Things on my mind today.
Jim Howard’s surgery to correct the problem of having no valve in the top of his stomach. This missing part causes lots of problems. Is this a birth defect? What are the chances? How can we reconcile this with evolutions and/or creation? Is it my choice to believe which ever? Can I change my mind? Is it my choice to believe in God? If it is my choice, then does it follow that I can cause my own salvation?
I should explain. Jim Howard is our senior pastor at Dillion Community Church. I was on the team that spent about nine months searching and finding Jim. We ended up after a huge internal struggle selecting him with an unanimous decision. Was this effort directed and finalized by God?Or, did we the members of the team make an independent decision? Anyway, he had this surgery for the fourth time this morning. Sounds like the procedure went well and he is recovering. Praise the Lord and thank you doctors.
The Bible says we are all born as sinners because of the fall of Adam and Eve. Otherwise, we might have been created, born into a very blessed and sin free state or condition. If Adam and Even had not eaten the forbidden fruit (sought the knowledge of good and evil) would we still have been subject to free will and able to choose. Am I able choose eternal damnation or eternal salvation?
What is the purpose of life? How is it that I and many others are motivated to live out our lives in a vigorous and purposeful manner while not really knowing the purpose of life?
If you are one who chooses not to believe in God, how do you come to that conclusion? I am truly curious. Is my decision to believe a free will choice? Or, is there a sovereign creator who sets my heart on the believing setting? Did He set your heart on the “Don’t Believe” setting? This would be the same creator I believe exists and you don’t believe exists. There is another option. I know some who claim to believe but choose not to follow. I am greatly puzzled by people who choose this option. Why not choose eternal life???
So, I can think of a couple of other options, However, they might be variations of the two primary options. Believing and not believing in the One True Living God. Do you think there might be some who simply pretend to believe?
Consider the presence of a being in the spiritual realm who works to make people not believe. Believing in the One True Living God would make one aware of the optional controlling spirits. One is the Holy Spirit. The other is the Sinful Nature. Control by the Sinful Nature can manifest itself in several ways. Perhaps the individual might pretend to be a believer. Or, the person might join a cultic or mythical belief. The person might work to redefine God to be the god he desires to serve. Or, the person might claim to not believe in any god. (Does this person need a god in order to have something not to believe?)
I would enjoy hearing your take on this discussion. I believe we are people who were born to share our experiences with those we meet and share our lives. Our experiences turn out to be the only part of our lives we can share and be absolutely certain they are true. If the One True and Living God controls all our lives, then these experiences are true representations of Him and His creation. If not, then I don’t know why sharing is so important.
Any one out there interested in my stories? Read my blogs. These are thoughts from my life experiences.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
Doing Whatever You Want..Is it always that easy?
Am I my own person. The American Way. Self-actualization. Do you search your heart every time you have a pressing decision? Are we able to know our own hearts? Or, are we driven by other forces? Government? Friends? Culture? Political Correctness? Right and Wrong? Good and Evil? If we leave the decision to our own thinking can we avoid all evil? Then, why go to school? Why send our children to school? Why read the newspaper? Or, books? Why read at all?
Who controls your life? Is control even a possibility? When you read something controversial, do you pick a side? Why? What is your favorite food, color, shape, book, movie, TV show, car, sports team, sport? Why do we have favorites? What is your pet peeve? We do have likes and dislikes. We have opinions. We know some things "For a Fact". Do you have beliefs? Do you believe things you can't prove? Have you ever believed a lie? Have you had friends who are no longer friends? Do have friends who used to be enemies? Do your have friends you do not like?
Today I re-read John 21:1-25 from the Bible. This story is told after the time Jesus rose from the grave. He has appeared to seven of his disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. The disciples had been fishing all night and had nothing to show for their efforts. Jesus told them to cast their net or the other side of the boat and they caught a boat load. Why did they cast their net on the other side? Did they do what they wanted? Were they influenced by and outside force? An amazing but highly reliable historic event.
Later Jesus was talking to John and ask him about love. This is another remarkable story. Jesus asked him three times if he love Jesus. John said, You know I do. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Do you get it? Who are Jesus' sheep? Are you one? Can we avoid being one of his sheep?
Oh by the way, one of things I believe my heart wants me to do is ride on the back of a tandem with my son Bill this next Saturday. We are attempting to ride 100 miles in one day and raise $2,000 for Arkansas Valley Young Life. I am asking you to help. Not ride the bike, raise the money. Send money and ask others to support Bill and I in our endeavor. We have ridden 100 miles in one day before. In fact, we have done it several times. Bill has ridden this same ride two times before by himself. But, it is still an accomplishment. Bill has been training for 70 miles and I have been training for 30 miles. Of course, he is much younger. Thirty three years younger. I just read about a 91 year old lady who "ran" a marathon. WOW! That's remarkable. She wasn't raising money for a worthy cause. Just competing. We are promoting a worthy cause. It is a cause that attempts to get young people to focus on a valuable goal for their lives. Considerable success has been achieved by the efforts. I believe in and am passionate about Young Life. Please help us support it. You can give by going to www.ministrysync.com/event/website/?m=1885220 . Take a look. Give some support and pass it on.
Thanks
Who controls your life? Is control even a possibility? When you read something controversial, do you pick a side? Why? What is your favorite food, color, shape, book, movie, TV show, car, sports team, sport? Why do we have favorites? What is your pet peeve? We do have likes and dislikes. We have opinions. We know some things "For a Fact". Do you have beliefs? Do you believe things you can't prove? Have you ever believed a lie? Have you had friends who are no longer friends? Do have friends who used to be enemies? Do your have friends you do not like?
Today I re-read John 21:1-25 from the Bible. This story is told after the time Jesus rose from the grave. He has appeared to seven of his disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. The disciples had been fishing all night and had nothing to show for their efforts. Jesus told them to cast their net or the other side of the boat and they caught a boat load. Why did they cast their net on the other side? Did they do what they wanted? Were they influenced by and outside force? An amazing but highly reliable historic event.
Later Jesus was talking to John and ask him about love. This is another remarkable story. Jesus asked him three times if he love Jesus. John said, You know I do. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Do you get it? Who are Jesus' sheep? Are you one? Can we avoid being one of his sheep?
Oh by the way, one of things I believe my heart wants me to do is ride on the back of a tandem with my son Bill this next Saturday. We are attempting to ride 100 miles in one day and raise $2,000 for Arkansas Valley Young Life. I am asking you to help. Not ride the bike, raise the money. Send money and ask others to support Bill and I in our endeavor. We have ridden 100 miles in one day before. In fact, we have done it several times. Bill has ridden this same ride two times before by himself. But, it is still an accomplishment. Bill has been training for 70 miles and I have been training for 30 miles. Of course, he is much younger. Thirty three years younger. I just read about a 91 year old lady who "ran" a marathon. WOW! That's remarkable. She wasn't raising money for a worthy cause. Just competing. We are promoting a worthy cause. It is a cause that attempts to get young people to focus on a valuable goal for their lives. Considerable success has been achieved by the efforts. I believe in and am passionate about Young Life. Please help us support it. You can give by going to www.ministrysync.com/event/website/?m=1885220 . Take a look. Give some support and pass it on.
Thanks
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