I’m baack…

Not to simply assume that you did notice or that you were wondering, but just in case you did: on Tuesday I simply (no it was not simple) could not breathe (and that wasn’t simple) so I called my monitoring system and they quickly called the Paramedics,

The Paramedics couldn’t help me either and so they took to me hospital. And they admitted me and began a series of tests. When they looked at everything and compared it to the last time that I was in they immediately saw resemblances .

Then, what I was told just shocked me. At first they asked : “What do you do when something that you are eating or drinking gets stuck back into throat. Do you spit it out?” I immediately replied “No, I cannot spit now, it just doesn’t work.” And they said “Well THAT’S your problem.”

And to be honest with you, at first I thought “Is this what it what it means to do your best (and screw up) up to things as a human Christian? And I truly thought about this for a long. long time.

Then I realized that Jesus didn’t come and live the life He lived and die the death He did and arise on the third day and then ascend into the heavens for Perfect People! No, He came to make a difference for everyone and He did! That’s why his final wosds were it is finished.

And I felt a lot better.

This is the life we live in the world in which we live. Is it going to be pretty? No. Was is for Jesus? No. Did Jesus go to Heaven? Yes. Will we go to Heaven? Jesus said we woud. And I trust Him.

Holy

Webster’s dictionary says this:

Holy: 1. Worthy of absolute devotion
2. sacred
3. having a divine quality

Now I don’t know about you but I am definitely NOT holy. I couldn’t be but I know who is: God!

I am not worthy of absolute devotion, I am not sacred and I have no divine qualities. But God is all of those things and more.

In the scriptures and in my translation the word “holy” is used 584 times. In the Old Testament it referred to an action or thing that was to be considered to be “holy”. But, when it came to people, they were made “holy”. It wasn’t something about them or what they did that made them “holy” no, it was God that made them “holy”:

Lev 20:8
8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy .
NIV

And in the New Testament it is clear that we are “holy” by God’s choice before the creation of the world, before we were even born:

Eph 1:4
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
NIV

So we are not holy by our choice or our behavior, we are holy only by His choice. It’s not US, it’s Him. And we can be thankful for that..

I’m a die hard Christian

Every moment of every day I think about Christ. Nothing, absolutely nothing that I do is because “I can”, no it’s because He allows me to do it.

And I don’t think that it’s just me or people who are just like me! No, He is just that way. He made each of us and He loves us. That much! Yes it is hard to believe, but it’s true.

I am quite fortunate because He took the time and effort to teach me! As a human I have a difficult time understanding that because 1+1 does NOT = 2. And as humans that’s our rule of thumb. 1+1 must equal 2 so that we can figure everything out.

But with Jesus things just aren’t that way at all. No, He’s not human He’s a Spiritual Being with totally different thoughts, intentions & actions. That alone makes Him worthy of praise but there’s more!

Remember creation? He is capable of that! He was involved in that and He is our God. We are extremely fortunate. Beyond what we even know.

So YES I’m a die hard Christian.

Priorities


Everyone has priorities. But what are priorities? Miriam Webster defines priority in the dictionary as a noun that means: the fact of coming earlier. Synonyms are: precedence and priority.

So it’s pretty clear that a priority or several priorities are things or a thing that comes earlier or first. That is pretty simple isn’t it? Yes it is, but not so fast…

Who decides that something is a priority? Now you can begin to see the complexity. It would be much more simple if we always decided on own but we do not. Others define them like bosses and friends or even a spouse or our children.

The bottom line is: it must be done FIRST and BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. First and before anything else. If you do this then that will happen. So priorities take front seat in our lives. Because if you do this then you will get or have that and if that is a priority to you then you WILL DO THIS!

It is much more complex when you think of it this way.

And if you’re a Christian it becomes even more complex. And you wonder why? Well, think about it. Priorities are often defined by the world. Money and time are usually what we want, but the only way to get them is if we meet the priorities which have been set for us by the powers that be. If you don’t do it, then you won’t get what you want.

And what you want becomes the definition of what you do. If THIS doesn’t happen then you won’t get THAT! Not because you want it or need it. It’s because you made sure that THIS happened.

Now, think about that. The reason that you do everything that you do is based on priorities, some of which you have set and some that were set by someone or something else, not you. But they must be done because you want or need something.

Now you get the picture.

Priorities are why you do what you do. So at times you cannot meet some ones needs because quite frankly their needs are NOT on your list of priorities.

If is difficult to understand AND accept but it is true.

Case in point, I am your brother in Christ but no one ever comes to see me. I live my life all alone because you all have other more important priorities.

That’s hard to realize and very hard to accept, but I have to do it 365 days a year and yes it is hard. But I have no choice. It’s not my choice but yours. Are you happy? I hope so because I’m not.

Since tomorrow is Halloween and you are my friends I wanted to say something to you. I know that this is a very special holiday for some but I want to remind you of something. The main theme of this day seems to be death and unusual and not common. Unfortunately this holiday comes only once a year. But we have the one who conquered death alive in us every moment of every day!



Imagine that at a Halloween party! It is if you go. No costume and no joke!

Cross

Matt 16:24
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
NIV
Take up his cross…Now what does that mean? Duh! I cannot walk so anyone else who can has the control over things and that is extremely difficult for me as a HUMAN to allow it to happen and Ataxia also does not allow me to have ANY control over simple physical things!

Now, think for a moment about Jesus. He participated in the creation of the World and the creation of mankind (just to name what I, as a human know), so I don’t know for sure, but I imagine that He knew, better than I can imagine what it feels like to be in control.

Now, He already knew that becoming a human and having to live on this Earth would be difficult to do, but He did it. And having to die on the cross is actually horrible, but I don’t know and neither do you. But to be beaten and actually nailed to a cross is clearly, fully giving up control. And then physically dying in full acknowledgment of your human disciples that you created and having to allow other humans that you made do all of the work with your dead body is clearly and totally giving up control and He said that you MUST do it too!

I cannot walk and I have Ataxia but I am actually blessed to be like I am. Because first, I’m alive, and then I live in an apartment. I make all of my food, I live fully independently, shower by myself and write to you. How? I honestly do not know, but I do know that I have fully given up control of everything to the power that raised Jesus from the dead. I am no longer in control of anything but I know, love and trust who is.

Today has been very interesting. Not good, but very interesting.

I went to bed early last night and got up very early this morning because I was supposed to be going to the beach today. When I woke up this morning, early in fact, the song: Who am I was playing on my clock radio, so I listened to the whole song.

I do like that song a lot, but I did think that’s kind of odd because that song is old…but it did begin to make some sense that it had not before.

You see, this morning I did have some serious and very unexpected and totally ugly problems. Really ugly. In fact, so ugly that I decided not to go to the beach today. Just to stay home all together.

And at first I thought Oh darn, that’s a lot to miss and I have to admit that at first, I wondered why would this happen today of all days? And when I am His child? Then the song began to make some new sense to me.

Yes, I am His child, and Yes, He is extremely powerful, but I am supposed to be dead and I’m not. And this IS life here on Earth and it will have some ups and downs but that does NOT change the fact that I am alive and He is who He is.

And I also thought Did anything really horrible happen? No! Was I without help? No! Then what’s the problem? When push came to shove there wasn’t any problem. I had made a good decision. I had gotten more than sufficient help and I had given proper notification to everyone and when I needed help, I got it. So, NO I didn’t go to the beach, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I am His child and brother and friend and He is my Savior and my God. Nothing has changed. I just didn’t get to do an Earthly thing, but I am ok and He is God.

More than we can ask or imagine

Eph 3:20

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
NIV



Ok, I do have some huge trouble, but although it is difficult to realize especially in times of trouble, God is far bigger and will do more than we can ever ask or imagine.

It’s true. We’ve heard it and we have read it but until you are in my position they are just words. Good words, I’ll admit, but still just words.

Please just look at me for a moment. I’m alive, but I normally would not be. I am living in an apartment and I do most everything on my own. Should I be able to? No! But I can. Why? Well when human reality can no longer equate, it can only be God.

No matter what happens or simply does not happen (that is what we as humans cannot even begin to imagine) I am cared for by God. I have come to the point in my life that I have got to know and realize that. I have got to relax.

When I was attacked, I’m almost positive that I wasn’t immediately praying Oh dear God, please help me and keep me alive. No. but that is what happened then and it continues each and every day.

So this is far more than I could ever have asked or imagined. And let me point out the word ask. We simply just don’t realize that He’s there! Always! He knows what’s going on in us and around us. He made us! So of course He cares for and helps us. But, there’s even more to us than we can fathom!

Someday this human life will end, but our spiritual life (our likeness to God) will never end! With nothing else, that alone for us as humans is more than we can ask or imagine.

I am the recipient of a HUGE blessing!

Yes, I am very human but I can love people just because they exist! Not because of who they are right now, or where they do or do not go to Church, or what they have done or might do. No, God created them in His image and that’s all that’s important.

Now, remember that I am a normal human so there are times when people are not lovable and I do get hurt but that doesn’t change the fact that God created them. It may not be a good idea for me to continue to be around them but that’s ok. We are human and our relationship with God is not in question. Our relationship with some humans is in question but our relationship with God is not.

I am not responsible for how others feel. They make their choices, I don’t, and if I choose to like it, that’s up to me.

So now life is so much easier for me!

My power is made perfect in weakness.


Today was a hard, hard day. Not as one would expect, I took the day off from Church and fully concentrated on trying to make some sense out of an extremely serious problem. Well, did I? No, I didn’t. I just determined that the problem was even more humongous than I had originally suspected. I honestly just could not figure out how I was going to be able to win.

But I had forgotten that Jesus had told Paul: My power is made perfect in weakness.

Did He say “Stronger”? No. Did He say “Full”? No. Did He say “Wonderful”? No, He said complete,

So while I thought that I was doing good things and definitely better things than most and He was definitely very close to me, obviously it was because I was weak. Because His power was definitely perfect.

The last time that I looked it was 7:25 A.M. and I have just realized something that is tremendous for us as humans. And, if we realize this then it makes life incredibly simple!

I used to think I’m surprised, but I can do this. And I’ll bet that many of you are the same way. I was always surprised and very confident.

That’s what the world teaches you and constantly reinforces.

But, according to the world and it’s best knowledge I should be dead or at best a vegetable. But I’m not! Why? That’s a good question because it makes absolutely no sense.

Because we exist at all because we mere made by God. A real God who has real power. And everything happens because He allows it to.

So, yes I was a genius and I had many accomplishments but they ALL were given to me. They weren’t my knowledge OR accomplishments (my personal successes) at all, they were gifts that had been given to me by the Godhead.

The fact that I am alive at all is all of the proof that I need, but I could go on and on and on.

I feel the need to tell you this. In my early years I was a part of a religion where it was up to you to decide whether you were right or wrong but I don’t feel that’s correct any more. It’s up to the Lord. He’s the judge, not I.

But sometimes when I say things the old habit take’s over and it becomes an issue of whether or not I’m right and that is just not the case. Oh yes, I’m human and I’m 50 years old so old habits do die hard.

So this is a formal apology and a thank you for being patient with me.

Other than turn it on and get ready, this is the only thing that I have done on my computer. And it is because I have just come to realize (and it is just the very beginning) how truly awesome God is!

As humans we honestly cannot even begin to realize this. We cannot even think that He could know and be involved in each persons life, but He can and is!

He hears each and every prayer and He will be there at judgment knowing what each of us has done. And yes this is far more than we can begin to understand or know how to do, but He does it!

I just finished breakfast and as of this morning my roommate has left for a few days to help his father move in San Francisco, and some things have happened in my life recently that had me scared and I (honestly) didn’t even want to be out of bed let alone eat breakfast and begin a very busy day. No, I was scared!

But breakfast went well, even though I spilled milk all over the table! Yes, I did and I even cleaned it all up. And I have got to be honest-that was the WORST thing that could have happened! But it is all cleaned up now. How? I did it! How? The only way I could. Why? I can only know for a fact the Lord helped me! How do I know that? Because everything and I mean everything was against me but it happened!

So you can begin to KNOW that the Lord is there!

I’m not so important anymore


Before my injury I used to always think and ponder Is this going to satisfy me? And if I thought that it would then I would do it. I was very intelligent and always had an excellent job and made a lot of money. Yes, I was satisfied. But, there could always something else that could be better. That’s why I interviewed for a job in France and for Microsoft and Starbucks. I always looked to satisfy me.

Now, I don’t do that. One thing that’s different is that I have a Traumatic Brain Injury (among other things) and I cannot work. So I’m no longer viewed as a Genius. Do I still have a brain? Yes. But can I use it? Yes I do, but the most vital thing that Jesus has taught me is that there are other human beings that are more important than I am. I would never have realized that on my own and I am very thankful for that understanding.

Think about it. Really think about that. This world always, and I mean always, tells you that you are #1 and that how you view things and that is the deciding factor for all decision making. You, you, you. But, surprise! It’s not really that way!

That’s why Salvation is so important to people. We view it as the one, most important thing that you can do for yourself. Well, surprise! Jesus did that for you. He did something that you couldn’t do for yourself! If you can understand that, then this should begin to make sense to you.

Everyone else is more important than I am. I could be wrong, but I believe that that is why Jesus came here to this Earth. Read this:
John 1:1-5
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
NIV

Phil 2:6

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
NIV

Are you beginning to see what I’m saying? If Jesus was always looking out for Himself (#1), then we wouldn’t have these scriptures, but we do. And we’ve got to realize this: Jesus, our Savior and our God, didn’t think of Himself, no He thought of others FIRST! Most importantly He thought of YOU!

So with you out of the way (which I have experienced), all of the sudden everything is about OTHER PEOPLE. Are thy happy? What God given gift do YOU have to satisfy OTHERS? Many times they are your brothers and sisters, so you are responsible for THEM!

Now your entire focus is changed! Things are no longer about you, things are about them! And you’re a human with some God given gifts so think like He did. If He didn’t consider that equality with God was something to hold on to so He came to save you, and you possess Him, then you should be reaching out to others.

It didn’t matter to Him what people were or what they were going to become-He came! Do you see? It wasn’t about Him, no it was about us. And if He lives in us (which He does) then that’s how we should be.

God is very good



You know, if you haven’t thought about this, I have and you should.

God is very good.

When I got hurt, my brain stem was completely severed. The normal thing for someone is death. In fact the doctor’s said: He’s either going to die or he’ll be a vegetable all of his life, but I lived and not just lived but I lived well.

Even though I was extremely sinful when I was hurt, my wife came from Virginia to Seattle, Washington and saw me and wouldn’t turn the life saving devices off, called everyone and stayed 6 whole weeks for the trial, was badly shocked at me and very hurt but she didn’t divorce me.

And now she has moved from Virginia to California. All of this while she had an adult son who is Developmentally Delayed and has ADHD. She is Bipolar and an alcoholic. My adult son has many disorders. And our adopted adult son is Educably Mentally Retarded. Was God involved in this? Well, you figure it out. 1+1 does not equal 2, so obviously yes.

And now there’s no Conservator or Board & Care. No, I actually live in an apartment and have a roommate who I am helping. And I am trying to start a ministry. Do I love God? Oh yes I do! With my body, my soul, mind, strength and spirit!

Do you understand how far I’ve come? God has to have been involved because in view of what initially happened according to mankind, I should be dead or at best a vegetable. But I’m not dead and I’m not a vegetable.

God is very good.

My opinion?


I received a comment from my BLOG saying: Do you always have to be right?

So I thought that I should tell you this. When I get an idea or even a thought about something the very first thing that I do is research it in the Bible. And sometimes I will find out something that I didn’t know!

And that’s ok! I do tell you when that happens. My ultimate goal is to share the gospel with you, so I send it out to you and publish it.

So everyone can see the topic, the research and the results. So it is not a matter of opinion, it is fact and I explain scripturally why it is there! And when (not before) I have thoroughly researched it and believe it meets my goal of sharing the gospel, then and only then do I send it out and publish it in my BLOG.

It is not a matter of my opinion.

Disassociate

There have been some questions on this, so I decided to make it clear. And since society views the dictionary as the Bible of words, I will use that to further explain my point and I am using Webster’s dictionary.

According to it, Dis means no longer.

Therefore, according to the dictionary, Associate means: Associate: to join in companionship or partnership, or To connect in thought.

And in like manner Disassociate means to no longer join in the explanation of associate.

Therefore when a Church disassociates itself from a member, in effect that group as a group will no longer join in companionship or partnership and they do not connect in thought with a member.

Now, I can only imagine that this is the case when people cannot get along but that’s why Jesus was here—we were sinners and did not, would not and could not agree with God the Father’s way. Thus we were forever separated from Him.

But, to remedy this situation for US, God sent His son to die for us on the cross and then to rise up from death to show us clearly that there IS life after human death!

And, as a human He NEVER disassociated Himself from anyone, there is not even one scriptural example of Him doing that. And WE ARE HIS BODY IN THIS LIFE, and so we should do the same thing!

But we don’t. We cut them off and have nothing to do with them. People criticized Jesus for hanging around with sinners and He said “I didn’t come for those who are well, I came for the sick”. So, as His body, we have to understand that and follow that.

I agree that this is a step way beyond where we are as humans. But Jesus was a human too when He came to this Earth and He did it, so SO CAN YOU.

Talk about something being “Out of the box”, Jesus went “Out of the box” and we celebrate what He did and He lives in us. He wasn’t concerned with what society thought, no He was there for them and so are we!

Sometimes I do stupid things…

I don’t mean to…I think that things are just fine, but I tend to sometimes forget that there are risks.

One time in Occupational Therapy this woman had me actually standing up alone and playing a game at a table and she was clear across the table from me. Now that wasn’t safe, but at that time I didn’t know.

Well, the next second I found myself laying on a mat with a pillow and a rag under my head and they had called an ambulance.

I had no idea of what had happened, but obviously something had. As I am told, I was standing up and all of the sudden I fell down and hit my head on something so it bleeding and that is why they had called an ambulance.

I ended up having to get 3 staples in my head. And I never had any pain. Obviously it wasn’t a safe situation for me to be standing alone and playing a game, but hindsight didn’t allow me not to get the staples in my head.

So I should have known that I was not to be trusted, but no, no, no! I’m a proud 50 year old man! And last night (because I had figured out how to do it) I took a shower without telling my roommate. This was and is a problem for me because sure I had figured out how to do it but that doesn’t mean that I can and will do it!

I could have fallen or worse and no one would have known! I have got to think out the possible risks and start asking for someone’s help in prescience or assistance! But that’s hard for me to do because although I live this life in a wheelchair, I don’t realize that I am crippled or handicapped.

If something needs to happen, I just figure out how to do it and then do it! I’ve got to stop that and think about and plan for the risks. I’m not in a facility anymore! This is an apartment, and if I want to keep living then I’m going to have to start telling others what I am doing!

I have probably never done that, so this is new, necessary but new. And it’s not going to be easy, but I have to do it.

To “Withdraw”

Let me start this document by telling you that the human man who is writing this to you was (this is from what I’ve been told because I don’t remember a thing-nothing) living an extremely sinful life 8 years ago. And any Church would have withdrawn from me, And another shocker is that my wife didn’t divorce me and my kids still love me and to top it off (it seems impossible) the one who made my brain stem in the first place came and healed my completely severed brain stem—thus I lived! Now that’s a miracle!

I didn’t deserve it! No, just the opposite! So, you bet, I’m grateful! Yes and so things like this topic, while you may not agree, it’s so simple and normal for me because I’ve been blessed and now I want to bless you!

A “short” description of this would be for a group to disassociate itself from a member; therefore that member is no longer a part of that group and the members of that group are not to have any contact with that person or persons.

According to the dictionary, Associate means: Associate: to join in companionship or partnership, or To connect in thought.

I have been withdrawn from a Church in So. Cal. It was horrible and it will remain in my mind for years,

Basically what it meant was that they thought that I was a bad person and NO ONE from that Church was allowed to have ANY CONTACT with me.

Now, most Churches regardless of the denomination believe and do that.

I’m thankful that God doesn’t because if He did, Jesus would never have come: Rom 5:8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
NIV
If it was wrong to associate with someone who has gone in the wrong direction then God wouldn’t have sent His Son, but He loved us and He did send His Son. And we’re very thankful!

And Jesus lives in us when we accept Him. So, in effect we are we as Christ’s body and where is His body when people do the wrong thing? Do we teach them? Do we love them? No, we withdraw from them.

In other words, we take Christ away from them and forget that they exist. They can come back ONLY if they stop doing wrong things AND admit that they did wrong things and can prove it and ask to come back.

Didn’t we, as Christians have to do that too? No, we didn’t. All we had to do was believe in Jesus. And God saved us. It was His gift. We didn’t deserve it, but we got it! God knew our hearts and it was up to Him. We, on the other hand don’t KNOW other peoples hearts. We probably think that we do, but is it up to us? No it‘s not. We won’t be in control at judgment, but God will, and it’s up to Him.

So, now that song: Don’t tell them that Jesus loves them till you’re ready to love them too has a whole new meaning to me.

We need to start loving others like we were loved by God. No exceptions.

No we don’t have to love or accept what they have done, but we need to just be patient and love and accept them.

Don’t cut them off and take Jesus away and give Satan the upper and the first hand. Let Jesus win!

When Churches withdraw from people they are shutting off what Christ in us can do for people and that is NOT what Jesus did!

If this is true,:
1 Cor 12:27

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
NIV
then we absolutely can not withdraw Christ from people who need Him.

We just have to remember who we are and why He came here.

If Christ came to me at a time like that (and He VERY OBVIOUSLY DID) then we MUST allow Him to continue to come to anyone who needs Him at any time

YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST.

More than anything else, I want for you to know that.

Don’t tell them Jesus loves them till you’re ready to love them too.

It never fails. When I am driven to write something and have reread it a number of times, and think that I have studied something fully and I am fully satisfied and I send it out and add it to my BLOG, and am fully convinced that it is correct (I have verified it completely) someone(s) always replies to me to point out something that they feel is not correct or that they feel that I haven’t stated or gotten incorrect or forgotten.

It’s funny, but obviously they don’t feel that God talks today. Certainly not through me! No, I don’t have the formal education that some people have, so of course not!

I am just led to certain things and driven to write things down. And then I joyously share them with you, feeling happy, excited and fulfilled until I get the information that I have inadvertently neglected something or completely missed a point.

I am always disappointed when I get that point because I think didn’t I research that topic? and Was I off base or what?

Then, I calm down and realize that it was correct, and that No, I didn’t make that up and I did really research that and study that.

And I then feel better.

Confession

This discussion will never appear anywhere in any Church bulletin and it will never be a part of any sermon series at any Church.

It is absolutely not popular. Why? Because it lets God be God. It allows Him to be in charge and not man, and man doesn’t like that.

Well where does salvation come from?

John 3:16-21

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
NIV

OK, if someone accepts Christ then they are saved. But, can’t they lose their salvation, especially if they do wrong things and not confess? Well, read this:
Eph 1:12-14
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory.
NIV
According to what the Bible actually says—NO! You’ve been SEALED as His until you are redeemed.

What?! Are you saying that salvation can never be lost? Well, how was it gained in the first place?
Eph 2:8-10
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
NIV
So are you saying that you had nothing to do with it? Yes I am. It was a gift and now that it has been given you have it. YOU had nothing to do with it. God gave you a gift when you believed. That’s it. In other words you attended the party and got your gift.

Now, I should tell you that I started my research to figure out if what I believed about confession was true or not (that confession has absolutely nothing to do with salvation or being a good and proper Christian) and I have found out that’s true, but I have come across something that’s quite interesting. Your rewards in Heaven do have everything to do with what you do on Earth after you are saved.

I have to say that honestly I didn’t anticipate that I would find that. It’s OK with me, I just didn’t expect to find that. It’s true that your Christian life can’t possibly have any effect on your salvation – that is what Jesus took care of, but your rewards in Heaven DO have everything to do with what YOU do here on Earth after you have been saved.

It’s actually very simple. If you haven’t been saved, you won’t go to Heaven, and thanks to Jesus, that’s a done deal. But what rewards you will get in Heaven, now that depends on YOU and what YOU have done here on Earth after you have become a Christian.

Just read the following scriptures. You will see that what I am saying is true. Life is just between you and God, not you, God and what anyone else sees or thinks. He knows everything and that’s all that you need to ever be concerned with. If anyone says anything at all to you just ask them to back up their need to speak out to you and I guarantee that they can’t do it!

Matt 5:11-12
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven
NIV

Matt 6:1
6:1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
NIV

Matt 6:6-8
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
NIV

Luke 6:34-36
35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
NIV

Col 3:23-25
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward . It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
NIV

Heb 11:26
26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward .
NIV

Rev 22:12
12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
NIV

So it is clear that the rewards: 1) Only go to God’s children, 2) Are given in Heaven, 3) Are based on what you did as God’s child.

So it’s no longer important what people think. God knows your heart, so if you’re His, since you’re working for Him, He’ll see and know it! And that’s ALL that’s important!

Churches are neat and scriptural BUT they are there for believers and to make believers of normal people only. BUT THEY DO NOT MEET THE GOALS AND REQUIRREMENTS OF BEING A CHRISTIAN. Jesus clearly said:
Matt 16:24
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
NIV
Now, what does this mean?

It means that IF we have chosen to follow Jesus, then we have to do what it says, deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. So lets discuss this part by part.

DENY OURSELVES
To deny yourself means very simply that you have to accept the fact that you are no longer the most important person in this world. All of the sudden now, you have to realize and act upon the fact that others are more important than you. This is hard because it is completely contrary to our society which clearly teaches: you, you, you. So this is a huge step out of the norm and away from society for you. But there’s a huge reward for you in the end.

This is where people (unfortunately) choose not to go. Dealing with handicapped people is a good example of this. Most of them aren’t even allowed in Churches! So it seems that many Churches are so involved in the importance of remaining a “proper” business that they have forgotten or neglected this command of Jesus.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
In order to take up your cross you have to be willing to sacrifice yourself (like Jesus did) in a very uncomfortable or unnatural way (like Jesus did). This portion of Jesus instruction is completely missed in most Churches. Handicapped people are 100% excluded from worship. Why? Because people are too uncomfortable to do so. It wouldn’t please the workers or the congregation, so Churches just don’t do it.

AND FOLLOW ME
Where did Jesus spend most of His time while He was here on this earth? With normal people (there isn’t one scripture about fine clothing, makeup, hairdo’s or anything else). Just normal people with nothing to give (but they would listen) and handicapped people. So to follow Jesus we have to be willing to do and be actively doing the same thing.

So now people have a lot to read and think about because this command and example of Jesus is clear, but for most people who claim Christianity, it simply isn’t being followed. What does that mean? I don’t know, I’m not Jesus. But He did say it and it’s extremely easy to understand.

Who is God?

No one has actually seen God, but EVERYONE has an opinion or thought about who He is and what He does. And people have some very strong opinions.

But let’s turn to God and ask Him. In God’s word (the Bible) God has placed Psalm 139 that explains God quite nicely from a human perspective. So let’s use that because if it wasn’t true then it wouldn’t be in His word. But it is so you know that it’s true.

What does Psalm 139 say?

First of all it asks God to investigate our lives and get all the facts firsthand. It explains that we are an open book to Him and that even from a distance He knows what we are thinking. He knows when we leave and when we get back. We’re NEVER out of His sight. He knows what we are going to say BEFORE we start the first sentence. He’s everywhere. He’s too wonderful to fully accept as a human! There’s nowhere we can go to avoid his Spirit and light and dark are the same to Him.

He knows us inside and out, unmade and made and every bone in our bodies because He sculpted each our mother’s wombs. We should thank Him because He is breathtaking. Our body and soul are wonderfully made by Him and Him alone.

He watched completely as we grew from conception to birth and He prepared all of the days of our lives before we lived even one.

His thoughts are so rare and beautiful that we’ll never comprehend them, more than the sands of the sea!

And the last thing that is that He asks God will investigate him and lead him in the way everlasting.

Now I think that is an awesome picture of who God is and what He does. So who knows and controls everything? The one who developed and planned and knows about everything---God.

Mission Impossible

Today my Church started a series that was called Mission Possible - being the Church that God intended, and they used Acts 2:41-47 as the baseline:

Acts 2:41-47

41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Church people don’t do this and what about those of us who have needs? Is it OK to just overlook us? Were all of these people normal and without needs? I doubt it, but judging from today’s societies – NO!) 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. (Church people don’t do this) 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. (Church people don’t do this) 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. (Church people don’t do this) And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
NIV

When I read this I see the documentation of a group of Christians that were wholly committed to each other and they were happy, very happy. And the Lord was happy with them too.

And the Sr. Pastor said that they would be praying about How would God want them to be a Church for the Inland Empire. And so of course I thought of people being there to care for each other and quit just sending them off to someone else like they have done with me.

Satan’s rule in this world is clearly money, so people have the right jobs (and they’re important), the right homes, the right cars, the right fashions, the right hairdos, etc, all to show that they’re up to speed with this life. And, unfortunately our Churches admire this. And, excuse me, but I know for a fact that God doesn’t.

So no one helps anyone. They have other priorities, and others who have made helping others their careers and financial guidelines (there’s that money thing again) are called upon (at totally no cost to the Church members) to help out and often, they are just in the work for the money, they’re not Church members.

What’s wrong with this picture?

It may be a great deal for you to consider, but in my shoes and according to the Bible, it’s not.

Am I a child in God’s family? In Heaven, yes. On Earth, not so much so, because I’m just too much trouble for Church people.

Do I feel good about my life this on Earth? No I don’t.

Jesus said:
Matt 7:13-14

13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
NIV

So is this a narrow gate or a wide gate? Well, everyone goes through it and you have to decide on your own.

I’m in need but alone and in the cold.

I am a very different human being. Yes, I’m very physically handicapped, but for 42 years I wasn’t. Now, I don’t have any memory of those 42 years, but that is one of my handicaps, that along with not being able to walk (along with many other things). But I do love deeply and better understand now, the Godhead.

At this point in my life, the Godhead is all I have and it’s literally all I need too. Satan has given it all he can to ruin this for me, but he just can’t do it. God always wins and I know it.

So, now you know that I’m a believer and that I’m handicapped, but what in the world do I do with my time? Well, right now I’m recovering and learning how to take care of myself, I read the Bible, I listen to Christian music, I’m on the board of director a disabled Christians group for whom I teach, and I have become a close friend to a man who lives in a nursing facility.

Everything requires a good deal of my brains and effort, but the last thing that I mentioned takes the most. And I’m ok with that.

Why? Well, because I just can’t expect stunning results. I have graciously been given compassion for him, but he may or may not become a believer. And Jesus didn’t die for us because our faith was a sealed deal, no, the Bible clearly says that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. So how is that person any different? He’s not. Christ died for him as well as for me, and whether or not he accepts Jesus is not up to me, but loving him is.

Being part of a handicapped community has actually been a good thing for me because (although I don’t remember things) I can tell the difference between non-handicapped and handicapped people. And a huge difference is what society sees and places there.

Now, that brings up a good question: “What IS society?”. The answer to that question (according to what many people think) is simply “normal people”. But many normal people have impediments like glasses, contacts, hearing aides or canes. And Jesus loves us all regardless of impediments. But, He too saw that society was a problem and I believe that is why He spent so much time with the handicapped and the disabled.

Do you remember in Numbers when God sent poisonous snakes on the Israelites and Moses crafted one so that if people were bitten and they looked at Moses snake they were healed (God healed them)? Well, this was somewhat the same thing. Jesus represented God, and because of their handicaps they were rejected by society and excluded from normal life so by Jesus healing them they could be accepted and fit back into life.

And thrilled they were, and so we could do the same kind of thing simply by loving and accepting handicapped people—just the way they are. We have a chance to do what has never been done before—accept them! If Jesus wants to heal them now-He will, but in the meantime we can love them where they are and as they are. And that’s a more complete picture of Jesus than anything I can think of.

Mission Possible


At the Church that I attend and am a member the current sermon series that is being taught is called: Mission Possible, being the Church that God intends, but I have not yet heard this sermon.

The scriptures make it very clear about what we are to do:

Matt 22:37-40

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
NIV

Now, what does Love your neighbor mean? That’s a good question, not uncommon to wonder that but Jesus made it very clear:
Luke 10:29-37

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
NIV

Go and do likewise, Jesus said.

Anyone you see is your neighbor. Not because they’re old or young, male or female, nice or rude, handicapped or not, just a God made human being, and especially if they’re in need.

So to me being the Church that God intends clearly in this day and age means loving ALL the people, old and young even the people who are shut-ins or in the Hospital and cannot go to services. Services are nice, but not EVERYONE can or must go to them. They may not pay your Church salary but God loves them.

We can and clearly should make sure to visit them, send them flowers, make them food, pray with them, etc. Anything to make them know that they are important both to us and to God, loved and cared for by Christians because they are Christians! It’s time NOW for the believers to step outside of the standard, age old box and get with the ticket. Now, that’s the Church that God intended! How do I know? Because Jesus said so. Go and do likewise.

Our Churches should ask those who would like to volunteer their time to care for their neighbors. Imagine how happy shut ins would be if we started caring for them? They would be unbelievably happy to know that we and God cared for them—all of the time.

We, as Christians have got to love our neighbors—period. We can’t judge them for ANY reason. We just need to LOVE them. We need to stop being too involved with ourselves and the things of this world and simply focus on God’s people and make them happy. I’ll bet the person helped by the Samaritan was.

Matt 16:24-25

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
NIV

Matt 16:27
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
NIV

Both of these paragraphs are scriptures that come from The Bible in the New Testament and they were BOTH spoken by Jesus. So that should answer a number of questions, but here’s one more: What do they mean? Good question, let’s look at them very closely.

In the first one Jesus says that if anyone comes after Him (wants to be a believer), they must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him, because if anyone wants to save his life then they will lose it but if anyone wants to lose his life for His sake, they will find it.

Now what do the “deny themselves” and “take up your cross” and “lose his life for my sake” parts mean? When we believe or have faith in Jesus, His life becomes ours. There is no longer a “me” there is only a Jesus. Jesus knew way ahead of time that His earthly life would end on the cross, so He was telling His disciples (knowing ahead of time that what He was doing was correct) that if anyone was going to follow Him, they were going to have to believe and act or do correct things before they worried about anything else.

Then in the second one Jesus tells his disciples about His return to the earth and how He will reward people according to what they have done.

So that is pretty clear isn’t it? Basically, if you did or didn’t do the first thing, He will show you in your reward.

So (if you feel that I am correct, and I know that I am because it’s in the Bible) we’d better make sure that we are living these scriptures because the end result that we are given will be the result of what we’ve done in our lives.

So now I come to the main reason that I wrote this, do you realize that 96% of the handicapped community don’t have a Church that wants them? These are people that God created and have His image and they’re being grossly neglected by Christ followers. You can give excuses or say whatever you want, but to me, there’s a lot to be done before we’re really living these scriptures.

And being a handicapped man now with a handicapped wife and 3 handicapped sons, this means a lot to me. But let’s say that you’re not like me. This should still matter to you because your rewards in Heaven will depend on it. So yeah, it’s important.

You did it to God


I have been listening to music lately and this one very old song just sticks with me like no other: “Don’t tell them Jesus loves them till you’re ready to love them too” by Steve Camp. I really like that song a lot and so I researched some of the words that are in it in the Bible.

I don’t normally do that, but it means so much to me that I decided to check it out. In the song he seems to quote the gist of verses 35 and 36:

Matt 25:31-40

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me , I was sick and you looked after me , I was in prison and you came to visit me .'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me .'
NIV

And so I got to thinking He said nothing about them being Proper or Special or anything like that He just called them the least of these brothers of mine.

So that really got me to thinking Who is He referring to? And I thought Well, salvation isn’t mine to give or take so the TRUTH isn’t something that I can or need to know. Therefore if someone says that they are His, all that I can do and should do is believe them.

I really did all of this thinking and concluding and the result is that this statement just opens the doors to many more people than I initially realized!

Finally I now know that people are important to God! And it just reminds me that it’s not important for ME to evaluate anyone! I am only human and not only am I not capable to do that, it’s not up to me!

Realizing that neither my evaluation nor anyone else’s is actually important frees me up to do a lot more caring for people!
And hopefully you can do that too!

I would like to know what NACSPED’s response to and responsibility is for the following.

In my entire family (and I mean the whole group of people), every last person has a disability. They are all adults too. My 57 year old wife is bi-polar. My 37 year old step son is developmentally delayed and battles with severe ADHD. My 32 year old natural son has severe emotional disabilities that have plagued the way he lives. My 22 year old adopted baby son is Educably Mentally Retarded, bi-polar and has a brain injury, then there’s me, I have a traumatic brain injury, I can’t walk, etc.

In today’s society we must all depend on something to get by because we cannot accomplish things ourselves! Federal programs provide some money, but nothing else…thus the burdens fall on families or friends. And that’s all. These people HAVE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE LIFE! Navigation is all they can possibly use.

Aren’t we Christians? Well, surprise surprise, it’s OUR responsibility to care for these people—they’re one of us! I see people who are like this EVERY SUNDAY MORNING in my Light & Power Sunday school class. WE ARE WELCOME THERE! AND WE LIKE EACH OTHER. There are many adults who can help that do help. And that’s great, but what about Sunday mornings prior to class? Are any handicapped people involved in anything? Nope.

And why not? Are we (as a Church) just trying to maintain a status quo or some other standard that has been set by our human organizations? Is it somehow ok for us to finish a service without teaching these people anything? I don’t think so. Jesus didn’t teach us to behave that way.

As Christians, we have some growth to accomplish.

Imagine, if you will, what my reaction (as a Christian and a leader in my family) would be to all of this.

Grace


I woke up this morning thinking about Grace and so I decided to tell you. Webster’s dictionary defines grace as “The unmerited love and favor of God”.

This definition states that it was unmerited, in other words: you didn’t deserve it or earn it. And per scriptures that’s clear:

Rom 5:7-8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us .
NIV

We didn’t deserve it or earn it, but because He loved us, He died for us. Now, what does He died for me while I was s still a sinner mean?

I’m glad that you asked! That is actually very simple. It means that even though you weren’t Godly and perfect or sinless, He was and He was killed as a sacrifice for you! To reconcile you to God (because you weren’t a part of God’s family or reconciled to Him at all before).

The most obvious benefit of what was done by Jesus is me. I was living an extremely sinful life when I got hurt, but I had received Christ as my savior and as He had promised in Matthew 28:20, He never left me! Even though in reality what I was doing at that time paled in comparison to just who I was in reality.

I was a human and I was sinful. He had come to this earth and had become a human too but was sinless, so He willingly became God’s perfect sacrifice for OUR sins because He loved us!

So, did I change as a human? NO! But spiritually (which is how I relate to God), YES! My sinful human spirit was overlaid by Christ’s sinless spirit (which was His intention in the first place) and although I didn’t deserve it, to God I became sinless as Jesus was sinless—permanently!

Jesus isn’t there one minute and gone the next! And His sacrifice wasn’t partially good, NO, IT WAS DESINED IN ADVANCE AND ITS PERMANENT! IT’S NOT EVER GOING TO NEED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. It is written: Once for all.

Believe me, I understand that this is all difficult to grasp, but it’s true! So, when I got hurt, Jesus was there for me. And so normally a person who has a completely severed brain stem would die, the entity that had created my brain stem in the first place was there to heal it for me!

Do I still have problems as a result of the stack? Yes! I have plenty, but I believe that I’m still here to do God’s work. And so gladly and thankfully I’ll do it.

I don’t yet know and maybe I’ll never need to know what it is, but He knows (and He did) and He’s leading me totally and that’s all that I need to know.

John 3:16-21
16 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. 17 God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. 18 Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

19 "This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. 20 Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. 21 But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."

We have all heard the saying that it doesn’t matter what a man or woman has done, Christ can and will save them if they accept Him. Now that’s true and the scriptures above enforce that.

And most people are aware that the Apostle Paul suffered with something that he thought was causing him to sin, so he repeatedly prayed to have it removed, but Jesus told him:
2 Cor 12:9-10
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

And in the Bible it says that His forgiveness was once and for all:

Heb 7:26-27
27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

So, when we come to Christ we can accept Him and be forgiven, but there is absolutely no way that we can or need to remember EVERYTHING that we have done in the past, otherwise we don’t believe that His sacrifice was sufficient and we want him to do it every time we sin, and that’s not possible; but faith in what has been done for us is.

Scriptural Rule of Thumb: “We are saved not by who we are or what we have done in the past or will do in the future, but by Jesus Christ and who He was and Who He is and will always be in the future, and what He has done for us.”

There’s no question that Salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ. And the Bible clearly teaches that when the Father looks at us, He sees Jesus. So, if the only way to Salvation is through Jesus, then the only way out of Salvation is through Him too!

Many religions tell you that if you don’t behave a certain way, then you’re OUT! But that’s not what you read in:

John 3:16-18

16 "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. 17 God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. 18 Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

So, you get out like you got in.

Christ didn’t come to say: Okay, I’ll save you at the first (by forgiving you for what you’ve done just in the past only) but the minute you don’t do everything right, then you’re out. It’s up to you now! (as if you had the power to save yourself in the first place!) Only Jesus does.

Acts 26:16-18

"'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
NIV
Now, that very clearly says that when you’re saved you receive the forgiveness of your sins and a place in Heaven because of your faith in Jesus.

2 Cor 12:7-9

7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
NIV

This was said by Jesus to Paul and in it He said “My grace is sufficient”. Now what part of that don’t people understand? To me that says “you didn’t have to be perfect to be saved, and you won’t ever have to be perfect to remain saved, my grace is bigger and fuller than that and it grows larger to accommodate your weaknesses”.

Now, Paul, even though at times was guided by the Spirit, he was also human, and at times he struggled with the human ability to maintain salvation, but it is important to recognize that Jesus didn’t go through all of that so that WE could be in control. The Law did that and failed. Jesus made something more whereby humans could be SAVED! And it’s somewhat normal for us as humans to feel that we can or cannot have some effect on our salvation, but we cannot. It begins and ends with Jesus.

Rom 8:37-39
37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. 38 I'm absolutely convinced that nothing — nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, 39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable — absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

We do have our own will, and if we decide to no longer rely upon Christ (or believe in Him), then He has nothing to rely upon from us and our reason for Salvation is no longer there, our heart is no longer His.

There are plenty of times that Jesus said “Where is your faith?” In other words, who cares about your behavior, what I’m interested in is your heart, what do you believe in? If it’s in something from yourself (your behavior) then you lose but if your heart is mine, then you win!

In the next scripture Jesus talks to the disciples about having faith that is as small as a mustard seed (that has to be really small!). But, with very little thought I have realized what He was saying. It was don’t think of yourself and how YOU are going to do things, first and foremost have your faith in ME (forgetting about yourself) and then things will happen.

Matt 17:20

20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
NIV

Jesus controls salvation, NOT HUMANS.

Read the following:

Hebrews 10:11-18
11 Every priest goes to work at the altar each day, offers the same old sacrifices year in, year out, and never makes a dent in the sin problem. 12 As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God 13 and waited for his enemies to cave in. 14 It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process. 15 The Holy Spirit confirms this:

16 This new plan I'm making with Israel
isn't going to be written on paper,
isn't going to be chiseled in stone;
This time "I'm writing out the plan in them,
carving it on the lining of their hearts."

17 He concludes,

I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.

18 Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them.

On the night of the last supper Jesus said:
Matt 26:28-29
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
NIV

Christ clearly has forever forgiven and done away with ALL OF THE SINS of those who accept Him.
Heb 9:22-28

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness .

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
NIV

Love Your Neighbor



I know that I just wrote to you, but when I was going to bed last night I realized that I may not have made this totally clear to you, so I’m writing this one to make sure that I have been clear.

I explained that song by Steve Camp, Don’t tell them Jesus loves them till you’re ready to love them too, and I explained how it is our role to simply accept people as Jesus does and not to judge them. But, I inadvertently neglected to emphasize how important it is to simply and I mean simply love them.

The Godhead is obviously extremely familiar with love:

Rom 5:7-8
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
NIV

We, as Christians, are representative of Christ Himself in this world and if Christ gave his life for us because He loved us (when we were unlovable), then we as His representatives we should be loving other people too!

To further explain my point:

Matt 22:37-40

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself .' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
NIV

Love your neighbor as yourself. Love. That is clearly the emphasis. We are to be like Christ. He came because God loved us. And as Christians we are to be the same way.

Now, we have previously discussed how to accept people and that everyone is your neighbor, so this time I think it’s important to focus on love.

What does love mean? It obviously means stepping out of your comfort zone to benefit someone else rather than just ourselves. That is 100% contrary to what this World believes (remember who is running this World).

The Godhead clearly stepped out of it’s comfort zone when Christ came to this Earth to live as a human and be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, so we, as Christians, must be willing to do the same thing.

Now what in the world do I mean when I say step out of your comfort zone?

I’m glad that you asked! Picture or imagine this (if you can), YOU are Jesus. You have done everything correctly and then it’s obvious that mankind (that you’ve helped to create) has a problem with sin and they will forever remain separate from you, so they need a solution and YOU agree to be their solution as a perfect sacrifice for them.

That means leaving your Heavenly life and Godly role and your Father to come to Earth as a human to live and grow in a human woman’s stomach and go through birth as a human, and live as a human with people that you created that will hate you and what you say or tell them, make fun of you, speak falsely of you and finally actually crucify you. YOU will experience physical and mental actual pain, anguish and hardship that you never have before…and YOU would agree to do this? I don’t think so. It’s too much to ask. But Jesus did this.

Jesus also told His followers to take up their cross and follow Him. That’s interesting and what does that mean?

Again, I’m glad that you asked! I, for one can only imagine. But, being a human, as He was and that He created who lives in a world that He created, I believe that statement means go for it and do anything that is required of you! Don’t protect yourself or worry about yourself because life goes beyond this, way beyond, and you’ll live it.

So love your neighbor! Everyone! Try and just keep trying! Forget about yourself! Someday you WILL die and when you do you WILL go to Heaven or Hell, but you WILL live on! In pain or pleasure. It’s God’s judgment but YOU GET TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN DESTINATION!

That’s what I mean by saying Get up and out of your manmade box (lifestyle). Things are way different than the World has tried to force you to believe! God is big, real and here! Eternity is real and it’s coming! If people don’t make a choice, then they’ve made a choice!

Our only REAL job, as Christians, is to save others. That’s what Jesus came to do and since we’re Christians it’s our job now. We have to take up our cross (forget yourselves) and follow Him.

It’s a narrow road. Shut-ins, handicapped people and others can no longer be excluded! They may be our cross, but the end result is well worth it! So take up your cross and follow Jesus!

My Family Is Handicapped

Very few humans can say that their entire family is handicapped, but I can.

Starting with myself, I have a Traumatic Brain Injury and, as a result, there are many other problems. My wife has Bipolar disorder. My oldest son Steven is Developmentally Delayed and suffers from ADHD. My middle son, TJ has emotional disorders. And, my youngest son, Danny, is Educably Mentally Retarded, Emotionally Disabled, and Dyslexic as well as Bi-Polar and Brain Injured.

So there you have it! No one in my family is without a handicap! So you must be wondering: “How do he and his wife feel about all of this?” Well, it could be different, but it’s NOT. This is where God has us, so we’re happy to be here and ready and willing to help them to do all that they need to survive on this earth.

Like what? Well the first thing that I am going to do is get an apartment with my eldest son. By doing that I will be able to teach him:

1. Time Management
2. Budgeting
3. Personal Financial Planning
4. Grocery List Making
5. Grocery Shopping
6. Communication

I see this as a wonderful time for both of us because I cannot walk but I do think well and he can walk just fine but he doesn’t easily think well. So together we’re a very good team! And Jesus leads both of us, so there’s no question that this is good. Plus there are many things that we can do for each other! It’s easily a win-win situation for both of us!

I became handicapped about 7 years ago and everyone in my family (except my middle son) including my wife (who has done an absolutely incredible job of running everything!) has been right beside me. Now that I am finally better (still handicapped, but better), it’s time for me to join my wife and do my duty as one of the parents of our children (now I didn’t say “perfect kids” but these are the kids that God gave us, and we love them!).

So, what will we do with the other children? Well, only God knows, but when it’s time, He’ll let us know and we’ll do it.

Giving


This is a tough subject, but I have given this much thought and it has much scriptural verification.

First of all, should I tithe? Tithing was an Old Testament commandment and it was possible to tithe because it was a commandment when it wasn’t from the heart and the entire New Testament is based on the heart. That’s why when the woman who gave the only two mites that she had Jesus said that she had given the most compared to everyone else.

His evaluation of what she had done wasn’t based on the amount that she gave, it was based on the fact that she had trusted God to provide for her even though she had no more money. She trusted God beyond her material and physical status.

That tells me that my faith is far more valuable than the value of money. So, should I tithe? Good question! We’re no longer under the Old Testament so the commandment to do so is no linger valid. Everything we do now is totally based on the heart, so that opens the door to where ever your heart is.

For me, I’m on a fixed income so I do not have free money to give, but I do have a great deal of free time and effort that I desire to give, and I firmly do believe that God takes good care of me. So, does my free time and effort equal two mites? Good question again!

Now we need to talk and I’ve given this a lot of thought, even as I write. I believe that the most important thing is the heart, so where is my heart? I believe (with good reason) that God takes care of me and my heart is His! And I know that whether I have money or not (which I don’t) I can still bring great value to Christ through what I do and I can volunteer my time and efforts at no cost at all, so yes I believe that equals two mites. When a man who has had a broken brain stem offers to volunteer for Christ, that’s valuable! I’m totally relying on Him to bring value through my efforts. Now that’s faith!

In the scriptures and in the New Testament, Jesus said:
Matt 6:24-27

24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money .

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
NIV

So, the question to me is: Who do I serve? God or money? To me, the answer is extremely clear! I serve God with all of my life! Not just some things—everything! It’s because of Him that I have a life and any abilties. So of course I serve Him. I can, no matter what I do, only give back an extremely small portion of what has been given to me. So, of course I serve Him!

Now, should others do the same? I believe that others should do what I have done: evaluate where they are and what they do. Jesus looks at their heart and they should too!

Heb 11:1
11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
NIV

Faith

Faith. What is it? Well, it would seem that the verse is pretty clear, isn’t it? And if you read the entire chapter, it talks all about people who gave everything down to their very beings for something that they couldn’t see or know. There was no tangible reason there—but they believed, and they got it.

Now, let me tell you why I brought this up. Today, people in Churches have redefined what Faith means. To them faith means that they’re going to the “right” Church, and they go at the “right” time, and they’re wearing the “right” clothes and their hair is fixed the “right” way, and they greet the “right” people the “right” way and they sing the “right” songs the “right” way and they hear the “right” message and then they go home and don’t remember much but that it was everything they had hoped it would be.

But Hebrews 11 goes farther than that. It talks about God forming the earth, and then things that different people did and how they showed their faith and what resulted for each of them. And we’re talking Heaven for them. Yes, they faced real human opposition! But they were true to God. No matter what the cost. And, without fail He rewarded each of them eternally!

So what does that mean to us today? Don’t we go at the “right” time? To the “right” Church? And don’t we do all of the “right” things? Maybe, but more importantly, do you have all of the “right” people there? You know, God made each of us individually the way we are now, for a reason and yet 96% of handicapped people have NO CHURCH to go to that will accept them.

As a father of 3 handicapped sons I have a huge problem with that number versus the reason that most people go to Church. People who are handicapped experience all of the negativity that society, outside the Church has to offer already, and it sounds like we often view church time as a religious social time, and I’m sorry but THAT’S NOT FAITH! What does that say to abnormal or handicapped people? Bringing those people that God created in as they are and loving them, teaching them and serving them and stepping out of OUR COMORT ZONES, now that’s faith!

Be still, and know that I am God

This saying from Psalms is something that everyone should do, but it’s not easy.

Just think about me, I had everything that anyone in this life could want! Perfect marriage, great kids, super house, top of the line cars and an incredible job with tons of money and then this happened to me.

I am now handicapped, I have absolutely no memory, I’m a long way from my home, my wife and my children, I lost my job and I live very poorly watching every penny that I spend. And to top it off (as if there needed to be more), I am just now beginning to realize some of the pain and hardship that my family has had to go through. So, this saying means a great deal to me. But why? Well, let’s look at this very closely.

Be still. Stop stressing and thinking about things! In each person’s day there are plenty of things to think about and/or stress over. But as Christians, we’re God’s children and He has very clearly told us to Be still.

We are also told to know. Not to think about who’s in control or to guess what will happen, no we are to know who’s leading us, and trust Him. If we are still and know then we will begin to trust and relax.

The last thing that He tells us is I am God. He tells us who He is and why we can be still and know. What else could you need? Nothing. Now, I know that the bus will come and if God wants me to come home, I will. I just don’t worry about anything because I’m still and I know that He is God.

The fact that I’m still alive proves that He is God and I’m proud that He’s my Father.

Daniel

He is our son and he’s been on my mind and in my prayers a great deal lately.

Before he was born we met his mother who was pregnant with him and we arranged to adopt him. We were notified when he was born at Camp Pendleton in California. The first time that we saw him, he was 2 hours old. We saw him continually and took him home when he was 2 days old. That was 23 years ago.

From the time he was in preschool, he had problems but he has always been and still is very dear to us. He is our son. When he went to public school the problems just got worse until finally he was declared Educably Mentally Retarded because he couldn’t read or comprehend beyond the 2nd grade level, and he has always known this.

In addition to that his Doctor also told us that he was bipolar and he takes medication for that.

We have always taught him about Jesus and I baptized him. We have also always taught him about the blessing that we are adopted into God’s family so that he would know that we are all the same: Adopted.

About 2 or 3 years ago, he was crossing a road in Virginia and was hit by a truck which also gave him a Brain Injury.

As he has grown up (he has graduated from High School) though, he only declares himself to be Bipolar, nothing else, and of course he thinks that he can and will overcome that.

So he thinks that he has no problems and neither should I, and he doesn’t understand how a son could/should be a caregiver. It just cuts into what he wants to do and thinks has can do in life, thus he’s leaving me at the end of this month. I have kept him in prayer and Jesus is working with him.

I have come so far! All the way from He’s going to die or just be a vegetable all of his life to actually living on my own in an apartment! And the only reason that I am where I am right now is that it has been God’s choice and His doing!

I am very happy and I love Him with all my heart, soul and being. How could I not? He is in control of life and He gave me mine in the first place and He was right there when I needed Him. And He’s still there!

Yes, I’m a happy guy and I’m extremely thankful for my Savior.

I just had my favorite dinner tonight. It was a salad made with baby spinach, croutons, pieces of grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, a fork, a large bowl and Kraft Tuscan House Italian and much flavor and joy.

I eat the whole thing and I love it.

Don’t waste water!

For years at Board & Cares I have been told this and my water at the bathroom sinks has always been turned down. At the time I just thought that they were being picky and I didn’t think that I was wrong.

Well lately I have finally learned to turn the water on and keep it on gently until I’m done. Gently! That just blows me away. It’s not because I know how to do it, I just can do it.

That’s the way I am. God loves me so much that not only did I live but I find myself at times doing things that normally would not be possible—but for me they are!

A friend came over yesterday (more friends should do that) and I was eating salad and he was just blown away that I was doing that! I lived on my own for a month before Daniel got here and I cooked, shopped, cleaned and did everything on my own. The Lord has been awesome to me.

No, I can’t do everything and I still need help sometimes but the love, promise and commitment that I receive from the Lord far exceeds all of that. And to think that all of this was planned for me before I was even born! (Psalm 139:16) It’s true that it’s all too wonderful for me to even comprehend.

Yesterday I had a real live housewarming party! At one point there where actually 29 bodies of Christ in my living room and 4 wandered in later. Talk about feeling good, loved and cared for—I did!

Someone worked extremely hard to get it all set up and keep it stocked up and then cleaned up!

I really felt good about celebrating this “Forward Step” that has amazed some people, and at the party I received the following gifts (peoples presence was wonderful too):

A base with wheels for my laundry
Basket,
A spice rack,
$5.00 in ones,
Utensils,
Freshener,
Paper towels,
Dark chocolate bars,
Laundry basket,
$50.00 in quarters,
$20.00 bill,
8 cloth kitchen things,
Some white cheddar cheese nips

The day was awesome!

I am facing a huge dilemma. My son who lives with me has several cognitive disabilities. Now, there is only 1 that he focuses on the most and that is being bipolar. He does have another one that he at least knows contributes to his problems and that is that he is brain injured. Now he never mentions the fact that he was declared Educably Mentally Retarded.

He cannot take tests without help for reading and understanding the requested information, but he definitely wants to make a good place for himself in this world to make a very positive statement for others with bipolar that it can be done.

Most importantly, he absolutely hates Church and class or being around Christian people. Why? Because he has always been rejected by normal people in those places.

Look at yourselves and your Churches and see if the same thing is going on there too. I’m certain that it probably is. I know because I have lived all over this nation and I haven’t found one place that it isn’t. I’ve tried everywhere.

So what am I going to do now that I’m disabled too? Talk, that’s all I can do. And leave the rest up to God.

Who is God?

No one has actually seen God, but EVERYONE has an opinion or thought about who He is and what He does. And people have some very strong opinions.

But let’s turn to God and ask Him. In God’s word (the Bible) God has placed Psalm 139 that explains God quite nicely from a human perspective. So let’s use that because if it wasn’t true then it wouldn’t be in His word. But it is so you know that it’s true.

What does Psalm 139 say?

First of all it asks God to investigate our lives and get all the facts firsthand. It explains that we are an open book to Him and that even from a distance He knows what we are thinking. He knows when we leave and when we get back. We’re NEVER out of His sight. He knows what we are going to say BEFORE we start the first sentence. He’s everywhere. He’s too wonderful to fully accept as a human! There’s nowhere we can go to avoid his Spirit and light and dark are the same to Him.

He knows us inside and out, unmade and made and every bone in our bodies because He sculpted each our mother’s wombs. We should thank Him because He is breathtaking. Our body and soul are wonderfully made by Him and Him alone.

He watched completely as we grew from conception to birth and He prepared all of the days of our lives before we lived even one.

His thoughts are so rare and beautiful that we’ll never comprehend them, more than the sands of the sea!

And the last thing that is that He asks God will investigate him and lead him in the way everlasting.

Now I think that is an awesome picture of who God is and what He does. So who knows and controls everything? The one who developed and planned and knows about everything---God.

The Love of God

I was washing dishes this morning and I was contemplating about the Love of God. And just within seconds I realized that His Love is huge! All from the creation of everything through the blessing of sending Jesus to bring mankind back to Him! And He just keeps going.

Like Psalm 139 says: there’s nothing, absolutely nothing about each of us that He doesn’t know, yet he loves us!

So how could we complain about anything? With a God that loves us like that, eternity is ours!

My 23 year old son, Daniel (or Danny) just moved with my wife from Virginia and took the second bedroom in my apartment to take care of me. Sounds great doesn’t it? It is truly a gift from God. But with every gift there is a responsibility. Like with salvation, faith is our responsibility. And with this one it’s no different. Now it’s not salvation but it is my work for God that He has given me to do.

Daniel has a few differences. First of all, we were probably best friends all of his life until my attack tragically separated us 7 years ago. He is bipolar and on medication. He is brain injured from being hit by a car. And finally he is Educably Mentally Retarded, and he knows it, and is ok with it.

And my responsibility with all of this is to relax, keep trying, pray, trust God and be satisfied with what God gives me rather than what I expect.

Just as I am…

Probably many of you remember this song that was often sang in Churches. Well, unfortunately, even though we’re in the 21st century, this still isn’t often being done by Christians.

I just today attended a Disabilities Awareness Sunday at my Church. And people with various disabilities were doing EVERYTHING, just as they are. And I had to wonder: Why aren’t they doing this all the time? Why just on a Disabilities Awareness Sunday and then never again until next year?

What does that say about normal people? I think that says that normal people don’t easily accept people with disabilities, and that is a huge let down for me because everyone in my family is disabled!

Where do we go from here? The decision is clearly yours. But while you’re thinking about this OR blowing this aside, I am here to say that Christ truly gave his life for them too. And the love that we feel for and show each other should be coming from you too.

Debbie and Danny just left. The time of reunion was very relaxed and extremely helpful. In other words, it was all that I had hoped it would be.

What I saw was that there had been a great deal of personal love shown in my family; I saw it in Debbie and Danny, and I was pleased, not just in myself for doing it but mostly in God for keeping it a reality through all that has happened to me.

The thing that scares me the most in expecting Danny to take care of me! Now it’s very true that I have been successful at living on my own for a month. But there have been plenty of times when I only did something because there was no one else TO call and NOW there’ll be someone TO call. Do I think that I will? Yes. Do I think that he’ll always like it? No and neither do I, but I am handicapped and I can’t make everything start and end pretty.

Do I think that we’ll have some impressive times? You had better bank on it!

I just had to tell you this. I’ve been thinking a lot, and I’ve been thinking about my wife. She truly makes me happy! And here I am, a man who physically can not smile being very happy inside! I know that is a blessing from God.

We have both had our problems but we’re sol-mates meaning she will be my wife and I will be her husband for as long as we both shall live. And that’s the way that God want’s it. And I like that.