by anything we can do for that matter), but by faith. Ephesians makes it clear that we are "saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

All the work was done by Jesus on the cross, the rest is up to us to make that decision for ourselves.

Be Ready!!

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." 1 Peter 3:15

This morning a lovely Jehovah's Witness lady knocked on my door. Guess what she wanted to tell me about?! The end times!! She said they believe we are living in the end times and wanted to give me information on how to study my Bible and know how to "survive" during the end times. If you have read much of my blog at all, you know that my favorite thing to do is talk about scripture. So I welcomed the conversation.

I patiently waited while she went through her "talk." When she finished I informed her that I have no fear of the end times, for I know Jesus is my Savior and Lord Who died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins. I said this while anticipating her reaction: "Well, I believe Jesus is our Savior--but I do not believe He is God." This led to a lovely discussion of the Bible that went round and round. For instance, how can a mere man save you?? I will spare you all of the details, because that is not the point of this post. The point is that this incident reminded me how important it is for each of us to know God's Word and know what it is we believe so we are ready to lovingly tell others God's truth (part of that being that Jesus is God incarnate!!).

Rapture Video

I ran across this video on youtube.com and it provides what I think is a good, simple explanation of The Rapture and The Tribulation. I hope you can take a couple of minutes to view it.

When's the War?

The War of Gog and Magog continued from my previous post:

When will the the War of Gog and Magog happen? God's word tells us when Russia and her allies will attack Israel. Judging from current world events it is obvious this could take place at any time. However, scripture says that Israel's enemies will strike "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely..." (Ezekiel 38:14). This war will happen when Israel is in a state of safety. When will this time come? The only time Israel is going to be in a state of security and safety is when the Antichrist makes a peace treaty with Israel (this treaty is what will begin the seven year Tribulation).

So will these armies wipe Israel off the map? Nope! God is going to display His glory to the world by protecting Israel. God will use a devastating earthquake (Ezekiel 38:19-20), the armies will end up killing each other (Ezekiel 38:21), disease will be spread among the armies (Ezekiel 38:22), and devastation from above--flooding, rain, hail, fire and brimstone (Ezekiel 38:22), destroying Israel's attackers.

This will be yet another prophecy fulfilled from scripture. It is amazing the amount of prophecy given in scripture that has already been fulfilled. When I read and study all of the fulfilled prophecy in the Bible (especially about Jesus), I wonder--how can people not believe? And then I remember, one of the enemy's greatest tactics is keeping those Bibles shut. If you never open your Bible, you will never see the evidence. Believe me, I know. I was that way for 23 years.

The War of Gog and Magog

Let me first make a disclaimer--I am not a Bible scholar, so if there is anything you read on this blog you want to verify, please, by all means--open your Bible and find the answers. As mentioned before, I have been reading about end times stuff and believe others need to be aware of it. Only God knows the time and hour, but Jesus told us of signs to watch for--so obviously he wanted us to be on the look out!

I recently read about the War of Gog and Magog; had never read about it before. It is amazing how long you can read God's word and continue learning (or maybe I am just a slow learner!). Anywho, I wanted to post this topic because it is so relevant in current events. Ezekiel 38 talks about this war and for reasons I will not attempt to bore you with in this post, Magog is Russia. Gog is the ruler of Magog (Russia). To very briefly sum this prophecy up, Russia and Iran (along with their allies) will team up and attack Israel. With Putin and Ahmadinejad already being chummy-chummy and helping each other out in the nuclear warfare department, doesn't seem too far off, eh? Especially after hearing Ahmadinejad's comments about wiping Israel off the face of the map.

My point is this--this could begin TODAY! I believe and pray this won't happen until after the Rapture, but I'm not God so I can't say for certain. Because we don't know for certain, we have to make a decision about Jesus today. We do not want to be left behind to suffer the Tribulation. I hope to write more about the Tribulation soon.

As I said in a previous post, I would love to hear back from anyone who may be reading this! Please feel free to comment or email me. :)

As a side note, two of the books I have been reading on this topic are What in the World Is Going On? by David Jeremiah and Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg. I highly recommend both.

Like a Thief

A huge part of the reason I felt driven to write this blog is because of the rapture. I have been reading about the rapture and end times a lot lately. I have been reading about the signs Jesus said to watch for and about all the prophecy in the Bible. I don't think it is by coincidence God has me focused on this subject. I believe we are in the season of the end times. Will that season be long or short? I do not know. If I were to guess, I think it is VERY near.

Regardless of how soon it will happen, Jesus told us to watch and be ready. For anyone who may not know what the rapture is, let me briefly explain. The rapture is when Jesus Christ returns to remove the church (or in other words all of the believers on Earth):

"After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Basically we will all just be going about our business one day and--BAM--a bunch of people are suddenly gone. You will be walking around Wal-Mart trying to decide on a bag of potato chips and the guy at the end of the aisle will suddenly be gone leaving his cart full of groceries behind. All believers will vanish:

"...in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52

The point is--we don't know for certain when the rapture will happen. It could happen today!! This is how Jesus described it:

"for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. " 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

Jesus will come like a thief when we least expect. That is why we must be proactive to strive toward holy living and tell others about the gospel. We could be gone any day now!! Today could be our last chance to tell those we love about Jesus.

The Majority

Our sermon Sunday was about evangelism. Scripture tells us that we are to tell others about God's plan of salvation. Jesus says in Matthew 28:19: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..."

I remember before I was a believer I didn't understand why Christians were so adamant about telling others about their faith. Now that I understand God's plan of salvation-it makes sense. If I truly believe that someone is headed to eternity in hell and I really love that person--wouldn't I want to make certain they know how to end up in heaven. Why would I ever want that person to suffer? So it isn't that Christians are pushy and want everyone to agree with them. The truth is that Christians really believe there is one way to heaven and they want others to end up in heaven too, instead of eternally being separated from God.

Our pastor gave a statistic in his sermon that about 70% of the population believe that you end up in heaven as a result of works. In other words, if you are baptized, pray certain prayers, or do good things, then you will end up in heaven. That is NOT biblical. The Bible tells us that there is only ONE way to heaven and that is through faith in Christ: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) That tells us that about 70% of the population is lost!! (That is a nice way of saying headed for eternity in hell.) For me that is very convicting. I need to be taking every opportunity to make sure others know God's plan of salvation.

So if you find me or someone else telling you about Jesus and the Gospel--take it as a compliment and be flattered. It means I really, really like you. ;0)

Hearing His voice

In John chapter 10 Jesus calls Himself the "good shepherd." There are several great things taught in this chapter, but one thing I think is important is about hearing God's voice. How can we be certain we are hearing from God and not someone else? In this chapter, Jesus states that His sheep know His voice. In other words, Christians (true believers/followers of Christ) will be able to recognize His voice. In addition to this, He says that they will never follow a stranger and will run away from him! Those who truly belong to Him are going to recognize His voice.

The Bible promises that if we have given our lives to Christ, we will indeed recognize His voice. But is there a way to be certain? Thankfully, God has given us something to reassure us--His unchanging Word. The Bible is our ultimate authority. If we have heard God's voice, we can be certain it is true if it matches up with scripture. God will never instruct us in a way that is contrary to scripture because:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

There are hundreds of different religions and denominations out there. You can just turn on the television to see all the different preachers claiming to be preaching God's truth. BUT, we have a test. If one of those religions or churches, or tv preachers teaches something and we want to know if it is true--we must open God's word and find out for ourselves what scripture says. We will either cling to it as truth (if it lines up with scripture) or run away because we will not recognize a strangers voice!

Joy in the Lord

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."
Isaiah 12:3

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:4

When you have a child, you witness daily the joy they find in the small things in life. They delight themselves in things we don't even notice (like water!). Seeing the joy and delight Landon finds in just the littlest things reminds me of the joy I should find in the Lord.
God's word promises that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts. What a great reminder to me of what my priorities should be. Instead of placing the things I desire first, I need to focus on delighting myself in the author of my salvation. As an added blessing and result of delighting myself in Him, He will give me the desires of my heart.

God is Good

God has taught me a lot over the past year. One important thing He has revealed to me is about His character. I have come to realize that often the enemy's tactic isn't to make us question whether God exists, but whether or not God is good. Often we ask ourselves "If God is completely in control of everything, how can He be good if He allows such horrible things to happen?" That was a question I was trying to fully understand a few months ago. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand that I will never fully grasp all of God's character. His ways are not our ways and He is so much more than my puny little brain can comprehend. However, He was gracious enough to help me understand Him a little bit more in this regard.

God brought me to the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. Due to their jealousy, Joseph's brothers threw him in a pit and were going to leave him to die, but then decided instead to sell him as a slave. The brothers lied to their father, Jacob, and told him his favorite son was dead. Joseph was treated horribly by his very own family, the ones who should have loved him the most. To make a long story short, after going through some awful circumstances, Joseph ends up being Pharaoh's number two guy and years later reunites with his brothers (who are shocked to see him alive and in such a high position). Joseph being the wonderful man of God he was understood God's character in all of this. He said to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20) We live in a fallen world where bad things happen and people have free will to do bad things to us. BUT, God will use those things to accomplish good in our lives. Not only will he use it to accomplish good, but as we glorify Him even in our trials, others may come to know Him as Lord too. Coming to understand that was amazing for me.

Along those lines, scripture also says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) In other words, for those who give their lives to Jesus Christ and who love God, He will work ALL THINGS for good. Whoa, what a promise!

I know this is going to be a long post, but I have to add one more thing that really brought this concept home for me. If you have never read The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom--you must!! It is by far the best book I have ever read. To very briefly sum up Corrie's life, she was a Christian in Holland who, along with her family, hid Jews during the Nazis regime and saved many lives. Once caught, her and her family are taken to a concentration camp. I don't want to ruin the story for you, but I have to for my example. Sorry!! Just don't read any further if you don't want me to ruin it for you. Anyway, Corrie and her sister Betsy were extremely close. Betsy became very ill and died in the concentration camp. Corrie just could not understand how God could allow her to die, especially at a time when Corrie needed her sister the most. Not long after Betsy's death, Corrie was released from the concentration camp (which was a clerical error and all women her age were killed just weeks later!!). When being released from the concentration camp, Corrie had to know what would have happened to Betsy had she been alive. She asked them, "What about my sister?" They told Corrie her sister would remain in the camp for the duration of the war. She then asked them, "May I remain with my sister?" and their response was, "Not for a minute! Now get out!" Corrie then says this:

"I have praised and thanked my Lord for that unanswered prayer. Just imagine how it would have been if she had been healed, and would have had to stay in the hell of Ravensbruck without me. I would have returned to my homeland tormented night and day by the consciousness of her suffering. I saw God's side of the embroidery...God never makes a mistake."

While in her mind Corrie could not understand her sister's death, God had a plan and never makes a mistake. While we may not understand the trial at the time, we have a HUGE God that has a plan and a purpose. And we have to remember too, God does not promise that the life of a Christian will be wonderful all of the time. God's purpose is for us to become more like Christ. Sometimes that requires refining our character through hardships.

Before I wrap up, I have to add that the above is just a small glimpse of God's miracles and faithfulness in Corrie's life. If you want to read a real life account of God's faithfulness to the faithful--you have to read The Hiding Place!!

Thanks for reading and may God reveal to you just a bit more of Himself this week!

Proof in the Prophecy

The Old Testament has been harder for me to study than the New Testament. There are a lot of dry parts, in my opinion. But the more you learn about it, the more interesting it becomes. The history of the Jewish nation and their relationship with God should hold a lot of value to every Christian. Jewish history is ultimately our history too. One thing that is very intriguing to me about God and His word is the amount of prophecy given in both the Old and New Testaments. He provides amazing evidence to the truth of His word in the prophecies that have already been fulfilled and the others that are still yet to be fulfilled in the future. I wanted to list a few examples of some prophecy that were given in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and His death. In doing so, I recognize that I could provide endless evidence of God's truth through fulfilled prophecy inspiring no new belief, because I know that in all reality, faith is required for salvation. When it comes down to it, skeptics aren't lacking evidence, they are lacking faith.

Jesus would be betrayed by a friend:
“Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”
Psalm 41:9

Jesus would be spat upon and beaten:
“I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.”
Isaiah 50:6

Jesus would stand silent before His accusers:
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Isaiah 53:7

His hands and feet would be pierced:
"Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet." Psalm 22:16

Jesus would die for our sins:
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:4-6

So Many Gods?!

I think one thing that can be confusing is the vast number of religions out there. I mean, with so many religions out there--how can there just be ONE way to heaven? A lot of people think that we essentially believe in the same thing, whether we call it God, a higher power, Allah, Jesus, etc. They think it's just semantics and that even though we may take different paths to get there, we are all headed in the same direction.

The truth is that we live in a fallen world. We aren't always dealing with things we can see with our eyes:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Unfortunately, there is an enemy among us, Satan. The devil knows that God created us with a void that we would seek to fill; that void was created to be filled by God. Satan knows that we will seek to fill this void one way or another, so his only hope is to try to get us to fill it with something else other than God (i.e. false gods, romantic earthly relationships, drugs, etc.). Satan knows there is one true God. He knows humans are created with a void only God can truly fill. So his plan is to throw us off track. Jesus calls the devil, "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). So, hundreds of religions have been created with the help of Satan's lies. He is the master of twisting the truth with a little bit of lies, and ultimately, leading to the destruction of many souls.

The enemy knows our human nature. Since the Garden of Eden he has fed into our sin nature. Even from our early days of childhood we are saying "I do it!!" He used this strategy with the very first humans when telling them about the forbidden fruit: "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5 Since those first days of creation, humans have had a desire to be their own god.

So where am I going with all of this? Well there is ONE distinct difference between the truth (Christianity) and all other false religions. In every religion (aside from Christianity) people make themselves god in some way. For instance, atheism. Atheists believe there is no god, so their ultimate authority is themself. In other religions it is believed that your good works will get you to heaven. By "doing" good stuff, or praying a certain prayer, or going through the motions of certain rituals and sacraments, then you will end up in heaven. These religions place salvation in the hands of the individual. Christianity is the only religion that places salvation in the hands of God. Regardless of how many good or bad things I do and regardless of how many rituals I perform, with Christianity, my salvation is in the hands of Christ who died once and for all for my sins. There is nothing I can do, no matter how good or bad, that can change my salvation status IF I have made Jesus Lord and Savior of my life. Jesus put it this way:

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28

I am so thankful my eternal salvation is in the hands of a sovereign God and not in mine!! It would not take me long to mess it up. And to sum up, Jesus refutes the idea that there are many paths to God and makes the answer very black and white for us:

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" John 14:6

A Good Man and Prophet

I've often heard the statement that some believe Jesus is a great moral example and was a prophet, but that they do not believe he was the son of God. I always find this argument interesting. If you were to state that someone is a "good" person, or even a prophet, I would assume that you would also state that some of that individual's characteristics would include integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness. I personally would never categorize someone as a good moral example if they were a liar. Well, if you don't believe Jesus was God, then according to His statements, you would be calling Him a liar. He repeatedly stated that He was God. That is why the Pharisees (Jewish religious leaders) hated Him so much and wanted to stone Him (and ultimately crucify Him)!! Jesus himself said, “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30.

In speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus revealed this same truth. The woman knew that one day the Messiah would come to earth:

The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes captures this very argument:

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

Jesus is either a liar, lunatic, or Lord. Scripture makes the answer clear.

My Story

The main purpose of this blog is for me to share not only what I believe to be the truth, but also to share my testimony. I want to openly and honestly reveal to those I care about how I came to know Jesus. Do I realize that many who read this will think I am nuts? Of course! Because I would have thought the same thing years ago. Plus God's word says that is exactly what happens: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

So on to my story. I had a normal childhood, with loving parents and nothing too dramatic in my upbringing. Through my high school years I didn't get into too much trouble and nothing too exciting happened during those years either. I went away to college and lived the average life of any college student. I partied along with the majority of others, but made good grades so felt I was a "good person." If you would have asked me at any point in my first 23 years of life if I were a Christian, I would have said yes. I had heard of Jesus, knew He had died on a cross, and believed all that stuff, so of course I was a Christian! At the same time, I could sit down and argue about the Bible and that not ALL of it was true, just certain parts (the reason being that I had to justify certain things in my life!). I had known in my head about God and Jesus so I thought that in combination with me being a "good person" meant I would go to heaven. I did what so many do and I just made up truth in my head. I had never really read much of the Bible so I just made up who I wanted God to be.

After graduating from college and moving back to my home town, my world fell apart. I will spare you the details, but everything in my life had gone wrong. It was the worst time in my life and, unfortunately, God had to knock me down to make me realize I needed Him. At the time I never knew I would be so thankful for such horrible things happening to me. Looking back, I am so thankful for each awful thing I experienced because it made me desperate for my Creator. God had been knocking on my door for a long time. He had been presenting Himself through different situations and people. I could sense Him speaking to me and I could no longer ignore it. He finally gave me a choice. There was a fork in the road. He gave me the choice of staying where I was, where I was comfortable, where things were familiar, without Him. Or I could leave my life behind, go somewhere where I knew no one, somewhere that was completely unfamiliar, and take a step of faith for a life with Him. I chose to take that step of faith and gave my life to Christ. As the disciples left their lives behind to go with Christ, I left everything I knew to see what He had in store. I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of my life, to do with me what He wanted. I no longer just knew Christ in my head, but I had come to know him with my heart. I had begun a personal relationship with Jesus. The thing I love so much about God is that He is such a gentleman that He forces Himself on no one. He wants our love to be so real, so genuine that He gives us the choice to come to Him. After making that decision and learning more of scripture, I have become more and more amazed at God's character. He is so creative and loving and awesome! I wish I had the words that could even begin to capture how wonderful He is. I am so thankful that He chose me. That Christ died for me. That the Holy Spirit now indwells in me!!

What scares me the most about looking back at my life is that I was so fooled into believing I knew where I was going. I truly believe the majority of people who believe they will end up in heaven are just as fooled as I was. Jesus said several things stating that very fact:

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Matthew 7:21-23

The fact is there will be many who will face death assuming they will get into heaven because they were either a "good person" or because the were "religious," but the fact, according to Jesus' very words is that there is only one way. That way is by giving your life to Christ:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I have learned that being a good person won't cut it:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

We are all sinners and until we can acknowledge that we are a sinner in need of a Savior, we are bound for an eternity separated from God.

For so long I just assumed I was saved. If you are unsure of your salvation, scripture makes it clear what it requires.

1. You believe Jesus is the Son of God
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

2. You OBEY and follow Christ
"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands." 1 John 2:3

3. I love my brothers and sisters
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." 1 John 3:14

If you are uncertain of your salvation, don't go to bed tonight without making certain. There is no sin so bad God won't forgive. I think for me the hardest thing to overcome was pride and stubbornness.

Maybe it isn't that you are uncertain of your salvation, but you KNOW you are not saved. Maybe you have never made that decision. If you have never made that decision and desire to do so, God is available anytime through prayer. What is required to be saved? Let's see what scripture says:

1. Admit that you are a sinner

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

2. Understand that you deserve death for your sin.

Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."

3. Ask God to forgive you and save you.

Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

4. Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership.

Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"

5. If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door,ask Him to come into your heart.

Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Right now, I am so far from where God wants me to be. I know I am a sinner and continue to sin in many ways. I am thankful for God's endless forgiveness. For it is "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

My prayer is for whoever may read this to be drawn closer and closer to the Lord. I will continue to post things God lays on my heart. I am also such a work in progress that I hope to post the circumstances that God is using to grow me. I have a very long way to go, so I know I have many trials and tribulations ahead of me. I am thankful I do not have to walk it alone.

Anyone who knows me well at this point in my life, knows that I love talking about God, Jesus, the Bible, religion, etc. I love a good, deep discussion about it, especially one that does not lead to anger or an argument! If you are reading this and would love to get a dialogue going with me, please do! Email me!!

Please know this is written with love and prayer for you reading it!!