I wanted to write you today to share a thought. I have proof of God's existence. My proof is every prayer I have prayed and received an answer to. When the atheist and the other scoffers point the finger and tell us that we can't prove God exists, they are only correct as far as their statements apply to themselves. We cannot prove that God exists to them, but we can prove it to ourselves.
How does anyone else know how many times I have cried out to the Lord, offered up prayer and those prayers have been answered? Nobody knows that but me, but proving things to ourselves is of great worth, it builds our faith. Answered prayer is not the only proof of God's existence, all creation is proof that he exists. Everything around us had to be created by someone. Evidence of design is everywhere. The entire universe screams at the top of its lungs RANDOM DOESN'T WORK HERE.
Today's godless generation is fond of tossing about the idea that "universe" is in charge of everything that happens, but my first question is: who created "universe?" That's about where the conversation ends because the only answer they can give is "I don't know." We do know who created all things, our God did. The atheist can't prove he didn't and my thousands of answered prayers as well as all my senses that interact with this design filled world prove that he did.
I write to you today to tell you that our God exists, and he still answers prayers. Our God knows what you need, he knows we live in a temporal world with temporal needs like food, clothing, water etc. We are told to "seek first the kingdom of God" and all those temporal things we need will be taken care of for us. Seek his face, open his word and read it. Go to your knees and thank the Lord for everything you can think of to be thankful for today. The answers to all of life's question are "in Christ." It sounds so simplistic but its oh so true. My entire life is a testimony to answered prayer. If the Lord watches over and protects and delivers a pathetic nobody like me, what will he do for you?
I truly am one of the least of the brothers in the family of Christ, but I'm trying. I'm the least of the brothers but I do have a testimony that may be worth something to somebody reading this right now. This brother points you to the High and Lofty One, the Eternal God, the Almighty. Seek him and you will find him when you seek him with all your heart.
grace and peace
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
A Silent God?
Many people walk away from the Creator because they say "he doesn't speak to me" or "he is silent" or any number of statements to that effect. I believe the Lord told me to write about this by answering the question: "is the Lord really silent?"
The Lord himself addresses this idea in at least two places. Let's start here:
Isaiah 57:11 Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?
Notice that was an old testament passage of scripture. What are we told now about the Lord speaking to us?
Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
Now think hard about what the Lord is saying in this statement because its a biggie. Is the Lord really "silent" as many people claim he is? Not by a long shot.......... The Lord is speaking to us every second of every hour of every day. How?
Hebrews 1 tells us that "in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son".....Spoken to us by his Son? What is the Son of God?
Answer? The Son of God is the word of God....John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
and
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,d who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
So putting this together we see that "in these last days" the Lord has spoken to us by the word of God which is an equivalent statement to saying in these last days "he has spoken to us by his Son." So if you want to know what God is saying to men today, open the word of God and start reading.
The Lord will speak to you through his Son, which is the same thing as saying through his word. You can read the bible cover to cover for a lifetime and the Lord will speak to you in new ways as your walk and your life move forward in time with him. The Lord tells us this:
Psalm 42:7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
Deep calls to deep.....thats Spirit speaking to spirit...God talking to us. The problem people have is not God being silent, its them not listening or their sin separating them from him. God is not the problem, we are. We need to change, we need to align ourselves with him not the other way around. Open the word of God and stay in it if you want to hear the Lord speak.
The Lord spoke to me about these things as I was driving home from work tonight. Grace and peace
The Lord himself addresses this idea in at least two places. Let's start here:
Isaiah 57:11 Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?
Notice that was an old testament passage of scripture. What are we told now about the Lord speaking to us?
Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
Now think hard about what the Lord is saying in this statement because its a biggie. Is the Lord really "silent" as many people claim he is? Not by a long shot.......... The Lord is speaking to us every second of every hour of every day. How?
Hebrews 1 tells us that "in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son".....Spoken to us by his Son? What is the Son of God?
Answer? The Son of God is the word of God....John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
and
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,d who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
So putting this together we see that "in these last days" the Lord has spoken to us by the word of God which is an equivalent statement to saying in these last days "he has spoken to us by his Son." So if you want to know what God is saying to men today, open the word of God and start reading.
The Lord will speak to you through his Son, which is the same thing as saying through his word. You can read the bible cover to cover for a lifetime and the Lord will speak to you in new ways as your walk and your life move forward in time with him. The Lord tells us this:
Psalm 42:7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
Deep calls to deep.....thats Spirit speaking to spirit...God talking to us. The problem people have is not God being silent, its them not listening or their sin separating them from him. God is not the problem, we are. We need to change, we need to align ourselves with him not the other way around. Open the word of God and stay in it if you want to hear the Lord speak.
The Lord spoke to me about these things as I was driving home from work tonight. Grace and peace
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Be Patient
We are called to wait patiently for our Lord. Behold:
Rev 3:7“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
We are called to endure patiently.....that kind of endurance means we might be waiting a loooooooooong time.
If things are going to "hell in a handbasket" here on earth but the Lord has not appeared for us, do not be troubled, we have more waiting to do. The sign of our Lords coming for us is no sign at all!!!!! You read that right....there will be no sign for us of our Lord's coming. We are told specifically that it will be just like the days of Noah and Lot when the Lord comes to take us out of here, THEN destruction will fall...
Luke 17:26“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
Read that again and again until you really "get it":
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Luke 17:28“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
Let's try that repetition exercise again:
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
30“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
Let's prepare ourselves to wait patiently. grace and peace
Rev 3:7“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
We are called to endure patiently.....that kind of endurance means we might be waiting a loooooooooong time.
If things are going to "hell in a handbasket" here on earth but the Lord has not appeared for us, do not be troubled, we have more waiting to do. The sign of our Lords coming for us is no sign at all!!!!! You read that right....there will be no sign for us of our Lord's coming. We are told specifically that it will be just like the days of Noah and Lot when the Lord comes to take us out of here, THEN destruction will fall...
Luke 17:26“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
Read that again and again until you really "get it":
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Noah entered the ark THEN the flood came....
Luke 17:28“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
Let's try that repetition exercise again:
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down
30“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
Let's prepare ourselves to wait patiently. grace and peace
Monday, October 26, 2009
No Small Things
I believe the Lord reiterated to me today that we are to pay attention to all the "small" things in life because the small things really are the big things. This world glorifies the rock star and Hollywood star and TV star but dismisses the seemingly small and insignificant things in life.
An example from the news: a virus that is invisible to the naked eye, can wipe out millions of people (flu). Man, with all his "knowledge" is still absolutely helpless against the tiniest of organisms. Men still cannot cure the COMMON COLD much less some of the nastier viruses. It would make me laugh if it wasn't so serious. Small things, almost invisible things bring man with all his pomp and arrogance to his knees. <---There is a God inspired message in there for those with eyes that "see."
What's the effect of buying one $2 flower for your wife/husband once in awhile? How far does that one small act go in the eyes of the person receiving the flower?
There are no small things in this life...the small things ARE the big things, grace and peace
An example from the news: a virus that is invisible to the naked eye, can wipe out millions of people (flu). Man, with all his "knowledge" is still absolutely helpless against the tiniest of organisms. Men still cannot cure the COMMON COLD much less some of the nastier viruses. It would make me laugh if it wasn't so serious. Small things, almost invisible things bring man with all his pomp and arrogance to his knees. <---There is a God inspired message in there for those with eyes that "see."
What's the effect of buying one $2 flower for your wife/husband once in awhile? How far does that one small act go in the eyes of the person receiving the flower?
There are no small things in this life...the small things ARE the big things, grace and peace
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Blessed Are Those Who Hear It And Take To Heart
Rev 1:1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
This^^ is the opening statement in the book of Revelation. We are told here that there is a blessing for those who both hear the words and take to heart the words written.
Nowhere else in the book of Revelation are "the churches" spoken to directly. Is that an accident or is there a reason "the churches" are not addressed directly anywhere else? That's for you to decide. My point today is that we are spoken to right up front, in Rev 1-3. We are the churches. I was impressed by the words written there this morning so I thought it wise to write to you today to encourage you to flip over to Rev 1-3 at least once per week to read what is written specifically to us: the church.
Done for today, keep praying for all of our family "in Christ." Grace and peace
This^^ is the opening statement in the book of Revelation. We are told here that there is a blessing for those who both hear the words and take to heart the words written.
Nowhere else in the book of Revelation are "the churches" spoken to directly. Is that an accident or is there a reason "the churches" are not addressed directly anywhere else? That's for you to decide. My point today is that we are spoken to right up front, in Rev 1-3. We are the churches. I was impressed by the words written there this morning so I thought it wise to write to you today to encourage you to flip over to Rev 1-3 at least once per week to read what is written specifically to us: the church.
Done for today, keep praying for all of our family "in Christ." Grace and peace
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Rejoice, Dwell In His Presence
I asked the Lord to restore to me the joy of his presence today and as I was driving home from work he responded with this:
1. We are to dwell in his presence.....
Psalm 91:1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty
DWELL:
1. To live as a resident; reside.
2. To exist in a given place or state
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dwells
2. Rejoice always:
1 Thessalonians 5:16
... Rejoice always
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Notice that "joy" is part of "re-joi-ce" and we are told to re-joice always. Question is, how can we rejoice always when we have days that are really not good?
Answer? Remain in his presence...There is something that happens when we are in the Lord's presence that cannot happen anywhere else. The Lord comforts us, restores us, strengthens us when we are in his presence in a way that happens nowhere else. For that reason we should be very motivated to DWELL in his presence, which basically means live there permanently. When we dwell permanently in the presence of the Lord, not only can we rediscover our joy, but we can also REST.
Many of us are heavily burdened by all kinds of things these days. The rest and peace and strength we must have can be found in our Lord's presence. We need to re-center ourselves in his presence every day.
Keep the faith, grace and peace
1. We are to dwell in his presence.....
Psalm 91:1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty
DWELL:
1. To live as a resident; reside.
2. To exist in a given place or state
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dwells
2. Rejoice always:
1 Thessalonians 5:16
... Rejoice always
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Notice that "joy" is part of "re-joi-ce" and we are told to re-joice always. Question is, how can we rejoice always when we have days that are really not good?
Answer? Remain in his presence...There is something that happens when we are in the Lord's presence that cannot happen anywhere else. The Lord comforts us, restores us, strengthens us when we are in his presence in a way that happens nowhere else. For that reason we should be very motivated to DWELL in his presence, which basically means live there permanently. When we dwell permanently in the presence of the Lord, not only can we rediscover our joy, but we can also REST.
Many of us are heavily burdened by all kinds of things these days. The rest and peace and strength we must have can be found in our Lord's presence. We need to re-center ourselves in his presence every day.
Keep the faith, grace and peace
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Growing Pains
I think the Lord made it clear to me tonight that what I am going through right now is a time of growth. Growth means:
1. Change
2. Pain
I am in a constant state of change and pain right now, that's about the best way to describe it. I feel constantly "off balance" in a way because I am not staying the same from day to day, I'm changing. This change going on in my life should improve my walk with the Lord and enable me to serve the brothers better. I am being confronted with my weaknesses and being challenged to improve upon them on a daily basis, that's painful. This process takes some humility and strength. I have no idea where things are going to end up but judging by the Lord's past faithfulness in my life the final destination should be better than where I started.
One of the many challenges facing me each day is to say nothing bad about anyone in my "self talk." That's going to be a real challenge when it comes to addressing Christian Apostasy won't it? The Lord has me on a diet of saying nothing bad about anyone, even bad people. This has required daily committment and the Lord's strength. This requires faith that the Lord knows what he's doing with my life. Perhaps my days of writing on "christian apostasy" are over and a page will be turned to writing about something else, who knows? I have seen this process unfolding for many months now, where the Lord leads I will follow.
I have no doubt that I am supposed to continue writing here. Until the Lord tells me to stop I will continue. I also know that I do not exist in a vacuum. Everything that happens to one part of the body affects the rest. Now you know a little bit more about what's happening with this insignificant part of the body known as "brother D" :-)
Keep the faith, grace and peace
1. Change
2. Pain
I am in a constant state of change and pain right now, that's about the best way to describe it. I feel constantly "off balance" in a way because I am not staying the same from day to day, I'm changing. This change going on in my life should improve my walk with the Lord and enable me to serve the brothers better. I am being confronted with my weaknesses and being challenged to improve upon them on a daily basis, that's painful. This process takes some humility and strength. I have no idea where things are going to end up but judging by the Lord's past faithfulness in my life the final destination should be better than where I started.
One of the many challenges facing me each day is to say nothing bad about anyone in my "self talk." That's going to be a real challenge when it comes to addressing Christian Apostasy won't it? The Lord has me on a diet of saying nothing bad about anyone, even bad people. This has required daily committment and the Lord's strength. This requires faith that the Lord knows what he's doing with my life. Perhaps my days of writing on "christian apostasy" are over and a page will be turned to writing about something else, who knows? I have seen this process unfolding for many months now, where the Lord leads I will follow.
I have no doubt that I am supposed to continue writing here. Until the Lord tells me to stop I will continue. I also know that I do not exist in a vacuum. Everything that happens to one part of the body affects the rest. Now you know a little bit more about what's happening with this insignificant part of the body known as "brother D" :-)
Keep the faith, grace and peace
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