As I told you in the post Snakes in your Brain - not knowing the truth can destroy you. Listen to the following clip of an alleged pastor in Michigan, Rob Bell. In his desire to fill his church with the fluffy bun theory (see my post Where's the Beef?) this alleged pastor is touting a theory that no one should worry about Hell. I think it's cool that a liberal news station MSNBC still employs a Christian with enough guts to take this guy on. Listen carefully to his answers. This guy is like a small child in a candy store. He doesn't want to make sense....he just wants it all.
Listening to this video was painful. I actually felt bad for Rob. It must be exhausting trying to walk the fence, being sure not to tip to far to either side. I thought about a wonderful verse in Revelation 3:15-16. We should be in Revelation - right??? After all, we are talking about Heaven and Hell.
Revelation 3:15-16 "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...that verse should make you feel warm and fuzzy. Don't take bets on where you'll be "spit" to. Don't mess with me! I can pull hundreds of scriptures out that insist that there will be thousands...millions of people that will inhabit Hell. And...if you take those scriptures out of the Bible, you are left with a namby pamby powerless nothing of a gospel. Take those scriptures out and you will gut the very strength of the gospel. Am I saying that Hell, mean spirited torture or demands by God are the only things that matter? Absolutely not! But they are part of the mix that keeps us focused on the message. Knowing the consequences of your actions will keep you striving for the good. Knowing the penalty of wrong doing is what keeps you moving forward. Knowing that this is wrong and that isn't will help you to focus on the greater good.
NEVER FORGET THAT THERE ARE ABSOLUTES TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Absolutes sent him to the cross and absolutes will either send you to Heaven or to Hell.
Humans are cunning. We know how to negotiate our way into getting what we want. It's only when we understand consequences and that those consequences will be upheld that we actually turn our head enough so we can see the value of goodness.
Rob Bell is dangerously close to saying that we are little Gods. I clicked on several of his you tube showings and in one he was boasting about the story of Peter walking on the water. In this rant he is excited because he doesn't feel that Peter starting sinking because of a lack of faith in Jesus....Rob feels he started sinking because he didn't believe in Peter. Rob goes on to say..."Wow...that's what we need to do more of. We need to understand that it's not all about Jesus - we just have to believe in ourselves."
As I was listening to that I wondered....Did he fall asleep in Seminary? Was he present during Sunday School? What happened to this guy that he could twist the scriptures so badly?
There are three things I want to point out to you.
1. You better make sure your pastor and your Biblical training is based on the truth. Your soul and eternity depends on it. I'm sorry to tell you that you can't stand before God and point your finger at your pastor and scream, "You can't send me to Hell. I didn't know any better. IT'S HIS FAULT!" Sorry darling....that won't work.
Philippians 2: 12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Your salvation is up to you dear.
2. Make sure your pastor isn't basing his theology on his own journey. When Rob Bell said that some of this was based on his own journey....I knew then that he was not sharing the gospel of Christ. NONE of the teachings of faith should be based on your journey. YOU are not the savior! Base your faith on the gospel of Christ only.
3. Make sure your pastor or teacher isn't looking for fame, money or has grandiose desires. Any of those will naturally take him down the wrong road. As I've said before, anytime a church is more worried about the pews being filled than about taking care of the individual saint - they are in trouble. The main function of the church is to guide saints in their walk with Christ. If you have 1,500 members but they are more interested in singing fun songs and going to cool parties than going to a Bible Study....you have a problem. If your church has 1,500 members but Christ comes tomorrow and only 5 people make it - what good is that??? I actually heard a quote from Rick Warren where he said, "Don't do Bible Studies. People already know more Bible than they can practice in their lives." WHAT??? Maybe he needs to study his Bible a lot more.
I hope that all of you will hold your pastors accountable. Make sure that your #1 mission is not to fill the pews but rather to disciple strong men and women for Christ!
God loves you,
Debbie
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Where's the Beef?
Watching the devastation in Japan brings me back to a religious thought that's been brewing for quite a while. Where's the beef?
There are some commercials which, even without a jingle, have become virtually iconic, such as Wendy’s “Where’s the beef?” For a very long time that phrase was used to question anything that did not appear to be genuine and Clara Peller, the little old gray-haired lady who uttered it, made it famous.
In 1984 Wendy's aired a commercial titled "Fluffy Bun". Actress Clara Peller and two other elderly women are investigating a massive burger bun from a fictional competitor which uses the slogan "Home of the big Bun." In the middle of the big bun is a minuscule piece of meat. They poke at the meat and look at it from all sides causing Clara Peller to say, "Where's the beef?". When there's no answer she gets louder and louder. "Where's the beef!?!"
The other two ladies poked at it, exchanging bemused comments ("It certainly is a big bun. It's a very big bun. It's a big fluffy bun. It's a very big fluffy bun.") before being interrupted by Peller's outraged, irascible demand. Sequels featured Peller yelling at a Fluffy Bun executive on his yacht over the phone and approaching fast food drive-up windows that were slammed down before she could complete the line.
The catch phrase was repeated in television shows, films, magazines, and other media outlets. It became the catch all for anything fake, not living up to it's promise or being a complete disappointment.
What does this have to do with religion? I find myself asking the question over and over....where's Jesus - the substance - the meat of our faith? We have big churches in this country, big mega star pastors and big programs designed to do everything except teach deep spiritual truths. We have big concerts and some church buildings are even desecrated by allowing secular programs and shows to take over. It seems that most pastors are more consumed with "getting people to attend" than they are with "getting people saved." And while the church worries about marketing, our country is falling apart and faith values are slipping away. Out of the 4 divorces in 5 marriages in this country, 3 of them claim to be Christian homes. Something isn't right.
In Hebrews 5, the author is talking about the Superiority of the Priesthood of Christ. He's discussing the trend of people to discredit Jesus. Finally in the 11th verse, he's had it. He realizes that it takes maturity and a deeper knowledge to understand the truths he's trying to explain.
Hebrews 5:11 "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
6:1-2 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."
This scripture and a silly Wendy's commercial keeps me scratching my head and wondering why this generation of churches is moving so far from the true - deeper message of Christ. Why would any Christian or church body buy into the false teachings of people like Rick Warren and other religious super stars? Why would we want to infect the message of Christ with an addictive desire for money and fame? Rick Warren teaches that the church is just a business and should be run as such. He goes on to teach that adhering to the teachings and demands of our faith isn't as important as filling the pews. Marketing and giving the people what they want is more important than insuring that they make heaven. Unfortunately, that's nothing like the Bible. The entire message of the Bible is based on the simplicity of the salvation of Christ. We should be 100% involved in the responsibility for teaching others to "mature" in Christ so they will make Heaven.
The simplicity of the son of God dying on a cross has been distorted by the message of "come here and we'll make you feel good."
I just shake my head and think, "Where's the beef?" Where's the meat of the word? Where's the anchor that you can hold on to in the time of a huge disappointment or a huge problem.
Japan was hit with a 9.0 earthquake. I watched in horror as homes - probably filled with unsuspecting residents - were swept away in the following Tsunami. I couldn't watch the videos and heartbreaking pictures as if I were comfortably watching some movie. Each picture, each destroyed home or car held an individual and if that individual did not survive - he/she met God at that moment!
The thousands of souls that appeared before a righteous and holy God didn't need a watered down, happy go lucky, I feel so good faith! They needed the meat of the word. At the moment of intense pain, or sorrow, or fear or death....they needed a Savior. At that moment they didn't have time to do research on the strength of God. They didn't have time for a recall of their lame pastor. They didn't have the ability to throw up their hands and ask for a two day stay until they could get their spiritual lives together.
In that moment they needed to "instantly" know, understand and cling to the verses of the 23rd psalm. "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me."
When only devastation and ruin lay around them; when they had no water and no food...how comforting to cling to the verse, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
How in the world can your cup overflow in the middle of such a tragedy? I can't explain it to you unless you can eat the meat of God's word. If you have grown up in a watered down, flimsy, where's the beef kind of church - you can't possibly understand the maturity and strength that a Christian feels when he has matured on the meat of God.
The commentary of my NIV Bible explains that Hebrews 5:14 makes a clear point....Christian maturity involves time. It involves growth in the knowledge of the Word of God and experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and evil. In other words, it doesn't come overnight. It probably won't be a lot of fun to sit and study or to learn to trust God when life is uncomfortable. It doesn't come through contemporary music, it's not about feeling happy or good or getting everything you want and it doesn't come through signing a membership card. It comes through knowing your Bible, learning to lean on Jesus and discerning between good and evil.
I remember old saints talking about the huge economic, food, weather and personal pain associated with the pre and post depression times as well as the pain of WWII. They cupped my small face in their hands and with strong but tired eyes said, "You hold on to God. Learn all you can from Him. Never fight the bad times - they will teach you how to be strong. Then you too will know how big, how great and how comforting is the love of God." I watched those saints live out a Godly life of strength and maturity. It was amazing to watch God working in their lives. None of them were financially wealthy but they were rich beyond my wildest dreams - rich in the strength of life and in the things of God.
You will never truly experience the greatness of God by limiting your knowledge of him to a contemporary non-theologically based "I need to feel good" fluffy bun church. You will never learn how to be a strong Christian if your Bible is kept in the closet or collects dust on the nightstand. You will never learn the power we have in Christ if you are not pushing yourself to obey each and every commandment.
The greatness of God is learned. It's learned by reading and studying the scriptures. It's learned by striving to do the righteous thing even if it hurts you. It's learned by obeying all of God's commandments - not just the ones you like. It's learned by going through the tough times and learning to lean on Jesus. It's only then that you will know that Jesus is all you will ever need. Jesus is the beef!
God loves you,
Debbie
In 1984 Wendy's aired a commercial titled "Fluffy Bun". Actress Clara Peller and two other elderly women are investigating a massive burger bun from a fictional competitor which uses the slogan "Home of the big Bun." In the middle of the big bun is a minuscule piece of meat. They poke at the meat and look at it from all sides causing Clara Peller to say, "Where's the beef?". When there's no answer she gets louder and louder. "Where's the beef!?!"
The other two ladies poked at it, exchanging bemused comments ("It certainly is a big bun. It's a very big bun. It's a big fluffy bun. It's a very big fluffy bun.") before being interrupted by Peller's outraged, irascible demand. Sequels featured Peller yelling at a Fluffy Bun executive on his yacht over the phone and approaching fast food drive-up windows that were slammed down before she could complete the line.
The catch phrase was repeated in television shows, films, magazines, and other media outlets. It became the catch all for anything fake, not living up to it's promise or being a complete disappointment.
What does this have to do with religion? I find myself asking the question over and over....where's Jesus - the substance - the meat of our faith? We have big churches in this country, big mega star pastors and big programs designed to do everything except teach deep spiritual truths. We have big concerts and some church buildings are even desecrated by allowing secular programs and shows to take over. It seems that most pastors are more consumed with "getting people to attend" than they are with "getting people saved." And while the church worries about marketing, our country is falling apart and faith values are slipping away. Out of the 4 divorces in 5 marriages in this country, 3 of them claim to be Christian homes. Something isn't right.
In Hebrews 5, the author is talking about the Superiority of the Priesthood of Christ. He's discussing the trend of people to discredit Jesus. Finally in the 11th verse, he's had it. He realizes that it takes maturity and a deeper knowledge to understand the truths he's trying to explain.
Hebrews 5:11 "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
6:1-2 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."
This scripture and a silly Wendy's commercial keeps me scratching my head and wondering why this generation of churches is moving so far from the true - deeper message of Christ. Why would any Christian or church body buy into the false teachings of people like Rick Warren and other religious super stars? Why would we want to infect the message of Christ with an addictive desire for money and fame? Rick Warren teaches that the church is just a business and should be run as such. He goes on to teach that adhering to the teachings and demands of our faith isn't as important as filling the pews. Marketing and giving the people what they want is more important than insuring that they make heaven. Unfortunately, that's nothing like the Bible. The entire message of the Bible is based on the simplicity of the salvation of Christ. We should be 100% involved in the responsibility for teaching others to "mature" in Christ so they will make Heaven.
The simplicity of the son of God dying on a cross has been distorted by the message of "come here and we'll make you feel good."
I just shake my head and think, "Where's the beef?" Where's the meat of the word? Where's the anchor that you can hold on to in the time of a huge disappointment or a huge problem.
Japan was hit with a 9.0 earthquake. I watched in horror as homes - probably filled with unsuspecting residents - were swept away in the following Tsunami. I couldn't watch the videos and heartbreaking pictures as if I were comfortably watching some movie. Each picture, each destroyed home or car held an individual and if that individual did not survive - he/she met God at that moment!
The thousands of souls that appeared before a righteous and holy God didn't need a watered down, happy go lucky, I feel so good faith! They needed the meat of the word. At the moment of intense pain, or sorrow, or fear or death....they needed a Savior. At that moment they didn't have time to do research on the strength of God. They didn't have time for a recall of their lame pastor. They didn't have the ability to throw up their hands and ask for a two day stay until they could get their spiritual lives together.
In that moment they needed to "instantly" know, understand and cling to the verses of the 23rd psalm. "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me."
When only devastation and ruin lay around them; when they had no water and no food...how comforting to cling to the verse, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."
How in the world can your cup overflow in the middle of such a tragedy? I can't explain it to you unless you can eat the meat of God's word. If you have grown up in a watered down, flimsy, where's the beef kind of church - you can't possibly understand the maturity and strength that a Christian feels when he has matured on the meat of God.
The commentary of my NIV Bible explains that Hebrews 5:14 makes a clear point....Christian maturity involves time. It involves growth in the knowledge of the Word of God and experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and evil. In other words, it doesn't come overnight. It probably won't be a lot of fun to sit and study or to learn to trust God when life is uncomfortable. It doesn't come through contemporary music, it's not about feeling happy or good or getting everything you want and it doesn't come through signing a membership card. It comes through knowing your Bible, learning to lean on Jesus and discerning between good and evil.
I remember old saints talking about the huge economic, food, weather and personal pain associated with the pre and post depression times as well as the pain of WWII. They cupped my small face in their hands and with strong but tired eyes said, "You hold on to God. Learn all you can from Him. Never fight the bad times - they will teach you how to be strong. Then you too will know how big, how great and how comforting is the love of God." I watched those saints live out a Godly life of strength and maturity. It was amazing to watch God working in their lives. None of them were financially wealthy but they were rich beyond my wildest dreams - rich in the strength of life and in the things of God.
You will never truly experience the greatness of God by limiting your knowledge of him to a contemporary non-theologically based "I need to feel good" fluffy bun church. You will never learn how to be a strong Christian if your Bible is kept in the closet or collects dust on the nightstand. You will never learn the power we have in Christ if you are not pushing yourself to obey each and every commandment.
The greatness of God is learned. It's learned by reading and studying the scriptures. It's learned by striving to do the righteous thing even if it hurts you. It's learned by obeying all of God's commandments - not just the ones you like. It's learned by going through the tough times and learning to lean on Jesus. It's only then that you will know that Jesus is all you will ever need. Jesus is the beef!
God loves you,
Debbie
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Snakes in your brain....
Just typing the word "snakes" makes me feel woozy. I have an intense fear of that animal. I don't think it would have to bite me to kill me....just coming face to face with it would be enough for a heart attack.
Over 25 years ago I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamed I was waving goodbye to a friend. I got in a little car - a VW bug - and reached for a helmet. I put the helmet on and started the engine. When I reached to put it in gear I felt something move under the helmet. There were small snakes under the helmet and they were crawling all over my head. As they squirmed out of the helmet, I screamed and apparently woke myself up. I was horrified and sat on the side of the bed crying for about an hour.
I was going to include a picture of Medusa here. In Greek mythology Medusa was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster. She was beautiful but had been cursed by Athena. Enraged because Medusa lay with a suitor, Athena transformed Medusa's beautiful hair to serpents and made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn onlookers to stone.
Thinking back on my dream, my head felt like the images of Medusa. Unfortunately, my hatred/fear of snakes is so strong that just looking at pictures of Medusa made me uncomfortable. So...if you want to see her, you will have to google it yourself :)
After the nightmare, I called my mother and asked her to pray. We prayed for just a few minutes and she interrupted the prayer by asking, "Do you want to know what the dream means?"
You have to understand that my mother and father have a very powerful prayer life and a direct connection to God. I've seen hundreds of miracles happen in their life and I am positive that God often directs their thoughts. "Yes...of course mom....what does it mean?"
"The dream is about your brain. You have to protect your brain from infection."
"Infection?"
"Not a virus or anything like that. The one thing that can infect a Christians life is believing a lie. Lies will change your life. Lies will destroy the good in your life. Nothing else matters except knowing the truth. After all the Bible says, "Know the truth and the truth will set you free." You can't grow as a Christian or go anywhere God wants to take you if your beliefs are wrong. In your dream you were preparing to go somewhere. You've always wanted to be on God's path. The one thing that will stop your journey - or change it and take you in the wrong direction is lies. I think your dream is about the fact that you need (like all of us) to be very careful about the information you believe. You need to make sure that any new idea or belief is strictly based on the scriptures. And...you also need to be careful about what you believe about life. You know as well as I do that you can't arrive at the right decision if your information for that decision is flawed."
I've never forgotten that dream or that conversation with mom. Even before the dream I was careful about "investigating the truth". After that dream I've been a compulsive truth seeker.
Over the years I've watched a lot of people accept flawed information and try to base their lives or important decisions on that flawed information. Basing a decision on lies will always turn out bad. Why would I ever want to do that? Why would anyone want to make a decision when they know there is a possibility of failure?
Unfortunately, that is what is happening to our country. Men and women who have not been successful in their personal lives try to give "instructions" to those around them. They desperately want to be respected, they know they have messed up, but they stick to the premise of lies and distortions. Once you dig into a person's life and actually find the truth - you may find that the thing they are holding on to so desperately may be the thing that is ruining their own life. You may find that they are not all that happy or fulfilled. That's why I'm so adamant about finding the truth in any situation. That's why I lay all my beliefs out before you in a logical way. That's why I try to center in on the truth....without truth no life can ever be right!
So why would some people hide the truth about their lives? Why wouldn't they be honest? Pride and avoidance of their own pain can cause them to lie. They don't want you to know they are hurting. They want to be respected. They don't honor your life by trying to prevent you from hurting. They would rather lie and puff up their own life than admit to anyone that they made a mistake. They keep moving, keep talking, keep pretending because facing the truth of a failed life is too hard to face.
Once I met a young man that was in the gay lifestyle. It was just a quick acquaintance and once our business was done I would never see him again. I asked if he was happy. He shrugged, "Is anyone?" I shared how happy I had been and how my life had turned out. I told him about Jesus and said that I hoped he would find happiness. I was very careful not to ask him to change. Instead I was chatty about what I was experiencing. His eyes filled with tears and he quickly swiped them away. "I wish I had known the truth. There's a lot to this lifestyle that no one wants to talk about. There's a lot of pain and a lot of disappointment." He closed down and didn't want to talk anymore. When our transaction was done I smiled and put my hand on his. "I will pray for you that God will give you truth."
Truth is the most important thing in this world. Without it you are destined for pain and sorrow. You must face the truth about yourself and your own feelings no matter what kind of pain that causes. You must be willing to discuss any area that causes you or others pain. You must put every desire and need on the table to be examined from every viewpoint as well as inside and out. You must closely guard your feelings and be sure that you deal with others in a logical and careful manner. You must always be willing to say, I'm sorry or I was wrong.
Our country, our churches and our families will never be successful until we get the snakes out of our brains and face the hard cold truth. I have a problem with liberals and spoiled Christians who refuse to face facts or investigate problems by being logical. It's not about truth for them. It's about what they "think" is truth.
Suppose I decided to make a simple yellow cake. I don't have all the ingredients necessary to make it the traditional way...or maybe...I just want to do my own thing with the cake. I dump flour into a bowl and use tea instead of water for the liquid. I use baking power, salt and eggs but for flavoring I use tomato paste. I add chocolate and coconut just to give it texture. I mix it up and bake it. Because of the baking powder, eggs and flour it looks like a cake. It rose properly and I can transfer it to a plate. Since I didn't have sugar I decide to frost it with solid Criso and butter. I even take the time to put the Crisco in a bag and decorate the cake.
Finally, I present this concoction to you and say, "Look I made a wonderful yellow cake. Would you like to try it?" I dare say that after just one bite you might insist that it's not a yellow cake. "Oh but it is! I followed most of the recipe. I used flour and eggs. I used baking powder and salt. And...just like the recipe called for I used Crisco and butter in the frosting. It has to be a yellow cake!"
That's the problem with so many "new and contemporary" decisions being made in this country. When you move too far from the truth or the "absolutes" the end results of your decisions will be disastrous. Just because you use a traditional church building, mention Jesus a lot and ask people to pray - does not mean the building is inhabited by the spirit of the living God. There is a specific formula for bringing the power of Jesus into your life and into your church. If you stray from that formula - you will not have the blessings of God.
You can insist that sugar water can be substituted for gas, but when the engine freezes up you can't deny the absolute that sugar will not run an engine. You can go on insisting that something else is wrong, but you are still sitting on the side of the road while everyone else passes by. Ignoring the cause of your predicament doesn't get the car moving.
When you advise a young child that sex is okay at any age and that multiple partners in a lifetime is fine, you must accept the fact that diseases, heartbreak and unwanted children will follow. Just denouncing that fact doesn't relieve you of the responsibility for telling a lie or for ruining a life.
Churches in America are becoming less and less powerful. According to a Barna study group, more people are leaving the church every year than are joining. More young people would rather "create" their own faith than to submit to the teachings of the church. Almost 90% say they are Christians but 70% say their faith doesn't affect their life in any way.
The truth is that the Church is losing it's power because there are snakes in the pew. My grandmother was a wonderful evangelist and traveled all over the south. She built 5 churches and held huge tent revivals. As a teen I remember being sad about some problems. I sat close to her while we talked. I put my head on her shoulder and whispered. "Grams, why is there so much trouble in the church?" She patted me and softly gave me this very wise answer.
"When the church was being persecuted from without, we grew. We held to the scriptures, each other and God and we grew. All our problems got worse when Satan got smart and joined the church."
That statement is so true now. I hope you will join with me today and pray for the churches of this country. So many of them are playing with the souls of their members by concentrating on "marketing" and appeal more than the simplicity of Jesus.
God loves you,
Debbie
Over 25 years ago I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamed I was waving goodbye to a friend. I got in a little car - a VW bug - and reached for a helmet. I put the helmet on and started the engine. When I reached to put it in gear I felt something move under the helmet. There were small snakes under the helmet and they were crawling all over my head. As they squirmed out of the helmet, I screamed and apparently woke myself up. I was horrified and sat on the side of the bed crying for about an hour.
I was going to include a picture of Medusa here. In Greek mythology Medusa was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster. She was beautiful but had been cursed by Athena. Enraged because Medusa lay with a suitor, Athena transformed Medusa's beautiful hair to serpents and made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn onlookers to stone.
Thinking back on my dream, my head felt like the images of Medusa. Unfortunately, my hatred/fear of snakes is so strong that just looking at pictures of Medusa made me uncomfortable. So...if you want to see her, you will have to google it yourself :)
After the nightmare, I called my mother and asked her to pray. We prayed for just a few minutes and she interrupted the prayer by asking, "Do you want to know what the dream means?"
You have to understand that my mother and father have a very powerful prayer life and a direct connection to God. I've seen hundreds of miracles happen in their life and I am positive that God often directs their thoughts. "Yes...of course mom....what does it mean?"
"The dream is about your brain. You have to protect your brain from infection."
"Infection?"
"Not a virus or anything like that. The one thing that can infect a Christians life is believing a lie. Lies will change your life. Lies will destroy the good in your life. Nothing else matters except knowing the truth. After all the Bible says, "Know the truth and the truth will set you free." You can't grow as a Christian or go anywhere God wants to take you if your beliefs are wrong. In your dream you were preparing to go somewhere. You've always wanted to be on God's path. The one thing that will stop your journey - or change it and take you in the wrong direction is lies. I think your dream is about the fact that you need (like all of us) to be very careful about the information you believe. You need to make sure that any new idea or belief is strictly based on the scriptures. And...you also need to be careful about what you believe about life. You know as well as I do that you can't arrive at the right decision if your information for that decision is flawed."
I've never forgotten that dream or that conversation with mom. Even before the dream I was careful about "investigating the truth". After that dream I've been a compulsive truth seeker.
Over the years I've watched a lot of people accept flawed information and try to base their lives or important decisions on that flawed information. Basing a decision on lies will always turn out bad. Why would I ever want to do that? Why would anyone want to make a decision when they know there is a possibility of failure?
Unfortunately, that is what is happening to our country. Men and women who have not been successful in their personal lives try to give "instructions" to those around them. They desperately want to be respected, they know they have messed up, but they stick to the premise of lies and distortions. Once you dig into a person's life and actually find the truth - you may find that the thing they are holding on to so desperately may be the thing that is ruining their own life. You may find that they are not all that happy or fulfilled. That's why I'm so adamant about finding the truth in any situation. That's why I lay all my beliefs out before you in a logical way. That's why I try to center in on the truth....without truth no life can ever be right!
So why would some people hide the truth about their lives? Why wouldn't they be honest? Pride and avoidance of their own pain can cause them to lie. They don't want you to know they are hurting. They want to be respected. They don't honor your life by trying to prevent you from hurting. They would rather lie and puff up their own life than admit to anyone that they made a mistake. They keep moving, keep talking, keep pretending because facing the truth of a failed life is too hard to face.
Once I met a young man that was in the gay lifestyle. It was just a quick acquaintance and once our business was done I would never see him again. I asked if he was happy. He shrugged, "Is anyone?" I shared how happy I had been and how my life had turned out. I told him about Jesus and said that I hoped he would find happiness. I was very careful not to ask him to change. Instead I was chatty about what I was experiencing. His eyes filled with tears and he quickly swiped them away. "I wish I had known the truth. There's a lot to this lifestyle that no one wants to talk about. There's a lot of pain and a lot of disappointment." He closed down and didn't want to talk anymore. When our transaction was done I smiled and put my hand on his. "I will pray for you that God will give you truth."
Truth is the most important thing in this world. Without it you are destined for pain and sorrow. You must face the truth about yourself and your own feelings no matter what kind of pain that causes. You must be willing to discuss any area that causes you or others pain. You must put every desire and need on the table to be examined from every viewpoint as well as inside and out. You must closely guard your feelings and be sure that you deal with others in a logical and careful manner. You must always be willing to say, I'm sorry or I was wrong.
Our country, our churches and our families will never be successful until we get the snakes out of our brains and face the hard cold truth. I have a problem with liberals and spoiled Christians who refuse to face facts or investigate problems by being logical. It's not about truth for them. It's about what they "think" is truth.
Suppose I decided to make a simple yellow cake. I don't have all the ingredients necessary to make it the traditional way...or maybe...I just want to do my own thing with the cake. I dump flour into a bowl and use tea instead of water for the liquid. I use baking power, salt and eggs but for flavoring I use tomato paste. I add chocolate and coconut just to give it texture. I mix it up and bake it. Because of the baking powder, eggs and flour it looks like a cake. It rose properly and I can transfer it to a plate. Since I didn't have sugar I decide to frost it with solid Criso and butter. I even take the time to put the Crisco in a bag and decorate the cake.
Finally, I present this concoction to you and say, "Look I made a wonderful yellow cake. Would you like to try it?" I dare say that after just one bite you might insist that it's not a yellow cake. "Oh but it is! I followed most of the recipe. I used flour and eggs. I used baking powder and salt. And...just like the recipe called for I used Crisco and butter in the frosting. It has to be a yellow cake!"
That's the problem with so many "new and contemporary" decisions being made in this country. When you move too far from the truth or the "absolutes" the end results of your decisions will be disastrous. Just because you use a traditional church building, mention Jesus a lot and ask people to pray - does not mean the building is inhabited by the spirit of the living God. There is a specific formula for bringing the power of Jesus into your life and into your church. If you stray from that formula - you will not have the blessings of God.
You can insist that sugar water can be substituted for gas, but when the engine freezes up you can't deny the absolute that sugar will not run an engine. You can go on insisting that something else is wrong, but you are still sitting on the side of the road while everyone else passes by. Ignoring the cause of your predicament doesn't get the car moving.
When you advise a young child that sex is okay at any age and that multiple partners in a lifetime is fine, you must accept the fact that diseases, heartbreak and unwanted children will follow. Just denouncing that fact doesn't relieve you of the responsibility for telling a lie or for ruining a life.
Churches in America are becoming less and less powerful. According to a Barna study group, more people are leaving the church every year than are joining. More young people would rather "create" their own faith than to submit to the teachings of the church. Almost 90% say they are Christians but 70% say their faith doesn't affect their life in any way.
The truth is that the Church is losing it's power because there are snakes in the pew. My grandmother was a wonderful evangelist and traveled all over the south. She built 5 churches and held huge tent revivals. As a teen I remember being sad about some problems. I sat close to her while we talked. I put my head on her shoulder and whispered. "Grams, why is there so much trouble in the church?" She patted me and softly gave me this very wise answer.
"When the church was being persecuted from without, we grew. We held to the scriptures, each other and God and we grew. All our problems got worse when Satan got smart and joined the church."
That statement is so true now. I hope you will join with me today and pray for the churches of this country. So many of them are playing with the souls of their members by concentrating on "marketing" and appeal more than the simplicity of Jesus.
God loves you,
Debbie
Friday, February 18, 2011
Can you take the heat???
Bible Study with Debbie....Philippians 1:15-30
In this passage, Paul is trying to accomplish several things. First of all he wants to be upbeat and positive about his current imprisonment. He's clearly concerned for his safety....but he doesn't want his friends to concentrate on the possible danger he was in. So...he drifts back and forth from rejoicing about the fact that God was going to take care of him and mentioning the "death" issue. Four times in this passage he mentions death and his willingness to die for Christ. It must have been a real possibility. And....it seems that he was almost relieved to think of going home and leaving all the problems behind him.
Have you ever had to "work" at your faith? I certainly have. I know that God can take care of me, but it's oh so easy to let your mind wonder about all the what ifs and how will I handle it if he doesn't come through. The Christian life is not easy. It's not about accepting Jesus and then gliding along through life without a care. The Christian life is not an Insurance policy. Christians have to take a lot of heat and unlike the undisciplined person....Christians are required to find a way to be pleasant even if the fire gets hotter. (check out the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego in Daniel Chapter 3)
By verse 25 Paul has resolved the issue and as if he took a deep breath he says..."I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith." In other words...."Oh well. I guess I need to remain here in order to help you and keep you moving forward."
In verse 27 he adds...."Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Paul pleads through the entire book of Philippians for his friends to do the right thing. To stand up for Christ and to be a good example.
That's the trick isn't it? Doing the right thing at just the right time. Being the person that God has called you to be. Handling all your problems as if you had the mind of Christ and encouraging those around you by letting the love of God shine light on them as well.
Don't miss the fact that even while Paul is struggling with the danger issue that he's also struggling with the self-esteem issue. Look back at verses 15-18. Paul talks about other preachers and teachers who seem to be doing the work out of "selfish ambition". These guys were a lot like many of the preachers I know today. They were more interested in collecting bodies, accolades and money than they were in making disciples of Christ. In order to further their own cause they were making false accusations against Paul.
That must have been really hard to take. Negative comments are always hard to take....but they would be especially difficult when you are in prison. Yet, Paul fought the desire to be angry by concentrating on the important fact that Christ must be preached. "The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."
Human nature wants recognition for a job well done. All of us want to know we are loved and appreciated for our hard work. I hope today we can take a lesson from Paul and humbly let God know that "HIS DESIRE FOR US" is our goal. Where ever that takes us....recognition or invisibility - it doesn't matter as long as His will is accomplished. Denouncing our need to be noticed will be difficult - but in the end we will be glad that we did our job, we accomplished the task before us and that we stayed true to his will for our lives. Only then will we be able to hear those wonderful words:
"Well done thy good and faithful servant. Enter now into the joy of the Lord."
God loves you,
Debbie
In this passage, Paul is trying to accomplish several things. First of all he wants to be upbeat and positive about his current imprisonment. He's clearly concerned for his safety....but he doesn't want his friends to concentrate on the possible danger he was in. So...he drifts back and forth from rejoicing about the fact that God was going to take care of him and mentioning the "death" issue. Four times in this passage he mentions death and his willingness to die for Christ. It must have been a real possibility. And....it seems that he was almost relieved to think of going home and leaving all the problems behind him.
Have you ever had to "work" at your faith? I certainly have. I know that God can take care of me, but it's oh so easy to let your mind wonder about all the what ifs and how will I handle it if he doesn't come through. The Christian life is not easy. It's not about accepting Jesus and then gliding along through life without a care. The Christian life is not an Insurance policy. Christians have to take a lot of heat and unlike the undisciplined person....Christians are required to find a way to be pleasant even if the fire gets hotter. (check out the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego in Daniel Chapter 3)
By verse 25 Paul has resolved the issue and as if he took a deep breath he says..."I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith." In other words...."Oh well. I guess I need to remain here in order to help you and keep you moving forward."
In verse 27 he adds...."Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Paul pleads through the entire book of Philippians for his friends to do the right thing. To stand up for Christ and to be a good example.
That's the trick isn't it? Doing the right thing at just the right time. Being the person that God has called you to be. Handling all your problems as if you had the mind of Christ and encouraging those around you by letting the love of God shine light on them as well.
Don't miss the fact that even while Paul is struggling with the danger issue that he's also struggling with the self-esteem issue. Look back at verses 15-18. Paul talks about other preachers and teachers who seem to be doing the work out of "selfish ambition". These guys were a lot like many of the preachers I know today. They were more interested in collecting bodies, accolades and money than they were in making disciples of Christ. In order to further their own cause they were making false accusations against Paul.
That must have been really hard to take. Negative comments are always hard to take....but they would be especially difficult when you are in prison. Yet, Paul fought the desire to be angry by concentrating on the important fact that Christ must be preached. "The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."
Human nature wants recognition for a job well done. All of us want to know we are loved and appreciated for our hard work. I hope today we can take a lesson from Paul and humbly let God know that "HIS DESIRE FOR US" is our goal. Where ever that takes us....recognition or invisibility - it doesn't matter as long as His will is accomplished. Denouncing our need to be noticed will be difficult - but in the end we will be glad that we did our job, we accomplished the task before us and that we stayed true to his will for our lives. Only then will we be able to hear those wonderful words:
"Well done thy good and faithful servant. Enter now into the joy of the Lord."
God loves you,
Debbie
Thursday, February 17, 2011
On the mend....
Now as a writer....I often look down at my hand and smile. God has a plan for that hand. He is in complete control. Here's my story.....
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
by Debbie Jansen
After a busy Christmas season my left forefinger began to shake uncontrollably. It trembled for several minutes every hour. The shaking caused the top of my hand to ache. “Dad, look at this.” My finger shook and an attached vein pulsated.
“That’s strange. How long has this been going on?”
“About two weeks.”
“Honey, you’ve been stressed out with all the work at church, the kid’s colds and your cake decorating business. I think it’s just stress.” I agreed and tried to put it out of my mind.
I tried to ignore the problem and get more rest, but the trembling increased and woke me out of a deep sleep. I can handle loud babies, decorating cakes, end to end meetings, and demanding men, but I can not go without sleep. I’m crankier than a two-year-old if I lose sleep. After a few sleepless nights, I was complaining to my doctor. He peered at me over his glasses and smile. “I believe it’s just a pinched nerve. It’s an easy fix. We’ll put a splint on it and I’m sure it will be fine in a few days.” The doctor’s comforting words made me feel better as I rushed through my day.
Two days later I was back in his office screaming with pain. The hand was swollen twice it’s size and wouldn’t move. He sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who found a small broken bone in the wrist. The surgeon didn’t like the temperature of the whole arm so he insisted I see a neurologist - immediately! After three tests the neurologist shook his head and explained, “The arm is dying. The fall that broke the bone also damaged a nerve. That nerve is sending a message to other nerves to cut off the blood flow to the entire arm.” To demonstrate he held my arm in the air. It began to turn a gray ash color as if it belonged to a dead person.
“What is the prognosis?” Dad put his arm around me for both comfort and physical support.
“She has a condition called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy.” The doctor put his chart on the table and moved closer. “In a week the arm will be completely without blood and will begin to wither. She will lose all use of the arm. If it is injured, we will have to amputate because without blood it won’t heal.”
My mind was spinning. Amputation! How could I accomplish future goals without an arm? I wanted to do my daughter’s wedding cake. I wanted to play the piano in church. Dad looked away from me and stuttered for words.
The doctor broke into our shock by saying, “There’s a possibility we can fix it. We can try as many as six ganglion blocks. Hopefully, they will override the damaged nerve, allowing blood to flow into the arm. Sometimes the blood flow will heal the nerve and stop the problem. If it isn’t better after six treatments we can try surgery. With a little luck one of those will work. If not, we will have to amputate.”
Why does he keep using that word? I wanted to say something but I couldn’t breathe. I was still wobbly trying to deal with the term amputation. They wheeled me to the outpatient surgery clinic and asked me to lie down and prepare for the procedure. How am I supposed to prepare for this? The anesthesiologist took out a long needle that looked about three feet long to me. Okay so I was a little overwhelmed at the moment. Maybe it was only two feet.
“Please lay back. We will go in the front of your neck and hopefully isolate a nerve in your back. If we can locate it and deliver the right amount of medication, it will over ride the nerves in the arm and allow blood to flow. Understand?”
“NO! Are you going to push that needle all the way to my back?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you just go through my back?”
“Too many muscles. We wouldn’t be able to find it. Ready?”
I wanted to yell at him but instead froze. His nurse moved my neck into position.
“Don’t swallow”, she whispered. “He will be near your vocal cords and we don’t want to damage your voice.”
“How long will this take?” My lips trembled and my shoulders tensed with fear.
“Five minutes. Exactly five minutes.”
Tears ran down the side of my face and created a puddle behind my neck. I didn’t swallow and barely breathed. The pain was intense. I was petrified. I begged God for mercy. I clinched my fists. Oh God, where are you. The anesthesiologist hit something that caused intense pain and felt like shock waves flowing across my back. I squeezed my eyes tighter. Have mercy. Please God, have mercy! I wanted to peek at the clock on the wall but I didn’t dare open my eyes. The image of him poking at my neck with his jack hammer wasn’t something I wanted to remember. Oh God, how much longer? Five minutes usually passes without a thought but this time it seemed like an eternity. The adrenaline was pumping, my heart was racing and I was in pain. Please God, please let this work so I never have to do this again.
“Thanks Sarah, we’re done.” I felt the nurse wipe my throat. I took my first deep breath and recalled an old song. There is a Savior, what joys express. His eyes are mercy. His word is rest. For each tomorrow, for yesterday. There is a Savior who lights our way. Thank God there is a Savior who cares about us and protects us each step of the way.
The first treatment was a wonderful success. Five minutes after the shot, I looked at the anesthesiologist and said, “Who turned on the heat?"
He smiled, “Look”, he said, “Watch!” I watched my arm turn fire engine red as the blood made its way to my hand. When the tips of my fingers were red, the paralysis was gone. There was no pain. I was moving my fingers wildly and laughing hysterically.
The anesthesiologist giggled with me. “Good, you’ve got a chance.”
The doctor peeked in to see how I was. “Look!” I proudly displayed my hand. “It feels great.” He nodded his approval. “Doctor, was my finger shaking so hard because it was damaged?”
“No.” He scratched his head and started writing in my chart. “Mrs. Jansen, I have no idea why it was shaking. Without blood it should have been completely paralyzed.”
My Dad choked back a tear. We realized the miracle God had preformed. God knew how serious the problem was even when I didn’t. We both believe that God caused a minor irritation to send me running to the doctor for help. What a loving God we have. He counts the hairs on our head. He knows when each sparrow falls and He even watches out for a tired mom.
No matter what problems you are experiencing, remember that God cares for you. He has more answers that you could ever imagine. He will stand with you no matter what the trial may be. Like my arm you must be connected to the blood source or you will die. Jesus is the Vine and to live the good life we must stay connected to Him.
My hand was like useless branches that must be discarded. When the blood (Jesus Christ) flowed through my veins, it brought the dead back to life. God can work miracles and give you the answers you need for your life.
“Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you can’t do a thing. If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned.” John 15:5
God loves you,
Debbie
Monday, January 31, 2011
Attitude is everything!
If you've read more than three or four posts, you know you know that I'm all about the attitude. It's your attitude that will determine if your parenting works or not. It's your attitude that controls the levels of your marriage. It's your attitude that determines the success of your spiritual life.
I'm currently struggling with a difficult medical problem. Hopefully it will be resolved shortly - and in a good way. (I appreciate your prayers) My darling husband sent me the following story and gave my attitude a boost. Answers are always a matter of God's, His love and our own attitude. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!' He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!' You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?'
He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood.' Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.
'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.
'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'
I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw him about six months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?'
I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'
'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked.
He continued, '...the paramedics were great.
They kept telling me they would take good care of me. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'
'What did you do?' I asked.
'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''
Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.' He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude....I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34.
Please pray that God will provide a good report so I can continue to work without interruption........
God loves you,
Debbie
I'm currently struggling with a difficult medical problem. Hopefully it will be resolved shortly - and in a good way. (I appreciate your prayers) My darling husband sent me the following story and gave my attitude a boost. Answers are always a matter of God's, His love and our own attitude. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!' He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!' You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?'
He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood.' Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.
'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.
'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'
I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw him about six months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?'
I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'
'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked.
He continued, '...the paramedics were great.
They kept telling me they would take good care of me. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'
'What did you do?' I asked.
'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''
Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.' He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude....I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34.
Please pray that God will provide a good report so I can continue to work without interruption........
God loves you,
Debbie
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Why should anyone be a Christian?
I Googled, "How many religions are in the world?" According to World Christian Encyclopedia there are 34,000 separate Christian Groups. Then there are all kinds of other religions that contain many different Gods. In India for example, the Hindu faith claims to have 330 million faces of God. In our own country, native Indians have a God for almost everything that lives. There are wind gods and sun gods and plant gods and animal gods.
It's confusing. Especially if you haven't had what is called a Theophany. A theophany is where you have actually experienced a "manifestation of God or a Deity." So...if you haven't come face to face with God - how do you know that what I'm telling you is true? And furthermore....why would you want to live by my faith?
First let me assure you that if you don't believe in God - I won't attack you in any way. Just because we have different opinions doesn't mean I dislike you. And...just because I don't see any "logical" basis for other religions doesn't mean I think bad of those people either.
So...let's look at this problem from a purely logical standpoint.
I have a hard time finding a reason to even consider other religions. For example, I just don't understand why the Muslim faith is still around. Half of their participants are in slavery. As a Muslim wife you are demanded to have as many children as possible and....forget having the freedom to be who you want to be. The Muslim faith is awful to wives, children and anyone that goes against the wishes of the father or the "honor" of the family. And the biggest plus to the religion is that if you kill others in Allah's name, you get to experience virgins to your hearts content. While that may be enticing to some people - I want more of heaven than that. After a while anything loses it's pleasure. Being stuck in the sex mode for all of eternity isn't as appealing as having the freedom to enjoy everything God has been preparing for literally millions of years. If he created everything here on earth and has been waiting and creating for centuries - don't you think he could come up with something better than 70 virgins?? Sounds like of pathetic to me.
Buddhism is even harder for me. Their take on this religion thing is that life is sort of a punishment. You are supposed to learn something from every life but you have to keep reincarnating until you finally reach Nirvana - which is a state of nothingness. Talk about a hard life!
Since I was in college I've issued a challenge. Bring me any faith that offers more freedom, more creativity, more of a good life and more rewards in the after life - and I'll change. Yep! You heard it here. Show me that your religion is better than mine and I'll change. The problem is in the details. Some religions may sound good on the surface but in the end it disappoints.
I remember going to a youth group at a large church in Atlanta when I was in my early twenties. The speaker was a wealthy business man who lived most of his life as an atheist. His life was a mess! His business was failing and his family was falling apart. When his wife served him with divorce papers, he sought advice from a Christian friend. The friend said, "Look John, I know you can't bring yourself to be a Christian...but that doesn't negate the great advice in the Bible. Even if you never become a Christian, I promise that if you study the Bible and follow it's teachings your life will get better."
The businessman took his advice and spent the next few years studying and implementing Bible values. At the end of six months his business was growing. At the end of a year he was dating his wife and at the end of two years they were re-married. Now remember....he was not a Christian - he was only living like one. His only goal was to put the values of a Christian into practice in his own life.
Amazingly, at the end of four years he decided that God was real and that he wanted to give not only his heart - but his entire life to God. (Is that why atheist are so afraid of even the word "God"? Any connection to this Christianity thing is dangerous to their position.)
If the Bible is just a good way to live....what makes it so good? Why don't most people see the value?
There's been a lot of propaganda. Ask anyone if they think the Bible is made up of a lot of restrictions and they will probably agree with you. Even Christians are likely to say more about the "no no's" of the Bible than the actual purpose of why we follow this book.
The Bible is simply "God's word". But what does that mean? The Bible starts out with creation and then moves forward. With each book, Christianity begins to evolve. Until Jesus comes and begins to set the record straight about what he really meant us to be.
Let's pretend for a moment that we are like cars. We are assembled at the factory and then sent out into the world to do "our" thing. Some of us are made to race and some of us are made to carry groceries and kids. But....if something goes wrong in our engine - we aren't rolled up to the bakery for repairs. We go back to the people that made us.
That's what Christianity is! God made us and the Bible is His instruction book on how we work best.
But here's the creepy part that some people don't want to look at. They don't want to accept that there's some big dude in the sky that has even a small interest in what they are doing. They want complete and total control over their own lives. So....because they can't accept the big guy....they discredit and make fun of the Bible.
The Bible isn't all that weird. And...it is not a negative - "You can't do this" book. Go back to the car illustration. Suppose you bought a new $40,000 SUV. You decide that you can't pay for the car and the gas all at the same time. So...you brew up a concoction of rubbing alcohol and sugar. A little dash of this and that....a little corn liquor and voila! Gas! You decide you better call the dealership that sold you the car and tell them what you've done. "Great news! I've just invented a new gas. You'll probably want it for all your customers." The salesman screams into the phone..."No, please....don't do it. It will ruin the engine." You get mad. "You can't talk to me like that. I know what I'm doing. How dare you!"
The salesman quietly explains, "If you do this there's no way we will cover the cost to fix the engine."
You yell back. "You won't have to you jerk. I'm going to save the world money! You just wait and see, I'll be the one rolling in the dough. You don't know anything about me."
The thing is, you are convinced that you are right.....but you are gambling with a $40,000 car. You put your invention in the gas tank and start the engine. The car sputters and takes off. You are grinning from ear to ear. You did it. You showed those guys. You are rolling along on free gas. As the gas that was in the tank begins to mix with your untested solution, the car sputters. It slows and drags. It can hardly go. Finally smoke rolls out of the engine. It's clacking and clanging and the entire car trembles with the pain of it all. It dies a horrible death.
What happened? It was your car and you had the right to put anything in the tank you wanted. Why didn't it work. All of us know the answer to that question. It doesn't matter how much you believed in your invention, if the car wasn't "designed" to work with your solution - it's not going to happen.
Guess what? It doesn't really matter what you believe. If you don't do the stuff that's needed to make your life wonderful - it won't work! When your life falls apart because you are lying or cheating....it really doesn't matter what you believe. The results will be what they are. It's sad to me that most people wouldn't dare take the chance on ruining a $40,000 car but they have no problem gambling with their lives and all of eternity. As the old saying goes - "I'm a Christian. If you're right about the "no God" thing and I die and go into nothingness - I've still had a good life. If your wrong about the God thing and you die, you go to Hell." Hum.....
Let's go back to the Bible. I've studied it my entire life. I became a Christian when I was six years old. I participated in Bible drills, memorization and as a preacher's kid I've listened to thousands of sermons.
I realized early on that the Bible isn't about what you can't do.....the Bible is about living the "Good" life. It's an instruction manual on how to stay out of trouble.
Some people look at my life and say, "Man you sure have been blessed. You haven't had the troubles a lot of us have had." While I do thank God for making me who I am....it's the Bible that I credit with the reason I have a good life.
I came from a heritage of Christians. My parents were ministers, my grandmother was a minister, All grandparents and most of my extended family were Christians. My husbands family was the same way.
We have had good lives not just because they were Christians - but because their lives kept us away from the things that would "hurt" or cause problems in our lives. They passed on wise instructions that kept all of us from getting into stuff that would hurt our ability to have a great life.
For example - let's take the Ten commandments. The first four are about God. Since we are "logically" discussing this, let's leave him out of it.
#5 "Honor thy father and mother". What possible problem could that avoid? If I had a nickle for every time I heard someone say, "I hate to admit it but my parents were right" - I would be a rich person. If more children, teens and adults honored their parents they could learn from the wisdom they have. And even if you don't think your parents are wise (provided they also live by Biblical values) perhaps you can learn from their mistakes.
#6 Don't murder. Well hello! Who wants to spend the rest of their lives in jail? And even if we lived in a society where murder was okay - who wants to be the one murdered? Or who wants to be so dysfunctional that killing is the only way to solve a problem. Ick! Instead of living a life of yelling, screaming and getting so angry that you flip out and kill your spouse....you have a different mindset. Look at all the problems and issues that you've avoided just by one commandment.
#7 Don't commit adultery. It would take a 15 page post to list all the pain this one will save. Just the guilt and therapy you can avoid will be worth thousands of dollars.
#8 Don't lie. Again...what's not to like about this little gem? Do you know how much trouble could be avoided in this life if people couldn't lie. Remember the movie Liar, Liar with Jim Carrey? Remember all the trouble he was in because he told lies?
The point is....The Bible isn't about taking away from your life. The Bible is about giving you a plan so you can have the best life possible. While others around you are struggling to figure out how to get down the street with their cars of life - you will be racing around the neighborhood and learning how to use all the tools to help your car sprout wings and fly!
Being a Christian is all about God. It's about loving him and appreciating all he's done for us. But it's also much more than that. It's about using his teachings to have the greatest life you can. My hope for you is that when your life is over that you will stand before a smiling God and say, "Wow! What a fantastic ride!"
God loves you,
Debbie
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