Does it still apply?

                For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

                                                         Hebrews 4:12

                  Have you heard people talk over the years of the Bible being out-dated and not reliable any more? Have we moved on? Are all the teachings in the Bible not applicable to our lives now? We're different now, smarter, right?

                       

                        Look again

                 There are some points when reading the Bible when it can just go over my head. At other points I can be like; "Say what?! What does that even mean?" The everyday lives of the men, woman and children of that time was so different. Their work, clothing, food, culture and manners. The way they spoke was different and their thinking. But, not all their thinking was different. Maybe there are some things that can never change.

                                The human heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

                                     Jeremiah 17:9

               What if we're looking at the wrong things? We may be focusing too much on the culture and the way the people spoke and did things. Those always change. But the human heart never changes! The human heart has sin which means it has always had the same motives, lust and hunger for what it wants. The hope is that since Jesus came down he saved us from our own damnation.  

Which brings us to this question; does the Bible still apply to us today?  Yes, of course! The Bible is God's letter from Him to us. The words are alive!! In John 1:1, John says that Jesus is the Word. God inspired so many people to write down what he did in so many lives, His prophecies about his Son's birth, life and death. There are even things about the future, of the end of the world! So literally, this amazing book has the beginning, middle and end of the whole story of the world. Man may always change in the way we do things, but God never does. 

The Evidence

                 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and the sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

                                                                                                    Romans 1: 20

                     Just the other day I was going on my normal morning walk. I was talking to God and just marveling at his creation. Suddenly, this thought crossed my mind;

                        

                     The trees are like fingers pointing up to God! 

                     Then it got me to thinking that God could have created gravity and everything differently. But he didn't. He created everything with a purpose. And that purpose is to glorify Him. 

                      I've often thought about what the exact evidence could be that God exists and has great power. Lets look into that together shall we?

                            

                             Show me!

               

                          They know The Truth about God because he made it obvious to them.

                                                                                                     Romans 1: 19

                       A couple weeks ago I was watching these slow motion, relaxing, creative, instrumental movies about trees, flowers and the ocean. They're on Netflix if you're interested. So, as I watched I was speechless and amazed. The one on flowers was my favorite. Some flowers twisted open and others peeled back to open and so on. I was praising God and fascinated by the fact that a person can say that God doesn't exist.

                     If a person claims that God doesn't exist they can't prove it. That's just their point of view. Even in that stubborn man or woman we can see the evidence of our Father. His grace is abounding in their lives. He could strike them down but, he doesn't. He sees a purpose in their life, even if they ignore him. He is still guiding them and they don't realize it.

                   Tragedy, accidents and death. We all hate them. The surprise and shock of someone; a loved one being here in one instant and gone in a flash. We may become hateful and angry at God for his cruelty. No, death was brought in by our hands. Adam and Eve brought sin here. Through the most horrible disaster there blossoms new beginnings. Even out of the ugliest thing can come healing. We are flabbergasted to see a heart that seemed impossible to change, drastically transformed for the better. Through a death that feels random, God shows that that person's life and most of all death plants a seed that will one day become a harvest. I've heard that a graveyard is full of seeds. 

                   And the biggest of them all is love. Look at the love between a man and woman. It is viewed as one of the biggest mysteries. To love someone sacrificially and selflessly is a feat in itself! Your parents you've known and loved for as long as you can remember. Friends you can like and/or love them (in that case even family). But for a man to love a woman is a beautiful thing. God's love is the evidence that love can exist in the first place!! He sacrificially, selflessly, desperately, obsessively longed for us so badly that he sent his son Jesus down to become fully man yet still fully God. He could not let us continue to live in our sin, one day having to face His wrath and be eternally separate from him. NO! He could not allow it, couldn't stand it. He  offered himself to be killed and was buried. On the third day he rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God, his father. Creating a bridge for us to be right with God and cleanse us from this living death!

                You have a choice my friend. Will you believe in God's existence? Will you choose life with Jesus?            

                     

Idol pains

         
                 " You shall not make a idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.
                                                                                                                         Leviticus 26:1 

                       The past couple weeks I have been struggling with idolatry. Boy, I didn't realize that pretty much anything can become an idol!! 

                       I really don't want to tell you ladies this but...here goes.  When I set my mind on something I go crazy. Whether it be cleaning (especially when I see things have been dirty or messy for long enough. My parents and sisters; when they see me like this tell me to remember to ask them about throwing things away. I've mistakenly thrown items that were not ready for the trash yet. Oops.),  making cards for friends, working on one of my painting or drawing projects and so on. I can get some serious tunnel vision. Now, God has shown me that I can get serious tunnel vision on other things as well. 

                       My family and I are waiting for our house in South Carolina to sell. When that happens, we can be able to buy a house here and move out of this house we've been renting. I got so excited about having a house of our own again. I've gotten to the point of complaining and grumbling and being ungrateful. (I really don't like telling you all this!) I began to day dream about this new house. Then one day God reminded me that yes, he has that house for us but, he kindly told me to calm down and look at the bigger picture. 

                    1. I live in a house that is keeping me dry and warm.
                    2. I'm not homeless like how me and my family were for the first two weeks of moving here.
                     3. I have my family surrounding me and they make this house a home.
                     4. God has always been there and is here now through my waiting.
                     5. There is a bigger picture as to why we're waiting.
                     6. Look at what God is doing now!!  

                  It's been a hard couple months waiting but, I keep reminding myself that it will be worth it and that God is teaching me something. I don't want to miss that!!

                    Who knew that idol worship could happen so easily? I need to keep God as my main focus. He needs to be my focal point and my anchor. My head gets caught in the clouds way too easily. I'm glad God is so patient with me and you.