Sold into Sin.

Slaves: Istanbul Archaelogical Museum.

Photo by: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:G.dallorto

My sister wrote me today about something she read in the Bible. I love the image she gave. Here it is:

"I was reading Romans and something jumped out at me. Paul said he was SOLD into slavery to sin...something totally against his will. In my mind I saw him up on a platform in chains, filthy and emaciated, and there's Adam as the auctioneer. 
Adam sold us to sin but at any time we decide on, Jesus can buy us. But even if we become servants in Jesus' household, we still have the scars and bad habits acquired when sin owned us. I guess what I'm trying to say is that none of it is our fault and Jesus knows it, but he also knows that the more time we spend serving in his house, the more the scars and bad habits will fade." 

"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin."  Romans 7:14

No, it isn't our fault we were born into a world of sin. I'm sure that is just one reason we are so dear to the heart of God. But even though he allowed us to be born into an evil world where we suffer, it is worth it (I admit it took me years to accept this) because he will make it up to us one day; he will give us a life that is so wonderful and different that Paul said we cannot even imagine it.  

"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.' "  1 Corinthians 2:9

Singing to God.

Photo found in:

http://www.bergercollection.org/index.php?id=5&artwork_id=51

"Sing to him, sing psalms to him, and think about all of his miraculous deeds." 1 Chronicles 16:9

"What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."  1 Corinthians 14:15

When I was a young Christian, I used to listen to gospel music a lot. As I got older and was busy babysitting my grandchildren, I got away from that. I didn't want music on because then I couldn't hear them if they needed me.

The Bible tells us to sing to the Lord and praise him in that way. Recently, I bought a small CD player and bought a CD called, "Above All," music by Lenny Leblanc. I love every song. I have been surprised how much I have been helped spiritually by this music. I also listen to Enya's songs which are so beautiful.

Well, as I lay and listen to this music I started to picture being with Jesus in heaven. I pictured us walking together, in a boat on the sea, walking in the forest, and riding horses. We were both smiling and having a great time.

Later, I began to picture singing to the Trinity as they were "high and lifted up", as it says in the Bible. It is an exciting, happy image.

Then yesterday, I was out with my family, but on the few occasions I was walking alone I felt Jesus beside me. I felt him looking at the same things I looked at and walking down the sidewalk with me. It was amazing, and it probably happened because I have been imagining being with him. But, I don't think it was just that. I think God gave that sense or feeling to help me see Jesus is with me always.

So, I hope you will sing unto the Lord and gain a huge blessing!

From Lucifer to Satan.

"Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven." 
Revelation 12:7,8

"And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him." verse 9.

War in heaven sounds incompatible to us since we think of heaven as a happy, beautiful place where God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the angels live. But it happened. What kind of war it was we are not told. Did Satan (called Lucifer in heaven) refuse to leave when asked and God had to physically force him and his followers to leave? Or is the language poetic and means a war of words? Wars generally start with words.

What were the words of Satan while in heaven? We can guess some of them because he is quoted and described in the Bible.

 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star (Lucifer), son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 

You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;

'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'  Isaiah 14:12-14 

Obviously, Lucifer wanted to have God's power and rule heaven himself. I suppose he thought he was as wise as God and didn't see why he couldn't be worshiped also. How he came up with this idea is a mystery, but he did. He envied God's power and was dissatisfied with his role in heaven.

What did he say to the other angels to convince them to follow him? Perhaps that they should have the right to do the things God did. Maybe there were rules in heaven to follow and he promised them freedom from those rules. 

Lucifer was a created being. In fact, God's face was probably the first thing he saw. Comparing him to the King of Tyre, God says,

"Thus says the Lord GOD, "You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.

In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.

By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you.

All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever.”     Ezekiel 28:12-19 

These verses don't just discuss the beginnings of Satan but also his end. He won't be in charge of some kind of hell - no, he will become a pile of ashes. After he is dead he, "shall be no more forever."

The previous verses in Isaiah also go on to inform us of Satan's end.

"Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?

Satan is the cause of wars on earth. God says he will one day make the earth like a desert. The saddest part of this verse is that Satan did not let his prisoners go home. Those who do not follow God's light are prisoners of Satan whether they know it or not. 

"All the kings of the nations lie in glory, Each in his own tomb. but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot. You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people.
Isaiah 14:15-20

When Satan was cast out of heaven, he came here to see if he could make humans fall as he fell. Then he would have a kingdom of his own. He could rule earth and be worshiped here. Not as good as ruling heaven, but I guess he thought it was better than nothing!

He did cause man to fall by the same sin he committed - wanting to be God. He said to Eve, "For God knows that in the day you eat from it (fruit from the tree) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

To be continued...

Does God Threaten?

Photo by: Bernard Gagnon

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Bgag

I notice when I read comments on articles about religion that many non-believers bring up the subject of threats from God. They say, "Why should I love a God who threatens people with death if they don't believe in him?"

I believe God is warning people, not threatening them. In Ezekiel chapter 33, God likens his warnings to that of a soldier guarding a city. If a soldier on the wall sees the enemy coming and does nothing then the death of the people is on his shoulders. But, if the soldier warns the people an enemy is coming he has done his duty. It is now up to the people to get ready to fight or not. What they then do will be on their shoulders.

God says, "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die..." Ezekiel 33:11

When Israel joined with the other nations, sacrificing their children to the pagan god Baal and doing many wicked deeds, God said,"Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows." God loves people and wants them to have eternal life but if they choose to stay away from God he has to let them go.

The reason God says you will die if you don't come to him for life is because it is a simple fact. Not because he wants you to die - you just will. God is the source of all life. If you don't belong to him; if you don't want him in your life, he respects your decision. Therefore, when God raises the dead he will not take you to heaven. God knows you would not be happy in heaven anyway because in order to enjoy heaven you must be born again, as Jesus said in John 3:16.

People also seem to think that if a person is a "good person" then God will take them to heaven and he should take them to heaven. Well, first of all "good" is relative.  Jesus said, "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone." Luke 18:19 You may think a person is good, and perhaps by the world's standards they are, but without God in their hearts they are not truly good. Someone I knew very well told me, "I think I'm a good person and will go to heaven." But everyone knew what kind of person he was. He had said and done some terrible things. He loved himself above all others.

Also, will people who don't know God enjoy worshiping him in heaven? Will they love to sing of his saving power? Will they love to hear his commands? No. If they think their goodness has gotten them to heaven, what is there to thank God for?

The reason true Christians love to praise God and sing about him is that they know where they have come from. They know they were definitely not good. They know they were saved from a life of giving in to their compulsions and passions. They know they were like a ship without a rudder drifting through life at the mercy of wind and wave. They know the joy living for God has given them. They know the peace God can give when a loved one dies, they become sick or don't have the rent. God is a person to go to in trouble and eventually a Christian learns that every time something bad happens; God brings good out of that something.

That's why we never tire of thinking about God, talking about God and praising God. He is our family, our Father. We will be at home with him in heaven. This earth, with all its violence, rebellion, and evil is not our home. It is not your home. We were created for a perfect home and none of us will ever feel at home here.

Jesus said about his followers, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." John 17:16

With the shape this world is in right now, I am glad I belong to a better world.

Why Heaven?

I was reading a Bible study called, "God, It's Not Fair!" by Steven Cole. It's a great study of the unfairness of life. He puts a question out for readers:

What is it that chiefly makes you want to go to Heaven? Is it so you can talk and be with God?

http://bible.org/seriespage/psalm-73a-%E2%80%9Cgod-it%E2%80%99s-not-fair%E2%80%9D

I asked myself this and I thought, "What would I talk with God about? I couldn't think of anything except to say "Thank you." I guess I want to go to Heaven mainly because of being with family members forever in beautiful nature. I think of having a life with no problems or irritations and traveling heaven and the universe seeing all God has made. I don't think about talking with anyone else but family, but that is probably because I have social phobia. I won't have that up in heaven.

I will say I am sick of the way we run this world. I long for a life with no cars, no shopping, no cooking, no bills, no weeds, not too hot and not too cold, no sickness, no sorrow, no parting. I thank God I can look forward to this.

Have They Seen Heaven?

I read an interesting article by Mark Galli called, "Incredible Journeys: What to Make of Visits to Heaven" in Christianity Today online.
 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/december/incredible-journeys.html

The writer mentioned an article I read in Newsweek awhile ago: "Eben Alexander'sProof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife (Simon & Schuster) hit bookstores in late October, eliciting a cover story from Newsweek earlier that month."

I remember reading this story with some disbelief.
 Mark Galli writes about whether the stories these people claiming to have seen heaven agree with the teachings in the Bible.

 "For example, Neal said she was about to enter a hall where she would be given one last chance to accept or reject God. Traditionally Christians have taught that this momentous decision is called for in this life, after which comes judgment (Heb. 9:27). Alexander had lived a life indifferent toward God, and yet when he meets God, whom he calls Om, he is told, "There is nothing you can do wrong." So much for the doctrine of sin."

I believe some stories about people seeing heaven are true. Paul himself was taken to heaven, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven." 2 Corinthians 12:2

But I think John gives us the best advice, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

Going to Heaven.

Chapter 9 to be continued...

Who is the Greatest?

Many times in the gospels we are told Jesus' followers fought among themselves about who would be the greatest in the new kingdom. They thought Jesus was the Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and be king over Israel. They all wanted to be sitting next to him on his throne.

James and John even brought their mother to Jesus to ask for this. Jesus answered that it was not up to him who would sit next to him, but up to his Father in heaven. In the verses just before this, Jesus had told his friends he would be crucified. They didn't seem to believe this and still clung to their old beliefs.

Finally, they asked Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus called a little child over and said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Humbles himself. The disciples were not humble yet. Still, Jesus stuck with them and showed them the way to humility. By his example and by the Holy Spirit they were changed. They did become humble. This is my prayer for me and for you.

What is Living Forever Worth to You?

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

In ancient days, sometimes a landowner would put his gold in a chest and bury it in his field to keep it safe. If the man died suddenly and no one knew where the chest was it would be forgotten. The man in this story had come across someone's buried gold. He went home and sold everything in order to buy the field.

What must his family and neighbors thought when he gave up all he had to buy this plot of land? Perhaps his wife was angry. Perhaps he had to borrow from moneylenders. We don't know, but we do know why he did it. He knew he would own much more than all he had once he owned the land.

Having the gift of eternal life is like this, Jesus said. It is so important, so valuable, that we should be willing to give everything to have it.

I became a Christian during my first marriage. My husband was angry about it. He told me I should love him more than I loved God. He said our marriage should come first. His mother came over to talk with me about it. She asked, "Why are you willing to risk your marriage over religion? Why do you want to be a Christian?" I was a bit stunned and answered, "Eternal life." I didn't know God very well then, but I did know I wanted to live forever. I didn't want only one short life on this planet and I wanted my children to live forever also. It was worth everything to me then and it still is now.

Who Can Compare with God?

The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord
Your faithfulness too,
In the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly reverenced.
He is more awesome than all who surround him.
Oh Lord God Almighty, who is like you?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Love and faithfulness go before you.

Psalm 89

Heaven.

"The wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

Isaiah 11:6-9

Joy

"You make known to me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy.
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Psalm 16:11

When I think of the pleasures of being with God in heaven, I envision smiling babies, beautiful music, miles of grass, flowers, tree, streams and mountains.

I see myself climbing a huge mountain, swimming with whales, playing in snow, having a picnic by the sea.

I see myself visiting with family, giving a dinner party, dancing to any kind of music I like, talking with Jesus and hearing his words of wisdom. I see my self flying off to explore the universe: every star, every planet, every nebula.

I know we can experience the joy and pleasures of God here on earth, and I do that.  But Heaven is what I look forward to with a deep longing in my soul. For heaven is what we were made for.

The Dinner Party.

Jesus told a story of a rich man who gave a dinner party. He invited many people, but none of them wanted to attend. They all made excuses. One said, "I bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it. Please excuse me." The next man said, "I bought some cattle and I want to go check them out. Please excuse me." The last man said, "I just got married, I can't come now."

Jesus was giving an example of people who refuse to come to him to be saved. The dinner party is heaven.

What kept these people from wanting heaven? First it is material possessions; a house. Second it was jobs or work; using oxen. Third it was love of people or family; a marriage. These were the priorities of these people. They were completely concerned with things and people. They felt no need of going to the party.

Jesus said those who do not come to the party will die. Why? Because he wants them to? No, because it is the natural result of putting this life first. In heaven, all is love and unselfishness. Possessions mean nothing - God means everything.

Jesus was saying, If we don't want God here, we won't want him there.

The Door.

"I looked, and behold; a door open in heaven." Rev. 4:1

"Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut." Rev.3:8

Jesus is the Door.

"I am the door, if anyone comes through me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." John 10:9

Heaven is always open to us. God wants us to come in. But we must open the door of our hearts also.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him, and will dine with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20

Seek the Things Above.

Colossians 3:1-4


"If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

For you haved died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Surprise!

A poem from the book, "Outrageous Joy."

Heaven's Misfits - by Barbara Johnson

I dreamed I went to heaven,
And I was quite surprised
To see just who had made it to
That home up in the sky:
The ragged, dirty drifter,
The kid who barely spoke,
The loudmouthed woman down the street -
Was this some kind of joke?
Then I noticed they were staring
Right at me. They made it clear
That all of them were thinking,
"What are you doing here?"