what is science?

www.thefreedictionary.com
sci·ence Pronunciation (sns)
n.
1.
a. The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena.
b. Such activities restricted to a class of natural phenomena.
c. Such activities applied to an object of inquiry or study.
2. Methodological activity, discipline, or study: I've got packing a suitcase down to a science.
3. An activity that appears to require study and method: the science of purchasing.
4. Knowledge, especially that gained through experience.
5. Science Christian Science.


It seems that many on either side of the fence concerning evolution or intelligent design or creation teachings do not understand what science is supposed to be about. And what academia is supposed to be about.

First of all, in the science classes I had (I am no expert mind you) we were taught initially that there are some specific things that are "laws". And then there are the different things that we study that are all governed by these laws, but most of the time, in true science we learned that there is much we don't understand about the earth. So in doing experiments we gain a clearer picture of the truth but it is really about studying and determining as much as you can from the experiment. Science is really studying all the options and taking all the variables into account and making some assumptions based on these things.
It is not about having a set or specific "theory" that we base all of our science on. We should be basing our theories on our own studies, our own experiments and our just studying out the posssibilities.
Our students should not be taught in secular schools that "this is the way" or "that is the way" it happened. They should be taught more about how to go about figuring out how it happened versus being spoon fed someone elses theory. That is NOT science.
Also, same problem with academia in general. Many schools out there just want to feed people their own ideas and opinions about life and how it was or should be and how we should live it. They do this instead of showing students all of the different options and having true academic discussion about these ideas and how they affect the world around us. Not that every philosophy is right or wrong, because some are clearly hateful etc., but colleges and universities should be places where people learn to decide for themselves what is right. We all have that responsibility, but our schools don't want us to do this, they want to brainwash kids into believing everyone from the professors favorite stream of thinking is all there is. Students should all be given the opportunity to see things for what they really are.

If we are to have true academia in this country. But I do believe we are far past having that and there is no going back. So I will continue to preach my message and hope people are bold enough to think for themselves, since no one gave them the opportunity to hear it objectively before.

Blaspheming the Holy Spirit

Moses struck the rock. God told him to speak to the rock, but Moses struck it anyway. Moses did not do the perfect will of God. But somehow he still had the power in Him to make it work. Moses had come into an understanding of his own God given authority over creation. He had the power of God in his body. But he still did something that was rebellious with that power.

I am in no way saying what Elisha did was "God's will". What I am saying is that Elisha had been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit. God isn't a "control freak". He doesn't go around making sure everything we do is exactly how He wants it to be. Not that we aren't predestined. But we can certainly choose not to walk in that destiny. He allows us to screw up. He also allows things to happen in order to again teach us or others around us something. What happened with Elisha was a very direct lesson to the people in the land that he was indeed filled with God's Holy Power.

The verses below show very clearly that we are abassadors to God and that He lives in us and we in Him. That we have His breath in our lungs, that our words can and should and often do carry the same power and authority that He has. It is His name that has the power. People can abuse or misuse His name and have many times. That doesn't take away the power. His gifts are without repentance. People can be full of His power and still never know Him. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to say that the works He is doing are really not Him but are the work of the devil. To deny His existence is to blaspheme Him, especially I believe after seeing His power. I am certain I have done no such thing.

Jesus' was completely meek. Meekness is power under control. I have to say I am not there yet, and I am sure that Elisha was not either. He had the power but was not always in control of it. Same thing with pretty much every human in the Bible except for Jesus.


Genesis 2:7
7Then the LORD God formed man of (AU)dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and (AV)man became a living being.

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Genesis 1:26-30
26Then God said, "Let (AE)Us make (AF)man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them (AG)rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27God created man (AH)in His own image, in the image of God He created him; (AI)male and female He created them.

28God blessed them; and God said to them, "(AJ)Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

29Then God said, "Behold, (AK)I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;

30and (AL)to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.

Galatians 2:20 niv
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.


Luke 12:8-10
"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. 9But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. niv


Mark 3:20-30 niv
20Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

22And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub[c]! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

23So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

30He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."



John 17 niv
Jesus Prays for Himself
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6"I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

John 14:11-15
11"Believe Me that (P)I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise (Q)believe because of the works themselves.

12"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and (R)greater works than these he will do; because (S)I go to the Father.

13"(T)Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that (U)the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14"If you ask Me anything (V)in My name, I will do it.

15"(W)If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

john 14:19-21
19"(AB)After a little while (AC)the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; (AD)because I live, you will live also.

20"(AE)In that day you will know that (AF)I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

21"(AG)He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and (AH)he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will (AI)disclose Myself to him."

John 12:47 nkjv
And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,[i] I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Proverbs 18:21

New International Version (NIV)
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

1 Corinthians 6:17 nasb
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is (AF)one spirit with Him.

John 15:1-8 niv
The Vine and the Branches
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Ephesians 5:29-32 nasb
29for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

30because we are (BK)members of His (BL)body.

31(BM)FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.

32This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.


Luke 10:17

New International Version (NIV)
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
Luke 10:16-18 (in Context) Luke 10 (Whole Chapter)

All verses from www.BibleGateway.com

BibleGateway.com is © Copyright 1995-2006 Gospel Communications International

Youths mauled by bears

Elisha Is Jeered
23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society


Such an odd thing to find in the Bible..I thought this was quite wild when I saw it for the first time! I was just amazed that this happened, but as I thought about why this happened, I realize these things:

1. It is a confirmation of the power of the Holy Spirit on his life. Showing the double portion anointing that Elisha had recieved.

2. It is not God that just did these things, but it is the power of God being used by Elisha that did it. Elisha had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and was an ambassador for God just as Christians are today. Although most Christians either do not use the power wisely with the Love of God being more important or they don't walk in it at all.
He probably had not quite grasped the fullness of it himself yet. I imagine he actually learned quite a bit from this experience and realized more than ever just what he had gotten himself into. He may have even felt horrible about it, realizing that he could have avoided it. Who knows.....


But one thing I know is true...people are always trying to blame God for the evil things man does, or his mistakes. And people do make mistakes, and they can use the power of God for evil or personal gain. It just happens with our sinful nature, it is a big thing people have to overcome and be humble with God's power. We need to be careful not to judge every time someone screws up though, because the measure we use to judge with is the measure we will be judged by.

There is a book by Anne Rice "Christ the Lord" where Jesus in the beginning of the book accidentally kills another child "on the playground". He had no comprehension as a small child that His words were so powerful. He subsequently brought the child back to life, and this is a fictional book, but it does display how powerful words can be.

In our lives, Christian or not, people continually speak self fulfilling prophecies over themselves. This is an example of how powerful our words can be. Another example is when God spoke to create the universe(which has never stopped being created this proven by science).

I believe that just as He spoke the earth into existence, we can as we walk in an intimate relationship with God also speak life, and healing into existence. There is so much available for us to speak into people's lives, and I desire to NOW be walking in the full power available to me! The power is only available in the name of the Lord! Anything else is a cheap imitation, a counterfeit and does not bring true life, nor does it bring a person closer to God in Spirit and in Truth.

Honest questions in comments.

Thanks for honest questions. I would certainly enjoy comments from a variety of people. I must say I only want honest questions from people, although if someone wants to be antagonistic, I will do my best. I am not claiming to be a scholar, just in LOVE with JESUS, and I want to share Him.

There is so much more to the Bible, to knowing Him, to the eternal life we can live right here right now on this earth than we can even ask or think or imagine!!

Lord, I ask that each and every person that reads this blog is brought closer to YOU and to a new revelation of YOU. That they see You the way YOU want to be seen and come to know You more fully!! Thank you God! In Jesus' Holy Awesome Name!

Plenty of Resources to Back up the Bible

Sorry I am not going to take the time to make these all links, it is too time consuming when you aren't well versed in html. Here are plenty of resources to keep a person busy for a long time actually analyzing information from the Christian perspective. It is up to you to decide for yourself. We all have to consider the various ideas and decide what we believe.
Here you go.


http://www.carm.org/

http://www.ex-atheist.com/message-to-young-christians.html

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3819cb9d66b9.htm

http://www.christiananswers.net/archaeology/

http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/estbibl1.html

http://www.bibletoday.com/archive/proof_text.htm

http://www.provethebible.net/

http://www.str.org/site/PageServer

http://www.christianapologetic.org/

Some Reasons for Being Here and Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

I am sorry if it ever feels like I am directing anything to you personally. This really is not true, I just want to be bold, and bring people closer to God. I know it is not always easy, and I know it might hurt a little if there is something said that is convicting. But the conviction is not condemnation. Condemnation (damning) is from satan, and is meant to bring you farther from God.
Yes, strong words often can sound mean and offensive. If it does offend you, it may be that you need to look into your heart and ask yourself, "Why am I upset about this?" Or better yet, ask God to show you. He will show you where you need to let go of some pride, or let go of some anger, or forgive someone. And letting these things go, doesn't mean just "letting go" it must be applied to the Cross. Put it on Jesus' shoulders. He is the only one who can carry it. He was born to carry it.

The other thing I want to address is why bad things happen to good people.
There are many reasons, occasionally God just allows you to go through something to learn to trust Him more. Another reason, is if we asked God to change us, to help us to be more like Him, we end up being either persecuted, going through struggle, or something, again to learn longsuffering, patience, etc.

Now another reason, might be from sin in our life that we are not dealing with and repenting from. We may be asking for it, by ignoring the warnings God is giving us that are meant to protect us from harm.

There can also be generational sins from parents and earlier generations that have not been given up to Jesus and put on the cross.

And finally, the last thing is that satan also likes to try to harm us, keep us away from God, keep us upset, mad, whatever, if it is working, he wants to keep us from trusting God.

satan does also like to keep us in places of complacency too, for more on that read C.S. Lewis's Screwtape letters.

The bad things only happen because of the fall of man.
But, Jesus came to reverse the fall of man.
He came to set the captives free. Free of the sin nature that Adam and Eve brought on. Although I am sure it would not have been long until someone ate that fruit.
Also, Jesus came to bring us the ability to not only change our circumstances, but to walk through them without being harmed, or to also change the circumstances of others around us for good.

We can walk in a life of power just like Jesus. We can say to the fig tree, "die", or the mulberry tree, "be uprooted". We can say to the blind man "see". By the way, Blind Bartamaus was blind and then healed, to glorify God. It says so in the gospel of John. And Lazarus died and was raised back to life in order to glorify God. To lift God up. Because He is beautiful and Holy!

To bring Him honor. To give Him more pleasure! It pleases God to see people trust Him more after seeing someone raised from the dead. To be loved more because He has poured out so much love on us! He is the best person to trust, since He knows perfectly what is good for us, and only wants good for us.

Read Song of Solomon! It is all about how much Jesus wants to have an intimate relationship with us! He woos us, He caresses us. He enjoys our company.

Imagine being God. You are the greatest thing ever. Everyone loves you because you are so great. What must that be like? All of the beings you created have really almost no choice but to love you, especially if they really know who you are.

You are like THE movie star, the BOMB. Everyone wants your picture, and EVERYONE wants to be your friend.

How do you know who your true friends are? Movie stars, rock stars, they have it hard. That is why many turn to drugs and alcohol. They can't handle the fame (that should be God's, because He gave them the gift) and they don't know who they can turn to.
So God created us. He wanted to walk with us in a lovely Garden with animals that possibly talked and everything was yummy.
Enjoy our company.
We screwed it up.
But that was meant to be.
See, He always wanted there to be a choice. This way, He can see who His true friends are.
Who really loves Him.
Now Jesus made a way back to the position we were meant to have.
We are meant to be sons and daughters of the MOST HIGH GOD.
He wants to give us His inheritance.
Which is LIFE and that MORE ABUNDANTLY!!!!
It is a life that can be in His presence 24/7.
A life that brings good life to those around it, good fruit.
Joy.
Peace.
Please comment if you like. I enjoy being used by God, wherever that takes me.

More Challenges to Atheists and Agnostics

From what I have seen of many atheists and agnostics, (not that i have seen all of you that would be impossible) there is one thing that seems consistent.

You refuse to look at information and evidence from every angle. There is more data than you could possibly ever read that supports the existence of God. If you will not research for yourself this data, then whatever "reason" you have for not believing is just an excuse.

Even if you read 20 books in support of your unbelief, you are not objective if you do not read 20 books which support belief.

You are not being honest with yourself nor truly open minded if you refuse to listen to and/or read arguement from both sides.

This is what our universities are supposed to be doing, but they are not. It is what a person honestly searching for truth (or facts, or reality as you call them) should be doing.

How can you believe that there is no absolute truth yet still be searching for it? You cannot say there is no absolute truth, because that statement itself is an absolute.

If you haven't done the research, your excuses are only there to enable you to continue living your life the way you want to.

God has a desire for you. He wants to fill your life with purity, love, peace, righteousness and holiness. But you only acquire these things from Him.
He does the work to make you these things.
As He puts His finger on the things in your life that need to go, then you have to give them up.
But only then.
Not when other people think you should.
And certainly not before you bow your knees to Him and offer your life to Him for what He did on the Cross!

There is a known world, and it can be explained by a known God. He is not unknown. I know, because I know Him.

When you are ready, if you aren't dead by then, He is waiting with open arms to wash over you with forgiveness, and if you are dead, I pray someone raises you from the dead in the name of Jesus so you can have a second chance!

He has complete forgiveness you!!! It lifts the weight and burden off your shoulders that you try to carry for all the difficult things in life, the things you've done wrong, the things you don't understand.

Yes it is a problem many people can't get their head around bad things happening to good people.

I want to address this too. In my next post.

The Lightning King Has Come to The Earth!!

I had a vision during worship Sunday, a quick glimpse of Jesus. He revealed Himself as "The Lightning King"

As I saw Him, I understood Him to be dreadful, dangerous. I heard at the same time in a fearsome voice: "THE LIGHTNING KING HAS COME TO BRING DESTRUCTION TO THE EARTH. NOT TO DESTROY MAN, BUT TO DESTROY THE BONDAGE, THE SIN, THE CHAINS, THE DIVISIONS, THE ATROCITIES, THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL!!!"
He was utterly indescribable. He was truly DREADFUL. He was utterly powerful, angry at the works of the enemy. He was completely HOLY. AWESOME. RIGHTEOUS. AND DANGEROUS. As I bring the vision to memory, I am filled with a HOLY FEAR OF GOD. I AM STRUCK WITH TERROR!.

Thank You Lord that I am at the beginning of Your WISDOM!!!

Psalm 18:1-17
Isaiah 33:1-3
Isaiah 8:11-13

These scriptures were brought to my attention by others after this vision. I do not ever remember reading any of these verses before and I know for a fact if I have read them before, it has been years. I did not have any comprehension before of how fearsome the Lord can be!!

Challenge to Atheists and Agnostics

Challenging Atheists and Agnostics and anyone else who questions, doubts or does not beleive...

Listen to, and read the information referenced below, and then decide whether what you believe is true.

One statement to challenge you right here and now...
There can be no moral relativism.
There must be truth.
These are facts. The reason I say they are facts is because to say the opposite for either is contradictory.
If you say "There is no truth" I say "Is that a fact?"
If you say "There are no moral absolutes" I say "Are you absolutely sure about that?"

Choose this day whom you shall serve, Good or Evil, Light or Darkness, Right or Wrong. There are only two choices.


http://podstar.morningstarministries.org/archive.php

copy and past the address above, scroll down to "I don't have faith to be an atheist" and click on it...

or use itunes and go to the podcast store, type in Morningstar Publications, subscribe, and get the "I don't have faith to be an atheist" podcast. Listen to it. There are some challenging things in there to any agnostic or atheist.

read "Jesus Among Other gods" by Ravi Zacharias,
"The Case For Christ" by Lee Strobel, and
"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis.
Strobel went about trying to disprove God and Christ and ended up changing his beliefs. Lewis was a pagan, converted by J.R.R. Tolkien.


Here is the address to biola university's site about Anthony Flew a "legendary British philosopher and atheist" who changed his beliefs to become a "theist" or as he describes himself "deist" He doesn't become a Christian, but gives some excellent credence to Christianity, and also explains why he changed his mind.

http://www.biola.edu/antonyflew/flew-interview.pdf

Also here's very interesting address to washington times about a scientist atheist becoming a Christian.

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20060721-102631-6908r.htm

Awesome Things in Mozambique!

Ok, here is the address to a wonderful article about the editor of Charisma magazine. Charisma's Lee Grady Says Heidi Baker's Message, "made me uncomfortable, but the squirming was all worth it"
My add link button doesn't seem to be working properly so you'll have to right click to copy and paste..

http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=2893

http://www.irismin.org/

The above address is to Rolland and Heidi Baker's website.
They have an amazing ministry in Mozambique that is really and truly bringing Jesus to the lost!
They feed the poor, heal the sick, mend the brokenhearted and raise the dead!
This is what I know will come to America, of course it won't happen the same way, but I really want to bring Jesus to people who are lost, broken, poor, and spiritually and physically dead!

This woman and her husband truly have a heart for the unsaved!

What if you are wrong?

I am not writing this to use scare tactics. It is just the truth, and is something on my heart to share with anyone and everyone who will listen. Read further and be convicted. What if there really is a Hell? What if the bad things you do, no matter what you do, have to be paid for in some way before you can be forgiven. What if you really don't have anything that could quite cover the mean, hurtful, deceitful things you have done?

What if there really is a God? And you refused to believe until it was too late? This is one of those questions that doesn't prove the existance of God. But it gives a person excellent reasons to search Him out.

Another thing you could be wrong about...What if He is really a good, loving God, full of grace that doesn't want to destroy you but to bring you more life. And by life I don't mean just living forever, I mean a full life, full of good things, full of peace, joy, rest, growth, encouragement..
He doesn't want to hurt us. He wants to have a loving, intimate relationship with every one of us. And He has the time for YOU. Just because there are billions of us, He doesn't live in our realm dictated by a clock. He lives in a realm of the unknown, eternal, beyond our imagination.
Again, I ask, what if you are wrong? Will you be glad you made the choice to ignore Him, to avoid Him, to discredit Him if you find out you were wrong?
The safe place is being on the side of THE Supreme Being.
He is a safe place.
I choose Him. And not because I am afraid, but because I have met Him face to face, because I have had my life changed completely, and because I KNOW Him. It takes a leap of faith to want it, to want to believe. But once you step out, you find that He really does meet you there! He shows up!
I have experienced His Love, His Holiness, His Joy, His Fierceness, His Dreadfulness. I have experienced His Finger on my heart, pointing out where He wants to change me to become less selfish, less prideful, and less destructive.
Just try it. Try to believe, just ask Jesus into your heart and see what happens. Just step out and say, I want to believe, because there has to be more to life than this! Just have a little faith.

The Gospel is Relationship

The Gospel (the Good News!) is not about rules. It is about relationship. God put the rules in place to show us what sin is, not to punish us. And the rules were all made void when Christ came, died and rose from the dead.

Also, referring to the scripture below in Romans, being identified with the death and crucifixion of Christ, we are made new again in order to walk in newness of life. This is referring to restoring the life (from the Tree of Life, found initially in the Garden of Eden) that Adam and Eve gave up when they chose instead to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This tree actually made them aware of the rules that were not necessary before. This Tree of Life and the fruit from it is Christ...it is His broken but perfect body and blood poured out as a perfect sacrifice that restores the life and brings us back into the relationship we were intended to have with God.



Galatians 2:19

* The Message (MSG)
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

The Message (MSG)

Copyright �� 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
The Message at Navpress NavPress


Romans 6 (New American Standard Bible)
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Copyright �� 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
NASB at Lockman The Lockman Foundation NASB at Zondervan Zondervan

Romans 6
Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God
1(A)What shall we say then? Are we to (B)continue in sin so that grace may increase?

2(C)May it never be! How shall we who (D)died to sin still live in it?

3Or do you not know that all of us who have been (E)baptized into (F)Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

4Therefore we have been (G)buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was (H)raised from the dead through the (I)glory of the Father, so we too might walk in (J)newness of life.

5For (K)if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6knowing this, that our (L)old self was (M)crucified with Him, in order that our (N)body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

7for (O)he who has died is freed from sin.

8Now (P)if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

9knowing that Christ, having been (Q)raised from the dead, is never to die again; (R)death no longer is master over Him.

10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

11Even so consider yourselves to be (S)dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12Therefore do not let sin (T)reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,

13and do not go on (U)presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but (V)present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

14For (W)sin shall not (X)be master over you, for (Y)you are not under law but (Z)under grace.

15What then? (AA)Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? (AB)May it never be!

3 Blogs - this is the newest

I started this blog recently in response mostly to the people out there that are searching for meaning in life, but also to people who say there is no God. My first blog is a personal one, meant for friends and family, and this blog is more of a public one meant to connect with people I do not know and people I know alike.
I rarely hesitate to do many things that are free, as long as I know it is safe and I have the desire to do it. Only if my husband and I are not in agreement, or it is a really big deal.
I want to be available to any person out there who is searching for truth, reality, facts, or understanding life. I want to be out there for any person who is hurting, afraid, lonely or just needs someone to talk to.
Please do not hesitate to leave an email address in your comments and I will email you back. For the purpose of avoiding extra spam, I have not posted an email.
I will post more soon, I have gotten busy with a lot of other things lately, I am sorry to be so absent!
Heather