Oh Christians...Are You Hopeless or Hopeful?

Do you have days where you feel down?  Do you struggle through life worried about the news/events of this world?  Do you wake up mornings dreading the day ahead?  Stuck in a rut of hopelessness?  One of the great things the Word of God states is that we definitely do NOT have to live our lives in hopelessness.  Rather, as we mature in Christ and in who God is, we MUST understand that we serve the GOD of all HOPE...who also wants us to overflow with that hope!

Romans 15:13

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

In this verse from Romans, we can see that another name for God is "the God of hope".  As we begin to trust God and understand His nature, through the Holy Spirit, we can be filled with joy & peace.  This joy & peace that God gives can then overflow in our own lives with hope...hope that we have in God.

Sometimes I look around at the state of fellow believers and wonder if they truly understand this. Even in my own walk with God, I have fallen in this area. I see many Christians struggling with day to day living that they become ineffective in their service of God...because they have taken their eyes off of Him.  It's no different than Peter who when walking on the water, began to take his eyes off of Jesus, and began to worry and sink in the water. 

A better example I like to look at is the life of Paul in the New Testament (Acts/Romans/Corinthians).  Here was Paul who was beaten, tortured, persecuted more than most people in their life..what was his response?  It was joy, patience & HOPE!

Now you may say, "Well that is Paul...who am I?"  However it was the Holy Spirit working in the life of a man, a man with a same sinful nature like you and I.  Now if Paul can proclaim God and exhibit joy through jail/torture/persecution, unlike most any we would face in our culture today...how much more should we be exhibiting joy and hope for all people around us today through the same Holy Spirit? 

I believe each day we have been given by God, we MUST be exhibiting joy/peace & hope wherever God may lead us.  This is critical for an effective ministry for those people around us.  You see we don't live in hopelessness, we are NOT like the world.  We serve a MIGHTY God, powerful beyond ALL measure.  A God who has redeemed us through His Son, and who is coming again to restore all things to Himself.  This broken world will be fixed by Him one day.  In those things that God has promised to us can we trust and in those things can we HOPE.  In fact that's exactly what Paul did.  But read it for yourself (see below).  God bless you!  Until next time.

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Exposing 3 Great Myths of Evolution

As believers in this world, we can be thankful that God has given us a firm foundation on the great truths in our Bible.  These truths have been passed down from generation to generation and have stood the test of time.  Sadly, most of the world today is still under the deception of the religion of evolution.  With religious fervor, disciples of evolutionary theory work extremely hard to ignore the Biblical truths and look for 'reason' without intelligence (outside of the Bible).   Today, we'll examine just a few common 'myths' that are taught and what the Bible has to say about them.

Myth #1 -- Man is a descendant of apes

How many of us have seen the great picture above with the line of primitive apes slowly evolving into humans?  This image is shown in numerous textbooks and on some levels has become a 'mantra' for evolution.  According to evolutionists, man has *supposedly* slowly evolved from primates into our current form today.  But where is the physical evidence for this?  Usually they point to an artists rendering.

What many people do not realize is that images/sketches/diagrams or artist renderings are *not* evidence for evolution.  I know a great many 'concept' artists that can draw or sketch fascinating beasts and giant transforming robots...but that doesn't make them proof that those things really exist.  Here's a couple of examples of other concept art that doesn't really exist:

The fact is that imaginative drawings...while they can look very nice...are not actual *proof* of evolution.  In fact, the Bible clearly states where man came from back in Genesis:

 "the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,

and the man became a living being. "  Genesis 2:7

The Bible also clearly teaches that man is *not* like the animals.  Man has reason, intelligence, a capacity to do things that animals clearly cannot do.  Again, this is because of what is taught in Genesis:

"So God created man in his own image,
   in the image of God he created him;
   male and female he created them."  Genesis 1:27

According to the Bible, man is the *only* part of creation that is said to be 'created in the image of God'.  Humankind has a 'uniqueness' of being created in the image of God -- something the animal kind does not have.  Again, this uniqueness of humans is clearly taught in the Bible and something that evolutionary theory attempts to reject.  However we can stand clearly on the Biblical side here, because we see the 'uniqueness' of humanity in our world still today.


Myth #2 -- Early Man was primitive (The Caveman Concept)

Again, we see many attempts by evolutionary theory that runs counter to the Biblical claim of early man.  According to the evolutionary theory, early man was primitive...cave people (or so the theory claims).  While I don't doubt that there *were* people that lived in caves and lived 'primitive' lifestyles'...these aren't the first people of creation according to the Bible.

Looking at the truth found in the Bible back in Genesis..we see that God creates man in his own image -- giving him intelligence and reason right from the beginning.  In fact we see God talking in the Garden of Eden, communicating with Adam & Eve and also giving them instructions on the earth.  Adam is told to name all of the animals, he is given dominion over the earth, and Adam and Eve are told to "be fruitful & multiply" over all the earth.

In only a few chapters later in Genesis, we see grandchildren of Adam & Eve described as:

 "Adah gave birth to Jabal;

 he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.

 His brother’s name was Jubal;

he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.

Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain,

who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron."  Genesis 4:20-22

So not only do we understand that these grandchildren are raising livestock, making musical instruments, and forging all kinds of tools using metalworking....these are things that paint a *very* different picture from cavemen.  These are extremely intelligent people from the beginning.  In fact, if you had the opportunity -- as Adam & Eve did -- to walk & talk directly with God (the ultimate intelligence)...it is not hard to reason that Adam & Eve could have been extremely intelligent...and in fact that is what we do see right from the beginning of Genesis.

Myth #3 -- The great worldwide Flood of Noah did not occur

Another dangerous viewpoint of evolution is the concept that the world has been always in existence as it has been, and primarily has undergone 'slow gradual changes' over extremely 'long periods of time'.  Again, this viewpoint is very much counter to what the Bible teaches.

Where evolution supposes slow gradual change...the Bible teaches one great catastrophic worldwide event known as the Great Worldwide Flood of Noah.  This flood encompassed the *entire* world, literally destroyed all living things except for a single family of 8 people (Noah's family) and preserved them and a selection of land animals in a great 'boat' known as the ark.

Many people scoff that this event could have happened.  However our world today is literally filled with evidence showing scars of this event still to this day. It is not hard to find them.  Here's some places to look & think about:

1. Great volumes of water on our earth today --  That's right.  The vast oceans, the polar ice caps in the north/south poles are all remains/leftovers of the great flood of Noah's day.  Our earth is 75% water till this day, yet it's interesting that most people scoff that there's not enough water to cover the earth over the mountaintops.  Again, there are assumptions being made there.  People assume that the mountains we see today have always existed....that is most likely not the case.  In fact, I've heard the statistic that if all the highest mountain ranges were 'flattened' and all the lowest depths of the seas were raised...there is more than enough water on our planet today to cover the earth 2 miles deep! 
2.  The Grand Canyon -- The grand canyon is a very interesting geological formation.  How did it get here?  Did a tiny river form it as evolutionists claim?  What's interesting about the Grand Canyon is that it very much resembles an area that has been flooded very rapidly...an event that occurred during Noah's flood.
3. Sedimentary Layers -- The fact that rock layers are build in sedimentary layers again is an interesting phenomenon.  While evolutionists attempt to push their viewpoint that these are formed gradually...again, we find ample geological evidence to show that these 'layers' of sand were easily formed during the flood of Noah.  In fact, if you take a jar of water with different types of sand and shake it up...you can also see how these sediments fall down and have the tendency to form 'layers'...just as we see today.
4. Fossils (Buried everywhere) --  The fact that - to this day - we're able to find fossils buried all over the earth again is testament to the great flood of Noah.  Globally we're finding these things..showing the reality of the 'global' flood.  The fact that many dead things are buried all over and 'preserved' in mud/dirt show evidence of rapid burial - a catastrophic event - which the great flood was.  This further testifies to the fact that what God said happened in the Bible with Noah...really did.

The question then really becomes not *if* the Bible is true, but *since* the Bible is true...what will you do about it?  Will you believe that God who literally destroyed this world once...and has said that this present age is reserved to be judged with fire...will you believe Him? 

We have this day today because God is willing that none should perish, but that all should come to repent and know Him and His Son Jesus.  This God who created a perfect world, which was broken by man with sin...has promised to come and restore this world back to perfection...if only we trust in Him and His Son for salvation. 

Much like the days of Noah, people had time to get on board the ark...to be saved.  Today...we have the opportunity to be saved ourselves, and also save others.  If you have not yet read the Bible and seen what it says...I encourage you to open your eyes and see, for 'today is the day of salvation'. 

God is great, and I pray you will trust in His Word...it is the truth of our day and for all times. 

Continue to trust in God and stand firm in His Word!

God bless.

2 Peter 2:4-10

"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned,

but sent them to hell,

putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 

 if he did not spare the ancient world

when he brought the flood on its ungodly people,

but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;

 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah

 by burning them to ashes,

 and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man,

who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 

(for that righteous man, living among them day after day,

was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 

 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials

and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment,

 while continuing their punishment. 

This is especially true of those who follow

the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority."

The 21st Century -- The Death of Darwin's Theory

I look forward to the day when the whole world will look back at an antiquated theory of evolution that no longer works in today's modern world.  While we're not quite there yet, the mass of observational evidence in favor of the Biblical view of creation is mounting...putting ever increasing pressure on Darwin's disciples to come up and rationalize new arguments to keep their so called 'theory' afloat. 

While evolutionists continue to plug leaks into their sinking ship, we as believers in the authority of the Holy Scriptures can stand firm on a platform of truth.  This Truth that has held up through the test of time and evidence upon evidence is pouring in showing the validity of what God did during the beginning of creation.  Let's take a look at just a few of the great examples of 'observational evidence' in favor of the Biblical account of Origins:

1)  The Fact of Reproducing After Their Kinds

God said in the beginning, "Let us make animals 'after their own kinds'".  This verbage in the text implies that kinds will bring for their own kind.  It's pretty simple theory we can make and test against.  For example a 'dog kind' should be observed to produce a 'dog kind'.  A 'cat kind' should be observed to produce a 'cat kind'.  Is this not what we see today?  It sure is.  I can probably do breeding experiments and observe 100% of the time that a dog will produce another dog.  While there may be 'variations' within a kind (ie dogs producing different kinds of dogs), you'll still always end up with a dog.

However Darwin (and those who followed after him) tried to make an illogical jump from his original observation of changes within a kind to assert that we could eventually (with enough change) get a change from one kind to an entirely *new* kind (ie a fish changing into a bird).  While he may have theorized this, it has never been 'proven' or observed. This is after having 150+ years of scientists scouring the globe for this to occur...it unfortunately has never been observed.  Show me the fact that a 'dog' has ever been turned into a new 'form' of creature.  It just doesn't happen.  Unfortunately, textbook sketches and artist renderings do not count as evidence.

2)  The Fact Of Fossils

While evolutionists *love* to argue the fact that fossils somehow prove evolution, they couldn't be more wrong on this.  Fossils are simply preserved bones.  A bone doesn't talk, it doesn't tell you how it got there, at best people can theorize how that bone got there. 

This is where the Biblical account of the 'global flood' makes the most sense.  Fossilized remains are typically formed during 'rapid' change.  Unlike most textbooks that say an animal dies and his bones are buried in the mud and we have preserved his remains....we literally have observed to find 'fossilized' remains all over the planet. 

Given the fact that the Bible states there has been a worldwide catastrophic event known as the 'global flood', would it not make sense that we would find 'fossilized remains' all over the world?  Bones that were rapidly buried under layers of sediment and preserved for us till this day.  The fact that we find fully preserved wooly mammoths with 'food' still preserved in their stomachs is evidence of 'rapid' catasrophic events...not slow gradual decay or change.  Fossils prove the best evidence and weigh in favor of the Biblical account of the global flood.

3)  The Fact that Only Intelligence Can Produce Intelligence

It's somewhat ironic that his book "Origin of Species", Darwin never actually addressed the 'origins' of species.  Today most people suppose that somehow life originated from some 'organic soup' that was supposedly struck by lighting.   Again, this is not observervational evidence.  In fact what we observe today is that 'matter' cannot produce intelligence....ever.  Unlike evolutionists who must somehow assume that matter somehow generated information/intelligence which produced life.  For example, we observe a sentence written in a rock....we can observe that some 'intelligence' wrote that sentence there.  It will never be observed that by random chance in all the supposed 'billions' of years that rain, wind can form a 'sentence' on a rock.   Again, this favors the Biblical record of Creation, where God Himself (the ultimate intelligence, created intelligent beings). These intelligent beings can also produce intelligent things. This is very simple to observe, unlike the other view which must make a great leap and have people believe that information/intelligence arose out of matter/unintelligence.

These are only a *few* of the many examples that we as Christians can stake hold of when counter-aruguing the belief of evolution.  There are many more examples which could be given. I firmly believe it takes more faith to believe in this outdated theory which has dug up no observational evidence, than to believe in the Holy Scriptures which have been battle tested, proven, time and time again.

I encourage people to consider what the Bible says.  In Job 38 (full text below), God explains to Job how great He is.   He testifies that He alone was there during the beginning of creation.  He spoke the universe into existence. As believers in today's world, we don't have to blindly look around for the truth, God has preserved that truth for us today.  And I'm so glad He did.  As believers we have logic/rationalism on our side...while the blind faith has moved entirely on the other side with evolutionists who hold fast to their archaic beliefs.

If you don't know this God, or haven't taken the time to examine the claims of the Bible...and test them yourselves, I encourage you to do so and find out what He has to say.

God bless! 

Job 38

 1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
 2 “Who is this that darkens my counsel
   with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
   I will question you,
   and you shall answer me.

 4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
   Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
   Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
   or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
   and all the angels shouted for joy?

 8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
   when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
   and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
   and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
   here is where your proud waves halt’?

Lukewarm Christianity -- Are you Hot or Cold for Jesus Christ?

One of the bad trends that seems to exist in our churches today are lukewarm Christians.  These are believers that claim Christ, but have very little action to show for it.  They may talk a good game on the surface, but inwardly their heart is far from Christ.  The passion that may once have existed for God in their heart, has grown 'indifferent' to His glory and His greatness.  Jesus openly talks about these types of believers in Revelation 3..which we will look at today.  Are you one of these?

Jesus openly rebukes a 'lukewarm' believer in Revelation 3:15,16  (see full passage below) when he says:  "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth".  Wow, what an open rebuke we have from our Lord.

This statement not only shows us what Jesus is *not* looking for in believers, He also is clearly showing us what He desires from all believers -- he desires them to be 'on fire' for the Lord.  There is no middle ground with God.  Either you're with Him or your against Him.  And if you're with Him...He wants 100% of you, not just 50% or 25%.  God desires a *total* commitment from you as a believer. 

And is that such a hard thing?  To dedicate your life, your thoughts, your passion in this world to the One who gave you breath...who borne you into this world and knew you before you were even made?  Not at all, may we always look to glorify God in our lives. God deserves our dedication to Him, not because of how great we are, but because of how great He is.   He desires us to grow deeper in our faith and our relationship with Him.

Think about it for a second.  You have relationships with people.  How do you build up those relationships?  By spending time, dedicating yourself to those people.  In the same way (but much greater)...should we not spend our time in the Lord? 

Examine your own life.  Where does your thought life live?  How many times do you think about God during the day?  Do you give Him your thoughts?  Do you praise Him in everything that's going on in your life?  Do you desire to read His word and know Him more and more each day?   Do you even spend time with Him?  I pray that your passion for God and His word will *NEVER* run out.  May it never be said of us that we are 'lukewarm' Christians...let us go out in this world and boldly proclaim Christ!

But to proclaim Christ, we must first build up our relationship and knowledge of Him.  How can you talk about someone you don't know?  Read His Word...remain in His Word and let the Word mature your faith more and more to give you the boldness to stand up in Godly truth in this world. 

The Bible says that the eyes of the Lord "roam to and fro" to seek those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.  Are you *fully* committed to Him?  Or are you a lukewarm Christian? 

If you are lukewarm towards God...I encourage you to get near to the Lord in His Word and come to love Him more and more.  Don't let Christ return and find you living in sin, or living with an 'indifferent' heart towards Him. 

To God be the glory always!

Revelation 3:14-22

 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
   These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.

I wish you were either one or the other!

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—

I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’

But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,

so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear,

so you can cover your shameful nakedness;

and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

   Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.

So be earnest, and repent. Here I am!

I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

   To him who overcomes,

 I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,

just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

With the recent events in the news, you may start to see a lot of questions from people.  Questions like "Why is there suffering", or  "If God is a God of love, how can He allow bad things to happen?" While it's very tempting to desire to question God and doubt the good nature of God in times of hardship and difficulty, our Bible provides not only provides clear answers to those types of questions, but also gives us great hope that can sustain us through hardship and difficulties.

First of all, the Bible is so great that is never promises us an easy life in this age.  Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 16:33 when He says "...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  Not only in this passage, but with the very first chapters of Genesis, we read about a 'broken world', a 'fallen world'.  This broken world, is the world we live in still today.  Why is this world broken? It's not because of God, but because of mankind and mankind's choice to 'disobey' God.

Unlike most books which may try to 'sugar coat' the truth, God through His Word tells us clearly what has happened in our world (starting in the book of Genesis):

• God created 2 literal people called Adam & Eve.
• Adam & Eve sinned against God (disobeyed His commands).
• Sin entered the world, and through sin, came death, disease & suffering.
• Man, woman, and the world was cursed because of sin.
• We are born into sin and exhibit a sin nature in our own lives.  No one is exempt from sin.
• This curse of sin exists today.  (We see people die, have disease and suffer).
• As beautiful as our world is, it is a broken world, a fallen world.
• We as Christians are reminded of this each day as we see tragedies.

Given these facts, we can see that it is only through the hope in Christ, who came to break the curse of sin.   He came to free all people who would believe in Him, by breaking the bondage of sin, and giving us the promise of eternal life.  While we don't see this eternal life now, one day, Christ will return and make a new heavens and a new earth.  This future earth will be free from sin, death, disease and suffering.   This is why Jesus is our Savior!  He promises to save us from our sins, and has promised us that in the future (not quite yet), things will be made right again!  Glory be to Him and thanks be to God!

This future place will be a place as described in Revelation 21:1-5 (full passage below) as a place where there will be "no more death, or mourning or crying or pain"...wow!

It may be hard right now to understand that one day there will be an 'age' where people won't die, people won't suffer, or people won't cry or mourn, but that's exactly what God has promised.  However He promises it only to those who will believe on His Son Jesus now. That is why each day we have is so important to come to Him if we haven't and to take shelter in the hands of His Son Jesus who has saved us from sin and promises us a great hope in the age to come!

Pray for those people going through hardship, not only them, but all people, that they may come to know the hope in Jesus Christ!  The Bible says about Jesus Christ... "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Come to Jesus while there is time..there is no other hope but Him.

Revelation 21: 1-15

 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,

and there was no longer any sea.

 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

 “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people,

and he will dwell with them. They will be his people,

 and God himself will be with them and be their God.

 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,

 for the old order of things has passed away.” 

5 He who was seated on the throne said,

 “I am making everything new!”

Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”



God Is In the TRUTH Business

"What is truth?", asked Pontius Pilate.  This famous question was posed to Jesus shortly before Jesus hung on the cross and died for the sins of the world.  Unfortunately, we live in a culture today that is not much different from then.  There are many people today with the same attitude about 'truth'.  Skeptical of the world, they ask, "What is truth?" as if there is no real answer.  Thankfully for the Bible, we DO have answers.  Jesus is that answer!

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

You see, Jesus IS the answer to that question.  Some may ask..."What is truth?", but really the question should be "Who is truth"?  Jesus makes it clear in the Bible, that He is THE way, THE truth, and THE life.  The word 'THE' implies singular, meaning that there is NO OTHER WAY, except through JESUS!  Wow...what a remarkable statement we have from our LORD.  

Not only in this testimony from Christ, but we have reassurances all-throughout the Bible, making it clear that our God is a God of truth.  He is not a God who lies, but goes out of His way to reassure us that what He is claiming and stating in His Word is the truth.  This is why we as believers, need to trust Him on His word and learn to take His word over the word of fallible mankind. 

Here are just a *few* places in our Bible, where God declares Himself to be the Truth:

• Exodus 34:6 -- God describes Himself as "The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,"
• Deuteronomy 32:4 -- "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he."
• Psalm 86:5 -- "But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. "
• Psalm 119:151 -- "Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. "
• Zechariah 8:3 -- "Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. "
• John 17:17 -- "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. "
• 3 John 1:4 -- " I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

Again, those are only very few examples of verses about truth in the Bible....there are plenty of others.  Search the Scriptures for yourself to know that you can count on God to tell you the truth!

So the next time you hear someone try to argue that we cannot know what truth is...let them know that we CAN and DO know what truth is!  Our Bible is Truth...and we can point them to the LIVING TRUTH we have in Jesus Christ. We can be assured of that...you don't have to doubt God on His Word being true to us throughout all time!

Pass on the truth of God to others, and God bless!

Are You EVIL and BITTER? Read On To Find Out

Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding will rebuke you.
Consider then and realize
how evil and bitter it is for you
when you forsake the LORD your God
and have no awe of me,”
            declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.  (Jeremiah 2:19 -- emphasis mine)
Did you know that God says it's EVIL and BITTER to forsake Him and to have no 'awe' of Him?  But that's precisely what Jeremiah 2:19 is saying.  What an amazing rebuke we have from God in this one verse.  But sadly it is very true, even to this day.  Do you give thought to God?  Or do you no longer have any 'awe' of Him.

God says to consider (stop and think) about how evil and bitter it really is to not give Him any thought.  'Forsake' means to 'quit' or 'leave entirely', and to have no 'awe' of God means to no longer 'fear or dread' or to not have an 'overwhelming feeling of reverence'. 

Look around the world, watch people as they walk along the road, drive along the freeway, or listen to the things they are talking about.  Turn on the TV, the radio, or look at a newspaper, how much 'chatter' is going on about God and giving Him respect and glory?  Probably very little....what a sad state of affairs. 

Here we have the Creator God, Maker of Heavens and Earth, the people that were His creation, all going about their day without even a single consideration of the God that gave them life.  Or considering what God has done through Jesus Christ.

The Bible is pretty clear that God must be our number 1 priority.  There should be no second.  The Old Testament is clear in Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."  How much? -- with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with ALL your strength!  Just some of our strength, or just some of our heart?  No ALL.  God desires your best, everything you have! 

Jesus reiterated this in Matthew 10  (fuller passage below) when He says in verses 37-39:

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

While this doesn't mean we should not love others around us, the idea must be that however much you love your father or mother, how much MORE should our love for God be!  We must love Him first above all else.  That is the kind of love God desires.

Are you committed to Him?  I pray you can be -- forsake those things around you and focus firmly on Him.  There is nothing in this world of more value that our God and His Son Jesus Christ!   I pray that you will not lose that 'awe' of Him and what He has done for you.  I encourage you to read the Word yourself and learn and see what God desires.  Grow in Him!

God bless!

Matthew 10:32-39

 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others,

I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.

33 But whoever disowns me before others,

 I will disown before my Father in heaven.

   34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.

I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I have come to turn

   “‘a man against his father,
   a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
   36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

   37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother

more than me is not worthy of me;

anyone who loves their son or daughter

more than me is not worthy of me.

38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.