On another one of my Blogs my subject for today was love. And I thought that this is a good place to talk about the love God wants us to have for other people.
See God sets the standard for us and he lets us know what he expects.
For example in the very beginning of the Bible (in Genesis) God shows us how we are supposed to deal with love between a man and a woman, that is to say marital love.
When we get married we are to leave our parents and cleave, or be joined to, our spouse. At that moment when the marriage bond is formed the family we grew up with is replaced by a new family bond that we have created.
That bond that is created is one that brings two totally different people together. And there may be differences in the way they were each raised. They also have different personalities and such and all this comes together to make a new experience for the new couple.
It is important at that time for the two people in that relationship to do two things.
1. they need to communicate,
2. they need to learn.
When my wife and I got married we had a truckload of differences, and they made life… Interesting… for both of us.
But we were in a situation in a little studio apartment where we could not run away from each other and I think that helped, we had to talk about things.
But there was more to it than that, clearly, because the same situation did not help our neighbors any. (on either side of us), Maybe we learned from their mistakes too…
I love my wife and we have just this month celebrated 10 years together, Boy do I feel sorry for her putting up with ME for that long… but I hope that we have many more ahead.
There is another love though that is out there. We are to love our spouse, our parents our children and all and we are also to love others.
Funnily enough we can use a similar model for all our relationships and God is the one who sets the tone for that.
Because the concept of how to act when you love someone is in the Bible.
“God commanded his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, he sent his son to die for us". (Romans 5:8)
How about “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever should believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life". (John 3:16) or how about “A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).
And what is the idea of love Jesus portrayed? It was service. He died on the cross for us he washed his disciples’ feet and he gave us this parable in Matthew 25:35-40.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Then the righteous will answer him, Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
That is what love is about That is the love that God shows us and that is the love he wants us to show to others.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
GOD AS MY FATHER AKA PARENTHOOD
A long time ago I was not too happy with the man My mom chose to marry. He had adopted me legally, but I did not feel any real emotions of love for the man.
I was driven if you will to make up my mind about what a Father was.
My explanation...
Father = one who gives you life.
Dad = One who supports you and teaches you the lessons of life.
Daddy = One who kisses your boo-boos, listens to you and loves you totally and unconditionally who will shelter you when the monsters come.
(don't get me started on step dads or whatever.)
Now obviously I had a Father, I am alive.
And I guess I had a dad, though he wasn't the best. But I never really had a daddy when I was growing up.
Fortunately, I was found By God and adopted into his kingdom and he has been all three to me.
I hope that he can be all three for you too.
If you EVER want to know how to meet God and how to know him as your Father, Dad, and Daddy. Comment to me (I won't post it if you don't want me too.) with a way that I can tell you more, And I will be happy to let you know what it is that Makes God so cool in my life. (I will also help lead you to him if you want.)
I was driven if you will to make up my mind about what a Father was.
My explanation...
Father = one who gives you life.
Dad = One who supports you and teaches you the lessons of life.
Daddy = One who kisses your boo-boos, listens to you and loves you totally and unconditionally who will shelter you when the monsters come.
(don't get me started on step dads or whatever.)
Now obviously I had a Father, I am alive.
And I guess I had a dad, though he wasn't the best. But I never really had a daddy when I was growing up.
Fortunately, I was found By God and adopted into his kingdom and he has been all three to me.
I hope that he can be all three for you too.
If you EVER want to know how to meet God and how to know him as your Father, Dad, and Daddy. Comment to me (I won't post it if you don't want me too.) with a way that I can tell you more, And I will be happy to let you know what it is that Makes God so cool in my life. (I will also help lead you to him if you want.)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Well, well, well
Recently an internet friend pointed out on Facebook that a “Christian” singer decided to “come out of the closet” and in noting that this friend expressed disappointment and frustration.
I told her that I understood and felt the same way when another performer that I admired had done the same… that performer’s recent revelation was also a surprise to her.
See in the Christian world we have a set of standards. Some people want to berate us for them, they want to yell at us for them, but the problem is that these standards are not set BY us they are set by God.
I can hear it now “OH SEE I TOLD YOU THAT THEIR GOD WAS HATEFUL” but wait.
That was not and is not God’s master plan.
God wants us to be filled with joy!
Those who would detract from this point would say “how can you say God wants us filled with joy when he allows people like [homosexuals] to be so unhappy and people pick on them?”
Now there is an interesting point, studies show that Homosexuals ARE generally less happy… by nature! They are more depressed and more likely to attempt suicide than “straight” people. That shows that these people do NOT have joy! Quite the opposite! Even when they have had their lifestyles “accepted”.
What they fail to acknowledge and will even argue against is the fact that homosexuality is sinful. But deep down inside they know the truth.
Our society has become a very permissive one. We allow all kinds of things in the spirit of “if it feels good how can it be bad?”
Those who practice that lifestyle while still claiming to be Christian are saying things like… “ oh the Bible doesn’t REALLY say anything against homosexuality, it’s all a misunderstanding, or a misinterpretation, or the church trying to pass judgment where even God wouldn’t.”
The thing is that even if you believe the Bible doesn't really say anything specific about homosexuality, God always sets an example of what he expects out of us. So when he created Adam and Eve he was saying. “that is my plan, that Man and Woman should be together one with the other.” as clichéd as it is and as much as I hate the saying considering my name it is still true that God created Adam and Eve in the beginning… Not Adam and Steve.
Side note: if you doubt this point consider also that God created ONE man and ONE woman, that was also an example he set. And EVERY time we see someone in the Bible practicing Polygamy we see how badly it turns out for them.
Just ask Abram and David.
So what is joy? How do we receive the Joy that God has for us? I think we all can learn from a man named Horatio Spafford. He wrote the song “it is well with my soul” in 1871 Mr. Spafford, who was an attorney in Chicago, lost a lot of money when the great fire of Chicago happened, he also had lost his young son, around the same time, to scarlet fever.
He had plans to go to England with his family in 1873 but urgent business came up and so while his wife and 4 daughters went on ahead on the Ville de Harve, a luxurious French cruise ship, he stayed behind with the intention of catching up later.
On the way to England the Ville De Harve struck another ship, an iron sailing vessel and sank in smooth seas in two hours, and Horatio Spafford lost his four daughters.
When she arrived in England, his wife sent him the message “survived alone”.
Horatio immediately left to join his wife. On the way to England as he crossed over the spot where his daughters had drowned, Mr. Spafford wrote the song “It is well with my soul”.
That is the joy and peace that God gives us. It is not a fleeting emotional happiness; it is a deep, lasting, patient, comfort, contentment and peace.
Even when we are grieving we are comforted and can find our strength in him.
When we deny his word and his rules we deny that peace and joy he can give us.
I hope that we all can have the joy that God provides.
Here are the lyrics to the song it is well.
IT IS WELL.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Refrain
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
Refrain
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Refrain
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
Refrain
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
Refrain
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Refrain
I told her that I understood and felt the same way when another performer that I admired had done the same… that performer’s recent revelation was also a surprise to her.
See in the Christian world we have a set of standards. Some people want to berate us for them, they want to yell at us for them, but the problem is that these standards are not set BY us they are set by God.
I can hear it now “OH SEE I TOLD YOU THAT THEIR GOD WAS HATEFUL” but wait.
That was not and is not God’s master plan.
God wants us to be filled with joy!
Those who would detract from this point would say “how can you say God wants us filled with joy when he allows people like [homosexuals] to be so unhappy and people pick on them?”
Now there is an interesting point, studies show that Homosexuals ARE generally less happy… by nature! They are more depressed and more likely to attempt suicide than “straight” people. That shows that these people do NOT have joy! Quite the opposite! Even when they have had their lifestyles “accepted”.
What they fail to acknowledge and will even argue against is the fact that homosexuality is sinful. But deep down inside they know the truth.
Our society has become a very permissive one. We allow all kinds of things in the spirit of “if it feels good how can it be bad?”
Those who practice that lifestyle while still claiming to be Christian are saying things like… “ oh the Bible doesn’t REALLY say anything against homosexuality, it’s all a misunderstanding, or a misinterpretation, or the church trying to pass judgment where even God wouldn’t.”
The thing is that even if you believe the Bible doesn't really say anything specific about homosexuality, God always sets an example of what he expects out of us. So when he created Adam and Eve he was saying. “that is my plan, that Man and Woman should be together one with the other.” as clichéd as it is and as much as I hate the saying considering my name it is still true that God created Adam and Eve in the beginning… Not Adam and Steve.
Side note: if you doubt this point consider also that God created ONE man and ONE woman, that was also an example he set. And EVERY time we see someone in the Bible practicing Polygamy we see how badly it turns out for them.
Just ask Abram and David.
So what is joy? How do we receive the Joy that God has for us? I think we all can learn from a man named Horatio Spafford. He wrote the song “it is well with my soul” in 1871 Mr. Spafford, who was an attorney in Chicago, lost a lot of money when the great fire of Chicago happened, he also had lost his young son, around the same time, to scarlet fever.
He had plans to go to England with his family in 1873 but urgent business came up and so while his wife and 4 daughters went on ahead on the Ville de Harve, a luxurious French cruise ship, he stayed behind with the intention of catching up later.
On the way to England the Ville De Harve struck another ship, an iron sailing vessel and sank in smooth seas in two hours, and Horatio Spafford lost his four daughters.
When she arrived in England, his wife sent him the message “survived alone”.
Horatio immediately left to join his wife. On the way to England as he crossed over the spot where his daughters had drowned, Mr. Spafford wrote the song “It is well with my soul”.
That is the joy and peace that God gives us. It is not a fleeting emotional happiness; it is a deep, lasting, patient, comfort, contentment and peace.
Even when we are grieving we are comforted and can find our strength in him.
When we deny his word and his rules we deny that peace and joy he can give us.
I hope that we all can have the joy that God provides.
Here are the lyrics to the song it is well.
IT IS WELL.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Refrain
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
Refrain
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Refrain
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
Refrain
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
Refrain
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Refrain
Monday, August 2, 2010
My new blog schedule
Hello all.
I am so sorry that I have not been following up on my blog/s. the good news is that I will be tring to do a better job of it. I think there will have to be a schedule though. For my general blog I will try to post three or four times a week. The politically incorrect and Christian blogs though will be a once a week option.
It seems that for me I get so caught up in things that I tend to forget these things. (or I get so tired of being online that I give up before I get to the blog/s. so I will try to change that up.
I also sometimes cannot think of anything g to post. So I will have to switch on my brain a little more often. But I do want to post regularly and in such a way that it is pertinent and of value to my readers.
Thank you for your patience as I get my self sorted out.
Your’s faithfully…
Colt!
I am so sorry that I have not been following up on my blog/s. the good news is that I will be tring to do a better job of it. I think there will have to be a schedule though. For my general blog I will try to post three or four times a week. The politically incorrect and Christian blogs though will be a once a week option.
It seems that for me I get so caught up in things that I tend to forget these things. (or I get so tired of being online that I give up before I get to the blog/s. so I will try to change that up.
I also sometimes cannot think of anything g to post. So I will have to switch on my brain a little more often. But I do want to post regularly and in such a way that it is pertinent and of value to my readers.
Thank you for your patience as I get my self sorted out.
Your’s faithfully…
Colt!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Radio Evangelism
Reccently I heard an amazing thing,
Someone was trying to witness to someone else on the radio. Let me give some background.
As I have said before I work nights and I tend to listen to talk radio because of that. Well there is a radio show on at night that I usually do NOT listen to because the host is against just about everything I am for.
He has always portrayed himself as a very liberal, anti religion, type of person.
The real problem is that he always acts as if he wants to get into serious fights, I mean knock down fisticuff type FIGHTS with anyone who disagrees with him. If you do not think like he does you are an idiot and a fool who deserves nothing more than to be boiled in oil and cut into a billion little pieces. And he has made this very clear for a long time now.
He always demands that everyone hear his point of view but he refuses to extend the same courtesy to anyone else and, quite frankly, he will do anything in his power to shut up everyone who follows a different outlook.
But I digress…
The thing is that a lady called into his show and started trying to witness to him. Now don’t get me wrong. She has some real guts here. I wouldn’t do this because I have heard how he operates on enough occasions that I am not willing to “beard the beast in his lair”. But the lady made a fatal mistake.
She was telling the host about Romans 3:23 (For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God) And what this means. He sidetracked her at this point which he is wont to do and he started asking her if she believed in the bible all the way through. She stated that she did. So he said “so you think that adulterers ought to be stoned?” she said no then he said “well then you don’t believe the bible All the way through. Because in the bible it says that adulterers must be stoned.”
I would have tried to point out that I can believe the WHOLE bible because Jesus said “I fulfill the law and the prophets” which means he paid the penalty. “The wages of sin is death” that is why when an adulterer was caught he or she had to be stoned (and by the way that goes for all the sins that were to be punished that way). Stoning leads to death. That was the, supposed, inevitable result of such action (or so it was believed). But because Jesus lived a perfect sinless life he did not owe the debt due from sinners, but he paid it anyway. Because he paid it we do not have to pay it ourselves. He died so adulterers could get off without a stoning.
Again it is like the judge who pays your traffic ticket for you because you couldn‘t.
The law says if you speed you must be fined, if you are fined the fine must be paid. The judge paid the fine so you don’t have to, the law is satisfied and it still exists and it still works. But you got off without the penalty imposed by that law. The Law in this case is the old testament and the judge is Jesus. See you can believe in the whole thing (the Bible) there is no inconsistency. *
After being flustered by his taking it off track she tried to rally but then she made her fatal mistake. She went back to Romans 3:23 and he asked her “who made us sinners?” and he badgered her at that not letting her continue until she finally answered.
Unfortunately she said “God made us sinners.” At that moment he knew he had her. You could hear the triumph in his voice, and that allowed him to make his point and caused her to lose her argument (her witness).
He believes that God is a killjoy, a mean, vindictive, petty, inconsistent, TYRRANICAL Jerk. (and subsequently so are all those evil horrible Christians.)
So The host’s point was along the lines of “Even if this ‘Christian God’ exists he must be a mean and terrible guy who has it out for us.” And when the caller said that God is the one who makes us sinners, he claimed, “that means that he is punishing us for being exactly what he made.”
You do not punish a dog for doing what you teach him to do, you do not punish a soldier for fighting a war (“at least not if you are a conservative” And thus he also “proves” conservatives are “hypocrites”) these things are not appropriate so “how dare this so called God of yours punish us for doing that which he made us to do?”
See the problem is God did NOT make us to be sinners. But he made us with Choice. We have “free will.” That free will means we get to choose whether we will obey or not.
If we choose to not obey then we are sinners. And at some time we all have chosen to disobey.
Let me put it to you this way. If you are a parent this will be easier to understand.
When your child chooses to obey you out of love does that bring you more pleasure or less pleasure than when you have to force them to do what needs to be done?
It makes you happier if they obey and do for you out of love or respect for you.
Same thing for God. He wants us to grow and develop, so he must give us the chance to learn and expand, so we need to be allowed choice.
He wants us to be able to CHOOSE to serve him because that willingness is more pleasing and satisfying then simple automatons. So when we choose to disobey that is entirely of our own volition.
*And just so you know someone else later called the show and tried making the points I am making now but he would not talk about it. He refused to get into that debate, ridiculed that caller and hung up on the caller because he knew that he would not win that argument.
Someone was trying to witness to someone else on the radio. Let me give some background.
As I have said before I work nights and I tend to listen to talk radio because of that. Well there is a radio show on at night that I usually do NOT listen to because the host is against just about everything I am for.
He has always portrayed himself as a very liberal, anti religion, type of person.
The real problem is that he always acts as if he wants to get into serious fights, I mean knock down fisticuff type FIGHTS with anyone who disagrees with him. If you do not think like he does you are an idiot and a fool who deserves nothing more than to be boiled in oil and cut into a billion little pieces. And he has made this very clear for a long time now.
He always demands that everyone hear his point of view but he refuses to extend the same courtesy to anyone else and, quite frankly, he will do anything in his power to shut up everyone who follows a different outlook.
But I digress…
The thing is that a lady called into his show and started trying to witness to him. Now don’t get me wrong. She has some real guts here. I wouldn’t do this because I have heard how he operates on enough occasions that I am not willing to “beard the beast in his lair”. But the lady made a fatal mistake.
She was telling the host about Romans 3:23 (For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God) And what this means. He sidetracked her at this point which he is wont to do and he started asking her if she believed in the bible all the way through. She stated that she did. So he said “so you think that adulterers ought to be stoned?” she said no then he said “well then you don’t believe the bible All the way through. Because in the bible it says that adulterers must be stoned.”
I would have tried to point out that I can believe the WHOLE bible because Jesus said “I fulfill the law and the prophets” which means he paid the penalty. “The wages of sin is death” that is why when an adulterer was caught he or she had to be stoned (and by the way that goes for all the sins that were to be punished that way). Stoning leads to death. That was the, supposed, inevitable result of such action (or so it was believed). But because Jesus lived a perfect sinless life he did not owe the debt due from sinners, but he paid it anyway. Because he paid it we do not have to pay it ourselves. He died so adulterers could get off without a stoning.
Again it is like the judge who pays your traffic ticket for you because you couldn‘t.
The law says if you speed you must be fined, if you are fined the fine must be paid. The judge paid the fine so you don’t have to, the law is satisfied and it still exists and it still works. But you got off without the penalty imposed by that law. The Law in this case is the old testament and the judge is Jesus. See you can believe in the whole thing (the Bible) there is no inconsistency. *
After being flustered by his taking it off track she tried to rally but then she made her fatal mistake. She went back to Romans 3:23 and he asked her “who made us sinners?” and he badgered her at that not letting her continue until she finally answered.
Unfortunately she said “God made us sinners.” At that moment he knew he had her. You could hear the triumph in his voice, and that allowed him to make his point and caused her to lose her argument (her witness).
He believes that God is a killjoy, a mean, vindictive, petty, inconsistent, TYRRANICAL Jerk. (and subsequently so are all those evil horrible Christians.)
So The host’s point was along the lines of “Even if this ‘Christian God’ exists he must be a mean and terrible guy who has it out for us.” And when the caller said that God is the one who makes us sinners, he claimed, “that means that he is punishing us for being exactly what he made.”
You do not punish a dog for doing what you teach him to do, you do not punish a soldier for fighting a war (“at least not if you are a conservative” And thus he also “proves” conservatives are “hypocrites”) these things are not appropriate so “how dare this so called God of yours punish us for doing that which he made us to do?”
See the problem is God did NOT make us to be sinners. But he made us with Choice. We have “free will.” That free will means we get to choose whether we will obey or not.
If we choose to not obey then we are sinners. And at some time we all have chosen to disobey.
Let me put it to you this way. If you are a parent this will be easier to understand.
When your child chooses to obey you out of love does that bring you more pleasure or less pleasure than when you have to force them to do what needs to be done?
It makes you happier if they obey and do for you out of love or respect for you.
Same thing for God. He wants us to grow and develop, so he must give us the chance to learn and expand, so we need to be allowed choice.
He wants us to be able to CHOOSE to serve him because that willingness is more pleasing and satisfying then simple automatons. So when we choose to disobey that is entirely of our own volition.
*And just so you know someone else later called the show and tried making the points I am making now but he would not talk about it. He refused to get into that debate, ridiculed that caller and hung up on the caller because he knew that he would not win that argument.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Miracle of Miracles.
Recently I was watching Fiddler on the Roof again, and it hit me during one song that "here was an interesting perspective to explore."
I am a sometime student of history, I find it fascinating! but for many people the subject leaves them cold.
They see History as applying to someone else, some other time, and it has very little bearing on the here and now.
Now, I know otherwise, however getting through to them might be an uphill battle!
Funny thing is that this attitude also applies with the Bible.
When we (Christians) are reading the Bible we really get into the Miracles written there.
But there are many people who will try to explain them away.
(I saw a History Channel episode once that tried to explain how wind drafts could have parted the Red sea, and I recently heard a guy try to explain that the Red sea might have actually been a river that drained into the Red sea, not the sea itself.)
People do not believe the miracles, or they try to explain them away, or they see them as being something for someone else in another time and place.
"What might have triggered this thought?"
Right after the tailor "asks" Tevya for Sidel's hand in marriage (and gets "papa's" blessing) he sings his little song "Wonder of wonders, Miracle of miracles" and I, who like to actually hear AND understand the words in a song, noticed that the tailor was naming a lot of the big miracles listed in the Torah, but the most amazing miracle of all was that, in this matter, he was heard and answered.
Now if you were to ask me (or probably any other person of faith) which was more important or impressive, the parting of the Red sea or a guy getting a wife, we would probably all say "the parting of the Red sea!".
But that was an event that was distant to him. It happened to someone else, somewhere else.
But his prayer/wish being answered was immediate! It was tangible! it was right there and real to him in a way that the parting of the Sea or the Plagues of Egypt, or even the Great flood couldn't be.
The great thing about God is that he still does those works today!
I personally have experienced some really awesome things. Some true miracles.
There are people who would say they were only coincidences but I was there and I KNOW what they were.
So I too know what it is to be blessed like that. so I would suggest to you that you watch for all the miracles going on out there, and when someone has an experience like that, don't "poo-poo" them.
Listen and rejoice!
Because it is often the little Miracles that happen every day that will first convince others of the Almighty.
Let him be real to people in a way that is personal.
This is the difference between "knowing" it in your mind and KNOWING it in your heart.
Knowing it in your heart takes you a lot further... trust me I know!
I am a sometime student of history, I find it fascinating! but for many people the subject leaves them cold.
They see History as applying to someone else, some other time, and it has very little bearing on the here and now.
Now, I know otherwise, however getting through to them might be an uphill battle!
Funny thing is that this attitude also applies with the Bible.
When we (Christians) are reading the Bible we really get into the Miracles written there.
But there are many people who will try to explain them away.
(I saw a History Channel episode once that tried to explain how wind drafts could have parted the Red sea, and I recently heard a guy try to explain that the Red sea might have actually been a river that drained into the Red sea, not the sea itself.)
People do not believe the miracles, or they try to explain them away, or they see them as being something for someone else in another time and place.
"What might have triggered this thought?"
Right after the tailor "asks" Tevya for Sidel's hand in marriage (and gets "papa's" blessing) he sings his little song "Wonder of wonders, Miracle of miracles" and I, who like to actually hear AND understand the words in a song, noticed that the tailor was naming a lot of the big miracles listed in the Torah, but the most amazing miracle of all was that, in this matter, he was heard and answered.
Now if you were to ask me (or probably any other person of faith) which was more important or impressive, the parting of the Red sea or a guy getting a wife, we would probably all say "the parting of the Red sea!".
But that was an event that was distant to him. It happened to someone else, somewhere else.
But his prayer/wish being answered was immediate! It was tangible! it was right there and real to him in a way that the parting of the Sea or the Plagues of Egypt, or even the Great flood couldn't be.
The great thing about God is that he still does those works today!
I personally have experienced some really awesome things. Some true miracles.
There are people who would say they were only coincidences but I was there and I KNOW what they were.
So I too know what it is to be blessed like that. so I would suggest to you that you watch for all the miracles going on out there, and when someone has an experience like that, don't "poo-poo" them.
Listen and rejoice!
Because it is often the little Miracles that happen every day that will first convince others of the Almighty.
Let him be real to people in a way that is personal.
This is the difference between "knowing" it in your mind and KNOWING it in your heart.
Knowing it in your heart takes you a lot further... trust me I know!
Why is it so hard to reach people for Christ?
This is going to get a little hairy, so hang on.
There is a problem in reaching people for Christ these days.
Really there has always been a bit of friction between non believers and believers. But I think the problems faced COULD be overcome! Here is the problem... Are you ready?
In order for us to reach the unsaved, we, ALL OF US, have got to stop being hypocrites.
When we all get into arguments over the color of the carpet and what color we think God would rather have, or how the chairs ought to be set up, or whether we should have chairs or if Pews mightn't be better, These are stupid arguments which are divisive and petty, people who see us acting like that are going to say, "why bother?" or "I thought their 'GOD' was supposed to be a God of love and here they are fighting."
On the other hand!!! We DO need to follow Christ fully.
(This is where we find DOCTRINE.)
We often will not agree on the important points of Doctrine, some even try to claim that Doctrine is divisive and "we all should just love each other and stop looking for ways to divide the church of Christ".
But this is a path to destruction.
Then, of course, we do not have a clear understanding of what is really in the Bible! We don't learn it or study it! We just pay lip service to it.
As for an example of hypocrisy; I can think of several...
We say that we follow God and we go to church EVERY Sunday to prove it. Then the rest of the week? Not only do we not follow God's word we rationalize WHY we don't!
We lie to people "oh but it is just a little white lie!".
We Steal! "oh but I needed it more and anyway it wasn't REALLY stealing."
We commit Sexual sins as in premarital sex, adultery or cohabitation. "but I had a really rough week and needed to let off some extra pressure, anyway how am I supposed to KNOW if s/he is the right one if I don't live with her/him first."
And what may seem biggest of all? We act like we are better or more important than everyone else while telling them that we are all servants of Christ.
I Knew a guy who was a good Christian. There was no doubt about his sincerity, there was no question about his walk with God. But he had a real problem with bringing people to God because he just could not relate to others.
One reason for this was because he was a nitpicker. you know the kind... He delighted in finding the Typographical or English errors in letters, He would jump on a single point in a counter argument and hound it to death ignoring the whole picture that people were trying to present to him.
In short he missed the forest for the trees.
People were driven away by his behavior! he had an undeniable ZEAL for the Lord. But he couldn't reach people on their level to tell them about it.
He even drove "Christians" a little batty.
He Might have seen himself as being like one of the judges or prophets of God in the Old testament, I don't know, but there were many who wouldn't listen.
Now for someone FOLLOWING Christ already, this is all well and good! We do need an Elijah, Samuel or even Paul to let us know when we are straying.
But for non Christians there is an attitude that says, "I will not listen to you spewing out about your, apparently, hateful GOD."
We need to reach these people ... differently.
The first thing we need to do is to PRAY for those who do not know Christ, those we are trying to reach.
Then we need to LIVE the life that we are supposed to be following, Show them how different it is and show them the peace that God gives us even in tribulation.
We need to Study God's word, ALL of it. And we need to KNOW it... I have seen and dealt with people who have truly had real questions about the faith. (I once taught a 3rd grade Sunday school class... they had LOTS of questions!)
In order to teach them I had to know what I was talking about. Even more so with evangelism!
People will always have questions, some of those questions will be designed to catch you out, to show the "silliness" of your "religion".
Other questions will be honest representations of struggles a person has with trying to understand, maybe something s/he was taught or heard conflicts with what they perceive the God of the Bible to be, maybe they saw too many Movies or T.V. Shows where Christianity was falsely presented.
In order to teach these people we need to know what the Bible says and we need to be prepared to answer those questions.
We ALSO need to be ready to speak up against the false teachers!
I know that I mentioned the problem with the divisiveness people see in the church BUT one really important point made in the Bible is that we must NOT associate ourselves with those who call themselves followers of Christ but don't obey/follow Christ.
Paul makes that very clear! (1 Cor 5:11)
When we relate to people (hang out with) who do not live according to God's word, we are saying to those watching, that the word I claim to believe doesn't matter as much as keeping my friends and hanging out with them.
We are then condoning sinful behavior.
And at that point the one you are trying to reach will say, " why should I listen to you? You do not have anything different let alone better."
So there you go, a few points of why it can be hard to reach others for Christ.
To review.
In order to reach people with the Gospel we need to...
Pray for those who are lost, and this is the most important step to begin with,
Live our lives FULLY for Christ removing all hypocrisy,
And KNOW what it is that we are talking about, through studying and learning the Bible.
And By the way, another good reason for learning the Bible and understanding it is, when you are talking to a "pastor" who is teaching a falsehood you can gently correct him, or know to find a place where the truth is taught.
O.K. Now you have this info... what are you going to do with it?
There is a problem in reaching people for Christ these days.
Really there has always been a bit of friction between non believers and believers. But I think the problems faced COULD be overcome! Here is the problem... Are you ready?
In order for us to reach the unsaved, we, ALL OF US, have got to stop being hypocrites.
When we all get into arguments over the color of the carpet and what color we think God would rather have, or how the chairs ought to be set up, or whether we should have chairs or if Pews mightn't be better, These are stupid arguments which are divisive and petty, people who see us acting like that are going to say, "why bother?" or "I thought their 'GOD' was supposed to be a God of love and here they are fighting."
On the other hand!!! We DO need to follow Christ fully.
(This is where we find DOCTRINE.)
We often will not agree on the important points of Doctrine, some even try to claim that Doctrine is divisive and "we all should just love each other and stop looking for ways to divide the church of Christ".
But this is a path to destruction.
Then, of course, we do not have a clear understanding of what is really in the Bible! We don't learn it or study it! We just pay lip service to it.
As for an example of hypocrisy; I can think of several...
We say that we follow God and we go to church EVERY Sunday to prove it. Then the rest of the week? Not only do we not follow God's word we rationalize WHY we don't!
We lie to people "oh but it is just a little white lie!".
We Steal! "oh but I needed it more and anyway it wasn't REALLY stealing."
We commit Sexual sins as in premarital sex, adultery or cohabitation. "but I had a really rough week and needed to let off some extra pressure, anyway how am I supposed to KNOW if s/he is the right one if I don't live with her/him first."
And what may seem biggest of all? We act like we are better or more important than everyone else while telling them that we are all servants of Christ.
I Knew a guy who was a good Christian. There was no doubt about his sincerity, there was no question about his walk with God. But he had a real problem with bringing people to God because he just could not relate to others.
One reason for this was because he was a nitpicker. you know the kind... He delighted in finding the Typographical or English errors in letters, He would jump on a single point in a counter argument and hound it to death ignoring the whole picture that people were trying to present to him.
In short he missed the forest for the trees.
People were driven away by his behavior! he had an undeniable ZEAL for the Lord. But he couldn't reach people on their level to tell them about it.
He even drove "Christians" a little batty.
He Might have seen himself as being like one of the judges or prophets of God in the Old testament, I don't know, but there were many who wouldn't listen.
Now for someone FOLLOWING Christ already, this is all well and good! We do need an Elijah, Samuel or even Paul to let us know when we are straying.
But for non Christians there is an attitude that says, "I will not listen to you spewing out about your, apparently, hateful GOD."
We need to reach these people ... differently.
The first thing we need to do is to PRAY for those who do not know Christ, those we are trying to reach.
Then we need to LIVE the life that we are supposed to be following, Show them how different it is and show them the peace that God gives us even in tribulation.
We need to Study God's word, ALL of it. And we need to KNOW it... I have seen and dealt with people who have truly had real questions about the faith. (I once taught a 3rd grade Sunday school class... they had LOTS of questions!)
In order to teach them I had to know what I was talking about. Even more so with evangelism!
People will always have questions, some of those questions will be designed to catch you out, to show the "silliness" of your "religion".
Other questions will be honest representations of struggles a person has with trying to understand, maybe something s/he was taught or heard conflicts with what they perceive the God of the Bible to be, maybe they saw too many Movies or T.V. Shows where Christianity was falsely presented.
In order to teach these people we need to know what the Bible says and we need to be prepared to answer those questions.
We ALSO need to be ready to speak up against the false teachers!
I know that I mentioned the problem with the divisiveness people see in the church BUT one really important point made in the Bible is that we must NOT associate ourselves with those who call themselves followers of Christ but don't obey/follow Christ.
Paul makes that very clear! (1 Cor 5:11)
When we relate to people (hang out with) who do not live according to God's word, we are saying to those watching, that the word I claim to believe doesn't matter as much as keeping my friends and hanging out with them.
We are then condoning sinful behavior.
And at that point the one you are trying to reach will say, " why should I listen to you? You do not have anything different let alone better."
So there you go, a few points of why it can be hard to reach others for Christ.
To review.
In order to reach people with the Gospel we need to...
Pray for those who are lost, and this is the most important step to begin with,
Live our lives FULLY for Christ removing all hypocrisy,
And KNOW what it is that we are talking about, through studying and learning the Bible.
And By the way, another good reason for learning the Bible and understanding it is, when you are talking to a "pastor" who is teaching a falsehood you can gently correct him, or know to find a place where the truth is taught.
O.K. Now you have this info... what are you going to do with it?
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