How did we get to this?

I have read many posts about the recent decision in NY. and personally ask myself, 

"How did we get to this?"

Why do we fight for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness while fighting for the right to take life, remove individual rights, and eliminate the pursuit of happiness?  It is insanity.  

We are living life upside down, giving more rights and protection to animals than we do to our unborn babies!

If we were to look at the argument from the outside, we have Group 1 condemning Group 2 for wanting to end life up to the point of birth and calling for them to repent, while Group 1 is perfectly fine with ending life up to 8 weeks in the womb.

In either case, we, as a culture, are ending more than 880,000 lives in the womb every year, which makes abortion the LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH in the US! 😢. 

This is a LOW estimate because California, Maryland, and New Hampshire do not report abortions to the CDC.  For perspective, "we the people" have successfully taken the lives of more than 61 million Americans since 1973 - that is nearly the population of California and Texas and far more than we have lost in war since the American Revolution! (which makes the greatest war for life in the womb.)

Take a look at this site for a reality check by the numbers: Abortion Counter

But what about rape and incest?  They account for less than one percent of all abortions.source

But what about the mother's right to choose? She chose intimacy with a man (86% of the time outside of marriage).  As a result, the mother has a responsibility for her choice. source. Unfortunately, we assist in eliminating her responsibility for a mere $480.

Fifty-four percent of women having abortions (that are reported) identify themselves as protestant and catholic!  So, there are more women declaring their faith in God AND killing the unborn than those who do not acknowledge God at all.  Unbelievable.

Honestly, where do you believe God, the creator of EVERY life, stands on abortion?
"You shall not murder" (intentionally taking the life of another). Exodus 20:13

At what point will we stand with the One in whom we claim faith?
When will our hearts be broken for the lives that are taken EVERY day?
When will our hearts be compassionate toward those who are blinded to the truth, sharing with them the forgiveness and love offered through Jesus Christ?

"always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15

What tools do I use?

Now that you spend time in God's word, what tools are available to dig deeper in your study? You can purchase books or computer programs or use something FREE! Preference? I thought so. A free tool that is available online and as an app is www.Biblehub.com.

I like this tool for a couple of reasons. 

First, it provides multiple translations for the same verse. Years ago, I was told that if you studied King James, the New American Standard, and the New International Version together, you would have a pretty good idea of the original intent of the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. So, this site provides that availability.

Second, it provides an interlinear Hebrew and Greek source. This source shows the original Hebrew or Greek word, its grammatical form, and its meaning. From there, we can gain a greater understanding of the passage's intended meaning.

As an example... go now and read John 21:15-17. 

For real. 

Go read it and come back. I will wait.

(If you did not, shame on you!)

Forgetting any sermon you may have heard in this passage, what is happening here? Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him three times. Peter responds and actually gets a little upset at the repeated question—as if Jesus did not believe him.

What do YOU love? Jesus, spouse, children, family, pizza, a good steak, dessert, the beach, golf, etc...

Do you find it odd that we use the exact same word for our love of food as we do for our love of Jesus? 

So, reading this passage, regardless of how much time we meditate on it - we will NEVER understand its intended meaning without looking at the original language. Therefore, we assume meaning and insert our thoughts. 

"Jesus must have asked Peter three times because Peter denied Him three times." (There is nowhere in Scripture that states that!)

By looking at the interlinear Greek source, we see the difference. 

Jesus asked twice, "Do you agapao me?" 

Peter answered, "I phileo you." 

Defining those words will bring a deeper meaning to the conversation.

Agapao - showing love through obedience by God's power and direction. It is an expression of loyalty and devotion.

Phileo - to love like a brother. It is an expression of emotion.

"Peter, do you follow me in obedience more than the other disciples do?"

"Jesus, I love you like a brother."

Now, we begin to see what is going on here. 

Jesus was asking for an expression of loyalty to accompany Peter's expression of affection.

In verses 15 and 16, Jesus asked the same question. 

In verse 17, Jesus matched Peter's word for love in His question.

In each verse, Jesus commanded an action (Greek imperative) to express love.

My takeaway: It is not sufficient to simply SAY I love Jesus. My love for Him is expressed when I do what He says to do in His word.

What is He teaching me in His word through personal devotion, Sunday school, discipleship, and worship?

Am I doing what He taught me as an act of love and loyalty to my Lord and Savior?

Are you Flying?

Suppose you want to fly to LA (not sure why, but stay with me here). You spend the afternoon searching Kayak, CheapOAir and Expedia. Finding the best prices and the best days for travel, you purchase the ticket to LAX.

At this point, you have made a decision to enter into a contract and have even made a personal sacrifice. The day finally arrives, but you decide to go to the movies instead. Even though you made an agreement, sacrifice and a decision– you did not get on the plane.

Are you flying to LA?

I agree that is a simple question of logic with a simple answer, but might the same process be applicable spiritually?

1 John 2:4-6 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Your loving obedience to the Lord’s commands is you "getting on the plane".

It really does not matter what you claim, how much you have given or where you hang out on Sunday's – loving obedience in your daily life is the evidence of a genuine personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

John said if you claim it, yet do not live it - you are a liar and God's Word is not abiding in you.

Obedience to God’s Word is proof of our love for Him. There are three motives for obedience. We can obey because we have to, because we need to, or because we want to.

A slave obeys because he has to. If he doesn’t obey he will be punished.

An employee obeys because he needs to. He may not enjoy his work, but he does enjoy getting his paycheck to feed and clothe his family.

But a Christian obeys his Heavenly Father because he wants to out of love for Him.

Therefore, we have 2 questions to ask ourselves.

1. Do I keep His commands?

2. Why?

You can use John's teaching above to determine where you are spiritually.

Thankfully, the grace of God is extended to everyone who would receive it! In our humility, we surrender to Him as Lord and Savior, committing to follow Him and obediently doing what He says. It is because we experience His love that we choose to obey and it is through our obedience that He is made manifest in the world today. Are you flying?

Death by Wisteria

Driving through the south this time of year truly opens your eyes to the beauty of God's creation.  What once appeared dead is now budding and blooming.  Trees, flowers, shrubs, pollen, allergies...  Still, one cannot escape the beauty.

As I drove Caleb to school this morning, there is one part of the road with wisteria growing on both sides - kind of drooping over the road.  The lavender bunches of flowers were beautiful.  There is that part of me that might even say, "I want to grow wisteria!"

Wisteria is a climbing vine that originates in Asia and was introduced to the southeastern United States (kind of like kudzu, but that is another story).  You can even buy it on Amazon as an ornamental plant.  So, how did the wisteria plant get to the point of hanging over the road?

Wisteria is a climbing vine, so it requires a "host" of sorts.  It climbs the trunk of a tree, out the limbs and blooms.  The result is spectacular...at the cost of the tree.  The vine wraps itself around the limbs to such a degree, it prevents them from growing and producing their own fruit.  It strangles the life out of the limbs!  BUT, the clumps of flowers give the appearance of life. Bummer.

Sin is the wisteria of our lives.  It looks attractive and lively, but it is death to the host.  When we choose a life of sin, we exchange the fruit of righteousness for a temporary pleasure that sucks the life out of us.  We can try to ignore it, but the result is the same. Don't be fooled by appearances!

What is the remedy? Cut out the vine. And keep cutting it out, because it is relentless.

Colossians 3:5-10 "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of these the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

Is the End Near (like Saturday)?

Okay, some of you may have been following the stories and predictions leading up to September 23, 2017 - you may have even bought the book.  For others, this may be the first you heard that Saturday is supposed to be the beginning of the end.

A little background (borrowed from CBS):
If you had plans for the weekend, a "Christian" numerologist says you won’t get to them because the world is about to end.  David Meade, a self-proclaimed “researcher,” is predicting that a series of apocalyptic events will begin on Sept. 23 and, “a major part of the world will not be the same.” 

(I inserted the quotes around Christian because of the obvious heresy, CBS inserted quotes around researcher for obvious reasons)  Continuing...

Meade is a self-published author who writes that he studied astronomy at the University of Louisville. He and other doomsayers have actually been saying Nibiru would crash into the Earth several times before; which clearly did not happen. The latest prediction came in 2012 and was linked to the end of the Mayan calendar.

(Oops, he missed those earlier predictions. Nibiru is a mysterious rogue planet) Continuing...


NASA has already dismissed the prediction; calling the whole thing a hoax. The space agency has reportedly known about the Nibiru conspiracy theory for years and shot down the talk of Armageddon in a 2012 statement. “If Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth … astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade, and it would be visible by now to the naked eye.”

Well, maybe Mr. Meade, the number study-er, made enough money to publish a book for his next end of the world prediction.

If you have had a growing concern, or perhaps an increasing interest - STOP IT! Let's just breathe for a moment and consider Scripture - NOT codes, NOT numerology, NOT writings on pyramids, NOT trying to read between the lines - but reading God's Word.

Matthew 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

Pretty clear.  Jesus (God the Son) said ONLY God the Father knows the day and hour.  This is why we must be skeptical of ANYONE who claims to have "figured out" something that is restricted to God alone.  If Mr. Meade now knows the day and hour, He has made God out to be a liar.  Listen to the danger of believing, or following, someone like Mr. Meade - you are attempting to make God out to be a liar as well.

Matthew 24:44 "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

At an hour you do not expect...  We must stop trying to figure it out and live in obedience to His commands as if this is the last day!

Let me give you my heartfelt prediction.  The Lord will return when He has determined.  You do not have to buy a book for that, just read the Bible.  If you feel compelled to give a donation for that prediction, here is a worthy ministry: DONATE.

We are now three minutes closer to His return.  Jesus said, "Therefore, you must also be ready."  The first stage of readiness is salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38  The second stage of readiness is living in obedience as a result of your salvation. 2 John 1:6

This weekend for me?

I have a wedding at 2:00 and my son has a soccer game.  Going to spend time with my lovely wife.  I am preparing for Sunday worship.  But I am living ready!