What is Heaven?
Is it a place where the angels sing and we flit here and there?
Is it a place where I can eat all the chocolate I want, and never get fat?
Is the disco ball making the stars in the heavens sparkle, and we're all boogeying down on the night shift?
Is more than my mind can ever imagine?
Yes, I think that's it. Heaven is more. More than my puny little mind can imagine.
And when it's time to go Home, I think that my mind, my spirit, my soul will expand out of this mortal body, free to expand out across the millions of dimensions, to join the Whole that we know as God.
And He will be more than I could ever image.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
There Is No Conflict
Yes, I know, as a Christian that believes in the Word of the Bible, there seems to be a lot of conflicts between what is Written and the secular world.
I have a Word for you all.
There is no conflict.
Yes, I know the Bible says God created it all in 6 days, and on the 7th He rested. Science says the earth is billions of years old.
God created Man. Science says we evolved.
My brothers and sisters, there is NO conflict.
How can I say that?
We are looking at this from God's point of view, from His Word written for us.
Science is looking over at the backside of the earth and the sun and the moon and the stars, trying to recreate what has already been Written.
And no one realizes that we're looking at exactly the same things.
There is no conflict.
However, our limited understanding, plus our limited ability to see and hear and feel all the world that God has made for us, leads us to many, many conclusions, perhaps even misconceptions.
How long ago was it that we believed the world was flat? That the earth was the center of the universe?
Yes, not that long ago.
How long ago did we realize that there are more colors than our eyes can see? More sounds than our ears can hear? More smells than our noses can distinguish? And if that is true, then isn't it entirely possible that there is so much more out there in the universe? Things that we don't even know to look for?
How long ago did we start to realize that there are more than 3 or 4 dimensions? Yes, not that long ago either.
Besides our inability to see, hear, feel, smell, touch all the possibilities of the world, our humanity makes us suseptible to vain imaginings. We make things way more complicated than they are. And we also try to explain complicated things we don't understand in words that are far too simple to even start to encompass the world God blessed us with.
We keep trying to limit God to fit our understanding.
There is no conflict.
There is only our limited ability to comprehend the vastness of the universe -- and the infinity of God.
Accept, have Faith, realize that there doesn't have to be an argument.
Because there is no conflict.
I have a Word for you all.
There is no conflict.
Yes, I know the Bible says God created it all in 6 days, and on the 7th He rested. Science says the earth is billions of years old.
God created Man. Science says we evolved.
My brothers and sisters, there is NO conflict.
How can I say that?
We are looking at this from God's point of view, from His Word written for us.
Science is looking over at the backside of the earth and the sun and the moon and the stars, trying to recreate what has already been Written.
And no one realizes that we're looking at exactly the same things.
There is no conflict.
However, our limited understanding, plus our limited ability to see and hear and feel all the world that God has made for us, leads us to many, many conclusions, perhaps even misconceptions.
How long ago was it that we believed the world was flat? That the earth was the center of the universe?
Yes, not that long ago.
How long ago did we realize that there are more colors than our eyes can see? More sounds than our ears can hear? More smells than our noses can distinguish? And if that is true, then isn't it entirely possible that there is so much more out there in the universe? Things that we don't even know to look for?
How long ago did we start to realize that there are more than 3 or 4 dimensions? Yes, not that long ago either.
Besides our inability to see, hear, feel, smell, touch all the possibilities of the world, our humanity makes us suseptible to vain imaginings. We make things way more complicated than they are. And we also try to explain complicated things we don't understand in words that are far too simple to even start to encompass the world God blessed us with.
We keep trying to limit God to fit our understanding.
There is no conflict.
There is only our limited ability to comprehend the vastness of the universe -- and the infinity of God.
Accept, have Faith, realize that there doesn't have to be an argument.
Because there is no conflict.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Render Unto Caesar...
Yes, it's that lovely time of year again, when we get out the sharpened pencils and calculators, the receipts and W-2s and 1099s, and sit for hours at our desks.
I just e-filed my taxes this morning.
Once more, I balanced out pretty well. I don't believe in big refunds. Why would I give my money to the government, just so I can fill out paperwork and get my own money back next year? That makes no sense at all! I try to take just enough deductions and have just enough withheld that I don't have to pay anything to the IRS at the end of the year.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do my taxes every year, and yes, I look for every legal deduction I can get. There is nothing wrong with that.
However, I do have a problem. There are just too many people who don't think they should have to do their taxes. They use false doctrines presented by people who do NOT have their best interests in mind.
Nobody likes to pay taxes. Nobody.
However, we all benefit from having a government that makes laws, takes care of the roads and economy. We may not always agree with the government, but we are Blessed here in America; we have the right to vote the scoundrals out and vote new ones in.
But back to the annual flauntings of tax scofflaws. There are plenty of scams out there, just check www.irs.gov. All too many of the Body are sucked into the scams and lies of the evil one. Yes, the evil one. Misdirection, lies, scams presented by fast talking tax preparers who are only out to collect your money. If the IRS catches up to them, they'll turn over on you in a heartbeat. If the IRS catches up to you, they'll abandon you without a thought, taking no responsibility for their slick lies.
Well, I have a thought for all of us. If we aren't supposed to pay taxes, how do we explain Mathew 22:15-22?
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
To my mind, Jesus was telling them that as long as we live under law, there will be taxes and they must be paid. In addition, He was revealing the methods of the current day tax scofflaws who will suck you into a morass of legal problems, fines, perhaps even jail. The evil one doesn't have to do much, our need to hear that we don't have to cough up money is enough to suck all too many into the trap.
And I have another set of verses which are even more to the point, Mathew 17:25-27.
25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”
26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free!
27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
Jesus was telling Peter to go with the program. And that includes paying taxes.
Don't be sucked in, my Brothers and Sisters.
At least go to www.irs.gov and check out the lastest scams, and then turn to your Word before you decide to go against the law and Jesus' words.
And remember, Jesus said He didn't come to set aside the law...
I just e-filed my taxes this morning.
Once more, I balanced out pretty well. I don't believe in big refunds. Why would I give my money to the government, just so I can fill out paperwork and get my own money back next year? That makes no sense at all! I try to take just enough deductions and have just enough withheld that I don't have to pay anything to the IRS at the end of the year.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do my taxes every year, and yes, I look for every legal deduction I can get. There is nothing wrong with that.
However, I do have a problem. There are just too many people who don't think they should have to do their taxes. They use false doctrines presented by people who do NOT have their best interests in mind.
Nobody likes to pay taxes. Nobody.
However, we all benefit from having a government that makes laws, takes care of the roads and economy. We may not always agree with the government, but we are Blessed here in America; we have the right to vote the scoundrals out and vote new ones in.
But back to the annual flauntings of tax scofflaws. There are plenty of scams out there, just check www.irs.gov. All too many of the Body are sucked into the scams and lies of the evil one. Yes, the evil one. Misdirection, lies, scams presented by fast talking tax preparers who are only out to collect your money. If the IRS catches up to them, they'll turn over on you in a heartbeat. If the IRS catches up to you, they'll abandon you without a thought, taking no responsibility for their slick lies.
Well, I have a thought for all of us. If we aren't supposed to pay taxes, how do we explain Mathew 22:15-22?
15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
To my mind, Jesus was telling them that as long as we live under law, there will be taxes and they must be paid. In addition, He was revealing the methods of the current day tax scofflaws who will suck you into a morass of legal problems, fines, perhaps even jail. The evil one doesn't have to do much, our need to hear that we don't have to cough up money is enough to suck all too many into the trap.
And I have another set of verses which are even more to the point, Mathew 17:25-27.
25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house. But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”
26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free!
27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
Jesus was telling Peter to go with the program. And that includes paying taxes.
Don't be sucked in, my Brothers and Sisters.
At least go to www.irs.gov and check out the lastest scams, and then turn to your Word before you decide to go against the law and Jesus' words.
And remember, Jesus said He didn't come to set aside the law...
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