A look into a life being changed by Christ

WIll The Real Jesus Please raise your hand!

One of the things that perplexes me the most about being a follower of Christ is the presentation of his image.  The description of Jesus was NEVER brought up in the New Testament!  Mankind just has to have an image of Jesus for us to "see". One of the first things folks are inclined to do when discussing the possible images of Jesus is to point out that Jesus was Jewish or Aramaic in lineage.  Anthropologists have said that the Jewish belong to the Caucasian race which ranges from north of the Sahara, through the Middle East, and into Europe.  The ethnic groups Jewish, Arab, and European are really misleading in their name value.  Within the caucasian race are "common groups" that potentially can share the same features.  All to often people have been mistaken for being a part of a particular ethnic group.  Believing certain groups all have the same features is a horrible, ignorant assumption!

If one were to try to have an artist rendition they would have to be somewhat stereotypical to portray a realistic rendering.  One thing is for sure…he wasn't lily pale white!  I say this because as he went about his Holy business OUTSIDE in the elements! This means his skin had to have a darker shade than most of the pictures hanging in some of the Christian living rooms of America.  I don't think he was frail and wimpy looking either!  It is illustrated that Jesus was a workingman by trade, which means he was pretty strong. He had to have been especially strong to withstand that horrible beating before his crucifixion at the end of his life!

Long hair? Jesus was from Nazareth.  The ones that were under the Nazarite vow could not drink wine, touch dead bodies, AND they had to keep their hair long as a sign of humiliation. Refer to these bible verses; Ezekiel 44:20, Num. 6:2-3, 6, Matt. 2:23, Matt. 9:25, and Matt. 11:19. The two problems here are; our savior drank wine, and touched dead bodies. My best guess is that he was not under the Nazarite vow, at least during the time of his ministry he wasn't.  As a matter of fact at the end of the vow the man was to shave his dome, Num. 6:18! Are we thinking yet, and we wonder what happened to Christ between 13 and the time he began his ministry hmmmm.  The culture of the time in Judea was Grecian in influence, Acts 6:1.  The Romans came on the scene after this influence.  Their hair length of choice, short!  Short hair was in before Christ, during Christ, and after Christ.  With this being said if Jesus would have had long hair he would have stuck out like a sore thumb.  If he would have been the guy in the crowd with the log hair Judas would not have had to kiss him to identify him to the Roman Soldiers.  AS far as long hair goes; 1 Corinthians 11:14, that book of the bible is very Christ inspired!

If you haven't guessed, ignorantly rendered pictures and statues of Jesus kind of irk me!

Really, if we are becoming mature in our walk do we need to know? This scripture is about as good as it gets as far as what our master looks like.

Isaiah 53:2 (Today's New International Version)

2.) He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
       He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

I see Jesus often folks!  I saw Jesus at McDonalds, he was inside turning the empty paper coffee cup between his thumb and index finger, twisting it round and round as he was in his thoughts.  His dog was tied up to the pay phone outside the door.  I was on my way to the car.  I started to get in and head off, but then I was motivated to go back.  I asked him if he wanted something to eat discreetly.  He looked up smiled and said "no, I'm alright".  With a different face I saw him by the Walgreen's entrance door.  He asked me if I could spare a dollar.  I said, "hang on a second, I forgot to pay for this soda, I'll be right back." I returned, looked around and said "how bout Burger King, I'll take you over there and buy you something to eat".  He said; "no…I'm good man". 

 

This is how I see Jesus.

If someone must paint a picture of our savior I wish that they would please be aware our Savior was not likley to be pale, wimpy, and frail as man has illustrated in many paintings.

I agree with what Pastor David Jeremiah had said.  He said "if one must paint a picture of Christ don't make him look like a pushover", he'd like to see a picture Of Christ storming the temple courts overturning the money exchangers tables and smashing the cages to release the sacrifice animals.

Our savior was meek and mild, but when it was time to get rough, he did!  May this be a teaching you will remember and research for yourselves.

I issue a challenge to the Christian blogsters of Myspace! Jesus was not a lily-white wimp!

Resources: Tom Brown Ministries, The Restored Church of God website, Biblegateway.com, and my brain!

Can Sin Make You Sick ?

If only we objected to sin the same way we object to the foods we don't like. 

 

Watch the video below!

      

If we could only be that animate in objecting to sin!!!

      

WOW!!! 

 

   

The third weekend of October of 1979, I was eight years old and at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Like any eight year old I loved the fair rides and fair foods. In between the excitement of the fair rides and the exhibits I wanted some cotton candy and a coke. I got the large cotton candy along with the large coke to wash it down. I remember it like it was yesterday. The fair ride called the "scrambler" caught my eye. I stuck my sticky, grubby hands into my pocket and pulled out a wadded up string of tickets and eagerly waited in line as I joyously finished devouring my treats. Finally, MY TURN! I hurriedly passed off my tickets to the ride operator and boarded the "scrambler". The scrambler lived up to its name. My tummy was scrambled and I barfed! To this day I haven't eaten any more cotton candy. 

      

Folks tend not to eat foods that they dislike, nor do they eat foods that have made them sick in the past.

 

Like the foods that makes a person sick, sinfulness can make you ill too. I for one can attest to that! 

   

Here are some signs of sin: worry, mental strife, misery, guilt, remorse, depression, anger, frustration, and severe stress.

   

All of these can make you physically ill! 

   

They can cause: Nausea, vomiting, tremors, nightmares, panic attacks, irregular heartbeat, irrational behavior, and much more.

   

Why do people go back to a transgression after it has caused such misery? Could it be that the taste of the indulgence is so sweet that one is willing to suffer the consequences just to partake of the moment in time? 

   

The very thought of cotton candy still repulses me! Unlike the reaction to offending foods we tend not to ascertain that it is our sin that makes us despondent. The symptoms make us so ill we cry out to our master for deliverance. Our souls are not equipped to handle those signs and symptoms. God doesn't want us to reach the point of desperation. God wants us to lean on him daily to stay spiritually healthy. Our sin results in infirmity. The sickness drives us to the cross. It is by God's design. Christ said "my yoke is easy" 

   

Matthew 11 (Today's New International Version) 

   

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

      

In my first writings I indicated that my purpose is to illustrate my changing life as I learn to walk closer to Christ. By walking in the light, our wisdom will forever be expanded by the master of our lives, Jesus Christ.  I am learning to lean on Christ daily! A relationship with Christ is an everyday fixation on the master. I am learning with every approaching challenge to give my burdens to Jesus. Praise God! He has taken the weight of it off. He walks by our side carrying the burden. He sees us through the trials of this fallen world.


The scope of this blog is to illustrate that sin can indeed make you sick. Our spirits can't cope with these types of sickness alone. God did not design us to live independent of him. The fact that we are showing the symptoms of mental turmoil prompts to stay close to the master while suffering through it.  I was not pointing out that sin is the basis of all sicknesses. Anger, depression, and severe stress are all "signs" of an individual attempting to govern his or her life independent of God; they are not a final indication.  If a body has a chemical imbalance in the brain, indeed it is the physical make up of the individual's body that has caused the illness.  However the person's physical condition doesn't preclude the individual from taking it to the cross.   These words are still important to the one suffering from the results of nervous system chemical imbalances, evil manifestations, and individuals who are attempting to live a life independent of the master.

 

p.s. 

   

Today I lost my job due to the lazy, unfair, and irrational thinking of the management of the company I worked for. I am not the only one who has fallen prey to this company.

   

Behold the hand of God that plucks us out of harms way and places us on safe ground!

   

Tomorrow will be a better day! 

   

Christ's Servant, 

 

Thomas!

 

 

The Lonley Road

The lonely road winds through every soul… 

 

Sometimes by choice is why they walk alone… 

 

Thoughts of sorrow… 

 

Feelings of fear… 

 

Follow the hearts of those who travel here… 

 

On the lonely road. 

 

God only knows a sad saint's heart…. 

 

It's never too late to believe and let God make a new start… 

 

On the lonely road… 

 

Walk with God on this road less traveled… 

 

On the lonely road… 

 

If hope is the only thing a sad soul can poses… 

 

Then wait on God, he will give you rest… 

 

You're never alone… 

 

On the lonely road… 

 

Many souls travel here… 

 

All are different, but shed the same tears… 

 

On the lonely road. 

 

God feels sorrow… 

 

For us who travel here…

 

His grace embraces those who draw near… 

 

On the lonely road… 

 

Our wisdom is a gift from God… 

 

That we pass on to our brethren who try too hard… 

 

On the lonely road… 

 

Listen well… 

 

And perhaps

 

You won't have to walk…

 

On the lonely road.

Is my Salvation Forever

This subject will be forevermore debated. I had some serious reservations about posting this. Satan does not want me to post this! I LOST an hour and a half of work on my first writings. Please be in prayer for me! The last time I drew my sword and attacked Satan I was unprepared and I was lead astray for about ten months! I say again, Satan does not want me working for God! I feel that I am stronger in my faith and I have more folks praying for me now… SO, without further delay here we go!

 I will post the bulk of this blog in question form. I will keep it short and sweet… yeah right!

THREE QUESTIONS 

Were you serious when you accepted Christ?

 

Doubt is a sure sign that you are not fully convinced. Before I came to full acceptance I was sure that the supernatural realm was real, but I was blinded to the HOLY supernatural dominion. In my doubt, I prayed one day. I asked if God if he was real. I can't put my finger on exactly when it happened, but it seemed as if one day a vale was lifted from my eyes, I could see! God is in control of the Holy supernatural world. The evil one has less power, but has a stake in the supernatural as well. The evil one can make us see and hear things; UFO's, psychics, zodiac sciences, and ghost. They can be quite real and fully convincing, but they are not truth. Satan can even make you see your dear grandmother who has been dead for years. The first vision may seem sweet and fulfilling, but if it is Satan motivated he will lead you away and deceive you! If you have witnessed something like this it is important that you leave the experience alone! NEVER try to relive it! NEVER try to conjure up another experience. Take things as they are…never dwell on them!

Do you understand what Salvation is?

When you fully believed you were INSTANTLY a changed person, you became spiritually alive. You are still Earth bound by your flesh; however you are connected to the benevolent supernatural father FOREVER. The Holy Spirit guides our steps and reminds us constantly of this!

Psalm 37:28, "For The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever."

John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out."

John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand".   

1 John 2:1, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Hebrews 6:17-20, "In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

Do you feel driven to confess your wrong doing?

You will sin! We are not perfect. The best evidence that you are saved is a constant drive from the Holy Spirit to confess your sin until you have confessed your folly. I am not speaking of guilty accusation here, that's important! guilty accusation is a combination of our own carnal thoughts and the accusation of Satan. Our sin is forgiven forever! Christ didn't step down to become human to die for the sins of that time period and before! He died for the SINS OF ALL TIME!  Once you are truly in Christ it's a done deal. You are forgiven forever. You can go in the bible and extract passages here and there that seem to say you can loose your salvation, but don't read into the word too much. DON'T LOOK for a reason of impending doom! STOP DOUBTING and live! 

Satan lies and accuses! He will speaks damnation into the ears of your soul! He can accuse all he wants too! The truth is Christ smashed the head of evil upon his death on

Calvary

.

IN CLOSING!

It is TRUE belief more than anything! If you KNOWINGLY sin and you have no remorse…you are in trouble!

You never believed in the first place!

People can argue as much as they wish! It is written:

Romans 8:33-35, 38-39, "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

 

Does THIS mean that if you REALLY believe in Christ you can do as you wish? No…the Holy spirit will not let it happen! YOU WILL ALWAYS confess your folly post salvation if you are truly saved. You may find yourself committing the same sin, BUT you will find that you are doing it less and less! A SURE SIGN OF SALVATION!

 

REST MY FRIENDS!

May you reflect the face of God in your walk!

 

Learning to Be Bad

(((HAVE A LOOK BEFORE READING)))

Take some time to observe kids playing...say kids about age 4 or 5. You will see all different races; fat, skinny, and different looks.  Most times they get along well don’t they? Of course there are some squabbles, but not many. After they notice the obvious different shades of skin they run off to play together; they also really don’t seem to care if a kid is fat or skinny, nor do they care about the different facial features.  The accents quickly fade away as the play!  Children this age seem to be color blind, or mayby they can see clearly! Is it the world and time itself that blinds?  Lets have a look and see!   
 
Observe 7 to 9 year olds when they come out to play and you will began to see the effects of this PATHETIC fallen world. You see the little groups of "buddies" form up, each on their side of the playground. Sometimes you see the different skin tones and cultures are off in their own groups too.  Some aren’t included in a group of friends; the lonely outcasts stare at the trees or at their feet. Comments like; ugly, stupid, fat, nigger, slant eyes, gay, and retarded sound off like sporadic machine gun fire.

 

 

 

The moral decay has got so bad in modern times you even hear young children making sexual remarks and gestures. Where do you suppose they get that from? They are learning it from somewhere...aren’t they? They are learning to behave just like who they observe.

 

 

 

Television

 

 

      

The television pumps its vomit into the homes of

America

and we wonder why there are bad kids. On television they see immorality, sex, violence, foul language, murder, and fighting.  Television also portrays homosexuality as ok. Yup, it’s there…you better look again! The Disney channel ain’t too wholesome, lewd behavior, dress, and suggestive acting. Just because the Disney mouse ears are on it doesn’t mean its ok for all ages!

 

Wake up people! Kids in the third and fourth grades are talking about stuff and acting like kids in the fifth and sixth grade in the 1980’s.   Yes; it’s a different era now, but hearing an 8 year old singing sexually suggestive songs that they heard on TV is just wrong! I don’t care if it’s 2008!   

   

Most of all WE ARE TO BLAME! 

                   

Sometimes in this busy age we inadvertently let the television, computer, and other folks we don’t really know baby sit the kids. 

   

Television isn’t the only thing that influences our children! 

   

Take this for example: Your 9 year old child wants to play outside with 8 year old Billy. Billy is a decent kid so you let you child go outside and play. Ten minutes later your child storms into the house and excitedly exclaims "can I go over to Billy’s house and play on his X box 360" Billy and his older brother Brad follow in behind, Brad is 11 and smiles and says It’s ok, I’ll watch him, we are right down the street. You look into your child’s hopeful eyes and say "ok"…"If it’s alright with Billy and Brads parents". Brad flips the cell phone out and asks permission and passes the phone to you to confirm that it’s ok. You let your child go. The child runs yelling in joy out the door. You say to yourself "well, now I can have a little peace and quiet" You sit down and relax in the quietness.

   

Down the street it’s anything but quiet at Billy’s house. The music is blaring loud as the kids play the video game. Your child is having fun. It’s his turn to give the controller to another kid. Bored, he just stares at the game being played on the television. Billy’s mom is in the study riveted to the soap opera’s she had tevo’ed while she was a work. Billy’s third and oldest brother Michael says to your child hey look at this! Michael is 13 years old. He shows your child a porn magazine. A change just took place in your child. That child will never be the same.

   

I’m not saying keep your children on level four lockdown, but you better know the folks they are with when out of sight. Of course our kids are going to see and hear stuff they should not witness. It happens, and it will continue to be. What we can do is pre strengthen our kids with solid moral values. Unfortunately "the talk" needs to happen WAY earlier now days depending on the child’s social situation. I’d say around 8 years old you need to ease into a conversation about our human behavior. We need to teach them that sexual behavior is not for them right now. Of course we need to be ultra sensitive to their age and listen to them to see where their understating is at. We need to teach them to report to you when they see something that is of that nature. We need to teach them that if someone says or shows them something that makes them feel icky or weird that God telling them to get away from it and tell mommy or daddy. We must establish trust and comfort or our kids won’t say a word to us. 

   

Most Important! We should also watch how we Act too! 

   

I have caught my self getting frustrated in traffic and letting a few exclamations fly in front of my child. A few days earlier I said it’s not good to cuss.

I have carelessly tossed paper out of the window when I have told them earlier that it’s not ok to litter.

 

I have called people stupid in my child’s presence, and I tell my kid it’s not good to call people names.

   

I have let my child watch television and diverted my attention to another task. I have not been the best influence on younger folks in the past, and I feel horrible, thank GOD for grace!  I am still trying to gain control of myself to try to be a good influence.  God is always teaching us, we are always growing! 

   

There you go! I am guilty too! I write this out of love and experience!  I keep my childhood close to me and I remember what it was like, I’m still pretty much a big kid myself. 

      

We need to keep a diligent watch folks! We need to keep ourselves under the scope too! We can’t go blaming society and television as the source of the problem when we let it happen we are 100% responsible!

      

In Closing 

 

Parent to child interaction has been eclipsed by alternate entertainment, and other folks watching our kids due to us trying to keep up in a fast paced world.

      

 We can reach our kids and get them to understand! 

 

Hollywood

is quite successful in reaching our kids! Why aren’t we?