I've been asked before, "Is there anything that God can't do?" The quick answer to that question is usually, "Of course not! God can do anything!" But, my friends, there are, in fact, things that God CANNOT do. You might be sitting there now asking yourself, "That is sacrilegious! You can't say that! God is all knowing and all powerful! There is nothing He can't do!" Well, I've got news for ya! There are a few things He can't do. You wanna know what one of those things is? Of course you do... Ready for it?
God Can't Lie. Not ever...
Everything that has been decreed in the Bible and that has been created is based on the fact that God is infallible. He doesn't make mistakes, He doesn't make junk, and He never says something that He can't follow through with.
A few years ago, a humorous religious satire movie came out called Dogma. You may have seen it. It's about these two angels that are kicked out of heaven because they disobeyed God. God decrees that neither of them shall ever be allowed back into heaven for all of eternity and they are forced to live in Wisconsin instead. Long story short, they figure out how to get back into heaven on some dogmatic loophole they find and attempt to exploit it to get back into heaven. When the powers that be, both good and evil, discover their plan, heaven and hell move to try to stop them from going through this process to enter back into heaven.
Now, what's that got to do with anything? Well, here it is... the reason both sides wanted to prevent these two angels from getting back into heaven is because it would have proven God wrong. It would have shown that God is, in fact, not perfection... that He can be WRONG. Which means that all of His great creation, which is this universe, would have become nothingness in an instant. Everything that He has ever done or said would have been undone in a single moment! Remember what I said about all of His creation is based on the fact that He is infallible? Everything is held together by that single fact. He is never wrong. He will never lie. He can never say something that He can't or won't do.
So, what does that mean for us? It means that God has given us, through His Word, many different promises that we can take advantage of. He left them there for us so that we can live a life of abundance, and not of lack. A life of exceptional difference and not mediocrity. John 10:10b says "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." See? There ya go! He wants us to live life to the fullest!
What I plan on doing over my next few blogs is to take some of those promises and expand upon them. Talk about what God really has promised for us all and hopefully how we can use those promises to learn to have a life and live it to the full.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
East to West
Sin... It's one of the words I think we all kind of see all the time and aren't sure how to respond to it. I was raised in a Catholic Church and I feel as though sin was the thing that was talked about the most at church. Every week, go tell this priest what you did wrong, repent and pray these two prayers nine times and you will be forgiven. Repeat next week.
I'm not doggin the Catholic Church, just the repetitive traditional ceremony that required me to go through all of these things that didn't seem to bring me closer to God, but only seemed to push me away. I just always felt that God had this HUGE expectation of me and there was NO WAY I could live up to that. No matter how hard I tried, God would always be there waiting for me to screw up. Anyone else ever feel that way?
The TRUTH, fortunately, is that nothing could be more wrong. Now, let me make a point quickly. God does expect us to be "good" in a sense and avoid sin, but he knows we are fleshy creatures drawn to sin. Isaiah 55:8-9 says:
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Now, that simply means that we will never be able to achieve at His level. Remember that this is a God that believes that hatred is on the same level as murder (1 John 3:15). So, that is a good thing. We will always make mistakes, we will always sin, and God realizes this. Heck, he even told us:
Romans 3:23 -" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
That is a very good thing to know! Now, I felt like maybe my old church hit this point home without revealing to me the good news that follows. I always interpreted it as, "I've sinned. I will always sin. Good luck with that because there is no way around it and I, God, will be judging you everyday, all day, waiting for you to make another mistake!" But no! That is not the truth, folks!" God loves us! He doesn't want us to fall. He wants us to live joyfully under his umbrella of Grace! This is why he put in motion the plan of everlasting redemption through His Son Jesus!
God wants to spend eternity with us! Not separated from us. Here is the good news!
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
1 John 4:9 - In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
1 Corinthains 15:3 ...Christ died for our sins...
Isn't that awesome? That God had a plan for us? That He knew we would never be perfect so He sent down for us the perfect sacrifice so that we could live in eternity with Him? I never heard any of those, or at least understood any of those, until I was almost 27 years old. When we take that step to faith in the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins are removed. Forever and ever... as far as the East is from the West is what He said:
Psalm 103:12 -
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
No sin is too big. No love is as big
.
No matter what anyone has told you, God is bigger. His forgiveness is bigger... His love is bigger. He wants you to be in fellowship with Him. He loves you more than you love you love yourself. He's knocking at the door. Forgive yourself of whatever you think you can never let go of and let Him forgive you. He's waiting for you... will you take that step?
I'm not doggin the Catholic Church, just the repetitive traditional ceremony that required me to go through all of these things that didn't seem to bring me closer to God, but only seemed to push me away. I just always felt that God had this HUGE expectation of me and there was NO WAY I could live up to that. No matter how hard I tried, God would always be there waiting for me to screw up. Anyone else ever feel that way?
The TRUTH, fortunately, is that nothing could be more wrong. Now, let me make a point quickly. God does expect us to be "good" in a sense and avoid sin, but he knows we are fleshy creatures drawn to sin. Isaiah 55:8-9 says:
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Now, that simply means that we will never be able to achieve at His level. Remember that this is a God that believes that hatred is on the same level as murder (1 John 3:15). So, that is a good thing. We will always make mistakes, we will always sin, and God realizes this. Heck, he even told us:
Romans 3:23 -" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
That is a very good thing to know! Now, I felt like maybe my old church hit this point home without revealing to me the good news that follows. I always interpreted it as, "I've sinned. I will always sin. Good luck with that because there is no way around it and I, God, will be judging you everyday, all day, waiting for you to make another mistake!" But no! That is not the truth, folks!" God loves us! He doesn't want us to fall. He wants us to live joyfully under his umbrella of Grace! This is why he put in motion the plan of everlasting redemption through His Son Jesus!
God wants to spend eternity with us! Not separated from us. Here is the good news!
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
1 John 4:9 - In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
1 Corinthains 15:3 ...Christ died for our sins...
Isn't that awesome? That God had a plan for us? That He knew we would never be perfect so He sent down for us the perfect sacrifice so that we could live in eternity with Him? I never heard any of those, or at least understood any of those, until I was almost 27 years old. When we take that step to faith in the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins are removed. Forever and ever... as far as the East is from the West is what He said:
Psalm 103:12 -
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
No sin is too big. No love is as big
.
No matter what anyone has told you, God is bigger. His forgiveness is bigger... His love is bigger. He wants you to be in fellowship with Him. He loves you more than you love you love yourself. He's knocking at the door. Forgive yourself of whatever you think you can never let go of and let Him forgive you. He's waiting for you... will you take that step?
Revelations 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
All you have to do is ask Jesus to come into your life... Pray something like this, "Jesus... I know I've sinned... I know I've made mistakes, and I'm tired of feeling separated from you. I'm asking you to come into my life today and free me from these sins. Forgive me, Lord. I believe that Jesus died for me on that cross and took away my sins so I could live with You eternally. Right now, I confess Jesus as my Lord and savior with my whole heart. Continue to transform me so that I can better know You. Thank you Lord, Amen."
All you have to do is ask Jesus to come into your life... Pray something like this, "Jesus... I know I've sinned... I know I've made mistakes, and I'm tired of feeling separated from you. I'm asking you to come into my life today and free me from these sins. Forgive me, Lord. I believe that Jesus died for me on that cross and took away my sins so I could live with You eternally. Right now, I confess Jesus as my Lord and savior with my whole heart. Continue to transform me so that I can better know You. Thank you Lord, Amen."
I'd love to know if you prayed that prayer. Let me help guide you to some next steps in growing your faith.
Until next time!
Until next time!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
In the Beginning
This is going to be my first post here on this blog. Let me explain a little bit about what this is going to be. I've had it on my heart recently to find an outlet to really share with anyone who is interested my love for Jesus. I'm not a minister or pastor or a preacher of any kind. I'm just a normal, everyday guy that has a passion for sharing what is on my heart and the promises of God that are taught about in the Holy Bible.
So, I think what I want to do with this first blog is to share something that God shared with me today. I was on my way to work listening to my Jesus Pandora station and a song I hadn't heard in quite a while popped on. It was by Mercyme called Word of God Speak. I don't know if you have heard it, but it's a great song.
Anyway, It got me thinking... Word of God speak... You see, God really does speak to us. All of us. It's not just something you hear about happening to someone else, or some random character from the bible that an angel appeared to with a message straight from the mouth of God Himself! It does, in fact, happen to all of us. Sometimes we just gotta stop and open our eyes to what he's trying to tell us.
So how? Right? That is the question. How in the world does God speak to me? Well, personally I think there are a lot of different ways that He might approach you. One of them is through your dreams. Job 33:15-16 (NKJV) says that pretty clear:
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16 Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instructions
Often, we just run into the problem of, "I never remember my dreams..." Now, you talk to my wife and she'll tell you I'm the most vivid dreamer she has ever met and that I could turn some of my dreams into best selling novels... but I don't know, maybe I'm just special that way!
But one of the other ways, and I feel the easiest and most common way to really HEAR God, is by reading His Word. You see, For the word of God is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV) and 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17 NKJV).
SO, what does that even mean? It means that God's Word is alive and is there for us to be equipped to accompish all things. It speaks to us. Our instructions for all of life's events, challenges, high's and low's... God's Word is right there waiting for us, ready to instruct us, ready to point us along the path that He has laid before us, To prepare us for that path.
That's exciting! God wants us to succeed, right? 3 John 1:2 says " Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (KJV) He says above everything out there, He wants us to prosper. What is prosperity? It's success! So, if he wants us succeed and be prosperous and be in health, doesn't it make sense that He would leave a road map to follow? That he would leave a way for us to communicate with Him, and recieve instruction from Him on what is the right decision and the right choice? Of course!
And that is what I am saying. God talks to us. He speaks to us everyday when we are willing to listen. All I'm asking is this: Are we really listening?
So, I think what I want to do with this first blog is to share something that God shared with me today. I was on my way to work listening to my Jesus Pandora station and a song I hadn't heard in quite a while popped on. It was by Mercyme called Word of God Speak. I don't know if you have heard it, but it's a great song.
Anyway, It got me thinking... Word of God speak... You see, God really does speak to us. All of us. It's not just something you hear about happening to someone else, or some random character from the bible that an angel appeared to with a message straight from the mouth of God Himself! It does, in fact, happen to all of us. Sometimes we just gotta stop and open our eyes to what he's trying to tell us.
So how? Right? That is the question. How in the world does God speak to me? Well, personally I think there are a lot of different ways that He might approach you. One of them is through your dreams. Job 33:15-16 (NKJV) says that pretty clear:
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16 Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instructions
Often, we just run into the problem of, "I never remember my dreams..." Now, you talk to my wife and she'll tell you I'm the most vivid dreamer she has ever met and that I could turn some of my dreams into best selling novels... but I don't know, maybe I'm just special that way!
But one of the other ways, and I feel the easiest and most common way to really HEAR God, is by reading His Word. You see, For the word of God is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV) and 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17 NKJV).
SO, what does that even mean? It means that God's Word is alive and is there for us to be equipped to accompish all things. It speaks to us. Our instructions for all of life's events, challenges, high's and low's... God's Word is right there waiting for us, ready to instruct us, ready to point us along the path that He has laid before us, To prepare us for that path.
That's exciting! God wants us to succeed, right? 3 John 1:2 says " Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (KJV) He says above everything out there, He wants us to prosper. What is prosperity? It's success! So, if he wants us succeed and be prosperous and be in health, doesn't it make sense that He would leave a road map to follow? That he would leave a way for us to communicate with Him, and recieve instruction from Him on what is the right decision and the right choice? Of course!
And that is what I am saying. God talks to us. He speaks to us everyday when we are willing to listen. All I'm asking is this: Are we really listening?
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