Thursday, December 13, 2012

Do You Have A Lighthouse?

Do You Have A Lighthouse?

12/13/12




For those of us who live in a land locked state or country it is hard to imagine just how important a lighthouse is when the conditions of our world are not favorable.  Even living in these conditions we need to have a lighthouse present in order to make it through our own storm and it is just as important that we look for our lighthouse while we are going through our storm because we cannot make it on our own in good times much less in troubled times.

As most of you know the majority of my past articles have included some type of history or historical setting within their context.  Up until about two decades ago I really could have cared less about history especially maritime history.  I did not realize just how important this type of travel was in human history and as I embraced this portion of history the realization of its unpleasant parts appeared along with its advantages.  There were no airplanes or huge cargo ships to transport the goods necessary for human survival and their luxuries, only a large fleet of feeble ships that made dangerous journeys and at the mercy of the seas on a routine basis.

Given the fact that my country is a little over 300 yrs old it is a relatively new comer to the world stage yet we have become the most powerful nation on earth.  This fact still excites me but it scares me at the same time since the expectations are so high on a continual basis.  Yet, there are many people and nations throughout the world that do not approve of our positions and wish us some type of harm.  This is actually a normal position to be in when someone or in this example a nation is in this place.  Only in governmental controlled states is 100% satisfaction present and we all know what is occurring when this percentage of people are in agreement with the leadership.

There is an old song that some of us are familiar with and it has been sung in churches for decades now.  It was written in a prayer tower overlooking a valley and not the ocean.  The ocean is a few miles away but really cannot be seen from the tower but one has to remember that a lighthouse has a glass top that totally encompasses the lighthouse which allows the light to make a full 360 degree circle when the light, this is because storms do occur over land as well and people still look to the lighthouse for directions while on land.  The song continues and paints a beautiful picture of Jesus being the example of safety during the storm that is raging.  As one forms an image of Jesus in our minds as we sing this song we have to understand that the image that we have will be different than the person standing next to us, and even though the image may be slightly different the nature of Jesus is the same and His guidance and restoration shall never waiver o differ in any form.  There are many trials that our lives may encounter and we must remember that the lighthouse is strategically placed in a spot that will provide navigational support when things are not going as smoothly as possible.  

Yes, lighthouses actually help people that are on land as well.  Light will penetrate through the thickest of fog, driving rain, or any other natural conditions including thick smoke.  People on land need guidance just as much as ones on the water, the dangers are still as great.  So as the lighthouse is for everyone in its area so is Jesus to the entire world.  It is important for us to remember that if we go through storms that other people are going through storms as well and even though we do not know them it is still our duty to point them towards the light to help them along the way.  We may be alongside them in the storm or in their vicinity at the time it is not our responsibility to show them our light but the true light of protection and guidance that comes from the lighthouse.

The other day I was looking around some of my emails and I one of my groups that I am in is all about pictures of places, people, and things all around the world.  The majority of the emails within this group are of land scenes from countries around the world.  I have really enjoyed this group and the pictures that I have looked at over the past few years.  One of the emails jumped out at me as its title was simply lighthouses.  I instantly thought that this was unusual since the group does not post too many sea pictures.  So I clicked on the email and the pictures began to download onto my screen.

Lighthouses have always been a fascinating concept to me.  They are simple buildings that are strategically placed in areas that in time of need will provide a passing ship with the navigational support it needs to safely guide its way around and away from the dangers that are presented.  Lighthouses come in various sizes and shapes and have an array of colors that is spectacular to observe when the weather is good.  But in every case these physical features serve as a life saving beacon that stretches far and wide when the weather conditions are not favorable.  A sea faring person can tell you that it is always comforting to see a lighthouse as their ship approaches the harbor or a land surface, no matter how many times they have travelled that route.  One simple light going in one direction has the power to allow a huge ship with all of its cargo to pass safely without being damaged on the ground or shallow rocks as it approaches land.   And we all know that we cannot trust our compasses in every storm that we are facing, sometimes even they can guide us in the wrong direction, which serves as a perfect example of why a lighthouse is the essential guidance system for all ships that go through storms.

As the first picture opened on my screen I was amazed at the beauty of the lighthouse.  It was a simple structure that was white in color and it was relatively short in stature.  I sat in my chair and stared at the scenery for a few moments.  On top of the lighthouse was a Turkish flag and it was then that one of my so-called “duh” moments hit me.  Then I turned my eyes from the lighthouse itself and began to scan the other portions of the picture which included the surrounding coastal lands and of course a small shot of the water that was close by.  As I panned up into the upper left hand corner of the picture I was I saw the word “Turkey” which I knew that is where the picture was taken because of the flag but it served as some type of confirmation to me that the picture was real.

I continued my search of the pictures and I found out that all of them were pictures of lighthouses from around the world.  The “duh” moment came to me because for some reason I had never realized that lighthouses were present all around the world and have been for a very long time.  Now, one would think that a person seeing a lighthouse would believe that they would be present all over the place, but for some reason my head had isolated these countries from this life saving structure, even though I knew that the world was present and that their main international travel was by ship long before we arrived on the world’s scene.  So in other words my mind was locked into the fact that my setting was one of the few that were actually present in the world, yet my reading told me differently.  How many of us tend to forget this idea?  I know that in many areas of he church world we have done the exact same thing towards people and in showing them the true light that is out there for their protection and guidance for restoration.

I could not believe this oversight that I had of something so simple and basic.  It was shocking to me at the blindness that I had in this area, n short I felt foolish for my lack of realization and it was at this moment that God decided to place a thought into my head.  I continued my scrolling of the pictures and I noticed that all of them had many shapes, sizes and colors.  Not one of them had the same appearance as the previous picture.  None of the pictures were drawing they were all digital pictures that someone or some people had taken at some point in time.  It was this variety of structure shapes that God showed me what He wanted me to share.

Many of us that have been in the western world have at one time seen a picture of a lighthouse and it has been compared to God and that through His Son our lives could be protected in a manner of salvation especially in a huge storm.  At first I kind of told God that I already knew this and so did everyone else that had laid eyes upon one of these pictures.  But it was another detail that He was trying to get me to see and to understand.

We all know that humans come in different shapes, sizes and colors.  These patterns have been a part of us for a very long time and this fact will not change as long as humans walk this earth.  It does not matter what shape or size we are packaged and it is our need to understand that even our names cannot separate us from these physical traits.  God wants you to know that Jesus appears to us in the same manner as these pictures of lighthouses.  To some He might be a short, fat red lighthouse and to others He might appear to b a tall 200 foot white lighthouse.  Each of our storms will be unique to our lives and so must be the lighthouse that is present along the rocks to protect us from crashing up against them.

For a very long time we have placed the concept of a lighthouse as a tall, one shaped and sized structure which everyone should immediately recognize.  This is so not true, each one of us are individuals and we have just as individual recognition points within our lives.  God understands that since we are individuals that we will have different ideas about all things and the way that we approach these things will vary just as much.  Having a true relationship with God is an individual experience and for us to come to this realization we must first realize what sacrifice occurred to allow us to have a personal relationship with our creator once again.  So, why wouldn’t God set His example to us in different shapes, sizes and colors that we can relate with?

When you look back in our lives one can honestly say that while we are going through storms our enemy is not providing us with a security light.  The only thing that he is providing is a storm that is quickly becoming the perfect storm that will surely take us closer to the rocks of destruction if some guidance is not present.  That is why in all of the movies or stories that we have witnessed tell of a person or people on the ship in a storm looking out to see what dangers are present and to see if land is around.  We perform this act within our lives as well during these times.

It must be acknowledged that not everyone will follow the light that is being given for them.  It is a fact that some will ignore the warnings and will travel on their own way.  Each person no matter what the situation is in their lives has the personal choice to look at the light and choose whether or not to heed its instructions of safety.  We cannot force them to see or to follow the light for if we try then we actually become a part of their storm instead of an instrument showing the light that will guide them out of the storm.  As with a physical lighthouse Jesus will never lose His light for the world.  There are backup batteries in a lighthouse that will automatically kick in when the main power source is removed and so is the eternal power source that flows from God through Jesus on a continual basis that shall never be dimmed or shut off, no matter how hard some may try.

For those who have travelled a path many times have said that they look for landmarks that bring back some certain comfort and peace of mind when they are headed towards their destination.  These landmarks can be anything that he mind can process and a lighthouse is a wonderful setting for this type of attraction.  In these familiar paths the lighthouse is an anticipated sight that secures our sense of security and to the person who is on an uncertain path the lighthouse provides a welcomes sight for the weary and unsure mind that someone has been here before them and has provided a monument of guidance.

So for those of us who live close to the ocean and are privy to look at a lighthouse on occasion please do their structures are wonderful to look at and please remember that I am jealous of your setting.  For those of us who do not live close to a lighthouse, I suggest that you go to the internet or to the bookstore and locate some items on lighthouses and place them into your memory as a reminder of their presence in our world.  In whichever category you fall into always remember that there is a place of reference that we can access to remind us that God is in control and that He has provided a guiding light, the one true guiding light, for all mankind to follow.  It is a simple light that is not fancy or elaborate by any means.  It is simply a light that shines bright so that we all have an opportunity to understand the dangers that we are facing whether it be in good living conditions or bad ones, this light shall never fail.





DLB

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Even the Ground Knew

Even the Dirt Knew

12/8/12




We know how the human portion of the story in the garden turned out and all of the happenings that transpired between God and them but have we actually looked at the perspectives concerning the dirt?  You know the dirt was there too and it did have a consequence placed on its existence as well.  Let us look at things from the dirt’s point of view since we do have a direct connection to this substance it will be an interesting story to understand.

As the sun comes up to begin a new day I can feel that the animals are beginning to stir.  It is always a comfortable feeling to know that another evening has passed and all of the animals are ready to go and take care of their daily activities.  Each footstep and hoof step I feel as the animals go about things without a care in the world.  I can smell the remnants of the dew from the previous afternoon and the gentle breeze stirring up my top layers a bit.  All of these activities thrill me beyond all content knowing that God is in control of things and that He will soon grace us with His presence and that my existence is present within a perfect state of being.

Most people would think that the life of dirt would be an easy one since all we do is just lie around and wait for some type of moment or environmental element to change our views.  This is not the case since we have a specific purpose that God gave us and we have a duty to uphold the standard in which He has charged us.  The duty that He gave us was creation of man and out of our specifications God chose to create His prize possession.  Now, I have no idea of why God chose us dirt particles to use to create humans but I do know it was a complex process that took God but a short time to complete but was interesting to watch.  I also cannot tell you exactly what happened during the creation process but I do know that God knew exactly what He was doing with all of the twists, twings, pokes and sowing together of thingy-doos which formed a human.  To this day I sit in amazement in how He actually made the masterpiece.

For a long period of time everything was great in the garden, there were no problems whatsoever and everyday was like a new beginning.  Happiness filled the air and the conditions for life were perfect with nothing left out of the mix.  Everyone looked forward to God showing up and spending time with all of us.  Even though He did not speak directly to us all the time just being in His presence gave us the assuredness that we were safe and that everything was just as it was supposed to be.  Even the animals would gather around to witness the conversations that God had with the humans, just to hear His voice not a creature would miss the opportunity to be a part of the event.

One day I heard an unfamiliar voice in the garden.  I tried to see who it was but me being in my current condition I could not move a centimeter.  So I waited and hoped that the voice would come closer so I could get a glimpse of who it was.  It was not long until the voice began to speak to another voice which the second voice I recognized.  The first voice was talking smooth words and phrases to the second voice which responded in receptive tones.  At first I was not concerned but after a while of listening to the voices converse back and forth the conversation became intense and serious.  The questions that the strange voice presented to the second voice, the female, wee of a provocative manner in which she entertained most readily.  This is where my concerns began since I understood both sets of voices and I knew that the stranger in town was up to no good.

But what could I do about it, I had not the means to stop her from listening to the stranger who became more and more intense with his suggestions the longer she listened to him.  Another question popped into my thinking, where was the male and why was he not wanting to know where the female was at?  Not once did I hear him calling for her or even being in the same vicinity as she and the stranger.  I found all of this activity to be odd behavior upon both the male and female creations.  This activity went on for quite some time and the stranger and the female continued their conversations even though God stopped by and talked with all of us each day.  I did not trust this stranger but I had no authority to speak my concerns to those to whom it mattered.  All I could rely upon is that God knew what was going on and that He had everything under control.

One day as I was watching the wind blow and basking in its cool breeze I noticed the stranger and the female talking again.  But this time the stranger must have said something to her that was unsettling since the expressions on her face were not her usual happy tones.  As the moments passed he must have eased her mind since the smile returned and the conversation turned back into a two sided setting.  They began to move around a bit and then headed in a specific direction.  I had no idea of why she was going with the stranger to another place but I knew that they had a destination since neither of them was looking confused about where they were headed.

My curiosity got the best of me and I began to try and communicate with my fellow dust particles on the same path that the female and the stranger were walking.  You know how hard it is to grab another dirt particle’s attention when it is in the presence of a perfect and Holy state believe me it puts a whole new meaning to Holy ground.  Anyway, I finally got the attention of some other particles and I asked them what was going on and hey said that the two were headed for the center of the garden.  Immediately I sensed trouble and began to look towards the sky for a gust of wind that would take me towards that specific area.  I received my wish and a great gust of wind lifted me off of my resting place and carried me into the vicinity of where the two figures were headed.  I actually had a great seat which was on a rock close by.

I saw the two figures talking and then pointing to the tree.  This tree I knew about since God had made it very clear to every living creature that they should not have anything to do with it and not even to go near it for any reason.  But the stranger placed his hand upon the female’s shoulder and gently patted her which seemed to reassure the female of their position.  I quickly looked around to see if the male human was close by or coming but with no luck he was nowhere to be found.  At that moment both figures turned toward the tree and looked at it for a few seconds.  The female then took her arm and moved it slowly towards the tree; it was obvious that she was going to pick a fruit from the tree.  The garden was still and not much movement was occurring besides the arm and hand of the female.  I watched in horror as her hand reached the fruit and then grasped it.  As her hand touched the fruit she turned quickly to the other figure who nodded his head in agreement, but what I found kind of interesting is that he was not reaching for the fruit only she was. 

She then turned her head back towards the tree and pulled a fruit from the tree and immediately bent her arm and moved her hand to her mouth and bit into the fruit.  I was stunned since it was one quick motion after the decision had been made.  The strange figure then placed his hand on the female once again and patted her shoulder gently all the while him saying something to her.  Fear was in her eyes and nothing but small laughter protruded from his mouth.  The act was over and the choice had been made now the garden became still and quiet. 

Having been created some time back I had witnessed many different settings within the garden but change was not one of the things that I had ever witnessed before and certainly not the hush of the wind during the day.  Even the animals were not making their normal noises while they moved around.  Come to think of it, no animals are really moving around, that is odd.  What has happened to the surroundings that a few hours ago were bustling with all kinds of activity?  Why am I even questioning about things that are around me and what kind of feeling is this that I am experiencing, just as the humans are feeling now.

The female then ran to the male human and told him of what she had done and showed him the fruit and he noticed that not much had changed in her appearance.  He then heard a noise coming from one of the bushes and when he looked to see what was approaching he noticed the serpent with his cold dark eyes.  The female then turned to see what was approaching as well and when she noticed who it was she gave a gentle smile, returned her focus on to the male and presented the fruit to the male.  She gently said to the male for him to look at her and to see if there was any difference in her since she had eaten of the fruit.  The male looked at her and noticed nothing out of the ordinary and as his eyes returned to hers she looked at him with the smile that only she could give.  The male then gave in to the wishes of the female and agreed to eat and completed this act as soon as the fruit was close to his mouth.  

As soon as the bite was taken the changes began to be felt.  I immediately began to look around and it was unusually quiet for some reason and at that moment I did not fully understand what was happening but not much had happened even after the fruit was eaten however, something was odd between the humans they were standing around acting differently and having a conversation that was hard to comprehend.  As I listened to their words unfold I got the feeling that they had no idea of what to do or where to go, but was most puzzling to me was why they were acting in such a manner.  I saw them turning in circles as if they were looking for someone but not finding whomever they were searching for.  I followed their eyes and I too noticed that they were the only forms around and I found it odd that the other figure was now missing from the area as well.

It was not long afterwards that the humans left the area and headed off in another direction.  I did notice something else peculiar about their departure from the area.  Up until a few days before they did everything together and always walked together holding hands and acting as if they were two forms that could not be separated as one functioning unit, they were always together but now they seemed separated from each other and both looked lost as they disappeared from my sight.  I could not just lie around and watch them leave without finding out what was going to happen next.  It was almost time for our Creator to show up and to have the daily talk with us.  His presence always made everyone feel secure and when He arrived the most indescribable peace always filled the air as He approached I cannot wait for that feeling again.

I caught the next short gust of wind and placed myself as close as possible to the regular meeting place.  I had a few moments to spare so I looked around the area and marveled in the fact that I knew night was coming and that I would soon be fast asleep after another visit from the Keeper of the garden.  But as I looked around I could not help but noticing that something seemed odd and I could not understand why I continued to feel this way, yet I sat and waited for the events of the afternoon to unfold.

The time had come for God to show up and I was excited to feel His presence again and sure enough like the eternal timekeeper that He was He showed up right on schedule.  But this time the humans were nowhere to be found which was very odd.  God began to ask where they were at and His eyes searched all around the area for their figures but none were seen.  His voice called out for them but no answer was heard in return.  He called out again and the concern could be heard in His voice but not in a panicking manner but in an authoritative voice as if a parent was looking for their child. 

In what seemed like an eternity the humans did not answer their creator nor did they come out from their hiding place.  Why were they hiding, that would be a question that I would soon learn its answer but for now I did not understand what their reasoning was.  God continued His holy search for the humans but stopped sort of begging for their appearance.  I found it fascinating that the creator of all things who had proven Himself to everything with His knowledge would struggle with not finding His creations as soon as He called for them since He had already known what had transpired a while back. 

I heard some noises coming from some of the bushes and then a human voice replied to Him with their location. I had never known them to hide from God nor have I heard such an unsteady voice coming from their mouths.  I could do nothing but sit and watch what occurred as each second passed and as I realized what was happening I knew that things had changed between god and man when He took a step backwards from them and the expression on His faced changed.  It was not of anger but of sadness yet He had a knowledgeable look upon His brow.  The serpent suddenly appeared from the bushes as if he had been supernaturally summoned in which he stood sheepishly in the background as if to try and stay hidden from the direct contact from God eyesight.  Why did God summon the serpent and what did God want from him during this tense time?  This was another question that I figured that I would witness being answered in a matter of a few moments; it was all a huge puzzle to this speck of dirt.

From my point of view it was difficult to understand what was being said so I looked around for a better spot and waited for the right gust of wind to place me into my desired spot, I had to wait for some time since the wind was still eerily calm but it finally came and I was blown to a much closer spot and my ears were now able to hear the detailed conversation.  From the first words that I heard it was not a pleasant conversation and the answers that the humans were providing to God was really not making any sense until the female spoke up and said a very powerful sentence.

The sentence was concerning the forbidden fruit and how she ate of it while being tempted by the serpent.  My eyes quickly turned towards the serpent who was standing out of line of questioning but well within hearing distance from the parties involved.  He had no expression on his face and he really did not seem too concerned with what was occurring between the humans and God, nor did it really seem to concern him that he had been implicated as the one who tempted the female.  I had never witnessed the serpent act in this manner, but I really never trusted a serpent either since they could be very tricky and sly at times.

The humans were really concerned for themselves and really did not truly address the real reason for disobeying what God had commanded, oh boy that was the answer to one of my questions and it also answered the question of why they were hiding, whatever happened to them they now understood what they did was wrong.  I could not believe their actions towards their creator, or lack of action I should say.  I could see the tension building up between the two humans and it got to the point where the male actually blamed the female for eating claiming that he was only doing what she wanted him to do.  This is when God dropped His shoulders and began His explanation to His children about the deeds that they had done.  He then told them that there had to be some consequences of their actions and that the consequences had to be placed upon them since of the disobedience.  At that moment I thought I saw a tear swell up in God’s eye as He began to speak of the results of their actions.

From the look that God had on His face this was not going to be a pleasant experience for the humans and I immediately thought to myself that I was sure glad that I was not involved in what they did.  At this time I had forgotten one small detail that I had thought about not too long ago and it was the connection between me and the humans which would link me to their punishment.  God stood there for what seemed like an eternity and as I sat and watched Him I knew that His heart was crushed and that He did not want to speak the words of correction.  But at the same time you could feel His presence all around the area and everyone knew that even in this uncertain time He was still in control and that whatever He had to say next would be just and complete.

God’s voice rang out clear and strong yet it was calm and authoritative in its manner in a language that none of us could understand but immediately afterwards He turned towards the serpent who dropped his unconcerned look and took a step backwards and took refuge behind a tree all the while not breaking any eye contact with God as God began to speak to him.  I found it quite interesting that the serpent, who did not seem to care a few minutes ago, automatically came to attention when God turned towards him, it seemed like all of his fancy, cocky and arrogant powers betrayed him as soon as he made eye contact with God hence the retreat to the tree.

God began to address the serpent and calling out his deeds that he had accomplished with the female.  The serpent stood silent and watched God as He continued His presenting the truth.  While I was listening to God speak I could not help but wonder why the serpent was just standing there and not defending himself to all that was being said about him, but then again this was God speaking so everyone knew that the truth was coming forth. 

As God was speaking I witnessed something that I did not understand but the scene was awesome in its own right.  While God’s words were being spoken towards the serpent a figure began to emerge from the serpent and eventually stood next to the serpent.  The figure was just standing there and not moving yet God continued to speak towards the serpent like nothing was going on.  I wanted to speak up to God and to remind Him that another figure was there but He acted as if He understood what was occurring and did not break His words at all while the event unfolded.  The figure did not react to the Words of God towards the serpent nor did he even hesitate to defend the serpent while God was speaking the consequences of its participation, he just stood there and did not say a word.

I noticed that this figure had a unique appearance to him and yes he appeared as a man to my eyes.  I do not really know if he was an actual man or even human for that matter but I do know he was real and his presence was definitely not normal.  His beauty was overwhelming and his seductive being was almost all consuming yet it was suppressed at the same time by the aura that surrounded God.  It was like two forces that were competing for the same territory but even though one force had obviously won this round the greater of the two forces still had total dominance over the other, which explained why the figure was just standing there and not moving in any direction or saying a word.

The punishment came from God’s mouth and cursed the serpent to the ground and would be now loathed even from the cows in the land.  Ouch, that has to be a terrible feeling to be looked down upon by a cow.  I really did not feel slighted at all for I did not mind having another creature scurry about on my domain.  As God was continuing His words the shape of the serpent began to change with twisting and cracking sounds as its structure morphed into a new shape and within a few seconds it was reformed on its belly and the punishment for being a willing participant in the deception of the humans was completed.  The serpent knew not to leave since the task at hand was not complete but said nothing in return either.  I thought that this was going to be an interesting setting since all of the other creatures in the garden were created to walk or crawl on the ground but the serpent was in unfamiliar territory which made it a stranger to its own living environment.

I turned to look at the humans for a moment and the look on the human’s faces were of a somber nature and then another look came over them that I had not seen before.  It was hard to explain but it was like they now could not look at God face to face and that they did not want to look at Him for some reason.  I guess it had finally come to them that if the serpent’s actions had consequences then their actions will have their own consequences as well.  But within a few seconds after I had turned the presence of God surged again and His voice began to rise up with an enormous sense of authority as He then turned to the other figure and began to speak to him.

There was no need to for me to be any closer to the scene than where I was located, for God’s voice could not be misunderstood by any means it was clear and precise in its content and texture.  The overwhelming command in His voice was intended to be just that and there was no mistake that what He had to say was very direct towards the figure, yet it was also made for the human and even I to understand exactly what was being said.  God spoke to the figure with no condemnation but with a level of authority which at first I did not understand.  But as God was speaking one could tell that this was not the first time that the two had met and that something had transpired between them in the past.  God spoke to the figure as if at one time the figure had been a part of His world, or even had been a friend of His at some time; there was a connection there but I could figure it out right at that moment.

God spoke and told the figure that what he had orchestrated was the divine definition of division and that to his eyes it had seemed that he had accomplished his mission.  God recognized the fact that there was now a division between Him and His prized creation but He also said something at the same time that stunned the figure which caused him to rage with fury, not on the outside but on his inner being and the instant switch of inner emotion of the figure was fascinating to witness.  God said that even though there would be a great war between him and man, God would provide an escape from that battle that would come from the dirt lineage that He had created and that the escape plan would be aimed at his ultimate defeat in this war.

The punishment of the figure was complex in its consistency and it was not at all clear as to what would be allowed to transpire after the meeting was completed.  A couple of things were certain however, one was that the figure was allowed to continue his mission with man which was the intriguing portion of the situation because this portion was not surprising or worrisome to the figure it was the second part of the conversation that was the most puzzling to me yet very concerning to towards the figure.

It was riveting to wonder what was meant when God said to the figure that an escape plan was going to be made for His creation and that it would come through man himself and why this portion of the conversation made the figure so furious.  To me, a lowly piece of dirt, would think that from what had happened to the serpent that the figure actually got the better end of the deal since his shape was not altered nor was he confined to a certain location or job, in essence he was allowed to continue what he had started.  But I guess the escape clause had a deeper meaning to it that what I could understand right now and I guess we would have to wait and see what happens with that scenario.

God and the figure stood in their specific spots and stared at each other for what seemed like forever.  Even though no words were spoken verbally I could tell that some type of communication was occurring between them and I knew that it was not a pleasant conversation at all. I could almost see the two forces around them battling for supremacy but it was clear that God’s authority was far greater than that of the figure’s and yet they continued their standoff in a militant fashion. 

God continued His spiritual fight with the figure even though He now had turned towards the humans and focused His attention upon them.  The battle was so intense between God and the figure yet God still had the ability to focus His attention elsewhere and still maintain His authority in the ongoing battle so much so that the figure could not move an inch for he knew that if he did, he would automatically lose the battle yet it was obvious that he was losing anyway.

God then walked over to His beloved creations and gently stood with them as He began to speak with them.  I still was in no need to draw any closer to the scene since God’s voice was loud enough, yet gentle enough to be heard from my position.  He began with the words of acknowledgment about what had occurred with the disobedience with the one law that He had made between them.  He also stated that He understood the reasoning that both of them had for disobeying the law and then He stated that he understood the motives that the figure had for completing his mission upon their lives.  This was reassuring to them but at the same time the sense of urgency was still in the air as God began to deliver His message of separation between them. 

God stated the fact that every one of His creations came from the ground and that every one of these creations was created from a Holy state and that even they had been created from this environment.  God lifted His head towards the area around them and gently moved his arm in a single direction while saying that all of my creation has only known perfect and holy conditions and has not had any need to struggle for anything.  Every cycle has been completely provided for and want has not been a factor for their survival.  But through your disobedience against My one law everything that this earth knows must change in response to your acts.

Now, why did God just say that I thought to myself?  Why does He have to involve everything and every creature since it was them who disobeyed and not us?  Then another thought hit me as God said to the female that she would be in pain when she gave birth and that the multiplying of humans would come through her, that I too was dirt and they were formed from me and that means I would be in line for punishment as well, because if the female was going to experience pain in creating new things, then I would be the recipient of the same during the same conditions.  I then looked around and saw all of the vegetation that was coming from the ground yet up until now I did not feel any sort of discomfort when it grew from my being.

As God continued to speak to the female He made another remarkable statement which riled the figure to beyond a seething state.  Yes, he was sticking around as it seemed like he was still battling God’s forces all around him yet he completely heard the message that God was delivering.  God made it very clear in His words that the escape plan for the humans would come from her and that even though this process would be a painful experience the birth would provide an everlasting escape and that no man would be exempt from this opportunity.  Once again these words infuriated the figure but even so he could not turn away from the presence of God nor could he flee the area either, he had to listen to everything that was being said just as we were.

This was twice now that the idea of an escape plan had touched off a severe reaction from this figure, which his actions towards this plan further encompassed my beliefs that something big had happened between him and God sometime in the past and for some reason an escape plan for the humans was the pinnacle to their battles.  But right at the moment I had other things to witness as I returned to look at the female sitting before her creator and water coming forth from her eyes.  I had not witnessed this act before and it was quite gripping to watch.  God did not say anything in this situation but gently turned towards the male and looked at him with a concerned expression.

God began the conversation by saying something bold but truthful. He stated that the male was the completed form of the disobedience and that even though he was not the first to engage in the deception it was his act that completed it.  God’s voice did not change at all during this exchange but one could sense that it was of great importance of what the male had done and that his act that placed this new order into the world.  In other words, it was another sign of lineage that became the forefront of the attention of God which once again pointed its “finger” towards me.  I did not see this coming in my direction I thought but looking at the Holy order that God had created things it made perfect sense to me and I knew now that I was not going to escape the consequences of my lineage.

While God was making his point in letting the humans understand about the consequences of their actions He was also making his case for their escape plan which was totally getting under the skin of the figure across the way.  I could sense that God knew exactly what He was saying and that even though the words of consequence were making their mark on the humans their effect upon the figure was of a greater impact.  To look upon him was to see the true nature of anger and you could sense the feeling of revenge projecting from his being, but the question of “why” was still the remaining question that had not presented itself to me.

God continued explaining to the male the consequences of his actions which included the ground that which provides all things for the man, which brought my ears to attention very quickly since this was directly about me.  I gasped when I heard the word cursed even though I did not understand what the word actually meant but I had a sense that I was about to find out since as soon as the words came from the mouth of God I felt an unusual feeling within me one in which I had never known before.  What is a thorn and what do thistles have to do with my life but what I found frightening the most is that is if I understood God correctly, and deep down I knew that I had, He said that man would have to work the ground for his food and then weep when the day is over.  This process I did not understand since all of the environmental conditions that all of us had ever known was of a pure and natural state in which God was constantly providing.  Could this mean that God was leaving the earth and that we on the earth would be subject to another system of environmental conditions?  The punishment was beginning to hit home now since I was becoming directly involved in the line of consequences; and there is another one of those new painful sensations of mine but this time it was strong enough that I had to find another spot to move to, this one must be unsettling to me.

Then God said something that I had no comprehension about and when He began the words it even sparked the attention of the figure across the way.  At this juncture God spoke to both the humans and not individually as He had in the previous statements that He had made.  He used a phrase which was shocking to me and one that had to be explained to all of us, even though the words did not seem surprising to the figure at first.  God said that the humans would have to leave this world and that they would have to return to the ground in which they came from, but what was God meaning?  How could they go back into the ground and become a dust particle once again?  God said that one day that their lives would now end and that they would not know life as it has been and that while their physical bodies would not change much their functioning capabilities and the sustaining capabilities of their forms would at some point in time have to end.  So as I heard these words reach my ears I wondered it took a few moments for me to understand what God was saying.  When I realized what God was saying, even though I did not completely understand it yet, I quickly turned towards the figure across the way to see what he reaction was and evidently he had just figured it out as well and his temper flared once again which was automatically pushed back from the presence of God which was still in control of the area.  I took it that this act had something to do with the future escape plans that God had in mind, which as I turned back towards the humans it seemed like they had not fully received that memo but somehow the figure did.

God then said that this consequence was ultimately the result of both of the human’s actions since they were created as being one.  It was this consequence that would be eternal and that as long as human life existed that it would be the goal of every being to extend their presence on this ground but at some appointed time the conditions would be ripe for it all to end.  Some things were starting to make senses to me now especially with the behind the scenes knowledge between god and the figure.  The figure had specifically chose the humans to aggravate, why not the animals, the grass or vegetables?  There had to be something about the humans that the figure did not like or was it more than that in the fact that God created them for some special reason which made the figure look like an inferior being.  Then it would be a rational defensive and aggressive motive for the figure to retaliate against God, but why would he fight a losing cause?

Another pain hit me as I sat in my new spot on the ground this was becoming annoying I thought to myself and then looked around and noticed that I was not the only one having problems with unexplained pains, all of us were feeling the same way.  I could hear the grumblings of the other ground particles start as the pain began to make its way further the area and soon it was all that I could hear coming from the ground.  Shortly, I spotted something coming out of the ground next to me and my pain eased for a few moments.  It was a green looking object and was twisting and turning as it came higher into the air.  I had no idea at the time but my first thistle had appeared before my eyes.  The curse had begun in an instant and it looked like that it would be around for a while, but why would God allow this to occur on a place that He was standing on?

God then took a step back from the humans and lifted His eyes into the air.  Naturally, everyone followed by looking into the same direction as He, and we all saw a sight that we had never witnessed before.  A bright flaming light was descending upon the earth from an unknown location and its light was so brilliant that no one could seep a focus on it for very long.  As it came closer to the earth its magnitude and presence grew to an incomprehensible measure.  It stopped above the area and held its position as God lowered His head and looked towards the humans.  I had a feeling that this stage of the situation was going to be the most important, because as soon as the flame stopped the figure across the way became obviously nervous and the look that God had upon His face was of utter sadness.

God began with a shocking phrase which reinforced to the humans that He loved them very much and that He would never be totally away from them.  It was their responsibility to seek Him from now on and that it was His love for us that He would never truly be that far from us.  However, because of our actions and the consequences that had to be placed upon them and the earth that He could no longer dwell upon the earth as before.  These words actually sparked a smile from the unknown figure for it seemed like he now had won some sort of victory. 

God said that because of the actions that the humans did that they no longer could stay within the confines of their living area and that they had to leave immediately and God pointed into the direction in which the humans had to leave.  As soon as these words had been spoken the flame above all of us increased in size and the heat from it became unbearable.  There was no time for the humans to respond and they had no choice but to leave in the direction that god had provided.  When God pointed His finger in to the escape direction the figure became incensed because he now knew that God’s plan was in motion and that there would be no changing of the plan.  The flame once again began to move and it followed the path that God showed the humans to leave.  As the flame passed behind the humans I felt a sense of separation which I did not understand until I turned and looked towards God.

Up until now God had contact with the earth in the matter that His feet actually touched the earth as He walked around.  All of the times that He had been here His contact with the earth had been of a physical nature in which everyone could see and feel for themselves.  But now as the flame passed behind the humans God’s feet were no longer touching the ground but they were hovering over the earth, forming a divine separation from the earth in which He could no longer engage in since it was now unholy.  It was not a time for joy or happiness for all creation now understood a little of what was in store for their lives.

In an instant the stare down between God and the figure resumed and the tension was greater than ever.  As the two spiritual life forms continued their unspoken battles it felt like me and the other ground particles were being torn from God and that we now were not going to feel His presence in our lives.  Even though we had witnessed all of His glory, provisions, and creations we were now separated from His personal touch which was a feeling that we had not ever known before but I now knew that it would be a long time before this feeling would ever return.

God never took His eyes off of His most prized creation as they left the garden that day, nor did He say another word concerning the matter at that moment.  Even though He did not move an inch towards them His eyes followed them until they reached the garden edge.  When the humans reached the edge of the garden the flame took its position which would becomes its permanent home until the time was necessary for it to be moved by God.  The flame took the shape of a sharp object which had a point on the end of it but the flame did not go out nor did the image ever move.  It was clear that no human would ever enter the garden again and that life as we all knew it would never be the same. 

There was nothing said that the humans could not think about his time in the garden and I guess that he will always have the questions of “what if” cross their minds but I guess in reality this is the action that re-enforces the concept of the separation between God and man.  Even though we can remember what the garden was like and we can visualize it our minds and hearts, we can never close that gap that between Holy and unholy alone.  If one thinks about it this would be the perfect setting for the escape plan to be initiated, something to allow the human and god to be reconciled again even though the gap still remains.  God said it Himself that the escape plan would come through the human, no wonder the figure went wild when this was revealed.

God and the figure parted ways that day but I can constantly sense that they meet on a regular basis.  I still have not totally figured out all of the history between those two but one thing is definitely clear, the figure has no way of winning against the authority of God even though it appears that he has had at one time had access to God in some manner.  Kind of like God has set into motion a setting in which to prove to the figure that His creation will prove Him correct one day by means of their escape plan.

It did not take me very long to kind of understand what God had in mind when He created the human it was purely out of love and truth in creation.  I am still learning of all the potential that man has even though I am no longer in the garden myself.  I have witnessed many living conditions during my tenure and one thing has remained clear, that God still loves all of His creations just as much as He did when He first created them.  It is still difficult for me to understand my existence and for what I will be doing to contribute to this place called earth.  I still miss the direct presence of God in my life and I know one day that I will feel His touch again on my body, and even though I am small in stature and really have not made any significant marks on this earth, but I was privy to witness one of the most remarkable love stories that ever could have been written about, not too shabby for just a speck of dirt huh.








DLB

Saturday, December 1, 2012

The Creation of the Gap

The Creation of the Gap

12/1/12




Many of us do not understand why God had to separate Himself from the human race when man decided to sin against the one law that God set into motion.  It is difficult for us to also understand why that separation had to be a permanent symbol in which all had to be subject to even if they really did not believe in God at all.  And many of us do not understand that the separation of the two parties is actually the beginning steps of the restoration process that God immediately set into play when sin had been dealt with in the garden.  It is all begins with this scenario and it continues to play out today.

A quick note before I start with the article.  I have struggled with this article for some time now, not because of its content or how to even complete the article.  But there is so much information that I have to share with you that I have come to the conclusion that it must be given in separate pieces in order to get the entire message out without it actually becoming a book, famous last words eh.  So please bear with me as I stretch this information into a series that will come out over the next few weeks.  It will deal with many points of restoration and how the Bible is filled with restoration concepts that we have overlooked, forgot about or even deliberately ignored.

Have you ever thought if Eve had at any time in her conversations with the serpent wondered why the serpent was on earth and wanting her to go against what God had commanded against?  It is a logical question but at the same time it is one that all of us should easily answer.  We have all at one time in our lives done something that we knew was wrong but decided to do it anyway no matter what the consequences might be.  Adam and Eve did know and they did understand the consequences of their actions after “the deed” had been done, what they probably did not understand was how their actions would define the remainder of humanities lives and to what extent that damage would have on all of us.

We have a clear picture of life inside the garden and all of the things that it has to offer Adam and Eve.  There is no mention of work or need of anything.  The days are filled with joy and laughter and it is always a great ending to the day when their Creator shows up and has a direct face to face conversation with them.  Everything in their world is perfect and the rules are not hard to follow at all, which says that everything is yours to play with except for one tree and that tree should be left alone.

The two people that I have mentioned are the only ones who can understand how our bodies function at its complete state and who also bring to us our current physical situations in which there is no escape of death, now if is another setting that better defines irony I have not heard of it yet.  The Bible states that their eyes were opened and they instantly knew that their knowledge about themselves had changed so they did the next thing that a normal human would do in this instance, hide.  Boy the conversations that probably took place behind that bush on that afternoon. J  When I was a kid I did my share of boneheaded stunts, I will admit this.  Most of the time mom would tell me that I would have to wait until dad got home to receive my punishment and sometimes the waiting would be the worst part of it all because I really was not thinking clearly by doing the stupid things early in the morning, so I had hours to sit around and wonder about what was going to transpire later.

The same must have been true for Adam and Eve because they both knew that God would show up sooner or later and want to have the usual conversation with the family so to speak.  Adam and Eve sat in the garden and waited for God to show up.  This is ironic as well since we do the same thing sit around and wait for God to show up; this is not the time for that discussion, but think about it sometime.  Anyway, God as expected appears and begins to call for Adam and Eve who continue to hide and go over their plans together of what to say.  And boy do they ever come up with the best idea ever.  They tell God that they cannot come out because they were naked, well duh God already knew this fact but now the question comes into play of why are you even suggesting that you are naked and why do you believe this? 

Well, the cat is out of the bag I guess so then the next logical human thing to do is….begin the blame game.  And do Adam and Eve ever step up to the plate at this time and they both deliver a set of truthful blames for each other’s actions.  What is amazing is what God does next and it is not to destroy the very creation that is separate from all other creations but to begin the process of correction and restoration.  All of the parties involved in this mess now realize that the things that they had known all of their lives could not stay the same and that things were about to change.  Punishment had not ever been dealt to the humans since there had not been a need for it before, but there was one involved party that had already been stricken with a spiritual parting of the ways and knew what it was like to be separated from God.

God does not waste any time before the truth is known of what just occurred and the consequences that have to be administered to the parties involved.  As we look at the parties we can understand that the man, woman, and serpent are the ones directly involved in this situation and all three are addressed with their participating acts.  With the consequences doled out God then turns to the humans and casts them out from the garden.  This act is the most hurtful and the most damaging to God as well for it is an act that permanently separates His beloved creation from Himself.  Both man and God realize that this will be the last true face to face discussion with each other for quite some time and this is the most painful act that God is forced to abject onto His people.

The next example that I am going to use will be a central example in this article but it will also appear in future articles as well.  It follows a scene in which we all have read or seen but it one that is not complete until a certain portion of the picture is changed.  Many of us have seen where there is a picture of a large piece of ground that has a huge gap down the middle which divides the piece of ground into two halves.  One side usually says something like “man or human” and the other half says “God”.  And this picture represents the division that exists between man and God.  This is an excellent portrayal of what really exists and just how close we are to God yet we are so far away at the same time.  This gap was created when man sinned and chose to listen to the things of the world.

The gap is impenetrable from the human aspect in such that in our imperfect state of existence we cannot actually reach the level of “perfection” that God represents.  Our condition itself cannot coexist with God’s holy state nor can it even approach god to even ask for another chance.  The gap has been forged in front of us so wide and deep that we dare not step out into the unknown space.  What is painful for the human is that the gap is so wide and deep which we recognize yet as we see forward we can see God and everything that He has created within our lives.  But the separation goes before us even when we try and get closer to God for it is this realization that causes God fret over the distance between us and it is also for this reason that He has provided a way to Him.

Satan even though he is reeling from his new sanctions still claims the victory since he too realizes that his goals have been accomplished in the fact that God has to separate Himself from the human just as God did with Satan when he decided to go his own way.  A time of gloating was indicated and the party began in the world of Satan until God’s next step was taken.  When God said that man had become one of us and that he understood good from evil, Satan knew that this could only mean one thing and that was God would provide man an option to redeem himself by having a choice to follow God.  For why would God make this statement if he did not have a backup plan already in place?  This act was not only the saving grace for humans but it also served as the cornerstone of the hatred that Satan has for humans since he was not given the same opportunity to choose God again.

So from the beginning of sin into the life of humans God has provided a plan for us to choose His ways once again.  The road is narrow and tough and there will be many distractions along the way but it is possible that we have a complete restoration with God to override the casting out from the garden.  The decision to cast out Adam and Eve from the garden is the act that creates the gap between God and man.  God had no choice to create the separation due to the fact that He cannot be subject to unholy ways or conditions, not that He will not but He cannot be present in these unholy circumstances. It is not a matter of God turning His back on humanity either.  We have plenty of examples throughout the Old and New Testaments that support these concepts.  The gap is still here and the Bible is still here and it is our responsibility to shed light on ourselves and to others that the Bible is about restoration and how God allows us time to understand this process and that there is a Holy way to Him.






DLB

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Holy Foundation to an Unstable Ground

Holy Foundation to an Unstable Ground

11/23/12




It is known that cities that have historical pasts will have some kind of hidden underground system and when explored this system will contain many answers about the city’s past life.  I have always found it amazing of how humans like to build structures that tower into the sky or on top of older places that are no longer useful.  What we think would be a sturdy foundation often turns out to be shaky and unstable ground and thus the new project is considered a failure from the beginning.  Our personal lives can be summed up in this concept as well and when we use a human example of this foundational beginning nothing but total disaster can be expected.  

Some of you might know of my work history within the medical field and how I have been at my current place of employment for almost twenty years now.  I am truly happy with my work and I still consider it a rewarding experience each day that I return to the facility.  I am continually amazed at how much the hospital has grown over the years which now includes many buildings on its complex unlike the single building that was here when I began my tenure in Delta.

Over the early years at my work the employees had noticed a few minor problems with one end of the hospital structure.  It was a common knowledge especially in the winter time when the wind would whip through the windows into the patient’s rooms which was not a good thing at all.  It was also noticed that each year the gap between the walls and the windows were increasing and that more detailed repairs had to be done to keep the cold air out.  It was a continual project which frustrated everyone since a hospital was supposed to be somewhat of a sterile environment or at the very least a very clean environment.  None of our infection rates increased just cold patients were reported.

As I continued to gather information about the hospital I learned that the hospital was built in two parts and almost where the back of the laboratory was the end of the original building.  Once a person started looking closely one could see that another type of brick was used which was the exact location of the second part of the building.  The original portion of the building was built approximately fifteen years before the second portion of the building was built.  So one would reasonably guess that the newer portion of the building would be better built, wrong!  It was the newer portion of the building that had the window problems that I mentioned above and it was the new portion of the building that surveyors and other construction companies found that the foundation was sinking which explained all the current and increasing amount of structural problems.

Decisions had to be made in order to make the necessary corrections to the foundation of the building, but when these questions were asked other structural conditions were raised by the local companies and contractors.  Further research demonstrated that the entire building was out of code and that the entire hospital building would have to be remodeled in order to be within the legal codes for operation.  So, this meant decisions had to be made concerning tax payer money and how much would be necessary to make the repairs.  After all of the bids were in and the numbers crunched and all of the options weighed, it was decided that it would only cost slightly more to build an entire new building that could serve the community better.  I was agreed upon and the new project began a short time later.

After a year of building the new building was completed and all of the pomp and circumstance of the grand opening occurred the new hospital building was ready to be used.  The fate of the old hospital building was still in doubt since if we were going to use it in any way many repairs had to be made.  It was then asked if only a portion of the old building could be torn down and would that make any difference in cost, codes and viability of the building.  It was decided that the newer portion of the building could be torn down and the older portion could then be brought to code easier.  The decision was made and a few weeks later the newer portion of the old hospital building began to come down.  It was quite ironic to watch the newer portion of a building be torn down while the older portion remained.  And to this day the old portion of the hospital still stands and I actually work in the old hospital building on a daily basis.

We all know that if the foundation of a building, any structure to be more precise, is not on solid ground and properly planned and formed the entire building itself will eventually be in jeopardy of sinking, cracking or even deemed condemned due to the structural instability of the foundation.  In other words, if a good foundation is not in place the entire building is worthless and even dangerous for anyone to be around.  This is what happened with our old hospital building and it can be said to be true of many of our lives as well.  For we all know that our lives need the same type of solid and truly built foundation in order to make it in this world.  It does not matter how tall and sturdy you might believe you are in this life, if your foundation is not built correctly you will soon fall in some capacity and you might find it difficult or even impossible to re-build yourself.

In line with this thought we all must realize that our lives are built with faults and there is nothing that we can do to change this fact.  Humans cannot sustain their edge indefinitely nor can they keep up the strong and sturdy posture of a well oiled machine.  At some time our bodies break down due to all the conditions that we subject it to on a routine basis.  This concept can be said of our spiritual lives as well with the same type of conditions being thrown at our spirits on the same level.  So we must find solid ground to build our foundation upon so that we do not waiver when these storms occur.

As with any parcel of land it is important to find the correct spot to build, this goes the same for our spiritual lives as well.  It is difficult to find the appropriate lot and to have the necessary building conditions in order to be secure in our investment.  Many of us look around for this great spot of land for years and some even for decades, I have news for all of us you will not find it unless you allow God to be a part of the decision.  See, whether it is physical ground or spiritual ground if God is not the center of the project, it will automatically be faulty in its construction.  It has been proven time and time again that without God a person is directionless and hopeless in their existence, yet we fail to see this truth on many occasions.

This subject is the prime example of why God had no choice but to send His son to the earth.  The earth itself was cursed a very long time ago and that curse is still intact on every level.  There will be no changing of this fact and it actually serves as a direct separation from God.  See, man is made from the earth when it was Holy but when man fell both the earth and man had to be cursed, you could not have one side be cursed and not the other.  This is a fact because God is a complete God and He leaves no details undone.  So to put this in a Biblical setting, man who is made up of dirt which is cursed had to be separated from God and since God is all holy and cannot be around sin a solid veil had to be put into place to represent this separation.

So a way had to be provided so that man would have direct access to God once again.  See, God really did not want to be separated from His beloved creation but He had no choice due to the choice man made back in the garden.  So God gave man years to experiment with his newly found status, which when we read the Bible or ancient history or even yesterday’s news we see that man alone cannot do it any better since the day we fell into death.  So even way back before man fell God had a plan already established because He knew what man would choose to do with his life.

God’s Son Jesus is the only plan that can establish the restoration of our direct contact with God and it is through Jesus and the act that He chose to do that fulfills and symbolizes the actual reestablishment with God, you have doubts about this?  The foundation of a building needs many ingredients in order to provide an adequate basis for the structure to have a chance of staying up and being safe.  The earth has to be involved in this process and so does the other materials that are provided from the builder.  The earth has to be prepared in order that the builder can begin adding the necessary products to complete the foundation.  Without the earth being prepared the addition of the foundational materials would prove disastrous and would not be adequate for the project, so the cursed earth has to be involved.

Yet it is not the earth that forms the foundation of the building, those materials as stated a few sentences ago are provided by the builder, the earth cannot do that.  So, that means the builder has to have knowledge of the sol and the contents of the soil so that he can provide the soil with the correct method of providing the materials for the foundation.  The materials used have to be of quality grade or the project will falter even before it gets rolling so that means the builder also has to know what correct type of materials to use for the ground.  In other words the perfect materials have to be used so that the imperfect ground to be shaped correctly in order to hold the building that is going to be developed.

So the only material that could be used for this foundation would be of something that would be considered Holy and unique so that none like it could ever be duplicated yet would be available to everyone who wishes to have a true foundation.  The material would also have to be accepted by the earth and recognized as “one of its own” so that the material would not be labeled as an intruder or cause a reaction against the earth.  There would only be one way possible and that would be for God to create a human form of His Son and allow Him to walk the face of the earth and fulfill His mission as a bridge back to God.  Even though Jesus took the form of a human He was still the Son of God and had Holy blood coursing through His veins.  Yes He did have human blood but it was the Holy bloodline that was mixed with the human once again.

Jesus represented God on earth and also represented the one foundation that could bring back the reconciliation between God and man but there was only one way that this process could happen and that would be for Him to die.  Not a normal death of old age but as a symbol of violence that would set forth the definition ability of God to rip the veil in two and to restore the personal relationship with God once more.  Man did not rip the veil God did because the way had been paved and the separation had been closed and the act of setting the foundation was complete upon the death of Jesus.

Jesus served as this foundation and He also serves to this day as the bridge that continually stands as our covering to God.  There is no other way no matter what other human thinking may say or try and prove.  Jesus is the only way of restoration for god’s people and everyone has the opportunity to be restored, not only in our physical life but also in our spiritual life as well.  All aspects of our lives are subject to this restoration process.  This connection to God is a pure and Holy connection even though we still have our sinful lives that we deal with every day.  It is the blood that was shed that covers us and allows us to approach God on an individual basis.  The blood serves as our covering and Jesus the bridge.

It is our choice to accept the Holy foundation that is provided for us.  It is the only true foundation that we can rely upon when times are tough and situations are difficult.  The veil was torn so that our new status could be formed with God, our lives did not change but the status of our relationship with God did, it became personal once again. 



DLB

Thursday, November 22, 2012

An Appropriate Thanksgiving

An Appropriate Thanksgiving

11/17/12




A time’s old tradition of this country is the holiday of Thanksgiving.  While this day serves as another common day for other parts of the world our country still sets aside this day as a day of thanks for everything that we have been given over the past year, and for everything that God have provided for us in all the years of our past.  Many countries around the world have not set aside a day of remembrance and thanksgiving and do not share this idea of public acknowledgement of the blessings that they have received.

If we look back at the year that has just past we can honestly say that we have many things to be thankful for, not only for a comfortable living but for the grace of God that still envelopes the world alike.  Many of these blessings I share with the world but there is not enough time to list all of these specific blessings that have been bestowed up my life but I do want to list a few quickly.

This year I am thankful for my life and everything that it represents to the world.  I know that I have mentioned this before but I am truly thankful for being allowed to live.  There are so many events that I have witnessed, heard and spoke about but being alive is the greatest feeling that I can experience.  I have had many opportunities to go to places and get to see and recognize many people and cultures.  I have not always graced their presence as I should but now realize that it was for my own benefit that I have been around these people and not vice versa.

I give my parents fits sometimes about how I was raised but I really would not trade one second of my raising for it was a great upbringing and I am so proud to have been raised in such a manner.  I am thankful that my home life was just that, my life.  I enjoyed good schools and other social situations but as a normal human teenager and young adult I did make my share of mistakes.  I am thankful that my parents did not shun me nor did my God disinherit me because of my actions.  But most of all I am thankful that I had a life and the opportunity to live.

A few years back my biological family found out about me and then decided to try and locate my whereabouts, which proved to be highly successful.  This situation has opened many opportunities and doors which have presented themselves as a happy yet nervous process.  I am thankful that I was given this opportunity and will look forward in the challenges and rewards that it will present in the future.

As with all life not every holiday is continually filled with happiness.  This year is no exception in this manner.  Our family has just lost one of its members a few days ago.  I did not really know my cousin very much and actually was only around her a couple of times in my life.  Yet she was a part of my family and the loss of her life serves as that, a loss of a loved one.  I know that there are thousands of people sitting around tables during this time that are presently in the same situation as our family and I too feel for their loss.

At the same time I am joyous to know that my cousin is home and with our Creator and Savior.  When I received the news about her passing my response was something like this….at least she will have an appropriate Thanksgiving this year…and I truly believe that she is.  God has allowed her to now witness her life as He sees it, which is a beautiful creation that made a statement to the world with her presence and even though she is no longer drawing a physical breath her air still inhabits our lives in a unique and special way that only God intended.

I understand that the last few years of her life was anything but joyous and happy days were very few; it was a continual battle which proved one eternal thing but I also know that she was thankful for her life and that her faith never shook one ounce away from the truth.  Now, she has the opportunity to say thank you for her life face to face with God and her blessings that we know as her life will be noticed throughout out family.  She understands now that all of her days were ordained by God and I know that she was thankful for having each and every one of them.  It may not always looked like roses but I know that her life will be in the minds of many for a long time which will serve as a reminder to those that loved and knew her that God is alive and loves each and every one of us so very much.

So as we sit at the table of Thanksgiving this year let all of us be joined together and be thankful for our lives for all of us are special in our own individual ways.  Let us also remember everything possible that we are thankful for including being alive.  I am so thankful for my life and for my family and I am also very thankful for a loving God who has allowed all of them to share my life with me.  I thank you God for everything this past year and I look forward to another year of ups and downs.  For no matter what we might encounter in the coming year our lives are beautiful in every way and our lives represent the gift of thanksgiving that we have towards our creator.




DLB