Why Do Things Go Wrong?

I don't know about you, but it seems sometimes problems seem to come one right after another. You wake up in the morning and your car won’t start. This unfortunate event makes you late for work, your boss chews you out, and your whole day is ruined. On top of that, you find out that your car repairs will take 3 weeks to complete and to improvise will require you to take a city bus to work which in turn means having to get up at least 30 minutes earlier each morning. If all that was not aggravating enough, you then learn that sadly, a member of your family has been diagnosed with cancer! During times like these, we are prone to ask, “Why me, Lord?” “Haven’t I been living faithfully for you?”
I admit I have asked God this question more than once. Why do good people have to suffer bad things in their lives? It also seems that the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to prosper. They never seem to get punished! Has anyone else noticed that? You will be confused, perhaps even doubt God at some point, unless you look into scriptures that will give clarity to why things seem to go wrong with the very people who seem to live right. So let's do that.

Job saw this very thing during his time of affliction (refer to Job 21:7-15). I want to point out three biblical reasons why God allows good people to suffer that will hopefully shed light on those who question why it seems good people suffer while evil people seem to 'get away with murder.'
#1. To Establish FAITH
Suffering can and often does cause one who is not a Christian to recognize his great need for God. If one is to be saved, he must first know that he needs salvation. Think about it ... One who believes he is standing on dry land will not take hold of a life preserver even though he is truly drowning in the sea! Trials help to establish faith by causing us to see our condition before God (Luke 15:11-17). King Davis said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now have I kept thy word …. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I may learn thy statutes” (Psalm 119:67, 71). God allows some to suffer in order to establish faith in Him. It seems that sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before we realize how far we've fallen. It is in those times we awaken and realize the only direction we have to take is up, and it is then we repent and change.
#2. To Restore Faith
Sometimes a child of God goes astray and needs to be corrected and restored to the right path. As difficult as it may be to admit, there are many Christians who can relate to this. God doesn’t want to see any of His children fall away, so He chastens those who do (Hebrews 12:6-11). God did so with Israel as David wrote, “When He slew them, then they sought Him; And they returned and sought earnestly for God” (Psalm 78:34-NKJV) and honestly, He does so with His Church today. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:19). When suffering, we should examine our own lives to determine if we are the recipient of divine chastisement (Psalm 119:75). Trials are designed to make us look inward at ourselves and upward to God (1 Peter 1:3-9) and that's a good thing!
#3. To Perfect Faith
For the faithful Christian, trials serve to mature and perfect the faith that is already present. With each trial we face successfully, there is growth. As Paul wrote, “And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance character; and character hope” (Romans 5:3-4- NKJV). With spiritual growth, comes the ability to better handle problems in the future. That's what we call learning from our mistakes. This is why James said, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3). We should view our trials as God’s vehicle to perfect our faith and not as a punishment.


The Bible assures us that God works out all things for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). We can rejoice with assurance knowing, no matter what trial or problems come our way, God is going to make it work out for our best! We don't know everything that God does, but we can be certain that He is working to help us with our trials and to save as many souls as possible (2 Peter 3:9). If we have to suffer along the way, we shouldn't lose heart, because God is preparing us for eternity (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)- LOOK THAT ONE UP! Remember, He's not only the author of our faith but the finisher (Hebrews 12:2)! Everyone will occupy eternity in one place or the other (Matthew 23: 41, 46). How we respond to God will determine our destination! How are you responding? One last thought from the Apostle Paul, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Hopefully the scriptures I've listed will not only encourage you when you face numerous trials but will help you understand why we sometimes face them.
Until next time,
-Pat

What Is "IT" ??

It seems all of humanity has experienced a restless heart at one time or another. There is something in us that is never really satisfied, never content. We search for this, we search for that, we want more … a nicer house, a newer car, the most recent cell phone, the newest smartwatch, etc. yet, even when we get all these things we still want more. More of what? It seems to be a real mystery. What is "it?"
Solomon was of the same mindset and he revealed to us his frustrations in the book of Solomon. Solomon had everything in life, yet he realized he had “nothing.” At least anything that really made a difference. Because Solomon was king, he could try everything in life his heart desired. And after having searched the same places we search: intellectual pursuits, pleasure, social achievements, material goods and so on, he concluded that there was no real satisfaction to be found in any of them. Look at his words:
Ecclesiastes 1:12-15(KJV), "I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered."
Solomon is telling us, in short, that through a heartfelt search through wisdom he discovered that everything here on earth is vanity, an aggravation, an annoyance of the spirit. Nothing here, on our own, by our own power, intellect, intention, or device can be made right within ourselves. Nothing. He concluded that which is lacking is so numerous it is beyond mans' ability, potential, or capability to change it and adds, "Vanity vanity, all is vanity." Solomon begins an experiment by revealing his conclusion first; wisdom is meaningless (“under the sun“). He then continues by commenting on what may be observed in nature. Finally, he determines that all of us are restless and unsatisfied. But he attributes this to God. In other words, God has put within man a restless spirit (so to speak). Solomon describes it as a heavy burden or "sore travail" (KJV). Why? Why would God place this restlessness within man? There is a reason. It is to steer us to what is really important but unfortunately, with this restlessness, most seek human pleasures and not God's wisdom.


The “heavy burden” Solomon speaks of is man’s searching for happiness BUT WITHOUT GOD! It is an inevitable result of living without God as the focus of one’s life. It was true for Solomon, and it is true for us. Everything we do is pointless in itself. In the end, all our effort, all our gains, all our accomplishments fade away. They go nowhere...like chasing after the wind. Deep inside we know there is more, but we cannot grasp it. Somehow the “it” evades us. THAT "it" is life without God! Some people try and fill that gap, that nagging emptiness with careers, affairs, pleasures, drinking, narcotics, stimulants, or being idolized and set on a pedestal. Solomon also adds; “what is crooked cannot be straightened.” There are many things we cannot change. Life has many flaws, and it always will …. That’s the bad news. Even the best things in life have defects. The good news is that they do not have to affect our inner joy, the place from which true contentment resides when you are connected with God and have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

External circumstances do not make or break us, it is HOW we handle them that does. Remember, God is on our side (Romans 8:28-33). He will never leave us or forsake us. 2 Corinthians 4:18 tells us, "What is seen is temporary. What is unseen is eternal." Our lives here are but a fleeting moment. It passes like a mist. It can be compared to a single breath or the wind that passes by. It vanishes like a vapor. On your death bed, you'll ask, "what was it for ... all the learning, all the pleasures?" Matthew 6: 19-20 instructs the wise, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Think about it. Most of us work all our lives to attain things in an attempt to fill a need we cannot even identify (the "it"), and no matter how much we attain, gain, gather, or earn, after our passing it is all laid out in a garage sale for it to become someone else's endless search to be satisfied.


Is there an emptiness inside you? Have you burned through different careers, been engaged in a variety of relationships, sought to conquer a particular sport, or increase your talent in some field? Have you acquired materials goods to your satisfaction or achieved what others still strive for? Is your basket full yet you feel that nagging "it" inside? It's okay to achieve, to gain, to possess the blessings and fruitfulness we find on this earth, but your perspective about those things determine and reveals where your true desires lie...in the temporary or in the eternal. True contentment here on earth, regardless of how much you have, achieved, or gained, will only come when you invest in your soul. "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." The one thing so many people fail to invest in is their soul and that is the most important investment a person can make because the benefits far outweigh accomplishments derived from material goods or personal gains. I wish everyone would realize that if you put your soul before anything else and invested in it and not the noise of the world, true contentment will be yours now but more importantly for eternity!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers?

It is extremely difficult when anyone, but especially a family member says, "God never answers me. He always seems to answer your prayers so YOU need to ask God for me because He won't hear me." That is just so sad. Has someone ever said to you, "God doesn't answer my prayers." Have you ever thought that of yourself? There were times throughout my life that my opinion was the same as my family member. In fact, there was a time I believed God hated me because no matter what I prayed was never granted. I too would ask others to pray for my need or something I wanted because I wasn't getting anywhere with God. Have you ever wondered why some people have prayers answered and why others never do? How much do you know about prayer itself? There is much written in the Bible about it. Prayer is certainly a great blessing from God and should be a powerful part of the Christian’s life. We know prayer is important to God because the words pray, prayer, prayers and praying are mentioned over 450 times in the Bible (I had to google that). I want to list five major things regarding prayer that will help clarify what, why, how, and who regarding prayer:
What is Prayer? — The word pray means “to petition, request or entreat.” It is the avenue by which we communicate with God (Romans 10:1). Prayer necessarily involves praise (Matthew 6:9), thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), confession (1 John 1:9) and petitions (Philippians 4:6).
Why should we Pray? — Because prayer is a direct command (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18). It is the medium through which we obtain God’s wisdom and blessings (James 1:5; James 5:18; 1 Kings 18:42; 1 Kings 18:45). Prayer is a powerful tool for God’s faithful (Acts 12:5-17).
How often should we Pray? — Petitions before God should be offered as often as we have a need, and prayers of thanksgiving should be offered as often as God blesses us (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; 1 Peter 1:3). Note that the “how often” should be closely associated with the “without ceasing” attitude (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:12-13; Ephesians 6:18).
What should we Pray for? — Just to name a few; for strength to overcome our temptations (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40; Luke 22:46)-- I really utilize prayer for this one! Other examples are for God’s wisdom (James 1:5-7); for unity (John 17:20-21); for forgiveness (Matthew 6:12); for the sick (James 5:14); for all people and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-3; Romans 10:1); for the saints (Ephesians 6:18).
What hinders our Prayers? — When we allow sin to remain in our lives (Isaiah 59:1-2; when we pray with selfish motives (James 4:3); when we pray doubting the outcome (James 1:5-8; 1 Timothy 2:8 – KJV).
Who can Pray? — Prayer is the privilege of the obedient (1 John 3:22); those who are submissive to God’s will (1 John 5:14; 1 John 3:22); and those who are faithful (John 9:31; John 15:7; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12).

Sometimes when asked, it becomes challenging to share with a non-believer that the Word declares, "We know (meaning Christians know) that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him" (John 9:31). DOING GOD'S WILL PLAYS A HUGE PART IN GOD HEARING US. I'll be honest, it is extremely difficult to tell someone their prayers aren't being answered due to the fact they are out of line with God. No one wants to hear that! Whether that is because they are entrenched in a life of sin or they just don't love God to actually hear what His Word asks- which is to walk in obedience. Obedience requires turning from our sin not remaining in it. That is God's truth! These aren't just suggestions, these are GOD'S words! Christians do not make the rules, however, our obligation is to TELL THE TRUTH when asked. If someone asks you, "Why doesn't God answer any of my prayers" it is your duty as a believer to share the scripture that answers their question. It is not, however, your obligation or duty to judge "how" they are out-of-line with God even if you know what it is. That is between them and God. Keep your fingers in your pockets and don't be tempted to point! If they ask why God never hears them share the scripture: 'The Bible teaches in the book of John, that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.' (notice the very important words "does God's will"?)
God's Word is sufficient. We don't need to add, change, or take anything from it. If someone confronts, "Are you judging me? Are you saying I'm some kind of a sinner?" It's best to share what the Word has taught you! I usually answer, "I had to learn the hard way myself that, God does not hear sinners or anyone outside of His will. I don't know anything about your relationship with God, but unless or until I aligned myself with God's will I never received answers to my prayers either.'
God's Word is so clear, "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18); "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). There is just no way to misinterpret those scriptures. They point to being disobedient and sin (iniquity) is a result of disobedience.


Christians should never take the avenue of prayer for granted, but we should humbly thank God for this blessed means of communication with Him because He is the One who richly provides all good and perfect gifts (James 1:17; John 3:27), including life itself (Acts 17:25; Acts 17:28). If you are not hearing from God on a consistent basis it may be time to take spiritual inventory. Are you still aligned with God's will? Sometimes God will be what we interpret as "silent" and it can be when His answer is no! Understand though, "no" is still an answer it's just not the one you wanted or were anticipating. Hope is not lost. If you are truly walking in His will, if you fear Him with godly fear, if you seek to obey Him, He will hear you and HE WILL answer and grant your prayer requests either exactly as you've asked or in a different way, even perhaps at a better time than what you understand right now. He knows what is best: the what, where, why and who. Go over all the scriptures I've included today: the what, why, how, and who regarding prayer until you better understand how prayer works and then make an adjustment to do what is necessary to be heard. If nothing else today, I URGE YOU to read Proverbs 1: 22-33 on your own. Look at the words, especially verses 28-33! It says so much about unanswered prayer!

Until next time,
-Pat-

Were You There When God Created?

So often throughout my Christian life, I've been asked to denounce Creation and side with evolution. I suppose your choice to believe in creation or the Big Boom depends on what you do with the first sentence found in Genesis, Chapter 1 of any version of the Bible. It states simply and clearly, "In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and the earth." (just a quick notation. God created heaven(s). plural!) If we believe that statement, we can believe everything else that follows. If we reject that statement, we will also deny every other general truth in the Scriptures.

Several years ago I was engaged in a conversation with a non-Christian regarding the creation of all things and gave several verses from the book of Genesis to uphold my belief that 'in the beginning, God created all things' and I let it be known I did not support evolution as is being taught. I stressed that I believed the record of creation just as it was written, nothing added, nothing removed, nothing changed. The non-Christian was quick to interject all that she believed and went to great lengths in giving her own theory of not only how the world began but how life developed from what she called a primordial cell through reptiles, monkeys, and up to humans! When she was finished with her explanation I had to ask a very basic question, "Were you there?" I thought it was a simple, straight forward question. She replied, "Of course I wasn't there!" I responded, "Well, God was there and I'll trust the word of the eyewitness rather than that of those who rely on their own speculations, opinions, intellect, ideas, or guesses." This is the same response I will give today.

We all know that in a court of law, eyewitness testimony carries the most weight. Hearsay testimony is always thrown out. The same is true of creation. God asked Job this question (and it is one you can actually ask any naysayers of creation), "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" (Job 38:4). God Himself laid the foundations of the earth. If you look up the word 'foundation' in the dictionary, you'll find that it means: starting point, base, beginning. Therefore God had a starting point ("in the beginning"), the foundations of this physical globe upon which he made everything in it and on it which includes LIFE itself: all the elements from atoms, cells, electrons, DNA, you name it. Creation began with God Himself. God was there, and His Word can be trusted (Psalm 104:1-5; Psalm 119: 142; Psalm 19: 7-9). If you want to read a very interesting article that will challenge evolution and ask you questions you will not have an answer for you can go to https://creationtoday.org/creationist-challenge/

Every living creature manifests an intelligent design. An explosion or "big boom" as evolutionist refers to could not possibly have created a perfect intellectual design in something as complex as a cell. A living cell is so awesomely complex that its interdependent components stagger the imagination and defy evolutionary explanations. Take DNA. DNA is the real mind-blower! The fact that you need DNA to make DNA is amazing. No genetic code can be demonstrated to have risen by chance, together with the ability to read that code and carry out its instructions. But that is what DNA does! We must honestly consider that information does not arise spontaneously, and there is an incredible amount of information in even the tiniest of cells ... plant, animal, or human! So as far as evolution vs creation I ask you, "Were you there?" How do you answer? What side do you support? I suppose your choice to believe depends on what you do with the first sentence in Genesis, Chapter 1 of any version of the Bible. Keep in mind, evolution constantly changes with theories and speculations as more scientists add their opinions. However, the Word of God has never changed, nor will it ever. "For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:18). Creation is by God and nothing else!
Until next time,
-Pat-

I Have Nothing To Offer

On a beautiful warm Saturday morning years ago, a very good Christian friend and I were having breakfast at an Einstein's bagel shop. At a nearby table, I noticed a young woman sitting quietly reading her Bible. She was absorbed in the text, occasionally looking up to consider what she had read, then bowing her head in what seemed like a prayer to God. She never said a word, but her heart and priorities were visible to everyone in the bagel shop. As I think back now, it strikes me that her actions were a gentle, positive, and silent influence. There were as many eyes were on this lady as there were eyes ignoring her. I just remember how I admired her willingness to live out her faith in the midst of "the world." She was not ashamed of Christ nor of His New Testament (Hebrews 9:11-15 KJV). She didn't stand to preach or break out in heavenly song. This lady was willing to be identified with the Savior, yet she did not need to announce that allegiance, it was obvious!

We can learn from the example of this woman. There are times when the quietness of our everyday actions speak louder than our words, revealing our love for the Lord (Philippians 1:21-27). In our desire to share Christ with a sinful world, we should not ignore the power of our silent influence (1 Thessalonians 1:5-8). All of us have a testimony whether it is expressed verbally or even silently like the lady in Einstein's bagel shop. And just because some of us are not preachers, teachers, authors or otherwise, we are NOT less qualified to influence or even change a life with the smallest of gestures. We can 'be Jesus' in imperfect simple ways.

What was most impressive about my visit to the bagel shop that day was a little boy who wasn't much older than 3 or 4 who kept imitating the lady who was reading her Bible. He would hold his hands as if he was holding a book, talk to himself, the place the imaginary book on the table in front of him. He continued this behavior and every so often would tug on his mother's arm as if he wanted to tell her something. He was the cutest little boy! Finally, his mother looked down at her son. He quickly pointed to the Christian lady and turned and whispered something in his mother's ear. The mother looked up, saw the lady, then signaled her family ... I'm assuming as a reminder they forgot to pray before eating ... then they all bowed their head and said a prayer! It was evident the little boy's family gave him a foundation of faith and prayer. So much so that when he observed the Christian lady's behavior, it was that behavior that influenced him to follow suit. Again, you are NOT less qualified to influence or even change a life with the smallest of gestures. You can 'be Jesus' in imperfect simple ways.

The world is desperate for Christ. They just don't know it. Acts of kindness or love, giving, sharing, letting your faith be seen in a Christ-like manner is influential. Even I remembered this incident which happened over 15 years ago! You might be surprised what things the world sees and observes, and how much influence those things may play in a persons life now if not later. So many times as Christian's we think we have nothing to offer. That just isn't so. Be aware of your surroundings and always let the light of Christ shine through love, kindness, a simple gesture, helping someone, a kind word, encouragement, etc. People may not remember certain things or details that happen, but they will always remember how you made them feel. Colossians 3:12-16 NLV, "God has chosen you. You are holy and loved by Him. Because of this, your new life should be full of loving-pity. You should be kind to others and have no pride. Be gentle and be willing to wait for others. Try to understand other people. Forgive each other. If you have something against someone, forgive him. That is the way the Lord forgave you. And to all these things, you must add love. Love holds everything and everybody together and makes all these good things perfect. Let the peace of Christ have power over your hearts. You were chosen as a part of His body. Always be thankful. Let the teaching of Christ and His words keep on living in you. These make your lives rich and full of wisdom. Keep on teaching and helping each other."
Until next time,
-Pat-

Failure

How do we define failure? It seems that when we don’t succeed at something, we say we’ve failed. We didn’t win the championship, so we failed to win the championship. I didn’t get the job I wanted, I failed to get the job. I missed that shot, so I failed. I didn’t make millions of dollars, so I failed as a provider. I didn’t get the boy I wanted from this pregnancy so I’m a failure. That list could go on and on listing perceived failures. Why do we always talk about the fact that we all fail or that failure is inevitable? One of the things I want to do as I address the subject of failure is to redefine what failure means. At least what it means according to my definition because I believe it’s too easy to say, “I failed, therefore, I am a failure.” It’s too easy to make that jump from not getting something we wanted to suddenly pinning the failure tag on ourselves. At times we mess up. We sin, we do wrong, we make mistakes, we don’t do what we should do, in fact, Paul reminds us of that fact when he speaks personally about himself, saying "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing" (Romans 7:15). Some might label Paul as a failure. If we were Paul, we might have said, we’re failures. We can do the same when we don’t do what we believe we should be doing. However, my struggle with the word failure and failed is that it’s too easy of a label to pin on ourselves. So, let me tell you my take on failure.

Failure is inaction! Failure is not making an attempt to do what you believe you are supposed to do. If I try, then I have not failed. For example, if you didn't win the championship, some would say, maybe even you would say, you failed. But I don’t believe that's failure! You simply didn’t succeed as you had hoped. The fact that you competed and tried and worked to attain that goal is not failure. Failure would have been quitting, failure would have been not making the attempt. Think that through. Even if you tried out for the team and you got cut you didn’t fail. It’s easy to label yourself as a failure. But you didn’t fail!! You simply didn’t succeed in your pursuit to make the team. If you applied and interviewed and did the best you could, but didn’t get the job, you didn’t fail, you didn’t succeed as you hoped for. So, with that in mind, when we don’t succeed or even if we have failed, then we’ve opened ourselves up for an opportunity to have God work in our lives in a way that can change who we are. Let's examine some scriptures.

In Luke 22, after the supper, Jesus looked at the disciples and said, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ Peter answered Jesus, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to Him, Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same (Luke 22:31-35). We all know what happened. Peter did deny Jesus! He denied the very Savior He proclaimed was Christ the Son of God. Did you miss Jesus words-- YOU WILL ALL FALL AWAY BECAUSE OF ME THIS NIGHT? Jesus said ALL! That's an amazing statement!

Had Peter "failed" and blown his chance to spend eternity in heaven because of his blatant denial of Jesus? Not one denial mind you, three denials! Let's go on to verse 32 which is very enlightening. Jesus addresses Peter in verse 32 saying, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." What exactly was Jesus saying? Why would Jesus suggest Peter be "converted"? Wasn't Peter already converted? After all, he was a disciple! What does this mean? The word converted in this sense means to turn back, to return to, to turn again. If we understand that Jesus was telling Peter 'when you are converted' He was telling Peter and every Christian believer who follows Him, that Peter was going to turn around, that he would come back, that he would return and convert back from his temporary inaction to do the right thing. It also points out that Peter became weak because of one thing- fear, and it was a temporary weakness brought on by fear that made him deny he ever knew or had been associated with Jesus. Peter was not acting unlike many of us when we face choices to do the right thing becoming overwhelmed by disappointments, doubts, or insecurities, etc. How often have we taken a step back and denied that Jesus could resolve our problems, was listening to our prayers, or really cared what was happening in our lives? Have you ever denied you're a Christian in a crowd of secular people who are making fun of the bible and its promises? Did you remain silent? Your silence is a manifestation of fear. In those moments of testing, we can sometimes fail to act, but we are not failures. Peter did not fall away or abandon Christ altogether. The mere fact Jesus pointed out to Peter "when you are converted" (when you come back to me realizing your inaction to speak up) shows that we too mess up but Jesus still wants us (as He did Peter) to "convert", to come back, to turn around because in truth, we aren't failures! We are His people, His Church on earth, His called, His faithful. In other words, Luke 22:32 highlights the mercy of Christ yet once again. You see, sometimes when we mess up, instead of turning to God, we turn away from God. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done. Sometimes we think, ‘well, I did it now, God doesn’t love me anymore. God is probably super angry, shaking His head at me, trying to disown me as His child.’ But that’s not true! Jesus came and died for you, He loves you, you’re His child and you are passionately and unconditionally loved. He wants you to come to Him so you can find healing. Think about how crazy that thought process is. Why would God send Jesus into the world to forgive us, and then when we mess up, He would disown us. That’s the last thing on God’s mind and heart. He wants to bring healing and wholeness to you, not beat you up.

James 4 tells us, "Draw close to God and he will draw close to you." What is it that you are not succeeding in? Is there something going on in your life, in which you’re beating yourself up about it? You can’t forgive yourself? You can’t move forward? You believe you don’t deserve to be forgiven or redeemed so you move further from God, when in fact you should be drawing closer to God. What issues are you going through? Remember, the thief is Satan. And his job is to get you to believe you don’t deserve to have joy. You don’t deserve what’s good in life. You don’t deserve salvation. He wants you to believe you’re a total screw up, a sinner who’s unredeemable. He wants you to believe you’re a failure and what would God want with a messed up sinful failure. Well, Jesus wants that messed up, sinful failure. I don’t believe God sees us as failures. We are sinful, yes. So, Jesus came to give us life. He came to give you more than life. He wants you to more than survive through the tough times. He wants you to thrive. He wants you to live the abundant life that only He offers. It’s there and it’s available, but you have to call out to Jesus for the healing, help, strength, and power. We don’t do what we should do. We do what we shouldn’t do. But in God’s eyes, we’re His kids, He created us in His image so we have intrinsic worth because God is worthy. Now get up, brush yourself off, return, be converted and walk like you are a child of the KING because you are!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Inside The Heart Of An Apple

I'm not invested in watching that much television anymore. If I do watch anything it's programs like National Geographic, Animal Planet, or DYI shows. The other day I was watching an interesting program about earthworms. What I found fascinating is that they are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female sex organs. Fascinated by all the information I continued watching as the narrator exhausted everything there was to say about different species of worms. He then asked the question "Have you ever wondered how a worm gets inside of an apple?" I was, so I listened intently as he went on, "If you think that the worm burrows in the apple from the outside, you'd be wrong," he said. He explained that scientists have discovered that the worm comes from the inside of the apple. I no sooner thought to myself how is that possible that he answered, "Female apple maggot flies find a sweet-smelling apple that is ripening and lands on it. Using a small, sharp, hollow tube on the underside of her body, the fly stabs a small hole in the fruit. Then she releases her eggs, which slide down that hollow tube into the apple." **I wonder how many apples I've bitten into that had eggs I knew nothing about?** YUCK! But I digress.

Soon after this process, the narrator explained that "the eggs hatch inside the heart of the apple." (That was an interesting way of putting it) Then, the tiny white worms called railroad worms, eat their way out of the apple! It dawned on me that this is a perfect illustration of how SIN, like the worm, begins inside the heart of a man and works out through an individual's thoughts, words, and actions. Listen to what Jesus said when addressing the Jews in Matthew 15: 15-20, "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man." He is saying, there is nothing externally outside a man, that entering into him can defile him (spiritually): but the things which come out of the man, those are the very things that defile the man (Mark 7:15). Drinking a cold beer, a smoking vice, or eating a diet high in fat ARE NOT what Jesus is telling us that defiles the soul. Granted these things may harm, injure, or even kill the body, but they are stupid choices we may eventually pay for in the body! Again, in simple speech, Don’t you understand yet? Anything you eat passes through your stomach literally goes into the sewer. But the words you speak, my friend, come from your heart—that’s what defiles you! Why? Jesus told us, "For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander." THESE are what defile you.

The Pharisees had questioned Jesus in the above explanation because He permitted his disciples to eat with what the Jews considered were defiled hands (from the outside). We inherently think that defilement comes from outside of us. This is what religion teaches us. As long as we can stay away from certain people or places or things, we can remain pure and right with God. It’s all about overcoming bad habits and bad company because if we can remain separate from the evil outside of us then we will remain pure. That's what most think but that is incorrect. It is much easier to keep the outside clean and so it follows our souls must, therefore, be clean. Right? Wrong! Religion and its insistence on rules, however, cannot change the heart! And yet, this is how we are defiled before God, and this is what Jesus addresses in the second part of his parable. He is not saying that there is no such thing as defilement; he just challenges the popular opinion regarding its source. Defilement, Jesus says, does not come from out there. Rather, it comes from within here. It is “what comes out of a person” that defiles him. It is said in James 3:6 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. (the tongue manifests what is hidden in the heart) The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:45) For thousands of years, the cure has always been A NEW CLEAN HEART. God said, "And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart." (Ezekiel 36:26). And David prayed, " Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). The message is simple. We need a heart change!

Now when we talk about the “heart” we tend to think only about emotions. Here it is contrasted with the stomach, but not because the heart refers to the spiritual part of a person as opposed to the physical part of a person. Both Hebrew and Greek speak of the heart as the seat of all physical, spiritual, and mental life. The heart is used to summarize who we really are, and the way we relate to God. We typically refer to this as our “soul.” It is that which makes us who we are. Again, not that our bodies are not a part of the “real you,” but it is also self-evident that there is something more to us than our bodies. I love what C. S. Lewis said: We do not have a soul. We ARE a soul. We "have" a body.
Jesus tells us all the sins listed in Matthew 15: 15-20 come from our hearts. Instinctively we know this! Before we ever commit sexual immorality with our bodies we do it with our hearts. Right? Same with theft, murder, deceit, envy, and pride. These things are sinful not because God has made rules to rob us of joy. What makes things sinful is our hearts in rebellion against God and the good purposes he has for us in His gifts.

I read an interesting quote while on my Twitter account this week, “The wicked think their sin is nothing, the moral think it is small, and the religious think it is manageable.” You see, if the problem is dirty hands, that’s easy. We can manage that with a little religion. But if the problem is a defiled heart we need more powerful medicine. The rules of religion can address our behavior. But dirty hands are nothing compared to a defiled heart. The good news is that God has given us a promise. To those who are guilty of defiling His holy name, He says, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:25-26).Through the gospel, we can be saved from our defiled hearts. God will give you a “new heart” that can respond to Him, rather than your old heart of stone that stubbornly refuses to obey Him. We come to Christ, then, not to rid ourselves of the impurities outside of us, but to find the only solution to the problem within us! If you are serious in following Jesus and you faithfully carry it out, He promises to wash your heart, to make you undefiled, blameless and pure and holy before God. You cannot do it by any effort on your part. He works that miracle by the Holy Spirit inside you. Father, I pray that no one will walk away from this blog today with an unwashed heart, but that their hearts might be made clean through the blood of Christ.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Garage Sale

Who doesn't love a good garage sale? You've heard the idiom, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." That is so true!
What if Satan had a garage sale. What do you suppose he would have laid out on tables? I imagine he would offer ALL THE TOOLS of his trade to anyone who would pay the price. (His wages demand death.) I can see it now. Spread out on the tables, each "tool" labeled hatred, malice, envy, gossip, perversion, lust - all the weapons that everyone knows so well. But off to one side on a table lay a harmless-looking tool marked "discouragement." It is old and worn looking but is priced far above anything else Satan offers. The reason it is priced so high is that Satan can use this one tool so much more easily than the others. No one ever seems to know this one even belongs to Satan, so with it he is able to open doors that are bolted tightly! Once he gets inside a man's heart with this particular tool, he can easily use any of the other tools that best suits his purpose!

Ask yourself, "What heroic and inspiring accounts were never written because Satan effectively used his tool of discouragement?" I have personally experienced this when attempting to write my blogs. Satan whispers his discouraging cadence like these on nearly a weekly basis: "No one will read your stuff" or "That subject is boring, don't write it" or "Just stop! No one is reading your blogs. See, no one even comments." In God's Word, we can find many sad stories of people who lost heart and gave up because of discouragement. For example, when Moses sent the spies into the land of Canaan, all but Caleb and Joshua came back with discouraging news. The fearful saw the size and strength of their opponents rather than remembering the signs and strength of their God (Numbers 13-14).

Remember Peter? Peter vowed he would never deny Jesus, yet he denied Him and fled with the rest when Jesus was arrested! He became so fearful of the retribution he would receive should he have agreed he was one of his disciples that he denied he ever even knew Jesus (Matthew 26: 31-75). Also, Timothy was discouraged to the point that he had become withdrawn and afraid of saying what needed to be said regarding the gospel message (2 Timothy 1:6-8) and thus Paul reminded him, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

We become discouraged when we start paying more attention to obstacles than to opportunities. We become discouraged when we start believing those whispers in our ears from the "father of lies" (John 8:44) instead of the Father "who cannot lie" (Titus 1:2).
We must keep reminding ourselves and other believing Christians that God can do great things with a heart that is His (Joshua 14: 13-14; Numbers 14:24; Deuteronomy 1:36).
My question for you is, does He have your heart and mind or is Satan having his way with you? Have you been fooled by what the father of lies has offered? James has the solution for getting out of the devil's clutches: "Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5: 8-9).
What lies has the enemy of your soul tried to convince you of? His assault on your mind is very subtle. He wants to influence your thinking. He wants to wear you down for his purpose. Stand firm, resist, withstand, and know he is a liar. I'll leave you with these words from scripture, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle is not yours, but God's."
Until next time,
-Pat-

A Simple Roofing Nail

I must share a story I read that I believe applies to ourselves as believers in Christ. It's a great lesson. The story goes like this: There was a congregation that built a beautiful new church building. In fact, folks came from far and wide to see it and admire its beauty! On the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure — except the nail! No one even knew he was there, so he became angry and jealous. “If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!” So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud. That night it rained and torrential winds blew. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The rainwater streaked the walls and all the beautiful murals hanging there. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by all the water. All this because a little nail decided to quit! But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure — but it was also useful! Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust!


The moral of the story I'm sharing is this: Every believer is important to the church! Like the nail, we may feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, our absence is felt. Each of us should make certain that we’re a help and not a hindrance to the future spiritual and numerical growth in the body of Christ. Unlike the little nail, let’s never quit. Why? Because it is important to remember that:
1. We Are Members of the Same Body, The Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) — As members of the body of Christ, we belong to each other and we need each other. Each member of the body has a function to perform so that the body as a whole will grow and remain healthy. Each part is needed, and no one part should think it’s more important than any other part. Remember, a spiritually healthy church is one in which the various members know their God-given gifts, and use them to serve and edify others in that local body (Ephesians 4:11-16; Romans 12:3-16).

2. We Are Soldiers in the Same "Army" (Ephesians 6:10-18) — The church is an army designed to fight against Satan and the hosts of darkness — not to fight each other. Scripture reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." We also need to understand that in the Lord’s army, each individual soldier (Christian) is expected to wage war and fight (1 Timothy 1:18-19; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3-4). Our weapons must never be carnal or our struggle will be useless and eventually deadly (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Therefore, as scripture instructs, "Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6.13).

3. We are all a functioning part (Ephesians 4:13) And in truth, to be functioning at its peak, a physical body needs every part to be working effectively just as our role as the body of Christ is to equip and build one another up “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." To this end, those of us who are stronger, more mature or given gifts, ought to use what we have to empower and equip others in their journey. Some of us will preach, some will teach, others will encourage, some will testify openly, others will pray for those in need, etc. This doesn’t make anyone of us more or less important than another—quite the opposite actually! We are required to have an attitude of servanthood. In fact, in God’s kingdom, the way up is actually down. Jesus Himself told us that in His Kingdom, "the first shall be last and the last shall be first" thus signifying servanthood, humility, meekness. Look at Jesus words, "I've given you an example. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13: 15-17).

We serve each other. We need each other. And no one is above another. The blogs I offer to help Christians grow is no more important than the faithful lady who prays quietly from her bedroom each day. In God's Kingdom, the spiritually mature mentor the spiritually immature. The elders instruct the younger. The rich share with the poor. Those who have gifts equip others for acts of service. The powerful defend the powerless. The strong bear with the failings of the weak. Whether you consider yourself a "nail," a shingle, the soffit, flashing, ridge, eave, fascia, or gable in the roof of the house of God, you are more important than you realize! 1 Corinthians 12:26 says (speaking of all believers) "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." Just as without the nail, everything was affected in a negative way. Today I want to encourage those who feel they have no influence as a Christian, or somehow believe they are insignificant, or that they haven't any ability to affect the conditions of the world, politics, the growth of the Church, overcoming Satans evil devices, whatever it may be, to please realize you are needed! You can and do affect change in all these areas and so much more! And that, regardless of how you have been called by Christ. If you are a Christian, YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED to serve in some capacity regardless of what little part you may think you play. In fact, I would venture to say the private prayers of an 80-year-old Christian woman may be more effective than any blog I write that will more often than not fall upon deaf ears.

Finally, don’t minimize your role! All Christians collectively form the body of Christ. The body is formed of many different parts (Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). All are important. It does not matter what part of the body you are: You have a purpose. As these Bible verses say: "On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it" (1 Corinthians 12:22-24). How could something as insignificant as a little nail be so important? Now you know! Your purpose no matter how big or small is to serve in edifying the Church and to glorify your Father in heaven! It's time to serve!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Naked And Ashamed

As a Christian woman, I would never think of wearing short shorts or any apparel for that matter that insufficiently covered my body. In the same manner, I would never consider leaving my soul insufficiently covered or naked. What do I mean? Physical nakedness has always stood as a symbol of shame (Genesis 9:23; Samuel 10:4). I imagine all of us at one time or another, even as early teens, had a sense of modesty and didn't want anyone to see us naked. Why is that? Because we are born in purity of mind and with innate qualities of morality. As we grow older, these values erode and become tainted by the immorality of the world. If physical nakedness is a shame, how much more should we be embarrassed about the spiritual nakedness of our souls? People don't seem concerned. Why? Is it that others cannot see how we neglect our own souls or the ugliness of sin we hide there? God can.

The church at Laodicea thought they were spiritually rich and "clothed" (safe from judgment), but our Lord said, "and know not that you are wretched (desolate), miserable (unhappy), poor (needy), blind (unperceptive), and naked (spiritually uncovered)" (Revelation 3:17). He counsels them to purchase "white raiment that you may be clothed" (Revelation 3:18). More on this in a minute. It is possible to think that you are sufficiently clothed spiritually yet have no clue you are naked and the shame of your unrighteousness is laid bare before the eyes of God. Nothing is hidden from God's eyes. In fact, "all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13; Psalm 90:8). Thanks to Jesus, there is a remedy for spiritual nakedness. It is clothing the soul by HIS righteousness. What does it involve? It involves the purity of character or "white raiment" (same as being "clothed in white" - as Jesus describes it), LOVE for God (1 John 4:16-21), and complete submission to HIS will (Matthew 7:21). Jesus was totally submissive to His Father's will even in the face of death- "not my will but Thine be done" - and so should we be -- that we do not appear naked and ashamed before God on the day of judgment (2 Corinthians 5:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

In the parable of the marriage feast, located in Matthew 22:1-14, we see one man in attendance that did not have on the proper wedding garment (Matthew 22:11), he was not "clothed" properly even though he knew that he should have come prepared by wearing one (verse 12). Jesus is telling us something very important here. That is this, spiritually speaking, without the proper wedding garment the man was considered NAKED (2 Corinthians 5:3; Revelation 3:18; Revelation 7:13-14) ** it would advisable that you look these up sometime today.** The man was invited to the marriage feast, just as you, me, and the entire world are invited to come. However, just as with a black-tie event here, you may not attend a black-tie event unless you are dressed appropriately! You might arrive at the door but you'll be denied entrance. With that in mind, spiritually speaking, what kind of wedding garment should the man have had on so he could enter? Scripture says a white wedding garment (Revelation 7:9-13), same as "white raiment" mentioned in Revelation 3:18 which is made white by the blood of the Lamb- Jesus sacrifice on the cross for sin (Revelation 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-6.) This is all symbolic language of course. Your covering (garment) can only be made "white" (spotless, sinless) by the Blood of Jesus (accepting and believing His atonement for your sin by His sacrifice on the cross.) How do you acquire it and how can you put it on?

We can only acquire this white wedding garment (a symbol of purity and holiness) by being "clothed" with Christ. Another way of saying it is when we are "clothed" with Christ ... we "put on" Christ. We "put on" Christ when we are baptized "into Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Then, when we "put on" Christ in baptism, we immediately become "clothed" with the proper wedding garment (Revelation 19:5-8). Without Jesus, there is no hope. Wearing a cross around your neck, going to church on Sundays, or believing you're a Christian because you consider yourself mostly good is not the proper "garment" to attend the wedding supper of Jesus Christ. You'll be stopped at the door! When Christ (the bridegroom) comes again to receive His holy Bride (His faithful believers- see Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 21:1-2,9; 2 Corinthians 11:1-2), and all the members who were invited, they MUST BE CLOTHED IN "white raiment" according to Revelation 3:18 or they will be considered spiritually "naked" and thus be ashamed before the King (Christ). Notice in the scriptural parable I gave, EVERYONE was invited to the marriage feast (refer to Matthew 22:1-10) even though some refused to come (find that in Matthew 22:1-3). That's the world today! Spiritually speaking, every last person on earth is invited to the marriage feast THROUGH THE GOSPEL CALL (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Revelation 22:17) but even so, many will refuse to come (Matthew 22:14; Acts13: 44-46). One of the most poignant verses in the Bible is this, "For the message of the cross, (which is that Jesus died for you for the remission of sins) is foolishness TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, but to us who are being saved (the believers) it is the power of God" (1Corinthians 1:18)-emphasis mine. How many times have you ever approached a family member, friend, or even a stranger with the message of the gospel and that person thought it foolish or you foolish for believing "such garbage"? Those people are perishing!

Finally, it is God's desire that every person come to the saving gospel of Christ (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4), thus being clothed in the appropriate wedding garment (Galatians 3:27) in preparation for the marriage feast of the LAMB (Jesus) and His Bride (the church body of believers) (Revelation 21:2; verse 9-10). Are you ready to attend the marriage feast of the Lamb [Christ] and His bride (the church – Ephesians 5:25-32)? When the bridegroom [Christ] comes, only those who are “ready” (Matthew 25:10) will be allowed entrance into the marriage ceremony. All others will be rejected (Matthew 25:11-12).
If you have not already “clothed” yourself with the proper wedding garment, won’t you seriously consider doing that today? (2 Corinthians 6:2). Clothe yourself with Christ (Gal. 3:27), so you won’t be found “naked” or “ashamed” (2 Corinthians 5:3; Revelation 3:18) when the Bridegroom [Christ] returns to receive and rapture His bride; the church (Matthew 25:10; Revelation 21:1-2,9). Naked or clothed — ashamed or not ashamed. It’s our choice (Joshua 24:14-15). "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame" (Revelation 16:15 KJV) Here it is in the NIV "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
Until next time,
-Pat-

You Must Be Born Again. What???

So often we hear the line from John 3, "You must be born again" as a prerequisite to being saved but do we understand it? Even non-Christians have heard the term and sometimes refer to us as, those "born-again Christians." We say it, they hear it, but what does BORN-AGAIN really mean? First of all, let's look at random versions from five different Bibles to confirm that anyone who wants to enter the Kingdom of God MUST be born again.
1. NIV (New International Version): Jesus said, "Verily truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again."
2. ASV (American Standard Version): Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except one be born anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
3. CBS (Christian Standard Bible Version): Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
4. KJV (King James Version): Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
5. NRSV (New Revised Standard Version): Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above."

You can see that regardless of what Bible you pick up, every version agrees except or unless a person is born-again they will never see nor enter the Kingdom of God. Those are the direct words of Jesus. No version has ever changed that truth. However, people usually stop at verse 3 and never continue reading to find out what Jesus meant by being "born-again." So often we just seem to ignore verse 5 which expounds what being born of the Spirit is. Here is the full verse (Jesus Himself speaking), "Very, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." Do you see anything of significance there? Let me highlight it for you. Jesus Himself has told each of us that most assuredly and indeed, unless and until (barring no other way) you are BORN of WATER and of THE SPIRIT, you will never enter God's Kingdom after physical death. Being "born-again" is conditional. It is subject to a requirement. It requires water and Spirit. The word "water" has a significant meaning in this verse. This is what I want you to know. Most interpret the verse to mean a person has to be literally baptized in H2o ... submerged, dunked, engulfed, etc. and then you're saved. And though Christians do participate in literal water baptism as a way to acknowledge their faith and a symbol of washing away their sins, baptism in literal water is an indication of what actually happens in a spiritual sense. Jesus is telling us something in the spiritual sense! Watch closely, Jesus said you must be BORN of water. Born of water?? Born? Not dunked, dipped, or sprinkled? What does that mean? How can you be BORN of water? You can be submerged in water (baptized), but born if it? That's an entirely different thing.

Literal water baptism symbolizes "cleansing." It is an act of obedience symbolizing a persons belief in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior ... the believer's death to sin, the burial of the "old life," and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. But Jesus desires more than a symbol from us. He wants a deeper cleansing. Paul speaks about this deeper cleansing. What is it? It is the cleansing of our minds! It means a renewal of our minds by water but the "water" Paul is talking about is GOD'S WRITTEN WORD (the Bible). It is God's Word (Spirit and truth) that cleanses and washes our minds which have been bombarded and infected with all types of worldly lies, deceptions, and sins. The significance of water in a spiritual sense is so important! Consider this: All throughout the Bible believers are referred to as a "she," the "Body" or "The Church" of whom Christ is the head. "She" is also referred to as His Bride (the bride of Christ) since we are married unto Him in faithfulness. To be His Bride, she must be washed, cleansed, spotless and pure (symbolized in Revelation by being dressed in white) and the only way she can be made white is to be cleansed by Him; The WORD who was made flesh (John 1:14.) At the last supper when Jesus said, "Take, eat. This is my Body" He was spiritually referring to HIS WORD! We have communion with Him when we partake of (eat) His Word. THAT is fellowship with the Lord. Why? Because it is only through His Word that our minds, thoughts, and actions are changed. Look at Ephesians 5:6. It speaks about Christ giving up His life for her (His Church), "that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water BY THE WORD." Continuous washing and cleansing, growth and maturity come by "eating" THE WORD. It is Living Water and every Christian needs it daily to feed their spirit as the physical body needs food.

Now, this is key ... Jesus also said (watch closely) "The WORDS that I speak are Spirit and they are life" (John 6:63). So then, not only does the WORD cleanse and wash that same Word is Spirit and life! Jesus Words ARE God's Spirit and it IS the only means by which your heart, mind, conscience, and soul changes from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18) as it transforms us into His likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit! You must understand the importance of reading, taking in, and digesting THE WORD. Scripture clearly tells us JESUS WAS THE WORD MADE FLESH AND LIVED AMONG US (John 1:14). JESUS WAS AND IS THE WORD. According to John 1:1 THAT WORD was from the beginning. It was with God and was God. And that WORD was made flesh (Jesus) and lived among the apostles, disciples, Sadducees, Pharisees, people of Rome and every other person. The disciples were witnesses, "and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). This, therefore, proves Jesus WAS God who came in the flesh as man, to depart to us His Spirit, His Truth, His WORD, that we might be born-again in newness of life, transformed into a "new man" (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10); Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ezekiel 11:19) and find our way back to Him. God's Word is living and God speaks to us through it. His Word is Spirit and it is life.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can reveal and communicate the Bible's spiritual truths. Those who read the Bible apart from the Holy Spirit teaching them cannot understand it because, unlike all other books, it is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2: 6-16.) It is not a mental exercise but a spiritual one. "We (believers in Jesus) have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. The man without the Spirit (of God) does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2: 12-14). The more time we spend reading the Bible (taking of His body in communion) the more the Spirit QUICKENS us (arouses, awakens, strengthens). He reveals and shows us what His Word means, bringing us into alignment with His one, absolute truth ... JESUS THE WORD MADE FLESH!

You must be born again. Exactly this: First, we have to hear the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). That is the first step. “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). It sounds foolish that words from a Bible have the power to penetrate our hearts and change our lives, but they do because they are God’s holy words. Then there is the work of the Holy Spirit. He convicts: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). He changes us. He changes our wills, our affections, our objectives for living, our disposition. He gives us a new purpose and new goals. “Old things pass away, and everything becomes new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then He indwells us: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Jesus Christ says that we must repent of our sin. That means we are willing to change our way of living. We say to God, “I’m a sinner, and I’m sorry.” It’s simple and childlike. Then by faith, we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and Savior. We are willing to follow Him (HIS WORD) in a new life of obedience, in which the Holy Spirit helps us as we read the Bible. You don't have to worry that you haven't the strength to stop sinning. You'll never have it within your own power to do so but I promise, stay in God's Word, remain faithful to read, learn and grow and HE WILL DO THE WORK IN YOU! He gives you His power to overcome and live the life that pleases Him. It's a beautiful thing.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Welcome To ...

There are various franchised fast-food restaurants across America. I believe most of my readers will recognize these... Subway, Burger King, and FireHouse Subs to name just three. In the area I live, each of these fast food places shouts out a unique greeting when you enter their establishment. For instance, you may have been greeted with, "Welcome to Subway," , OR "Welcome to Burger King, home of the famous flame-broiled burger," OR "Welcome to FireHouse Subs" where it is then immediately echoed by every employee behind the counter. In my opinion, "mechanical greetings" leave something greatly to be desired. Employees in many franchises always vocalize the same words ... "Welcome to ..." (fill in the blank). These greeting would be fine except for the fact they are not sincere. There's never any passion or sincerity in their voices because it's just something they have been trained and instructed to say when customers enter their place of business. It feels cold and programmed. Sometimes the same thing happens at funerals when relatives of a deceased family members fly in from different locations around the states. People who have never bothered to write or call you will approach you with a plastered smile and a big "HELLO, how have you been? What have you been up to?" You just want to respond, "Well, had you bothered to call on your own or answered my letters you would know how I've been and what I'm up to!" Their greeting is as programmed as the business establishments. There is no real caring, there is no real love in their words.

The Apostle Paul speaks of sincere, authentic, uncontrived love and faith in 2 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:5 KJV. Paul emphasizes "unfeigned (sincere) love of the brethren." In the very next thought, he defines what that unfeigned love consists of ... "see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently" (1 Peter 1:22 KJV). As believers in Jesus Christ, when we speak words from our mouths, they should be sincere words; words of love, care, and concern for one another AND FOR OUR FELLOW MAN despite his or her opposing beliefs. Only God knows what effect our words of sincerity may have in encouraging those who are outside of Christ. Here is an example. One summer during my medical externship at a Well-Woman office I entered an exam room where there was a patient waiting to see a doctor about her unwanted pregnancy. As I knocked on the door and entered the room I saw a petite, young lady in her late early 20's sitting in a chair next to the exam table. "Good morning, Sandi. I'm Pat and I'm here to take your vitals and get a fetal ultrasound." As the girl look up tears were streaming down her face. I immediately felt empathy. I pulled up a chair beside her and took her hand in mine asking, "What's wrong? This test isn't going to hurt at all. I'll take your blood pressure, get a heart rate, and then you'll lie over there on the exam table. The FHT will require that I put a small amount of a jelly-like substance on your abdomen and run a transducer over your tummy. The transducer will send and receive ultrasonic sound waves and turn them into a picture so the doctor can read it when he comes in. It won't take more than five minutes and will be completely painless." At this point, Sandi lowered her head and began bawling. I sensed it wasn't fear that was bothering her but something much deeper. I felt a sudden urge to console and encourage her with God's love.

"Is it the pregnancy?" I asked. She nodded yes. Looking down at her chart I read that she was single and without insurance. Taking her other hand I asked, "Are you scared?" She nodded yes. "Because you're single?" She nodded again. "Has the father ran off taking no responsibility for this pregnancy?" Once again she nodded yes and mumbled, "I hate myself! My pastor said I'm going to hell. I don't know what to do!" "Look," I said, "There's no need to feel ashamed for what's happened. We all make mistakes. I've done some pretty wild things in my lifetime that I'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone. The most important thing is God understands how you feel right now, but He has not given up on you and He does not hate you! You're not alone. Others may reject you for this but God doesn't. And I don't. Your unplanned pregnancy may alter the course you have to take in life but it by no means has to ruin your life. There are plenty of women in your same predicament that come see us every day. On average I see about three each day and as many as seven per day. You are not alone. You can get through this." She finally raised her head and peered straight into my eyes. I wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'll tell you what. I'll give you a pamphlet that will help instruct you how to take the next steps to keep and raise this beautiful baby you have inside you. I'm not promising the road will be easy, but it will be doable if you trust God with every decision you make. It's what I did and I still do each and every day. Don't be ashamed. It is what it is and soon you'll have a beautiful little child who will love you more than anyone on earth. I will give you that literature before you leave but I would also like to pray for you. Can I do that?" Sandi nodded yes. And I did. There was so much more I encouraged her with not written here today.

Although I never saw Sandi again, three weeks after our brief encounter the head nurse practitioner called me into her office. I became nervous thinking I had fouled up a procedure, forgotten to clean a speculum, or had forgotten to change out the exam table paper! Cautiously entering her office, I sat down on a brown- studded, leather chair nervously anticipating what was about to take place. After all, I was in my 8-week externship which would determine if I was employable, and she had the authority to release me at any time. "I have something for you!" she exclaimed. She was holding a white envelope. My palms became sweaty and my heart began racing. This is it, I thought, she's going to let me go. I took the envelope from her hand. With a smile on her face, she shouted, "Open it. Go ahead, open it!" I reached inside the envelope and unfolded a crisp white letter and began reading.
To: Madelene Swainhart, NP
Hello. My name is Sandi __________ (name left out for privacy purposes). About three weeks ago I was in your office for my first pregnancy - out of wedlock I might add! There was an RMA working there at the time of my visit. Her name was Pat Phillips. I want you to know she saved my life. I wanted to commit suicide that day but she changed my mind. She said some pretty powerful things to me but more than that, she treated me with respect, acceptance, and empathy. You should give her a raise. It's the first time I ever felt cared for or cared about since becoming pregnant. I think you should know you have a great employee and you should commend her. I entered your office feeling dirty and worthless and wanting to commit suicide but I left feeling confident and okay about myself. Things are good now and I'm looking forward to having my baby. Please thank her for me!
Sincerely,
Sandi ______________

We need to wholeheartedly think about how we treat people and show the characteristics of Christ because just like Sandi, you never know how your words and actions may affect the unsaved world. I had no idea I had that kind of effect on her had she not sent that letter. Let us sincerely think about how we treat others and what we say to them, then make any necessary adjustments to our character and disposition. Let's be passionate about our Christianity because the eternal souls of men, women, boys, and girls are at stake.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Standing Alone

Have you ever found yourself standing alone for something and as a result, felt the loneliness and isolation associated with holding fast to your convictions? Maybe you stood for an unpopular political opinion, a cause close to your heart, an anti-abortion position, or maybe it was something that took place in a classroom discussion and everyone disagreed with you. It can be the most terrifying thing in the world to "stand" for your convictions and then to be ridiculed, rejected, or even despised by others. However, the moments that define you will always be those you choose to stand by while everyone else remains seated. The same holds true in Christianity. Jesus instructed believers to choose the narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14). That "narrow way" has few people on it but the way that is broad (the popular worldly path leading to destruction) is crowded with people. And when the world realizes that you are not going their way, they will ridicule you and pressure you to conform, lest you be rejected and despised. Jesus knew this would happen to those who would stand for Him. He prayed for us to the Father. He said, "I have given them Thy Word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Standing alone for God's truth means going against the crowd and making decisions based on what is right, not on what is popular at the moment. Far too often, we incorrectly reason that the popular side (the broad road) “must” be the winning side and that to follow the unpopular road (the narrow road) of our inner convictions might place us on the losing side. Notice, the Bible "it's not filled as much with mass movements as it is with individuals who were willing to stand alone" (Charles Stanley). There were only 12 apostles to begin Christianity. Can you imagine the odds against them? No one ever desires to stand alone. In today's chaotic world, we like to think peer pressure only affects the young. Not so! How many times have you been to a restaurant with a group? Your normal pattern is to pray before meals. When the food comes, you look around to see what everyone else is doing. Everybody else digs right in. So you do too. To stand alone for biblical truth means to go against the crowd and make decisions based on what is right, not on what is popular at the moment. Our actions should not be merely reactions to people; they should be the results of wholehearted love for the Lord and a wholesome fear of Him (Psalm 119:24-26; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Do you remember the following illustration? You can take a frog, drop it into a pan of hot water, and it will immediately react to the liquid and jump out. But you can take that same frog, drop it into a pan of tepid water, gradually turn up the heat, and the frog will sit there. In theory, at least, you can boil the frog alive if you turn the heat up gradually enough. It slowly adapts and accepts the temperature change until it’s too late. That’s what has happened to many of us, isn’t it? Those of us who are over 50, think of all the changes that you have experienced in your lifetimes. Take something as obvious as television programming or movies. Who would have imagined that the standards could have changed as much in the last thirty or forty years as they have? If it had happened all at once, most folk would have screamed bloody murder. You would have been shocked and offended beyond measure. And rightfully so! Many of you would have permanently turned off the television and never went to a movie again. But it didn’t change all at once, did it? Gradually, bit by bit, the level of decency and morality eroded. Sometimes we noticed. Often we didn’t! Because it happened so slowly, we conformed. Now many of us accept and watch things that would have once angered us without even blushing. When it comes to motion pictures, we don't even flinch when watching a brutal murder. We overlook the horror of rape and move on to the next scene. We accept lying and deception. Oh, and don't forget about fornication and adultery playing out before our eyes. All we want to know is who winds up with who at the conclusion of the picture! Even our children's cartoons are permeated with fighting, brutality, witchcraft, and even provocative half-clad female figures! We went from this:

TO THIS!

Why is this even in a movie for children?

Have you personally ever experienced the following? A conversation is taking place at the lunch table at work you are uncomfortable with. Perhaps an off-color joke, maybe just a bit of salacious gossip or a topic with some moral or spiritual undertones. You don't like it. You couldn't disagree more. Or an opportunity about your faith develops. The door is wide open. You know you should speak up. The pressure is on. Do you stand for biblical truths or do you remain quiet for fear of ridicule and rejection? Standing against the odds is never easy. As believers, we must be willing to stand for what is right in this godless society in which we live. It is vital! To do so requires scriptural convictions that we are willing to live for and, if necessary, die for (Revelation 2:10). Are YOU committed - at all costs - to following the Lord on the narrow way? Are you prepared to stand alone when necessary? Can you speak up in the midst of your co-workers when they express or uphold anti-biblical teaching? Every movement starts with one person who is brave enough to stand alone. That person could be you. If you are supporting what you believe in, it is always better to stand alone than not at all.
Until next time,
-Pat-

On Second Thought ...

I was watching a report on television the other day regarding a record number of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination to take on President Trump in the 2020 national election. Just a few weeks ago, 21 contenders were lined up to compete in the primaries. Yet, less than three weeks later that number has been whittled down to only five candidates. All the others have suspended their campaigns. The drastic change in these viable contestants made me think about how quickly people can change their minds. Think about how quickly the potential candidates changed their minds and decided to drop out of the race. When it comes to changing our minds about something, is it that we change our mind, our hearts, or our thoughts. Which is it? Are these all the same thing? Consider the following phrases:
1. I've changed my mind
2. I've had a change of heart
3. Hold on a minute/second
4. On second thought ...
5. Upon reflection, I ...
6. After further consideration ...
7. I'm not sure what I was thinking when ...
8. I decided to do a 180

Those phrases are kind of interesting, no? You've probably never seen a variety of those 'mind-changing phrases' listed in one place before. Yet, we've all used them at one time or another. Why do we change our minds? The Apostle Paul makes an interesting statement in Romans 12:2 KJV. He instructs us, "and be not be conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." For those that find the King James Version (copied from the original Greek) difficult to follow because of its usage of "ye" "thee's" and "thou's", here is the same verse from the New International Version (NIV): "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." The key point in Paul's statement is that we need to transform our minds from what we've learned, followed, or patterned our lives after by the world. That "transformation," that change of heart is only possible by applying the Word of God and making it relevant in our lives. Ephesians 5:24-26 tells us that Christ died for us (His believers, His Church, His Bride) that He "might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water BY THE WORD" NKJV (emphasis mine) -- THE WORD meaning His Words, the Bible. It is by His Words that our minds are cleansed and change from worldly to godly which in turn changes our actions that are pleasing to Him.

The "renewing of our mind" is a continuous process throughout our Christian walk (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:16).

We have to continue to read The Word for that renewal, that transformation to change us from glory to glory. Before a follower of Jesus can truly make the "outward" changes of the body (actions), there must first be the "inward" change of the mind (thoughts), for our outward actions start from within (Proverbs 6:18; Proverbs 23:7; Matthew 15:18-20). The whole goal and purpose for "renewing" our mind (making application of God's Word in our lives -see Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10), is so that we might cast down any imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ and to bring EVERY THOUGHT of our heart to the obedience of God." To break the hold of carnal patterns, selfish thinking, misguided and misdirected thoughts we were taught by the world, our minds must be directed to THINK about things that are RIGHT according to God's Word (Philippians 4:8-9). We must be willing to add divine attributes to our character (2 Peter 1: 4-8). Why? The purpose is so that our lives will be "active" and "fruitful" in service to God (2 Peter 1:8).

In order to change our thought patterns, we must be willing to "put off" the thought patterns of our old lifestyle (the Bible refers to it as our 'old man') by reading renewing, reading renewing, reading renewing, and "put on" the thought patterns of our "new" lifestyle IN CHRIST (the Bible refers to it as the 'new man) see Ephesians 4:22-24 and Colossians 3: 8-14. The purpose of all this? So that our conduct or actions or "manner of life" before others reflect the teachings of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). If you need further instructions beyond what I've said here, then open your Bible today and read Paul's explicit instructions on HOW to PUT ON this NEW MAN (Romans 12:9-21; Ephesians 4:22-32; Ephesians 5:1-33; Ephesians 6:1-18; Colossians 3:1-25). Remember, the "transformation," that "change of heart" is only possible by applying the Word of God and making it relevant in our lives. The Word of God set before us is to elevate our manner of life (which has been tainted by the world) into the "likeness" of that life which Jesus lived in order to bring honor and glory to our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16; John 15:8; 1 Peter 2:12).

We read, renew, and refresh so that we may be filled with the knowledge of God's will. Do you want to know what God's will is? Then read The Word. The purpose to renew your mind is that you have the wisdom to spiritually understand. Do you want to understand God's Word? Then read The Word. Do you want the power to walk worthy by pleasing God? You'll have to read The Word. Do you want to produce good fruit? Every believer should be bearing at least some fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Again, you have to read The Word. You'll never increase in the knowledge of God until you read The Word (Colossians 1: 9-10). A person who truly sees sin for what it is and wants this transformation must stay in The Word. By doing so, he changes his direction from that of:
* Rebelling against God to serving God.
* Practicing sin to abstaining from sin.
* Doing his own will to doing God's will.
* Going in the world's direction to going in God's direction.
* Disobeying God to obeying God through His Word.

True repentance is a change of mind resulting in a change of will that says, "I am wrong, God is right; from now on I will do things God's way and I will change my attitude about sinning against Him." There are many who claim that they have repented, but who don't act like it. They never truly changed their mind about sin. They were never led to repent by godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). In essence, they are like the boy who gets caught stealing a cookie and says, "I'm sorry" only to steal a cookie the next day. No real change of mind had taken place-- no repentance!! Or to illustrate with another example, they are like the man who tells God, "I admit that I've sinned against You; I'm sorry, forgive me" but resumes living his old sinful life again a few days later. No real change of mind and consequently no change of will has taken place. The result is no true transformation. So read, study, learn, understand, follow, transform!! In Jesus mighty Name!
Until next time,
-Pat-