Imagine my surprise today when I was glancing at the news and came across this story. It appears that president elect Obama has chosen influenetial christian minister Rick Warren to give his inaugural invocation come this January.
I was surprised because this is the first I heard about myself, someone who generally reads the news throughout the day and apparently I somehow missed this.
My initial gut reaction was "Oh, Obama....you're slick. This is very politically savvy by trying to appease many of the right-wing conservative evangelicals, and a sure way to soften their stance towards you." Meaning, I smell a little duplicity here on Obama's part. Shrewd and masterful.
But then I beagn to read the story (and I suggest you do as well) and got to thinking about the recent assault on Christmas as a holiday from non-beleivers, and the anti-religious protesting in California over the passing of Prop. 8, and I then I thought to myself "well, God is finally gonna let 'us' win one here." Actually, that's the wrong concept if I take a larger look at everything, but it's nice to see that God is once again reminding people He's still out there.
However, by reading the story, it's important to note how much flak religion, and especially Christainity is getting from the left. It actually saddens me to a certain extent that Obama is now being criticized by those in his own party that think Warren "is not consistent with mainstream American values." What? Are you kidding me? The man who gives and gives and gives and leads such an exemplarly life (reaching out to poor, those infected with HIV/AIDS, etc.) is now being trodden upon as in conflict with with mainstream values? Some of the things that Kathryn Kolbert alludes to in being 'deeply dissapointed' at Warren's pick turns around and now dissapoints me. I'm becoming more and more convinced that the ultra liberal left really wants to destroy America from within, and nothing...and I mean nothing will please them until religion is erradicated from our country.
Some of the points in the article citing Warren's stance on abortion and gay rights and what these people have to say about it are troubling for me. All I can do is pray for pastor Warren, president-elect Obama, and this country as a whole. What is going on here in 2008? When did we become such a country of hate and anti-religion all of a sudden? Is this what we can expect for the next 4-8 years? Sadly, I think so and at least it appears to this blogger that the battle lines for our salvation are becoming bolder and more evident that ever and it scares me. It really does. It goes back to my paranoia that the end is coming sooner than later.
Please Father, have mercy on us all. We are so undeserving of your grace.
Showing posts with label Bible matters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible matters. Show all posts
December 18, 2008
July 21, 2008
Sad News
How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog -- it's here a little while, then it's gone. (James 4: 14)
I found out last Thursday that the senior pastor of my church growing up as a boy has prostrate cancer.
Advanced.
The doctors give him no more than two years to live as he waited way to long to ever have it examined, and it has now progressed into his bones and I am told he is already becomming frail.
He is in his early seventies and has a wife, two children and many grandchildren. I'm told he never had his prostrate ever examined as all men should around the age of 40 and every so often thereafter. If they had caught it early on, it could have been treated and most likely cured.
It is now Monday, and I have no idea what to say. For all intents and purposes he is the early church figure who really introduced God to me. It would take years before I really understood that deeply and what it means to me today. He also married my wife and I.
I haven't been to that church in over two years, not since I found my new and I think it was a good move for me on a spiritual level. But it saddens me to know that he will soon be gone, to have his life robbed away from him do to neglect of a standard checkup. What am I going to say to him that he hasn't heard of or thought of before?
Will a phone call suffice? Should I write a long letter? I most certainly should visit in person, but I feel awkward just coming out of the blue, as if it is totally staged.
In other news I called my grandfather up on Saturday to see if he wanted to go to a model train expo with me. I thought it would be nice to spend a few hours with him. Sadly he declined, not because he didn't want to go....he was very apologetic and sincere is saying he was thankful I did call and invite him, but overall he wasn't feeling to well. I believe my grandfather is in his late eighties, if he isn't 90 already. I guess I should know, and I'm not sure why I don't. Perhaps I take it for granted he'll always be here. And he won't. See, he still has all his faculties. He's pretty sharp and can still move about, but he is getting slower and gets exhausted more eaily now.
I suppose one could say he doesn't have much time left either, and only God above knows if he is saved. He hasn't been to church in decades, and while I beleive he does indeed believe in God and heaven and is more or less a good man, I'm not sure if he has a relationship with Christ or is truly saved.
On a few occassions I have tried to very subtley witness to him, and it was greated with some lukewarm reception. I suppose at this age though I can't afford to wait to much longer even if that means making him slightly angry if I bring it up. But I guess I'd rather him be angry with me for a bit (if he does get angry that is) and know that I tried, than to not have said anything and maybe not offer him Christ's good news.
My wife would say this is one of my biggest problems and why I'm an emotional wreck and a hisory of depression.....because I worry so much about everyone else. I worry so much in regards to the alternative, I lose sleep and joy over my own life and circumstances. You know.....she's right.
I found out last Thursday that the senior pastor of my church growing up as a boy has prostrate cancer.
Advanced.
The doctors give him no more than two years to live as he waited way to long to ever have it examined, and it has now progressed into his bones and I am told he is already becomming frail.
He is in his early seventies and has a wife, two children and many grandchildren. I'm told he never had his prostrate ever examined as all men should around the age of 40 and every so often thereafter. If they had caught it early on, it could have been treated and most likely cured.
It is now Monday, and I have no idea what to say. For all intents and purposes he is the early church figure who really introduced God to me. It would take years before I really understood that deeply and what it means to me today. He also married my wife and I.
I haven't been to that church in over two years, not since I found my new and I think it was a good move for me on a spiritual level. But it saddens me to know that he will soon be gone, to have his life robbed away from him do to neglect of a standard checkup. What am I going to say to him that he hasn't heard of or thought of before?
Will a phone call suffice? Should I write a long letter? I most certainly should visit in person, but I feel awkward just coming out of the blue, as if it is totally staged.
In other news I called my grandfather up on Saturday to see if he wanted to go to a model train expo with me. I thought it would be nice to spend a few hours with him. Sadly he declined, not because he didn't want to go....he was very apologetic and sincere is saying he was thankful I did call and invite him, but overall he wasn't feeling to well. I believe my grandfather is in his late eighties, if he isn't 90 already. I guess I should know, and I'm not sure why I don't. Perhaps I take it for granted he'll always be here. And he won't. See, he still has all his faculties. He's pretty sharp and can still move about, but he is getting slower and gets exhausted more eaily now.
I suppose one could say he doesn't have much time left either, and only God above knows if he is saved. He hasn't been to church in decades, and while I beleive he does indeed believe in God and heaven and is more or less a good man, I'm not sure if he has a relationship with Christ or is truly saved.
On a few occassions I have tried to very subtley witness to him, and it was greated with some lukewarm reception. I suppose at this age though I can't afford to wait to much longer even if that means making him slightly angry if I bring it up. But I guess I'd rather him be angry with me for a bit (if he does get angry that is) and know that I tried, than to not have said anything and maybe not offer him Christ's good news.
My wife would say this is one of my biggest problems and why I'm an emotional wreck and a hisory of depression.....because I worry so much about everyone else. I worry so much in regards to the alternative, I lose sleep and joy over my own life and circumstances. You know.....she's right.
July 02, 2008
Spiritual Intervention?
This afternoon, something strange happened and I thought I'd share it with you all as soon as I could.
I was out in the field working and when I was done, I was close enough to a fast food joint that I thought I'd take a few minutes and grab an Ice-Tea and a snack and sit down and enjoy the coolness of the air conditioned room. Looking for something to read, I happened to grab a small newletter that was stashed in our company truck's glove compartment.
It ended up being the Alamo Christian Ministries World Newsletter and I was drawn to a letter on the front page written to pastor Tony Alamo:
Whoa! This person sounds just like me. I didn't copy the whole letter down, but you get the gist of it. We all have our moments....even Christians....and I too get so angry.
And then I was thinking about the last few days. I've written some lengthy posts the last two days, and I realized that the length of my posts and aggressive tone of them is because I too have been angry at my surroundings.
You see this blog is also my own self-therapy. I tend to write a lot when I am agitated and frustrated. I'm not out skipping in the daisies or humming a pleasing tune...no I am venting. And I can't help but notice that my last few posts may come across as negative. On the contrary, I hope you realize I am venting, and this is a way for me to organize and let loose my feelings without doing something stupid.
But what is really strange and I'd like to call your attention to is the fact that I've been edgy the last few days, and in this state of mind, I randomly grabbed a piece of paper to read....and it turned out to be a Christian newsletter stuffed in our company car. How did that get there? And why did I grab it today of all days? Fate? Perhaps God is trying to bring something to my attention and today took the opportunity to do so.
While I do feel a little bit better, I continue with the remainder of the story I've been venting about the last few days, but I thought you may get a kick out of this strange coincidence.
I was out in the field working and when I was done, I was close enough to a fast food joint that I thought I'd take a few minutes and grab an Ice-Tea and a snack and sit down and enjoy the coolness of the air conditioned room. Looking for something to read, I happened to grab a small newletter that was stashed in our company truck's glove compartment.
It ended up being the Alamo Christian Ministries World Newsletter and I was drawn to a letter on the front page written to pastor Tony Alamo:
Dear Pastor Tony,
Hi, how are you doing and
feeling these days? Well, I'm writing you about the literature that you've
sent me, and I must say I got a lot out of it, and it has opened my eyes to a
lot of things that I was indeed doing wrong and I thought I was right. It
also showed me how unclean my surroundings are and how to deal with it.
Pastor, I'm really trying to put up with people who are not believers of
Christ. It's very hard, and I see myself getting very angry, not because
they don't believe, but because they're trying to make me stumble, and I'm
trying so hard not to stumble. Every time I get angry, I look to the
literature you've sent to me, and then I will pray on it because I'm really
trying to change my way of thinking, as well as living. I still need a lot
of work yet, but with the Lord's help I'll make it.
Whoa! This person sounds just like me. I didn't copy the whole letter down, but you get the gist of it. We all have our moments....even Christians....and I too get so angry.
And then I was thinking about the last few days. I've written some lengthy posts the last two days, and I realized that the length of my posts and aggressive tone of them is because I too have been angry at my surroundings.
You see this blog is also my own self-therapy. I tend to write a lot when I am agitated and frustrated. I'm not out skipping in the daisies or humming a pleasing tune...no I am venting. And I can't help but notice that my last few posts may come across as negative. On the contrary, I hope you realize I am venting, and this is a way for me to organize and let loose my feelings without doing something stupid.
But what is really strange and I'd like to call your attention to is the fact that I've been edgy the last few days, and in this state of mind, I randomly grabbed a piece of paper to read....and it turned out to be a Christian newsletter stuffed in our company car. How did that get there? And why did I grab it today of all days? Fate? Perhaps God is trying to bring something to my attention and today took the opportunity to do so.
While I do feel a little bit better, I continue with the remainder of the story I've been venting about the last few days, but I thought you may get a kick out of this strange coincidence.
June 05, 2008
A new round of tests and counseling (Part II)
I met my confidant over at the church and we were able to secure a regular classroom to talk.
I sat across from him at a large table in grade school like chairs and removed my sun glasses. I told him to give me a minute as I needed to collect my thoughts as I really didn't have time to prepare what I was going to say. Bless his heart on his patience with me.
I decided that the best course of action, if I really wanted some 'real' advice was to give him the full skinny. A brief synopsis of the past few years. I told him about when I started to feel a personality shift within me, when things weren't always looking so rosy anymore, my ups and downs in marriage, the panic attacks, the hives, the inability to have a child, the job loss, the death of my uncle, the medication, the shrinks, the anger/confusion/abandonment feelings from God, the guilt and shame I feel when I look in the mirror, the hatred I was developing for people and situations in general, my insecurities, and finally the thoughts of 'giving-up'.
Amazingly I did it in under 10 minutes. I tried to be succinct and to maintain my composure the best I could, but it was a relief, and I sobbed.
He listened without interruption and took a few minutes himself to digest.
He then shared some of his own struggles throughout his life and shared that he also felt similar things at various times in his life. But the key he said he felt about me, and his observations on me the last months was that God didn't abandon me, nor I abandon God.....the fact was I did not feel I was worthy of God's grace and forgiveness...that I could not accept the fact that I was 'saved'...that I felt I must continually work at penance (most likely from my Catholic roots). To sum it up...I have never taken the time to forgive myself, even though Christ did. And until I came to that realization and acceptance, I would never be internally happy. If I could not feel His love and peace and accept I was forgiven, the darkness would always be present and would boil over into all facets of my life.
And the devil knows this, and uses this this to make my life miserable here on earth. He further explained that since I was already 'forgiven' and 'saved', that Satan has already lost the war on my soul, but was sure to press my buttons here in my mortal shell to always make me think I am unworthy of God's peace and grace.
He told me that I should read the book of Romans, particularly chapter 8.
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. (Romans 8: 1-2)
Our conversation lasted a total of just over an hour, and there was some quiet times, a few more tears, a lot of self introspection. Though I was still feeling bad, it was nice to unload, and to unload on someone who didn't appear to judge me, or ask me weird questions about my upbringing, mommy issues, sexual trauma, etc. I felt genuine concern and advice and care from this person. He wants to talk again in the next few days to see how I'm doing, and he gave me a book from C.S. Lewis called the 'Screwtape Letters' he wants me to read. It's a novel about two demons who plot and scheme to mess with peoples minds, and all the tricks of the trade to make us humans feel unworthy of God's love, filling our minds and hearts with doubt, self-pity, confusion, etc. I promised I would indeed read it.
We walked out together silently and he said a prayer with me.
Now the next hurdle of the day....going home and facing my wife and the rest of the night.
To be continued....
I sat across from him at a large table in grade school like chairs and removed my sun glasses. I told him to give me a minute as I needed to collect my thoughts as I really didn't have time to prepare what I was going to say. Bless his heart on his patience with me.
I decided that the best course of action, if I really wanted some 'real' advice was to give him the full skinny. A brief synopsis of the past few years. I told him about when I started to feel a personality shift within me, when things weren't always looking so rosy anymore, my ups and downs in marriage, the panic attacks, the hives, the inability to have a child, the job loss, the death of my uncle, the medication, the shrinks, the anger/confusion/abandonment feelings from God, the guilt and shame I feel when I look in the mirror, the hatred I was developing for people and situations in general, my insecurities, and finally the thoughts of 'giving-up'.
Amazingly I did it in under 10 minutes. I tried to be succinct and to maintain my composure the best I could, but it was a relief, and I sobbed.
He listened without interruption and took a few minutes himself to digest.
He then shared some of his own struggles throughout his life and shared that he also felt similar things at various times in his life. But the key he said he felt about me, and his observations on me the last months was that God didn't abandon me, nor I abandon God.....the fact was I did not feel I was worthy of God's grace and forgiveness...that I could not accept the fact that I was 'saved'...that I felt I must continually work at penance (most likely from my Catholic roots). To sum it up...I have never taken the time to forgive myself, even though Christ did. And until I came to that realization and acceptance, I would never be internally happy. If I could not feel His love and peace and accept I was forgiven, the darkness would always be present and would boil over into all facets of my life.
And the devil knows this, and uses this this to make my life miserable here on earth. He further explained that since I was already 'forgiven' and 'saved', that Satan has already lost the war on my soul, but was sure to press my buttons here in my mortal shell to always make me think I am unworthy of God's peace and grace.
He told me that I should read the book of Romans, particularly chapter 8.
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. (Romans 8: 1-2)
Our conversation lasted a total of just over an hour, and there was some quiet times, a few more tears, a lot of self introspection. Though I was still feeling bad, it was nice to unload, and to unload on someone who didn't appear to judge me, or ask me weird questions about my upbringing, mommy issues, sexual trauma, etc. I felt genuine concern and advice and care from this person. He wants to talk again in the next few days to see how I'm doing, and he gave me a book from C.S. Lewis called the 'Screwtape Letters' he wants me to read. It's a novel about two demons who plot and scheme to mess with peoples minds, and all the tricks of the trade to make us humans feel unworthy of God's love, filling our minds and hearts with doubt, self-pity, confusion, etc. I promised I would indeed read it.
We walked out together silently and he said a prayer with me.
Now the next hurdle of the day....going home and facing my wife and the rest of the night.
To be continued....
May 01, 2008
Christ does not teach confusion.... (Part II)
So confusion........I started an entry yesterday, and as often happens, they seem to take on a life of their own and before I knew it, I wasn't going to get to the meat of the matter I had originally intended, thus I broke it up into parts.
Today is part 2. Maybe I'll wrap this up, maybe not and you'll be reading part 3 in a few days, so bare with me.
Being a loner most of my life, and especially the last few years have lent to a special air of isolationism on my part. Not that I ever made a conscious decision to end up that way, but circumstances as they have played out I suppose led me there. It's a mixed blessing. There are numerous days I seek companionship and yearn to return to the times where I was a much happier and 'go-lucky' person.....To be the 'life of the party' and everybody's friend as I was a decade ago.
On the flip side, there are days I enjoy the solitude and wish to block out all the madness and corruptness of the world. I want to be left alone and be in my own thoughts. Sometimes its a pleasurable experience, sometimes a very frightening one.
It's during these times of solitude that my mind works overtime and I think about so much and so many questions begin to surface. These are also the times I truly wonder if I do have a 'tinge' of mental instability as a result of imbalanced chemicals, or a lingering symptom of continued depression. When I should be day dreaming of puppy dogs and ice cream and warm beaches and sunsets, my mind tends to drift to apocalyptic events, relationship woes, death, etc.
I mentioned that my wife and I had an 'episode' about two weeks ago. And she made some very valid points. Valid enough that I have to take stock in myself and wonder if my prayers sometimes are not 'pure' enough to be answered. What does God have intended for me, and when will the continuous testing stop and the healing actually begin? Perhaps the healing has begun, but my stubborn side is looking for something more overt, like the Jews looking for a more 'kingly' messiah, than a simple man born in a manger who was and continues to be humble.
After that episode with my wife a lot of strange co incidents started to become very overt to me. It started with church. That Sunday my pastor was teaching from the book of Daniel....and drawing a parallel from Daniels visions to those events to come in Revelations.....a scary subject. On Monday as I was driving home from work, I turned on Christian radio (something I very rarely do) and the message happened to be that of the book of Daniel...again. It was the same message!!!
It gets stranger....
Tuesday I was reading a book, and it just so happens that I came across a chapter (unplanned) that spoke of the end times. And finally Tuesday evening I turned on talk radio late at night (it helps me sleep at times) and the whole two hour block again was on the end times and prophecy. By this time I was spooked! I still am. Two events may be a coincidence, but 4 in the span of 48 hours all talking about the 'end times'? Of course now I can't sleep at this point as I am convinced (at least in my mind) something very suspicious and abnormal is going on here. Why am I hearing these things? Am I being driven mad? Is God trying to tell me something? Or is it Satan having a good laugh at my expense?
But Christ says only He knows the hour and the time. He says not to worry, cast your burdens upon Him, for those that are faithful and have accepted Him should be in peace and care not of the trivialities of this world, for it shall perish, and we will be reborn into glorified bodies and live in the Kingdom forever!!!
However, the confusion begins to escalate for me and I need to seek out some reassurance...
(to be continued...)
Today is part 2. Maybe I'll wrap this up, maybe not and you'll be reading part 3 in a few days, so bare with me.
Being a loner most of my life, and especially the last few years have lent to a special air of isolationism on my part. Not that I ever made a conscious decision to end up that way, but circumstances as they have played out I suppose led me there. It's a mixed blessing. There are numerous days I seek companionship and yearn to return to the times where I was a much happier and 'go-lucky' person.....To be the 'life of the party' and everybody's friend as I was a decade ago.
On the flip side, there are days I enjoy the solitude and wish to block out all the madness and corruptness of the world. I want to be left alone and be in my own thoughts. Sometimes its a pleasurable experience, sometimes a very frightening one.
It's during these times of solitude that my mind works overtime and I think about so much and so many questions begin to surface. These are also the times I truly wonder if I do have a 'tinge' of mental instability as a result of imbalanced chemicals, or a lingering symptom of continued depression. When I should be day dreaming of puppy dogs and ice cream and warm beaches and sunsets, my mind tends to drift to apocalyptic events, relationship woes, death, etc.
I mentioned that my wife and I had an 'episode' about two weeks ago. And she made some very valid points. Valid enough that I have to take stock in myself and wonder if my prayers sometimes are not 'pure' enough to be answered. What does God have intended for me, and when will the continuous testing stop and the healing actually begin? Perhaps the healing has begun, but my stubborn side is looking for something more overt, like the Jews looking for a more 'kingly' messiah, than a simple man born in a manger who was and continues to be humble.
After that episode with my wife a lot of strange co incidents started to become very overt to me. It started with church. That Sunday my pastor was teaching from the book of Daniel....and drawing a parallel from Daniels visions to those events to come in Revelations.....a scary subject. On Monday as I was driving home from work, I turned on Christian radio (something I very rarely do) and the message happened to be that of the book of Daniel...again. It was the same message!!!
It gets stranger....
Tuesday I was reading a book, and it just so happens that I came across a chapter (unplanned) that spoke of the end times. And finally Tuesday evening I turned on talk radio late at night (it helps me sleep at times) and the whole two hour block again was on the end times and prophecy. By this time I was spooked! I still am. Two events may be a coincidence, but 4 in the span of 48 hours all talking about the 'end times'? Of course now I can't sleep at this point as I am convinced (at least in my mind) something very suspicious and abnormal is going on here. Why am I hearing these things? Am I being driven mad? Is God trying to tell me something? Or is it Satan having a good laugh at my expense?
But Christ says only He knows the hour and the time. He says not to worry, cast your burdens upon Him, for those that are faithful and have accepted Him should be in peace and care not of the trivialities of this world, for it shall perish, and we will be reborn into glorified bodies and live in the Kingdom forever!!!
However, the confusion begins to escalate for me and I need to seek out some reassurance...
(to be continued...)
April 30, 2008
Christ does not teach confusion.... (Part I)
...or does He?
At various times in my life I have always wondered why the Bible and the teachings of both the old testament and new testament are more straight forward. I suppose it depends on who you ask...but I think that most can agree that somewhere during their own personal struggles with faith and belief we have wondered exactly what a specific verse means.
Today, there are numerous versions of the bible, including but not limited to: NIV, King James, The Living Bible, New American Standard, etc... I found an article here by Dr. Dale A. Robbins who attempts to explain why so many translations are available if you are interested. I'll tell you now, I don't know any other works or studies by Dr. Robbins, so I am not giving this article my full endorsement.
I also recall many past teachers of the Word who are much more knowledgeable than myself have always said to have 'faith like a child' in what the Word says. Well, logically I guess this makes sense at a very glossary level, but that doesn't help me understand why there are so many versions that all tend to 'fit' a certain denomination. So which one is the 'right' one? Why has God allowed so many various permutations if He wanted to get His one true message across? What makes NIV better that NASB, or vice-versa? Seems to me, He could have made it easier for us if He wanted to get His universal message across to all. But then again, I'm not the creator and I fail to see let alone understand the big picture of a God who lives outside of time and space and is all knowing.
So why am I bringing this all up? Well, I have had a lot of questions lately, especially those focusing on the end times. The thought of the great tribulation, the rapture, ever-lasting life, various judgements, the Antichrist has honestly scared the bejeezuz out of me. I know some Christians look forward to this time and can't wait. Well, personally, I can.....I think I'd rather die of natural causes or an accident than witness what is to come, let alone live it if I am not a part of the rapture.
Even Christians debate on what the 'rapture' really means. Some are pre-trib, others post-trib, some even state it's a metaphor...there won't be an 'actual' rapture as described in Revelations....and each have some solid arguments that confuse even the best and eager students. Heck, I am confused myself. I guess I consider myself a pre-trib person, meaning I believe that true believers will vanish in a twinkling of an eye just prior to the tribulation where the Antichrist will set up his power for conquest over the next seven years.
So I had some questions and asked someone who I believe truly loves the Lord and Christ and is a Christian to help me sort out all these issues in my head. I was really was losing sleep over it and worried...I can't help it...it's my nature and something I struggle with daily. I may even think at times that some of my mental issues comes from the fact I am worried about the afterlife and my presence within it.
His answers really surprised me and was not even close to what I was expecting or had ever really been taught before. So much so in fact, that I had a problem even digesting his own revelations and the questions got bigger than I really wanted to deal with....just the opposite effect of what I was seeking. I relayed my concerns to him about his interpretations and he simply told me two points:
1) Satan knows that I am seeking out the Lord, and the turmoils I go through is his attempt to place self-doubt within my head, to take my focus off of God, to harvest confusion and to make it so that my faith is always on shaky ground because Satan has already lost his war over me, but now just wants to make my life difficult where he can.
and the one I really am wrestling with now...
2) Satan is the author of confusion. Christ and being 'in the Spirit' is of peace. Christ makes clear all that truly seek and gives comfort, not confusion.
Uh, oh. So what does that say about me? I'm more confused than ever, and I'm hearing conflicting answers from peoples whose job it is to minister to people.
(to be continued.....)
At various times in my life I have always wondered why the Bible and the teachings of both the old testament and new testament are more straight forward. I suppose it depends on who you ask...but I think that most can agree that somewhere during their own personal struggles with faith and belief we have wondered exactly what a specific verse means.
Today, there are numerous versions of the bible, including but not limited to: NIV, King James, The Living Bible, New American Standard, etc... I found an article here by Dr. Dale A. Robbins who attempts to explain why so many translations are available if you are interested. I'll tell you now, I don't know any other works or studies by Dr. Robbins, so I am not giving this article my full endorsement.
I also recall many past teachers of the Word who are much more knowledgeable than myself have always said to have 'faith like a child' in what the Word says. Well, logically I guess this makes sense at a very glossary level, but that doesn't help me understand why there are so many versions that all tend to 'fit' a certain denomination. So which one is the 'right' one? Why has God allowed so many various permutations if He wanted to get His one true message across? What makes NIV better that NASB, or vice-versa? Seems to me, He could have made it easier for us if He wanted to get His universal message across to all. But then again, I'm not the creator and I fail to see let alone understand the big picture of a God who lives outside of time and space and is all knowing.
So why am I bringing this all up? Well, I have had a lot of questions lately, especially those focusing on the end times. The thought of the great tribulation, the rapture, ever-lasting life, various judgements, the Antichrist has honestly scared the bejeezuz out of me. I know some Christians look forward to this time and can't wait. Well, personally, I can.....I think I'd rather die of natural causes or an accident than witness what is to come, let alone live it if I am not a part of the rapture.
Even Christians debate on what the 'rapture' really means. Some are pre-trib, others post-trib, some even state it's a metaphor...there won't be an 'actual' rapture as described in Revelations....and each have some solid arguments that confuse even the best and eager students. Heck, I am confused myself. I guess I consider myself a pre-trib person, meaning I believe that true believers will vanish in a twinkling of an eye just prior to the tribulation where the Antichrist will set up his power for conquest over the next seven years.
So I had some questions and asked someone who I believe truly loves the Lord and Christ and is a Christian to help me sort out all these issues in my head. I was really was losing sleep over it and worried...I can't help it...it's my nature and something I struggle with daily. I may even think at times that some of my mental issues comes from the fact I am worried about the afterlife and my presence within it.
His answers really surprised me and was not even close to what I was expecting or had ever really been taught before. So much so in fact, that I had a problem even digesting his own revelations and the questions got bigger than I really wanted to deal with....just the opposite effect of what I was seeking. I relayed my concerns to him about his interpretations and he simply told me two points:
1) Satan knows that I am seeking out the Lord, and the turmoils I go through is his attempt to place self-doubt within my head, to take my focus off of God, to harvest confusion and to make it so that my faith is always on shaky ground because Satan has already lost his war over me, but now just wants to make my life difficult where he can.
and the one I really am wrestling with now...
2) Satan is the author of confusion. Christ and being 'in the Spirit' is of peace. Christ makes clear all that truly seek and gives comfort, not confusion.
Uh, oh. So what does that say about me? I'm more confused than ever, and I'm hearing conflicting answers from peoples whose job it is to minister to people.
(to be continued.....)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)