You have heard people say it..prayer works. Being a former skeptic myself, it was hard to believe. Well, now I know why it was so hard to believe..because I didn't! Once I let God in, all the way, I asked for something. I had to give up myself, whole-heartedly, and let Jesus do the job. I prayed to quit smoking.
I went a week and a half.
Have you ever heard the saying, 'be careful what you ask for'? I prayed that God would help me quit. Thinking that you can quit doing something that you've done for the past 14 years will be easy, is un-realistic. What I should have prayed for was not quitting, but giving myself, fully, to Him to do what he would want with me. I felt like I had given myself whole-heartedly, and for the first week, I had no problems. Then, I started letting the world creep back in because all I could think about was those tiny white comfort sticks. My mind wandered from the comfort zone of Jesus to the comfort zone I had know for so long. I didn't want to go to church. I didn't want to read the Bible. I wanted to smoke.
Is smoking a sin? For me personally, God has answered...no. The sin is when smoking becomes more important than Him. I think you could take my bad habit, and change it out for yours for a better perspective. Let's say you love to go fishing, or golf. Do you ever find your mind wandering from what you are doing to those things? Are you ever in church and thinking about being at home finishing up your laundry or house work?
Most of the world looks at a smoker and thinks, "They will die young, and how disgusting!" But what about people that are consumed by (pardon my choice) golfing? They take time away from their families to do something that temporarily fulfills a need...just like a cigarette. You can die from anything, you know.
God has given me a chore. Take all of your thoughts, throw them out the window, and be with Him. Before I quit, when I smoked, I would turn all of my attention to that. Lately, I have found myself able to think about God during all of my normal activities. This, I believe, is what He wants. He knows that you have things going on, but He wants your attention during all of it.
It's hard..but it is getting easier. Your life, once given to Jesus, should be constantly about praising Him, and thanking Him, and wanting to be with Him. I pray that God could help me fall, all the way, into his arms!! I know that prayer works. Part of praying, however, is giving your faith to God, and knowing that he will come through. It's easy to do it for someone else...you KNOW that God will help the person you just prayed for. But what about yourself? It's a horrible struggle of self doubt, and unwillingness to give in to faith.
I don't want to share this, and this is not a pity blog. But I will, because I want someone else out there to know that they are not the only one who is searching for that moment, that seems so close...when you can fall backwards and let Jesus catch you. As for me, I am currently at peace with my decision, and feel that when it is time, God will release me from my addiction.
An applicable quote from God's word, in talking about what is clean and unclean:
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "
***
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Un-believeable!
Two weeks ago, late in the afternoon, I got out of my car in front of my doctors office. There was a man and a woman near me. The man came at me with a knife and cut me. The woman, not far away, sat idly by, and watched. I couldn't believe that she didn't try to help! Afterwards, the doctor gave me these stitches to start healing the wound.
What would you say if the story I told you actually happened? Would you believe me? Well, it did...only not they way you are thinking that it did. You see, the man that cut me, was in fact, my doctor, and the woman who didn't help was the nurse in training. When you take it out of context, I can be telling the truth, but it sounds like a crazy story.
I have been pondering how many of the Bible's stories and parables have been taken out of context, to make them seem fictional, when in fact, they are true. You have to read the entire paragraph, and chapter, to understand it. You can't just take a couple lines out, and say you know what it means. Let's look at my story again, with some added sentences:
Two weeks ago, late in the afternoon, I got out of my car in front of my doctors office. I went inside to see him, to have a cyst removed. There was a man and a woman near me. The man came at me with a knife and cut me. The man is my doctor. The woman, not far away, sat idly by, and watched. She was a nurse in training. I couldn't believe that she didn't try to help! Afterwards, the doctor gave me these stitches to start healing the wound.
Amazing how easy it is to make it unbelievable. Until a few months ago, I was pretty much certain that most of the stories in the Bible were false, or at least exaggerated. I've come to realize now that the more you let God into your life, and the more you walk with Jesus, the more you want to read the Bible, and the more you get sucked into the truth that God has had written. The best part is that every story serves a different purpose in helping us in our every day lives.
I learn something new every day. And every day I am getting closer and closer with God and Christ. In Christ you have the power to do anything. And if you truly believe that he can help you, he will. Seth and I have put our faith in Christ that he can help us quit smoking. It has been 2 days, and though I have had some urges, it hasn't been the same as other times when I have tried to quit. I honestly just don't want one. I put my faith in Jesus, and he has shown me that anything is possible.
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22
Another great side effect of believing that Christ died for our sins, is that you suddenly don't have the need to watch TV, or listen to hard core music, or even say cuss words. It all just stops..almost immediately, and you have no control over it. One day you just realize that you have changed, and for the better. I leave you with another encouraging quote from the scripture I am enthralled in:
John 6:
35 "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Sunday, May 2, 2010
"The Slumber of Christianity"
Seth and I have been taking turns reading this book called "The Slumber of Christianity". The book delves deep in explaining why we as Christians may be doing right by God, but we are no longer excited or yearning to be with him, putting us in a kind of slumber. The author goes through examples of why we are sleeping, and how to awaken our minds and souls back to Christ in Heaven. Unfortunately for me, Seth has already returned the book to the library, so now, I will need to paraphrase some of the highlights for you. To make it easier, I am going to italicize a topic, and then explain it.
The first topic is about differentiating between what we consider Christianity:
Christianity has become a classification, and not a way of life.
There are many that consider themselves Christian, when in fact their church mentions nothing about Christ, or aspiring to be saved by Christ. A great example is a Unitarian church not far from here. Here is a blurb from their "principles" section:
We covenant to affirm and promote:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person,
Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations,
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations,
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning,
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process in our congregations and in society at large,
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all, and
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
While most of this is great, and I am happy that they aspire to love each other, there is no mention of living in Christ. The most unfortunate thing about this church is that they do have Christian members, who are slowly being sucked out of the Christian faith. Not only do they have Christian members, but they also invite people of all faiths (Buddhist, Jewish, Islam, etc.), and of all sexual orientation. They even have committees and organizations made just for going to government functions to promote equality through a one world religion (love & peace). It seems that in these times, Christians are people who live good lives, not people living in the definition of the word Christian: believer and follower of Christ. Before my blood pressure rises any higher at the thought of the sins of this dead church, we will move on.
Then, he looks at what has taken the place of our aspirations towards Heaven:
We are caught up in the riches of this life, when we should be considering them a foretaste of what is to come.
As Christians we know that Heaven awaits, and that the streets will be lined with gold, and there will be no more want or suffering. As humans we are uncontrollably caught up in this world, and what lies ahead on the "to do" list. We see things every day that could make our life happier, but that happiness only lasts for a while, and then it is on to the next item, or job, or vacation. How many times do we go about our lives wishing for the next big thing? God has given us this Earth as a kind of "pre-Heaven", if we chose to look at it that way. For example, if you stop and take a look around you at all the beauty and splendor of this natural world, you will see God's hand at work. Now imagine those same things, like birds, trees, mountains, etc...in Technicolor. I say that because no one really knows what Heaven will be like, but the Bible does mention some details. For example, the following verses from Revelation explain what the new Jerusalem in the new Heaven will look like:
Revelations 21:18 "The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass."
Revelations 21:23 "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light."
Revelations 22:1 "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb."
Next, he looks at why we have forgotten where we are headed:
Christianity has lost it's hope.
The best example for this is to remember yourself as child on Christmas Eve. Your parents made you go to bed that night, despite your excitement and hope for the presents you would receive the next day. When you awoke on Christmas morning, your hope for that new toy was uncontrollable as you ripped open your presents. After a few weeks of playing with your new toy, you were bored with it, and the hope had died long before. This can be likened to a new Christian. You are saved, and you feel the Spirit moving through you on a regular basis. Your hopes are in Heaven, and the life you will lead with Christ. You remain faithful, and still love Christ, but after a while, your enthusiasm fades. You become once again intoxicated by what this earthy realm holds for you. Your hope turns towards the worldly things.
Finally, the author gives us some encouragement and tools to get us back on track:
Our minds and hearts should be hoping for Heaven on a daily basis.
If you can dedicate some time each day for the Lord, by reading, praying, listening to sermons, etc., you can keep your hope alive. Something that has kept me going, especially after seeing so many of my friends going down the wrong path, is praying for God to keep me motivated. When I get stressed out at work or at home, I pray for God to give me peace, and hope for my life with him in Heaven. Try to set your sights on how glorious it will be to be with Jesus on a regular basis. Imagine how awesome you feel when the Spirit is in you for those brief awesome moments, and focus on that being your permanent state in Heaven. Close your eyes and try to imagine the indescribable light of God, as you meet him face to face. And best of all, pray that Jesus comes quickly, so those whom you care for, that may not be going in the right direction, may see the right path, and be able to follow it before their ends. For when that day comes, we will finally be where we belong, and our new life in Heaven can be realized.
***
The first topic is about differentiating between what we consider Christianity:
Christianity has become a classification, and not a way of life.
There are many that consider themselves Christian, when in fact their church mentions nothing about Christ, or aspiring to be saved by Christ. A great example is a Unitarian church not far from here. Here is a blurb from their "principles" section:
We covenant to affirm and promote:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person,
Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations,
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations,
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning,
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process in our congregations and in society at large,
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all, and
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
While most of this is great, and I am happy that they aspire to love each other, there is no mention of living in Christ. The most unfortunate thing about this church is that they do have Christian members, who are slowly being sucked out of the Christian faith. Not only do they have Christian members, but they also invite people of all faiths (Buddhist, Jewish, Islam, etc.), and of all sexual orientation. They even have committees and organizations made just for going to government functions to promote equality through a one world religion (love & peace). It seems that in these times, Christians are people who live good lives, not people living in the definition of the word Christian: believer and follower of Christ. Before my blood pressure rises any higher at the thought of the sins of this dead church, we will move on.
Then, he looks at what has taken the place of our aspirations towards Heaven:
We are caught up in the riches of this life, when we should be considering them a foretaste of what is to come.
As Christians we know that Heaven awaits, and that the streets will be lined with gold, and there will be no more want or suffering. As humans we are uncontrollably caught up in this world, and what lies ahead on the "to do" list. We see things every day that could make our life happier, but that happiness only lasts for a while, and then it is on to the next item, or job, or vacation. How many times do we go about our lives wishing for the next big thing? God has given us this Earth as a kind of "pre-Heaven", if we chose to look at it that way. For example, if you stop and take a look around you at all the beauty and splendor of this natural world, you will see God's hand at work. Now imagine those same things, like birds, trees, mountains, etc...in Technicolor. I say that because no one really knows what Heaven will be like, but the Bible does mention some details. For example, the following verses from Revelation explain what the new Jerusalem in the new Heaven will look like:
Revelations 21:18 "The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass."
Revelations 21:23 "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light."
Revelations 22:1 "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb."
Next, he looks at why we have forgotten where we are headed:
Christianity has lost it's hope.
The best example for this is to remember yourself as child on Christmas Eve. Your parents made you go to bed that night, despite your excitement and hope for the presents you would receive the next day. When you awoke on Christmas morning, your hope for that new toy was uncontrollable as you ripped open your presents. After a few weeks of playing with your new toy, you were bored with it, and the hope had died long before. This can be likened to a new Christian. You are saved, and you feel the Spirit moving through you on a regular basis. Your hopes are in Heaven, and the life you will lead with Christ. You remain faithful, and still love Christ, but after a while, your enthusiasm fades. You become once again intoxicated by what this earthy realm holds for you. Your hope turns towards the worldly things.
Finally, the author gives us some encouragement and tools to get us back on track:
Our minds and hearts should be hoping for Heaven on a daily basis.
If you can dedicate some time each day for the Lord, by reading, praying, listening to sermons, etc., you can keep your hope alive. Something that has kept me going, especially after seeing so many of my friends going down the wrong path, is praying for God to keep me motivated. When I get stressed out at work or at home, I pray for God to give me peace, and hope for my life with him in Heaven. Try to set your sights on how glorious it will be to be with Jesus on a regular basis. Imagine how awesome you feel when the Spirit is in you for those brief awesome moments, and focus on that being your permanent state in Heaven. Close your eyes and try to imagine the indescribable light of God, as you meet him face to face. And best of all, pray that Jesus comes quickly, so those whom you care for, that may not be going in the right direction, may see the right path, and be able to follow it before their ends. For when that day comes, we will finally be where we belong, and our new life in Heaven can be realized.
***
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