FORGIVE THE UNFORGIVEABLE

We all know that it is impossible to please everybody.  Try as we might, it is a losing battle.  New celebrities go through rough patches in the beginning of their careers because they experience different results from the world's watchful eyes.  There is bashing, bullying, slander and even downright hate.

As a regular human being, we are not cut out to handle such a drastic change such as fame.  It is easy to accept people who love and admire us, but it is the rest of the majority who we know we will never ever please.  Sometimes those people will destroy your credibility and spread lies about you. You are then tempted to defend yourself but damage has been done and others just don't believe you.

It's the hardest thing for any of us can do but it is important that we do it.  FORGIVE.  Yes, even if the perpetrator has not asked for forgiveness, we need to forgive to free ourselves from the muck and mire that unforgiveness can dispel.

Just realize how much we, have sinned against God and others, and yet God has forgiven our sins.    How arrogant of us not to be able to freely dole out forgiveness.  Not only will we be free from the bonds of unforgiveness but we become a testimony for others to forgive as well.  Jesus said turn the other cheek.  He didn't mean that you let people run all over you, it is more for yourself growing spiritually when you freely forgive others who have wronged you much like God has done for you.  He even took it another step further, by sacrificing His one and only dear Son, Jesus Christ.

If there is unforgiveness in your heart, let it go by forgiving that person.  It is more for yourself than for the other person who most likely is not losing much sleep over what he/she has done to you.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

DIVINE INSURANCE

How good is your insurance policy, for yourself, your car, your house, your everything?  These days there is some kind of an insurance for anything and everything.  It is a cash cow!  

So why exactly do we get insurance?  We all know the answer to that.  We need to get coverage for everything... JUST IN CASE.

There is however, one type of coverage we need, and whether you like it or not, we need it desperately.  

God in the old testament provided coverage for the Israelites when He sent a plague to Egypt so that all the firstborn males would be killed.  God instructed the Israelites to paint the doors of their house with the blood of a lamb so that the plague would "pass over" them.  They had spiritual coverage.  So if they needed it in those days, what makes us think we won't need it in the coming days?

It is promised according to the Book of Revelation that there will come an end time when Jesus will come back and those who have not been saved will be subjected to the Tribulation.  Yes, God sacrificed His only Son and His blood is the blood that will allow the Tribulation to "pass over" us, that is, if you are saved!  The best part of this coverage is that it's free.  Free for the asking.  Jesus only requires that you sign the contract that you are acknowledging Him as the very person who will save you from that catastrophic even that will FOR SURE happen!  How awesome is our God?  He didn't have to do that.  Why then did He, you ask?  BECAUSE HE LOVES US!  His love is a different kind of love.  Your spouse, your child, your parents could love you but only to a certain degree, because as human beings we are limited in the love we can give.  At a certain point, there are conditions to our love, because we are not perfect.

God, however, is perfect.  His love is perfect!  His grace is perfect!  His blessings are perfect and His salvation insurance coverage for us is perfect!  It is the best coverage ever!  When He forgives, He forgets.  When you are forgiven, your sins are as far as the east is to the west, and we all know those two never meet!  

What are you waiting for?

Until my next rant.... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

SIP?

Just sharing my latest painting.  Hope you like it :)

THE INTIMATE CONVERSATION

Do you have a close relationship with God?  Are you a disbeliever because you don't see Him?  True, we are stuck in the old credence that "to see is to believe."  We were programmed by our parents or others who have influenced our ideals and it became a motto, a go-to phrase when we doubt the existence of something, or someone.  

What if we stepped out of our comfort zone for just a moment?  What if we try to give God a chance?   Forget about what the others have said and set it aside for now.

Now look at yourself in the mirror.  Look at your eyes, your face, your skin, your hair.  Consider this... is there anything in the world that could be created as complex as a human being?  Think about the saying, "which came first, the chicken or the egg."  Think about what the atheists say, that we have evolved from apes.  If that is true, how come apes don't turn into people?

We walk around this planet so vulnerable. Anything can cause our bodies to die and life terminated.  Our outer shells are not impervious to the danger that lurk everyday, yet more often than not, we are fairly safe.  Do you ever think about how our bodies have been made?  From a single cell to the whole body, the complexity of its function so precise that we could go crazy trying to figure it out?  Do you still think there isn't a God?  I took a Physiology and Anatomy class in college and it boggled my mind how intricate the human body is.

Sometimes we need to step outside ourselves to really analyze this life.  God is a genius!  He created us with just words.  Whatever He said manifested.  We sin against him everyday, over and over again, and yet He welcomes us with open arms much like a loving parent who loves unconditionally.  He wants us to have a relationship with Him much like we have a relationship with a loved one.  

When I first thought about talking with Him, it felt weird.  After all, it is having a conversation with someone who is invisible.  However, once I got over that initial foolishness, then He became real.  I can't explain how He responds back to me because it isn't a booming voice, it isn't my own voice in my head talking to me, but it's like a heart tug followed by a lightbulb moment.  That is the best way I can explain it as there are no words to describe it.  Then it started to feel natural.  Today, I trust Him more than I trust any other person in this world.

If you listen close enough and converse with Him as if you are confiding with a close friend who doesn't judge you, be open and you too will hear His voice (or whatever it is).

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

OUR LIFE'S VISION

When we were born into sin, we were faultless.  We were still too innocent to choose to sin but since sin is inherent in our DNA, God cannot fault us for that.  

Our fault begins when we begin to be aware of God, His desires for that which He created us to be, and our blatant refusal to become obedient and follow His will.  Sin was not caused to us by Adam and Eve.  Sin was caused to Adam and Eve by satan in the Garden of Eden.  There was a point in my life when I declared that what happened in the beginning was merely a myth.  You know just like those greek gods and goddesses.

My world of awareness began later in life.  Almost  40, when I realized that I was totally wrong about the whole bible.  How silly of my to have wasted all that time refusing the light which increased my darkness.

When our vision declines at around age 40, we go to the eye doctor for an assessment so that we could restore our clear vision.  It is a healthy practice to make sure our eyes are healthy.  But there is another set of eyes that we need to keep healthy and that is our spiritual eyes.  The perfect visual vision for this is up.  Looking to God to see whether our vision is in line with His.

To do that, we must do the following: First, our vision cannot go against what God has already revealed in His Word.  God will never steer us where His Word and His character is contradicted. There are no exceptions to this.  Second, we must use our common sense.  When we use the brain that God has given us, then our vision will stay on track as we move closer to fulfilling them.  Third, and this is big!  We must be faithful and our faith must not go against our common sense.  Faith means that you have visions or goals that is big enough that you cannot do it alone, rather you need to consult God on it every step of the way.  He wants us to dream big but not crazy.  Lastly, if your vision and dream is in line with God, He will back it up.  You will be required to do leaps of faith which can be scary but you do them anyway because you believe that God's got your back.

So keep your vision clear.  Until my next rant...  LOVE ONE ANOTHER!