Meet My Needs Or I Will Leave!

Recently I was asked by one of my neighbors if I knew of a 'good church' but more specifically one that would meet her needs. Have you ever been asked that? 'Do you know of a good church?' What people define as GOOD differs greatly. The question, however, is not uncommon among Christians but one I've never been able to determine what others mean by the word "good". It's subjective. The question is perplexing not because I haven't a clue about a few great churches here and there pastored by devoted men, but because defining a person's "needs" is a challenge. When it comes to your own church, what are your needs? What made you determine to choose the church you attend? The hours offered? The proximity to your home? Casual dress? Free breakfast with coffee on Sundays? It is becoming commonplace for people to seek a church that offers a smorgasbord of programs: extracurricular activities, classes, camps for kids, mission trips, free babysitting, singles clubs, men's club, women's bible studies, etc. If the phrase I need a church that "meets my needs" implies the need to satisfy spiritual hunger, then it is a good expression. God's voice should be heard through spiritual teaching as we need opportunities to serve, love, and be called to repentance. But to some, church membership means reaching for personal goals and satisfying needs outside of the spiritual realm, and if a certain requirement is not met, they feel the need to move on. I'm not an innocent bystander here! I have been guilty of leaving a church in search of another because the music was too dull for me. This was many many years ago. Many of us are guilty of leaving a congregation for a variety of reasons. Here are a few examples:
1. Not being chosen for the choir (IE: "I have a wonderful voice. How could they have chosen her over me?")
2. The preacher talks to long (IE: "He's so long winded a CAT 5 hurricane has nothing on him!")
3. No childcare services (IE: "I won't consider staying in this church if they will not babysit my child.")
4. Diversity (IE: "This church would be okay but there are too many old people here. I feel out of place. I need to go elsewhere")
5. The music (IE: "The music is dead. There are too many old hymns that do not appeal to me and probably more than half the congregation!" THIS WAS ME!

Personally, I have heard every reason I listed above. Sadly, and without meaning to, congregations have adopted and accepted this demand to MEET MY NEEDS OR I WILL LEAVE. As a result, pastors and members of the functioning church will seek out, create, and promote program after program in an attempt to prevent their members from leaving. The truth is, a loss of membership means a loss of financial support and so many pastors just won't let that happen if they can help it. Unfortunately, there are way too many pastors "buying" souls, hoping they can tickle ears and give members what they demand both spiritually and physically (2 Timothy 4:3). Whatever happened to the attitude of members serving the church instead of the church serving the member? John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, in his famous inaugural speech, urged American citizens to participate in public service and to "ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country." With the same mindset, we need to ask what we can do for the church and not what the church can do for us. Church programs are fine. Babysitting options during church service is fine. Annual church socials are fine. The problem is when we choose a church or go to church for everything it offers and we neglect our spiritual growth. Sadly, there are people attending church just to be counted, to say they attend church, to meet someone of the opposite sex, or to receive the "good stuff." When are people most fulfilled, when their own needs are met or when they meet the needs of God's Church?

The Bible tells us that we are filled when we empty ourselves and serve others. This is the example of Christ and given to us in Philippians 2:5-8; a life of a servant. You can do acts of service but still NOT BE a servant if your motivation is rooted in selfish ambition, if your intended outcome is recognition, and if your ultimate purpose is to benefit yourself in some way. Many years ago I knew a church member I'll use as an example. She had the most beautiful voice! She wanted to join the church choir but for some reason was always rejected. I cannot tell you why no one ever knew. I did know, however, that her intended career was to sing professionally but that all fell through. She had a few gigs from time to time but her dream to record CD's never came to fruition. She took that unfulfilled desire to be a musical icon into the church but whatever the reason was for her denial (there were rumors of unbecoming conduct and such) resulted in bitterness and revenge on her part. She wanted to be included in that choir, to appear before Sunday crowds, to be "somebody," to feel accepted, good enough, and yes, to be admired. Her focus was
'self" to revel in the glory. Sometimes our priorities are skewed and we get caught up wanting to serve the flesh rather than the Creator. True servanthood begins with SELFLESSNESS, maintains humility, and ultimately seeks the good of others -- and that, that requires the right heart attitude.

The Bible says in Matthew 20: 26-28 "Whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister (servant)." AND "The Son of Man didn't come to be ministered to, but to minister" (serve). Paul said, "I beseech you (Paul is imploring us) present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1). It's not a "job" it is a service we offer to God! "Living Sacrifice" implies you're making an "offering" to God. "Reasonable service" is not having our own needs met (ask not what your church can do for you, ask what you can do for your church). Remember "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Where are your priorities? Do you attend church so that you can have an hour of peace away from your children? Do attend your church for their contemporary music so you can rock-out on Sunday morning only to neglect your spiritual growth? Do you attend a particular church because if you join the missions team you'll be able to travel and see new places you are not financially able to do so otherwise? I hope your true intent and purpose for attending church is that you have a desire to hear, learn, and know God's Word first and foremost and to apply it to your life.
Until next time,
-Pat-

What Do You Hear??

As a girl from the midwest, located in heart of the United States, the only views offered are those of corn fields, flat land, lot's of cattle, farms, and ranches. If you are lucky enough, you could brag about seeing a tornado! Other than that, there isn't much to see or be excited about. So, in the summer of 2004, I took a friend and my two dogs and headed to North Carolina. I had heard so much about the Great Smoky Mountains and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. Since the Native American culture has always been so fascinating to me I thought North Carolina would be the perfect destination to learn more about their way of life. Today I'm going to share a bit of wisdom I heard from Chief Ahoyka while on that trip (I can't believe I remembered his name). It is a lesson we can apply today on our walk with Christ.

It was during the noon lunch hour at the Cherokee Indian Reservation where a large crowd was gathered around the center square in anticipation of a pow wow. I was in the front row, seated on the grass, literally feet away from the edge of the designated dance area. Voices from the crowd, children playing, music piped through the outdoor public address system and honking car horns filled the air. Suddenly, Chief Ahoyka appeared. Cheers and whistles erupted. The Chief slowly raised his arms and the crowd grew silent. For the next one and a half hours, I sat in awe as the Cherokee Indians played their hearts out. As the presentation ended, the Chief appeared again. At the time, he asked what I thought was a strange question, "Did anyone hear the cricket while we were drumming with mother earth?" CRICKET?? WHAT CRICKET? A voice came from the crowd, "There was no cricket, and even if there was no one would have heard it over your chanting, drumming, and wind instruments."

Chief Ahoyka responded back, "No. I'm sure of it. No one here heard a cricket?" The gentleman bellowed back, "What? You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all this noise!" "No, I'm sure of it," said the Chief. He listened carefully for a moment and then began walking across the parking lot to a set of bushes just on the other side. All eyes were fixed on him. He reached into the bushes beneath the branches, and sure enough, there was a small cricket! We were all stupified. The young gentleman shouted out, "That's incredible. You must have super-human ears!" "No," said Chief Ahoyka, "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for." "But that can't be," said the man. I could never hear a cricket in all this noise and neither could any of us here." "Yes you can," came the reply. "Here, let me show you."
Chief Ahoyka reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk beside him. And then, with the noise of the passing traffic and children's joyful screams coming from the playground, they noticed that every person's head within twenty feet turned and looked to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement fell from their pocket. "See what I mean?" asked the Chief. "It all depends on what's important to you, and what you're listening for." That's what was so tremendous about that day at the Cherokee Nation. After each performance, the Chief appears to share some Native wisdom.
I took something away that day. What's important to us? What do we listen for? The next concert announcement? The car radio? When our date arrives? The point is, there are times we fail to listen to God because we are FOCUSED on other things that are more important to us. The scripture, "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) should have new meaning for you. The verse encourages believers to reflect on God ... relax, pause, or even stop ... and reflect on Who God is, but there is more to this psalm. That is, we need to take time out of our day to meditate on Scripture and be still, BE SILENT with listening ears toward God.

Amid the distractions of the world all around us (relationships, the Internet, sports, TV, politics, etc) may our ears always be open, not only ready to listen for but to hear and be obedient to God's voice as He speaks to us through His Word (1 Samuel 3: 9-10; John 8:47; John 10:4; 1 John 4:6).
Until next time,
-Pat-

na- na- NA- na- na

Have you heard that chant before? The one in the title of the blog? I used it when I was a little kid. I would place my thumbs (one on the right side of my forehead and the other on the left side of my forehead) and wiggle all my fingers at the intended target. Once in a while, I would stick my tongue out for good measure just to make sure my message was received. The gesture is called mocking. And though no mature adult mocks like what I described, people do mock God. It is a serious offense committed by those who have no fear of God, deny His existence, or ignore His Word. The most easily recognized form of mockery is disrespect typified by verbal insults or other acts of disdain. When I hear mocking, I associated it with ridicule, scoffing, and defiance. If you are a Christian, at some point, you have personally experienced being mocked or at least your faith has been criticized, attacked, or maligned by the general public.

In the Bible, mockery is a behavior and attitude shown by six types of people.
1. The fool (Psalm 74:22.)
2. The wicked (Psalm 1:1).
3. The enemy (Psalm 74:10).
4. The hater of knowledge (Proverbs 1:22; 13:1).
5. The proud (Psalm 119:51; Isaiah 37:17)
6. The unteachable (Proverbs 15:12).
A mocker goes beyond mere lack of judgment to make a conscious decision for evil. Mockers are without a spirit of obedience, teachability, discernment, wisdom, worship, or faith. They are rebellious. Haters of the Word of God. Those who mock God will mock the people of God as well. The prophet Jeremiah "became the laughingstock of all my people" and was mocked "in song all day long" (Lamentations 3:14). Mockery of God's prophets was commonplace (2 Chronicles 36:16). Nehemiah was mocked by his enemies (Nehemiah 2:19). Elisha was mocked by the youths of Bethel (2 Kings 2:23). And of course our Lord Jesus was mocked—by Herod and his soldiers (Luke 23:11), by the Roman soldiers (Mark 15:20; Luke 23:36), by a thief on a cross (Luke 23:39), and by the Jewish leaders who passed by the cross (Matthew 27:41). Those that IGNORE God mock God. Their mantra sounds something like this, "I don't need you, believe you, or want you." Ignoring God, rejecting God, discarding His word as fiction is the same as thumbing your nose at Him.

It is easy for us as believers to point the finger at those outside the church who mock God. But Christians aren't off the hook. The most subtle mockery of God and the most danger comes from those of us sitting in church! We are guilty of mockery when we behave with an outward show of spirituality or godliness without an inward engagement or change of heart. To mock God is to pretend to love and serve him when we really don't. It's unfortunate but I see it everywhere! Mocking is also to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey Him, love, serve, and worship Him when we do not. Mocking God grieves the Holy Spirit and sears the conscience, and thus the bands of sin become stronger and stronger. The heart becomes gradually hardened by such a process. God warns that mockery of what is holy will be punished. Zephaniah predicted the downfall of Moab and Ammon, saying, "This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty" (Zephaniah 2:10). Isaiah 28:22 warns that mockery will cause the chains of Judah's sin to become stronger and that destruction will follow. Proverbs 3:34 says that God will mock the mocker but give favor to the humble and oppressed. Second Kings 2:24 records the punishment that befell the youths who jeered Elisha.

There are repercussions for ignoring God's directives and willfully choosing sin. Adam and Eve tried it and brought sorrow and death into the world (Genesis 2:15–17; 3:6, 24). Ananias and Sapphira's deception brought about a swift and public judgment (Acts 5:1–11). Galatians 6:7 states a universal principle: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows." God cannot be deceived (Hebrews 4:12–13). Achan's sin (Joshua 7) and Jonah's flight (Jonah 1) were not unknown to God. Jesus' repeated words to every church in Revelation 2—3 were, "I know your works." Proverbs 15:3 should grab our attention, "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good." How many reading did not know that was in the Bible? Simply said, GOD IS WATCHING. We only deceive ourselves when we think our attitudes and actions are not seen by an all-powerful and all-knowing God. The Bible shows us the way to live a blessed life, sometimes by the good examples of godly men and women and sometimes by the negative examples of those who choose to follow another path. Psalm 1:1–3 says, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers."
Until next time,
-Pat-

To Seek Or Not To Seek

When one ignores or puts aside any of God’s instruction from the Word of God, that instruction becomes of no effect to that person. You can say in a sense, God's Word is effectively "lost" to that person. That person can be compared to many of the Jewish leaders Paul addressed in Christ’s day and Matthew 13:15 described such a person, "For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn so that I should heal them."

The same can be said of the world today. God's Word is lost to the world by choice. BY CHOICE! Not because there is no truth. THE TRUTH has been on this earth for over 2,000 years. The problem is, truth is ignored. We have the choice to seek or not to seek. So many are hardened against God and are against anything that has to do with God. We see this in the United States for example in a battle over the Ten Commandments or the effort to remove the motto “In God We Trust” from everything in the public eye. God's Word is openly ridiculed, discredited and called evil! These people have lost touch with the reality that God is their creator. That which is evil is now called good and that which is good is called evil. Scripture speaks of this too in Isaiah 5:20, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" For instance, if you stand with the pro-life movement because you believe in saving an innocent life, you are, as New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand suggests, a racist! Being pro-life and standing for innocent babies is now considered wrong and that you should somehow side with those who want you to agree that murdering a full term baby is a right! A right? A right of the woman and her body? NO. Because it isn't her body any longer! There are 2 separate lives there. Two hearts. Two brains. TWO SOULS!!

Here's another, people ignore God's Word regarding homosexuality and refute God's truth plainly pointed out in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, Romans 1:18;32, 1 Corinthians 6-9-10, 1 Timothy 1:8-10. These are the very passages that show us homosexual activity is a sin- making it clear that it is not a unique sin because it isn't any worse than any other "sin," it is one example of what is wrong with all of us. If you stand on God's written Word regarding this subject, you're considered a hater, intolerant, homophobic, and prejudice. What God tells us is evil is now called good. We are living in prophetic times! These rebellious, indifferent people are like the Gentiles spoken of in Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians in Romans 1:23;25, " And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" (Refer to my blog "The Seed and the Soil" -Homosexuality- listed under January's blogs.) This is a perfect illustration of what is happening today, yet people do not want to hear the truth which God gave us over 2,000 years ago. And there are consequences for ignoring, BY CHOICE, what He warned us of.

Too, these same are like the hardened soil in the Parable of the Sower I wrote about: “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside” (Matthew 13:19). The Word of God is hidden from their minds: “Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:4). How terrible that some just can’t find the truths in God’s Word. There is something else that comes to mind. Think of the thousands of dusty Bibles lying on coffee tables or shelves that are never opened! In this case, the “Good Book” is in plain view, but it is never opened. If it is never read, if it is never consumed in the minds of people, the Word is lost and truth cannot be found though it is in plain sight. Ignorance will not be a legitimate excuse on the day Christ judges each and every one of us.

Finding TRUTH is as easy as this: (pay attention to the words I enlarged):
Proverbs2:1-5. "My son, if you RECEIVE MY WORDS and treasure MY COMMANDS WITHIN YOU, so that you INCLINE YOUR EAR TO WISDOM, and APPLY YOUR HEART TO UNDERSTANDING; yes, if you CRY OUT FOR DISCERNMENT, and LIFT UP YOUR VOICE FOR UNDERSTANDING, if you SEEK HER as a hidden treasure, then YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD and YOU WILL FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
God's intention is that you and I make His wisdom our own. We are to learn it from the Bible! Pastors, preachers, ministers, and teachers are charged by God with helping us grow. However, we must make God's Word ours and keep it in our heart. Just as with a family heirloom, a lost diamond ring you cannot find. You don't half-heartily eyeball a room and say it isn't there, that it "cannot be found." You have to search, dig, systematically sweep the floor, lifting every throw rug, pulling up couch cushions, moving things off and examining the coffee table, looking in pottery, around pottery, in pottery, getting on your knees to observe the floor from a different angle. And if it isn't found, you go back and repeat your search, maybe three or four more times often going over the same areas do you not? Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened." How have you sought the Lord? How have you looked for truth by eyeballing the pages of the Bible and exclaiming, "It's too hard to understand so I will give up my search." Treasure is never found on the surface, it is hidden well and hidden deep. But it's there. The Word is no different. It is there for the serious and for those who desire to know God and know His truths. It's the surest way to separate the half-hearted, lukewarm, heedless and indifferent from the mindful, ardent, fervent, zealous seeker. Which are you?
Until next time,
-Pat-

Problems & Troubles

We live in a troublesome world. You don't have to look very far or have a college degree to see it. It's all around us. Unfortunately, we can become problem-centered rather than God-centered and when this happens, we can lose the proper perspective. Gradually, all our problems begin to look huge and the strength of Almighty God seems small. Instead of moving those mountains by faith (Mark 11:23), we can become constant worriers, creating mountains of needless pressure for ourselves and others. Not only does stress affect our mental health, but chronic anxiety and outpouring of stress hormones can have serious physical consequences, including suppression of the immune system, digestive disorders, muscle tension, migraines, insomnia, etc. This is when we become problem centered rather than God-centered.
I could show you any Psalm and identify a variety of emotions. We all have emotions. For instance, David's Psalm 55 is a Lament which uses a number of feeling words that represent or include positive or emotion. I’ve bolded the positive emotions.
“Plea” (v 1)
“Trouble” and “distraught” (v 2)
“Suffering” and “anger” (v 3)
“Heart is in anguish” and “terrors” (v 4)
“Fear and trembling” and “horror” (v 5)
Oh, that ... longing and “rest" (v 6)
“Confuse” and “violence and strife” (v 9)
“Malice and abuse” = endangered (v 10)
“Once enjoyed sweet fellowship” = loss and grief (vv 12- 14)
“Let death take my enemies” = rage (v 15)
“Cry out in distress” (v 17)
Fear of God(v 19)
“His speech is smooth as butter” = feeling manipulated and “war is in his heart” (v 21)
“Cares” and “sustain” (v 22)
“Trust” (v 23)

In Isaiah Chapter 40, there is an effective prescription if you will, for those of us whose God seems small in times of trouble. God reminds us that He is much bigger than problems or the world He created. He points out that compared to Him, “the nations are as a drop in a bucket” (Isaiah 40:15 – NKJV) and the inhabitants of the earth “are like grasshoppers” (Isaiah 40:22). His words aren’t meant to belittle us, but rather to encourage us to look to Him and gain His perspective of life. HIS PERSPECTIVE!
However, God offers us far more than a new perspective. If we will depend on Him, instead of brooding over our problems, He will renew our strength, and wings of faith will lift our hearts above our difficulties (Isaiah 40:28-31). Some of our problems may be huge, but we can see them as smaller than our great God. And that makes all the difference in the world!

It's always easier to trust God in the good times. It takes much more faith to keep that trust during painful trials. Tough times happen to everyone. It is sometimes difficult to believe that God is willing to take you through the impossible situations in your life. But faith is the most important thing that you must have in this age of crisis and turmoil.
Jesus is so merciful to remember that we are weak. He will never hold it against us if we ask for his help to believe him through our struggles. Striving to work out impossible situations on our own will never succeed. It is only the power of God that can rescue us from the storm. You may have a serious health issue, financial problems, drug or alcohol addictions or even a broken heart but nothing is too hard for our God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. We are told by God in Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you”. That is a promise that Jesus bought for us at Calvary. Whatever trial or pain you are in, remember that God’s love will never leave your side. Call on him right now to strengthen you to overcome your unbelief. He will help you take that first step in trust so that you will know that God is big enough to conquer all of your problems.
Until next time,
-Pat-

But I'm Not Wrong!

Over the years, as a reader and "student" of the Bible, I've often conducted careful researches to re-evaluate some former conclusions regarding scriptures that originated from preachers, priests, and radio ministers. As a result, I found my own thinking in error by agreeing with them. While being in error is not a good thing, never finding our error is a great deal worse (James 3:1) — proof that we sometimes do not honestly “test the spirits to see if they are of God” or "prove God" (1 John 4:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). As I learned God's Word over time the more I knew I needed to test the things I previously accepted at face value. No one should ever accept what they have heard from a preacher or teacher as being absolute truth without carefully examining what they heard against the Scriptures themselves. THIS REQUIRES READING THE WORD OF GOD. Sadly, people don't want to read the Bible. So how would you know if what you've heard is the truth? Not every person who teaches (including me), not every preacher, minister, or pastors words should be exempt from examination. Don't accept everything you hear as gospel truth! Compare it to what God has said. You'll have to read scriptures to do that. People often don't want GOD'S truth, especially when the truth differs from what they want their life to be! Contrary to popular belief or political correctness, abortion is wrong according to God's Word. Homosexuality is also wrong according to God's Word. But if you listen to society or some preachers today, they will tell you both these things are not sins. To avoid being mundane I won't repeat all the scriptures that back up, for example, the truth that homosexuality is an abomination in God's eyes since I've mentioned it before in another blog(s). One was written in January, called "Homosexuality. The Seed and the Soil." I even gave a very understandable illustration that should leave no doubt in your mind about the subject. And while you're at it, don't just pass over the word abomination. Look up the definition in any dictionary. It's a grave matter.


Have you noticed as I have, how people become filled with fervent passion or even anger when anyone challenges or questions their religious beliefs when they themselves have never even read the Bible? They have no idea if the beliefs they adhere to (given to them many times by a so-called man of the cloth) are even true? Many times, it is not the ideas themselves that are dear to us, but rather that our self-esteem is threatened. We are by nature stubbornly pledged to defend our own from attack, whether it be our person, our family, our property, our faith, or our opinions.
Sadly, few of us take the pains to study the origins of our cherished "religious beliefs." We like to continue believing what we have been accustomed to accepting as truth (our comfort zone). Unfortunately, resentment often arises when doubt is cast upon our beliefs, which leads us seeking every manner of excuse for clinging to them. The result is that most of our so-called reasoning consists of finding arguments for continuing to believe as we already do. All you have to do is look at the political environment today to really get a sense of how people react when their beliefs are challenged! The more they are disputed, the tighter people cling to them even if their political beliefs are radical and off the cliff! (here is a link to some pretty radical religious beliefs) ... https://www.thrillist.com/culture/the-10-craziest-cults-you-ve-never-heard-of-obscure-religious-sects-and-societies)


The spontaneous and loyal support of our preconceptions — the process of finding “good” reasons to justify our religious beliefs (or any belief) — is known to psychologists as “rationalization.” Rationalization is the self-vindication which occurs when we feel ourselves (or our group), accused of error. This was evident from the patients we worked with when I was employed in the field of mental health. People will cling to their "beliefs" no matter how wrong, misguided, or infused with error they are just to escape hearing or knowing they've been duped. Many times, our so-called good “reasons,” have little value in promoting honest enlightenment, because no matter how solemnly they may be put forth, some are at best the result of personal preference or prejudice — not of an honest desire to seek to accept religious knowledge based upon the inspired Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16).


Many of us frequently engage in self-justification, for we cannot bear to think ourselves as ever being wrong, even though in God’s word, we have constant illustrations of our weaknesses and mistakes (1 Samuel 15:22-24; 2 Samuel 12:1-13; Acts 8:9-24). So, as a result, we spend much time finding fault with circumstances and the conduct of others, rather than admitting our own failures and disappointments! (Matthew 7:1-5).
When studying and sharing God’s word, I pray we always possess honest and open hearts — always having a humble mindset — ready to admit our mistakes and errors when they are pointed out to us (or when we discover them ourselves) and then a willingness to change our "religious" beliefs according to God’s religious standard, the Bible!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Your Heart Is Like Soil

Whenever you read the Bible or hear the Word of God preached, God's Word is like a seed of truth planted in your heart spoil. Some people will read or hear the Word and reject everything they've seen or listened to. Others will read or hear the Word and be interested in it for a time until they are sidetracked by other "important" things in their lives and they forget everything their ears or eyes perceived. They have no further interest. Then there are some who, when they read take note, keep reading, and thirst for more. They continue to read and continue to learn. Have you ever wondered why some people read or hear and want more while others aren't interested or may be interested at first then drift away? The Bible gives us the answer. It has to do with the condition of our hearts. To understand this concept, we first need to consider gardening and seed being planted in soil, to God's SEED/WORD planted in the soil of our hearts.

In gardening, the productivity of seed is directly proportionate to the fertility of the soil it's sown in. Even if the seed is good, if it's planted in unfertile soil, it will either not germinate or it will only produce a sickly, unproductive plant. And so it is with the word of God and human hearts. If the soil of your heart is unfertile, then God's Word will not take root and grow. If the soil of your heart is unfertile yet has a little good soil, the Seed of God's Word might begin to take root but it isn't strong enough to withstand storms of life or other worldly distractions. Only in a fertile, accepting, willing heart will God's Seed germinate, grow, and produce a harvest. The Bible gives examples of different heart soils in the "Parable Of The Sower" (Luke 8:4-15; Matthew 13:1-9; Matthew 13: 18-23). It would be wise to open your Bible today and read the parable. It mentions four kinds of soil:

1) The Wayside (Luke 8:5)
2) Rocky Places (Luke 8:6)
3) The soil in which thorns are abundant (Luke 8:7)
4) Good Soil (Luke 8:8)

Each of these soils represents four kinds of human hearts (Luke 8:12; Luke 8:15; Matthew 13:15; Matthew 13:19). In this parable, The SEED is called "the Word of God" (Luke 8:11). Note that the deficiencies of the first three kinds of soil do not cast a reflection on the innate power of the seed to produce life! The problem is in the soil - NOT in the seed. We should never think of God's Word as being powerless to convert men because the potential to produce new life and change men's hearts is found in the Word of God (refer to Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Peter 1:22-25). Some of you might ask, "Why doesn't the SEED (God's Word) always bring forth an abundant harvest, after all, it's God's Powerful Word." Simply because the "soil" (the mind, the heart of man), is not receptive to it or it is encumbered with the "cares of this world" and the "pleasures of this life" (Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14). And in those cases, the seed will not produce. I'm pretty sure you can figure out what the cares and or pleasures of this world are without me naming any. In reality, it's anything you choose more important than a relationship with God. That's the bottom line. Priorities, priorities.

We can't blame God for our lack of productivity, as the kind of soil we are has been our choice. Note the word, "received" in Matthew's gospel, specifically chapter 13: 20, 22-23). They RECEIVED the Word, they heard it, but ultimately their heart condition was up to them. Are there requirements of fertile soil (hearts)? Jesus said there is ... Luke 8:15, "They, which in an HONEST and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. I believe there are still human beings with good hearts that want to "hear" the Word of God and "keep it." Thus I write these blogs for those that hunger.
For those that hear the Word, and which seed is planted firmly in fertile soil will produce a harvest of fruits. I'm speaking of Fruits of the Spirit (found in Galatians chapter 5:22-23). There are 9 attributes (fruits) of a person living in accord with the Holy Spirit. Paul used "fruit" to help us understand the product of the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer. The fruits of the Spirit are produced by the Spirit, not by the Christian. In and of ourselves we have no power to love those we once hated, to put others first, to have peace in the midst of chaos, to maintain patience to endure and persevere, to be faithful unto death if or when persecuted, to have self-control over our flesh with an ability to say no regardless of how strong the temptation, etc. I hope you take time to talk with your Father in heaven about the soil of your heart. Ask Him to send His Holy Spirit to soften your heart and make it fertile to accept and plant His Word so that you allow it to take root and produce His fruits in your life.
Until next time,
-Pat-

You Can't Pull Out The Nail Hole

I recently read a story that was so good I'm posting it in this blog. It is a story told of a teenager who was constantly getting into trouble - always apologizing when his parents confronted him. No matter how much he hurt his parents with his wrongdoing, he would soon turn around and do something else wrong - knowing that he would be quickly forgiven. One day, his dad took him out to the garage for an illustration and a talk. He picked up a hammer and pounded a nail into the garage wall. Then he gave his son the hammer and instructed him to pull out the nail. The boy shrugged, grabbed the hammer, and quickly yanked out the nail.
Then his dad told him. "That's like forgiveness, son. When you do something wrong, it's like pounding in a nail. Forgiveness is when you pull the nail out."
"Okay, I get it," said the boy.
"Now take the hammer and pull out the nail hole," his dad replied.
"That's impossible!" the boy said. "I can't pull out the nail hole."
The father replied, "You're right, son. That nail hole is similar to the consequences of sin. You can pull out the nail (forgiveness), but you can't pull out the nail hole" (consequences).

King David's life proves that SIN does indeed carry consequences! Even though David was forgiven of severe sins (adultery & murder), they left scars that led to problems within his family (2 Samuel 12: 10-12). I'm using the Biblical example of David's transgressions as a warning for our own lives. Though we can receive forgiveness for sin, sometimes our sin brings horrible consequences. As an example, a willy nilly unbridled lifestyle that includes sexual freedom with several partners may be forgiven by God if we repent and turn from our sin, but consequences may manifest through things like an unwanted pregnancy, venereal disease, AIDS, or sometimes by engaging with the wrong character and ending in physical harm, rape, or even death. The best way to avoid the damage of SIN is to live a life of obedience to God (1 Samuel 15:22; Romans 6:17). Our sins can be forgiven and washed away (1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5), but their consequences are ours to pay (2 Samuel 12:15-23). There is no getting around it, for what we do with our bodies will be paid for IN THE BODY. Other examples would be a person who has no control over alcohol, has become a drunkard, then 25-30 years after this constant abuse is diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Or what about the abuse of tobacco or the abuse of food which can result in lung cancer or diabetes? Sadly, too often we blame God for health problems we actually brought upon ourselves. Who hasn't heard, "He was such a good man. Why did he have to die like that? Why did God allow this?" The fact is, SICKNESS AND DISEASE is the result of sin! Proverbs 23: 20-21 teach, "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags."

You may be doubting what I just said, your argument sounding something like, "Wait a minute! You mean to tell me an innocent baby born with a handicap, malformed, or has a disease has committed some horrible sin and is suffering because of consequences? Bologna! I don't buy it." Let's look at some causes. What about fetal alcohol syndrome caused by an alcoholic mom, or a baby that's addicted to heroin because the mother was a drug addict. Those parents "sins" manifested to their babies. These you probably agree with, but what about actual birth defects when the parents are young and healthy? The answer is, birth defects can be caused by a complex mix of factors such as genes (cell information inherited from our parents), things in the environment, injuries to the fetus while in gestation, being an older parent, etc. In other words, it is the human population and their own personal choices or those passed down through inherited genes that inflict generations, NOT GOD. Diseases and illness are THE RESULTS of choices and sin we freely make or those passed on through the genes of those who made bad choices. In the beginning, God did not create mankind with flaws. In general, sickness is part and parcel of life in a broken and fallen world. It's part of the fallout if you will, from our collective rebellion against God. If you recall, Jesus warned the invalid after He had healed him of his infirmity to stop sinning or something worse might happen to him (John 5:14). The inference here is SIN and the result is sickness/disease.

I myself, once thought maybe God was punishing me for sins I had committed in my past which manifested by the neurological disease I inherited from my dad along with two other siblings. But I have revised my opinion based on Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation (punishment for sin) for those who are in Christ Jesus." My neurological disorder is not the result of God's punishment upon me, but rather, a malfunctioning cell process I inherited from my dad. And this particular disease has been passed down through a few of my relatives over the course of the last 100 years. I don't know farther than that. I now know God is not PUNISHING me because punishment is simply retribution, a chance to get back at someone who has wronged you! It has no other goal. God may "allow" something in your life as a means of discipline because "discipline" is a painful action with the intent of correcting or teaching someone not to repeat the act and then moving on to forgiveness. I believe that is where I am and a few more Christians I know who want physical healing, have asked for it, prayed for it, but without any results. Does it mean we're being punished? Does it mean we're full of sin? Does it mean God is not listening? NOT AT ALL! Paul the Apostle had a thorn in his side to buffet him. We are not told specifically what this "thorn" was or represented though it was some sort of physical burden. Paul prayed three times asking God to take it away, but healing never came! WHY? God has a purpose for pain and suffering, as Paul learned God's "power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). God's purpose? Romans 8:28, "All things (not some things, not a few things, not just appointed things but ...) ALL THINGS work together FOR GOOD to those who love Christ Jesus and are called according to HIS PURPOSE."

Still not convinced because you cannot get the vision out of your head when thinking about individuals or children with disabilities who 'did nothing to deserve it?' Look at this from John 9:2-3. The disciples approach Jesus and asked Him about a man who was born blind and still blind. Meaning, the man was once a baby born blind yet did nothing, no wrong, no sin, nothing to deserve it. They asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" NOTICE! The disciples aren't asking why the man in front of them was currently blind, they were asking why he was BORN BLIND! It's what we often ask, "What did that baby ever do to be born blind. Why is God so cruel?" Jesus answered His disciples, "It was not this man that sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." This was not punishment or discipline, it was to be used as a way to show God's power by healing him so all could see. I know my own disability is not because God is punishing me, but it could be that He is teaching me valuable lessons (and trust me, I have learned many), or in time, I might be used so that others can witness God's grace and mercy. Just remember, we should celebrate those who believe in Christ despite the unique circumstances they've been selected to bear because it can be used to Glorify God! I want you to think of this ... if YOU personally had MS (multiple sclerosis), you would more than likely be more receptive to someone who also had MS and believes, than someone without it (if that makes sense). Or, like some unfortunate women who have been sexually assaulted may be more receptive to someone speaking about the freedom found in Christ from someone who has walked in their shoes than someone who has not been assaulted. We don't suffer in vain is my point. There is a reason, a time, a season and also a purpose to everything under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3).

Many of us suffer directly or indirectly from the consequences of sin, and yet others can and will be used to display and manifest the glory of God through a miraculous healing. God works all things together for good—both His good and our good. As God is glorified, His people benefit. Those who love God can trust His goodness, His power, and His will to work out all things for our good. We journey together with Him. The promise that God works all things together for good does not mean that all things, taken by themselves, are good. Some things and events are decidedly bad. But God is able to work them together for good. He sees the big picture; He has a master plan. The fact that God works all things together for good means God’s plan will not be thwarted. In fact, we are part of His plan, having been “called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). When we trust God and His way, we can be sure that He is active and powerful on our behalf (see Ephesians 3:20).
Until next time,
-Pat-