Thanksgiving

As the American holiday of Thanksgiving approaches, I have been thinking of all the things I'm thankful for. There are all the usual things...family, friends, life and health. But what I have been mainly thinking is that I'm very thankful for the ability to reason. For imagination and intelect.

God gave us our minds for a reason. The main one, I think, is so that we can grow to understand Him better. To learn about who He is and what He has done.

Science and faith are not mutually exclusive. One compliments the other. Because of science, we are beginning to understand the vastness of space and how orderly the universe actually is.

God has made His existence obvious through His creation, if we just take the time to look and pay attention. When you really look, you can only come to the conclusion that there is a design.(Romans 1:18-20)

Just a quick thank you to our wise Father who created everything in Christ Jesus. In Him and for Him.

The Mystery

1 Peter 1:3-12

Angels. They are very powerful creatures. There is story after story of angels relating messages and intervening for us or standing guard.

In 2 Samuel 24:15-16 and I Chronicles 21:15, it was only going to take one angel to destroy Jerusalem. And in II Kings 19:35, just one angel took out 185,000 trained, battle hardened military men.

Even the Apostle John was moved to worship an angel (Revelation 19:10), but the angel warned him not to do that, because he is a fellow creature.

As powerful as they are, and with the access to heaven they have, they still don't have the kind of relationship that believers have with the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, the King of kings. We have what all the prophets pointed toward. We have something that even angels long to look into. We have been touched by the power of God's Holy Spirit and brought to life...real life in Christ Jesus!

God is AWESOME!

There Can Be Only One

 

Galatians 1:6-9

"The bible is a collection of reliable historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. And they report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin." - Dr. Voddie Baucham

I have heard individuals who claim to be followers of Christ claim that much of what is in the bible is myth. That there are many roads to heaven. This is false teaching. If you ever hear someone teaching this, get as far away from them as you can. Things won't end well for them.

Jesus said that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). The gospel taught by Jesus and the Apostles is the only gospel that should be preached. The gospel (good news) is that our salvation lies in Christ alone through faith alone. We don't have to earn it. There aren't enough works in the world to do that. We don't have to buy it. There isn't enough money. It is a free gift (Romans 6:23).

When I was a young teenager, I went to a church that taught that men shouldn't have facial hair and that their hair should be a certain length in order to be a good Christian. But the bible teaches that there is freedom in Christ Jesus(John 8:34-36). Legalism has no place in the life of a believer. Obeying the teaching of the bible is not legalism. Making up rules that the bible doesn't teach, that the Apostles never even addressed, is legalism. Not allowing marriage, not allowing lipstick, hair being a certain length, not wearing certain kinds of clothing, etc...This is legalism.

There is only one gospel, only one way to salvation. Christ Jesus. In Him there is true freedom and real life.

God is AWESOME!

Nothing Will Ever Be The Same Again

Mark 8:36

I've been watching a series of biographical documentaries on famous professional wrestlers (one of my guilty pleasures). Those guys are a whole different breed.

Something was said during one of the documentaries that triggered a sad thought. Some peers of the subject of the documentary agreed that this person "changed the face of wrestling forever". This is said of a lot of individuals who are high achievers in business, sports, entertainment, education...fill in the blank. Innovators who think of new or better ways to do whatever it is they do in life that completely changes how things are done in that particular field.

They often become wealthy and famous, and even impact culture on a global scale because of how differently they think. But if they never come to know the saving grace of Christ Jesus, if they never take hold of the hope He holds out, then it's all for naught.

The sad truth is that no matter how much good they do in the world, if they reject Christ Jesus, they will face a Holy God and His judgement at their appointed time. And no matter how much fame and wealth and status that is accumulated, it will do them absolutely no good at all (Deuteronomy 10:17).

King Jesus is our only hope in the face of God's holiness. (Colossians 3:3-4)

One of my favorite things to say to people is that God is strong. He is able to keep you from falling, and can make you stand in the presence of His glory with no wrong in you. And give you great joy. (Jude 1:24)

God is AWESOME!

Its Not About Me

Colossians 1:13-17

There are so many people who seem to believe that, because they are not wealthy and healthy, and God has not answered their prayers for health and wealth, then He does not hear them or simply does not care. They are wrong. The point they seem to have missed is that He is not here for us. He is not a genie who grants wishes. We are here for Him.

We hear so much about blessings and riches and happiness that we forget about the wrath that is coming, and that the only safe place is in Christ Jesus. That it is a Holy God that we are being saved from. Jesus is the only hope, He is the only salvation. So many have come to believe the lie that the Apostle Paul talked about in Romans 1. The lie for which the Truth was exchanged. The demonic doctrine that there are many ways to obtain salvation, that if you are good enough you can earn your place in Heaven. But to die without Chrst is the most tragic thing that could ever happen.

Christ Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the Rock. He is the Cornerstone. He is Truth. He is the outside force.

God is AWESOME!

It's Been A While

I haven't written anything on here in a long time. I've had some experiences that I'd like to share. Experiences that have made want to write again.

I won't bore you with everything I've been up to. I'll just start with the more recent stuff.

The Pandemic

I am very thankful to have the kind of job that I do. The construction industry where I live was affected very little by COVID-19. And the company that I work for is even better. They have been good to my wife and I through this whole thing.

It started in November of 2020 when Cheryl (my wife) tested positive for COVID. We both had to quarentine for 10 days. Her symptoms were very mild. Then I tested positive. At first, it was like a bad cold. Then it started to get worse. I began to have trouble breathing. Cheryl ended up calling an ambulence for me. I was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with COVID double pneumonia. I spent a total of 12 days in the hospital, 4 of which were spent in the ICU where my kidneys nearly shut down and my heart developed atrial fibrillation and I almost died. COVID-19 is a very nasty virus.

I began to get well and they finally sent me home. My recovery was going very well. My strength was returning and I was feeling back to my old self.

Sometime in February of 2021 at about three o'clock on a Sunday morning, I woke up having trouble breathing. I went to my doctor the following Monday where he sent me to the pulmonologist. I had a pulmonary embolism.

My breathing continued to get worse and I was put on oxygen at home. At work, I was given a special parking space so I didn't have to walk far, and a new work space where I did paperwork. Light duty, basically. After a week or so, I noticed some swelling in my feet and ankles, then my legs started to swell, then my abdomen and hands. Fluid was building up in my body and I didn't know why. The fluid got around my lungs and my breathing got worse. My doctor put me back in the hospital and they were able to get the fluid out of my body, nearly fifty pounds of fluid. I got the news that I have congestive heart failure. That along with my chronic kidney disease was the cause of the fluid build up.

Now here I am back at home, breathing almost back to normal and most of the swelling gone. I know that God must have a plan for me, because all my doctors told me that with COVID-19 and all my other conditions, I should be dead.

So I decided to start writing again. Until next time...

God is AWESOME!