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.”