I often find myself sitting and thinking of the end of the world, and I find myself thinking that it is all just impossible: Jesus, busting through the clouds on a trumpet sound with great glory, surrounded by legions of angels; Jesus calling the righteous dead from their graves to meet him in the air where the righteous living will also join Him; and then everyone going to Heaven with him. It all seems so unrealistic! Especially when I consider that there will be no more pain and death - everything will be perfect, AND we will live forever.
I'm smiling to myself even now as I describe this fantastic scene. Living in this world of logic and reason and science, it's so easy for me not to believe what I have just described. Sometimes I believe it with every fiber of my being and the thought makes me happy and hopeful and anxious (in a good way) for Jesus' second coming. But sometimes, the doubt creeps in and I wonder: 'Is this really possible? Eternal life? No pain or death?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not doubting God in these times, at least that's what I tell myself. But I guess what I am doing is doubting his promises, which I've come to realize is doubting Him. In John 14:1-3, Jesus says, 'Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also.' The promise here is clear - Jesus WILL be returning to take the faithful with him away from sin forever.
I will have doubts and questions sometimes, but really, I thank God for the things that I can wrap my head around. I may find it hard to sometimes believe what the end of this world will be, but God provides me with the faith I need to press on in this journey and to believe. He sends me messages and speaks to me in my life. As I stated in a previous post God Answer's Prayers, Jesus speaks to me directly through his word. This direct communication is something that others may see as small and unimportant, but to me it means the world because these interactions are what my faith is built on. If I didn't have those small moments, it would be so hard for me to believe in the big things like the Second Coming.
I'm going to focus more on the little things that God does for me and reveals to me. Those are what are most important, and they will pave the way for my faith to grow stronger so that I could believe the big things. Most importantly, I will trust in Jesus, and lean on Him daily, because He is 'the author and finisher of our faith' (Hebrews 12:2). So to whoever reads this, if you don't believe that's okay; if you do believe but have doubts, that's okay too. Just earnestly and sincerely pray to God and ask him to give you faith and to help you believe, he will NEVER deny you that. But remember also that we must diligently seek Him. Relationships are built over time and communication and that's what God requires of us.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
The Bible's Promises II
In my study of my Bible this morning, I cam across the story of Jeroboam in 1 Kings. What struck me was the similarity between some of my earlier discussion on Bible promises and Jeroboam's life and story. These texts sum it up:
"Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, And rent the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back." 1 Kings 14:7-9
God gave Jeroboam a kingdom, earthly riches and glory, and what did he do? He turned away from God. David had all these things that Jeroboam had, possibly more, and he remained with God. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, this story further convicts me of the truth that earthly riches are given only as our Heavenly Father sees best for each individual. So, next time you ask for a car, or money, and you don't get it, don't think that he does not care, or is not there or not listening. KNOW that he knows better than you do what is best for you. Trust him, and watch his will work in your life for YOUR betterment. I know that it's really not that easy, I'm struggling with it myself, but a relationship is a process that takes time and constant communication. So hopefully, and by God's grace, I will get to the point of blind trust - because really, there's no way I'm more knowledgeable than the all powerful God.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
"Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, And rent the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back." 1 Kings 14:7-9
God gave Jeroboam a kingdom, earthly riches and glory, and what did he do? He turned away from God. David had all these things that Jeroboam had, possibly more, and he remained with God. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, this story further convicts me of the truth that earthly riches are given only as our Heavenly Father sees best for each individual. So, next time you ask for a car, or money, and you don't get it, don't think that he does not care, or is not there or not listening. KNOW that he knows better than you do what is best for you. Trust him, and watch his will work in your life for YOUR betterment. I know that it's really not that easy, I'm struggling with it myself, but a relationship is a process that takes time and constant communication. So hopefully, and by God's grace, I will get to the point of blind trust - because really, there's no way I'm more knowledgeable than the all powerful God.
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
The Bible's Promises
As promised in a previous post, I want to explore the theme of the Bible's promises. I had stated that not all of the Bible's promises are for everyone at any time. This is something that I learned from a book 95 Theses on Righteousness by Faith by Morris Venden. In it he states,
"The spiritual promises - for forgiveness of sins, for the Holy Spirit, for power to do his work - are always available. But the promises for temporal blessings, even for life itself are given on occasion and withheld on occasion, as God's providence sees best." (p. 58)
I had always struggled with the fact that bad things happen to good, God-fearing people. I had always refused to believe that a good God would let bad things happen to his people. I had taken Jeremiah 29:11 to task, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.' But when I read that chapter of the book, I came to realize that I was wrong. Even upon examination of the Bible, I realized that my thinking was wrong. Take a look at Job, the most obvious of God's dedicated people and what he went through. Job was rich in earthly belongings, so God had granted him prosperity in that. But Job was also rich in spiritual wealth. He had a strong relationship with God. God had seen through his providence that Job would be faithful if given earthly wealth, but He had also seen that Job would still remain faithful if it would all be taken away - which is what happened. So when his life was being ripped away before his eyes, Job stayed faithful because God was always with him, and he trusted God. I guess that's the real test of faith, whether we stay faithful through good times and through adversity.
Another example would be the Apostles and the end that some of them came to. Not all were able to escape persecution and ultimately death - some of them died for telling the good news of God. The promise of life is not for everyone, but only "as God's providence sees best." The 'expected end' in Jeremiah 29:11 to me refers to eternal life. That alone is God's aim, and he will do whatever it takes to ensure that we get there. THAT is his promise. So it may mean that on earth we may not always get what we want or think we need, but I am slowly learning to be okay with that. I have to trust God because He knows what's best for me.
'For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' 2 Corinthians 4:17
"The spiritual promises - for forgiveness of sins, for the Holy Spirit, for power to do his work - are always available. But the promises for temporal blessings, even for life itself are given on occasion and withheld on occasion, as God's providence sees best." (p. 58)
I had always struggled with the fact that bad things happen to good, God-fearing people. I had always refused to believe that a good God would let bad things happen to his people. I had taken Jeremiah 29:11 to task, 'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.' But when I read that chapter of the book, I came to realize that I was wrong. Even upon examination of the Bible, I realized that my thinking was wrong. Take a look at Job, the most obvious of God's dedicated people and what he went through. Job was rich in earthly belongings, so God had granted him prosperity in that. But Job was also rich in spiritual wealth. He had a strong relationship with God. God had seen through his providence that Job would be faithful if given earthly wealth, but He had also seen that Job would still remain faithful if it would all be taken away - which is what happened. So when his life was being ripped away before his eyes, Job stayed faithful because God was always with him, and he trusted God. I guess that's the real test of faith, whether we stay faithful through good times and through adversity.
Another example would be the Apostles and the end that some of them came to. Not all were able to escape persecution and ultimately death - some of them died for telling the good news of God. The promise of life is not for everyone, but only "as God's providence sees best." The 'expected end' in Jeremiah 29:11 to me refers to eternal life. That alone is God's aim, and he will do whatever it takes to ensure that we get there. THAT is his promise. So it may mean that on earth we may not always get what we want or think we need, but I am slowly learning to be okay with that. I have to trust God because He knows what's best for me.
'For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' 2 Corinthians 4:17
Thursday, March 27, 2014
God Answers Prayers
I've been amazed recently at how God has answered my prayers. To me,
those answers are small miracles and evidence of his existence and the
fact that he loves me and listens to what I have to say. I'm reading a
book, 95 Theses on Righteousness by Faith, by Morris Venden, and in it,
one of the things he says is that not EVERY promise in the Bible is for
you at this specific time in this specific place. I had often struggled
with reconciling the promises of the Bible to 'bad things happening to
good people,' and his explanation opened my eyes to a new reality. (I
will explore God's promises in another post). God's ultimate goal is for
everyone to reach heaven. He will do whatever it takes to get you
there, even if that means you have to be poor your whole life - if he
made you rich, would you still seek and serve him? Why would he give you
something knowing that it would lead you to hell? That's why not every
promise is for everyone at some point in their lives. I understand that
now, and I've accepted it.
But the other part of this is that there are certain promises that are for EVERYONE at ANYTIME, as long as we ask earnestly He will always hear us. One such promise is the imparting of the Holy Spirit. God will never deny the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks earnestly. Basically any requests having to do with your spiritual life will never be denied you by God. The key is that we have to be earnest when we seek answers.
Recently I committed a sin that I have always struggled with. Personally I see it as somewhat of a failure that I commit the same sin over and over. I always wonder, 'does this mean that I was insincere when I repented of it the last time I did it?' Sometimes I even feel like just giving up because I feel I'm not worth it if I keep doing the same thing over and over. It's very discouraging. But one night I was talking with God and I wondered, 'What if I promised God that I will never do it again? Would that deter me?' I did promise that I would never do it again, but I also asked God for guidance. The next morning, while reading my Bible, God lead me to this text:
'When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.' Ecclesiastes 5:4,5
I was amazed, but there it was - my prayer was answered (Honestly, I felt scolded, but I also felt happy because I got the guidance I had asked for). Another time, I had concerns about my attitude towards people. Particularly about doing house work. I sometimes felt that I was the only one doing most of the work and I resented that. Especially when I later got told that it was 'my turn' to clean and I know that I do it so much already and we have no real 'turns.' I hated the negative attitude and thoughts I had towards the people I live with because of what I saw as injustice. I asked God to help me. I didn't even know where to start, or how to not feel the way I was feeling, I just knew that it was wrong. Again, during my morning devotion I was reading Messages to Young People by Ellen White, and I came across this passage:
"Closely examine your own heart, and the state of your affections towards God. Inquire, have I devoted the precious moments of today in seeking to please myself, seeking for my own amusements? Or have I made others happy? Have I helped those connected with me to greater devotion to God and to appreciate eternal things? Have I brought my religion into my home and there revealed the grace of Christ in my words and in my deportment? By respectful obedience, have I honored my parents, and thus kept the fifth commandment? Have I cheerfully taken up my little, everyday duties, performing them with fidelity, doing what I could to lighten the burden of others?" (p. 123).
The entire paragraph made me take a closer look at myself, but God spoke directly to me through the very last sentence. My prayer, again, was answered. I should seek to help people, as Jesus would have done, without complaint. I know that my attitude won't be changed instantaneously, but like my relationship with God, it will take time and commitment on my part. But thanks to God for his help, I don't have to do it alone, and neither do you.
Jesus is there to help us, whatever way we ask of him. All we have to do is call his name, and he will answer. When it comes to helping us change ourselves for the better; when it comes to matters of the spirit and of eternal life, we can be sure that God will ALWAYS answer.
'For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' Psalm 84:11
But the other part of this is that there are certain promises that are for EVERYONE at ANYTIME, as long as we ask earnestly He will always hear us. One such promise is the imparting of the Holy Spirit. God will never deny the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks earnestly. Basically any requests having to do with your spiritual life will never be denied you by God. The key is that we have to be earnest when we seek answers.
Recently I committed a sin that I have always struggled with. Personally I see it as somewhat of a failure that I commit the same sin over and over. I always wonder, 'does this mean that I was insincere when I repented of it the last time I did it?' Sometimes I even feel like just giving up because I feel I'm not worth it if I keep doing the same thing over and over. It's very discouraging. But one night I was talking with God and I wondered, 'What if I promised God that I will never do it again? Would that deter me?' I did promise that I would never do it again, but I also asked God for guidance. The next morning, while reading my Bible, God lead me to this text:
'When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.' Ecclesiastes 5:4,5
I was amazed, but there it was - my prayer was answered (Honestly, I felt scolded, but I also felt happy because I got the guidance I had asked for). Another time, I had concerns about my attitude towards people. Particularly about doing house work. I sometimes felt that I was the only one doing most of the work and I resented that. Especially when I later got told that it was 'my turn' to clean and I know that I do it so much already and we have no real 'turns.' I hated the negative attitude and thoughts I had towards the people I live with because of what I saw as injustice. I asked God to help me. I didn't even know where to start, or how to not feel the way I was feeling, I just knew that it was wrong. Again, during my morning devotion I was reading Messages to Young People by Ellen White, and I came across this passage:
"Closely examine your own heart, and the state of your affections towards God. Inquire, have I devoted the precious moments of today in seeking to please myself, seeking for my own amusements? Or have I made others happy? Have I helped those connected with me to greater devotion to God and to appreciate eternal things? Have I brought my religion into my home and there revealed the grace of Christ in my words and in my deportment? By respectful obedience, have I honored my parents, and thus kept the fifth commandment? Have I cheerfully taken up my little, everyday duties, performing them with fidelity, doing what I could to lighten the burden of others?" (p. 123).
The entire paragraph made me take a closer look at myself, but God spoke directly to me through the very last sentence. My prayer, again, was answered. I should seek to help people, as Jesus would have done, without complaint. I know that my attitude won't be changed instantaneously, but like my relationship with God, it will take time and commitment on my part. But thanks to God for his help, I don't have to do it alone, and neither do you.
Jesus is there to help us, whatever way we ask of him. All we have to do is call his name, and he will answer. When it comes to helping us change ourselves for the better; when it comes to matters of the spirit and of eternal life, we can be sure that God will ALWAYS answer.
'For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' Psalm 84:11
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
With Every Act of Love
A song that reminds me that we are called by God to show others his love for us. We are truly the doors that he has put on this earth for his love to work through. If those who claim to be Christians (followers of Christ) do not show his love, then who will? It's so much easier to just close our eyes and act like nothing's wrong. Or to just say that 'there's nothing I can do' and forget about it. But I know I do not want to appear before God and hear him say "Depart from me... For I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger and ye took me not in: naked and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not." Matthew 25:41-43
I'm an extremely shy and introverted individual, so I was baffled as to how I could and would go about showing God's love to strangers, and being the kind of person he wants and needs me to be. But as with so much else in my Christian walk, I realized that if I just allowed God to lead me through the power of his Holy Spirit, then I would do just want he wants from me. The Holy Spirit can never lead you wrong. And God is so wiling to impart the Holy Spirit to us. All we have to do is sincerely seek him and ask.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can truly be doors through which the love of God can walk.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Faith
As children bring their broken toys,
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
Because he was my friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I stayed around and tried to help
Through ways that were my own.
At last, I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go.*
From 95 These on Righteousness by Faith, Morris Venden.
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
Because he was my friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I stayed around and tried to help
Through ways that were my own.
At last, I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go.*
From 95 These on Righteousness by Faith, Morris Venden.
Faith = Trust
I'm reading a book called 95 Theses on Righteousness by Faith by Morris Venden. And although I find myself not agreeing completely with everything he says in the book, there is a lot of glaring truth in there that has made me wake up and question the way I live my life and my relationship with God. One of the things he talks about is faith, and that faith is really trust in God.
Do we really trust God as we should? Obviously the only way we can trust Him is if we know Him, and we know Him the same way we get to know our friends and acquaintances - we build relationships by spending quality time with people; talking with them, communicating. That's how it is with God. And just like it takes time to trust people, the more we know, the more we are able to trust.
Something I've learned though: A relationship with God is not instant. It takes time and it takes honest work and commitment on our parts. Revelation 3:20 says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Jesus is always there, always knocking. It is up to us to open for him. But we have to keep him inside once we've opened that door. We need to spend time with him daily; by praying and by reading his word - the Bible.
Jesus himself was the example of this when he was on earth. He spent time daily with his father in prayer. He is our perfect example, following him, we cannot go wrong.
I must admit that I find it difficult to follow this advice. I get distracted by worldly things all the time, and I always think, "what's one day not reading my Bible?" Well, it's a lot. Ellen White says in Messages to Young People that just one time is all it takes to make the second, third and fourth time easier. So spending one day without communing with God makes it easier to go another day, and another, until you're completely disconnected from him.
It goes both ways though - the more time you spend with Him, the more time you want to spend with Him. Because Jesus is truly wonderful.
Do we really trust God as we should? Obviously the only way we can trust Him is if we know Him, and we know Him the same way we get to know our friends and acquaintances - we build relationships by spending quality time with people; talking with them, communicating. That's how it is with God. And just like it takes time to trust people, the more we know, the more we are able to trust.
Something I've learned though: A relationship with God is not instant. It takes time and it takes honest work and commitment on our parts. Revelation 3:20 says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Jesus is always there, always knocking. It is up to us to open for him. But we have to keep him inside once we've opened that door. We need to spend time with him daily; by praying and by reading his word - the Bible.
Jesus himself was the example of this when he was on earth. He spent time daily with his father in prayer. He is our perfect example, following him, we cannot go wrong.
I must admit that I find it difficult to follow this advice. I get distracted by worldly things all the time, and I always think, "what's one day not reading my Bible?" Well, it's a lot. Ellen White says in Messages to Young People that just one time is all it takes to make the second, third and fourth time easier. So spending one day without communing with God makes it easier to go another day, and another, until you're completely disconnected from him.
It goes both ways though - the more time you spend with Him, the more time you want to spend with Him. Because Jesus is truly wonderful.
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