Archive for January, 2016
Speaking of the Groaning Creation…Part 2
You want to know where you will find sin? Follow the money. It’s also that simple. Money is such a useful tool of the devil because it promises fame, fortune, the high life, and most importantly, power. People like having power because power gives them control over others. Most people are suckers for that. Give them the opportunity to become wealthy and famous and they will grab at the chance as the many areas of TV’s “reality programming” can attest. Oh, and by the way, the original reality TV shows began because of greed.
Speaking of the Groaning Creation…Part 1
Since we’ve talked about death, let’s continue the discussion. What does death have to do with these people? Well in general, sin creates death and these people already mentioned are sinners like us, so they’re dying. But more than that, because of their love of money, they’re also being used by the enemy of our souls to create as much death as possible. “Oh, Dr. Fred, isn’t that going overboard?” No, not at all. Look at some of the companies these people own (or owned and sold). Whether it’s a Big Pharma or Big Food company, they are doling out death in some form or another.
A Groaning Creation Continues to Groan
Every time a loved one gets sick or dies, we are reminded of our sin. Every time we have to put a beloved pet down, we are reminded of our sin. Every time we see something terrible happen in the world, we are reminded of our sin. It is fully humanity’s fault that sin exists in this world and death because of it. We have only ourselves to blame, but fortunately, God has made the solution available. Yet, even with that perfect solution, people and animals will die in this life. Sin has its consequences and even salvation will not change that for the time being. Ultimately, even sin itself (along with death) will finally be eradicated but for now, we must live with the effects of our sin, whether we like it or not.
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 18
The antidote to avoid living selfishly (which hides the light of our salvation), is to seek out God in fellowship. This can only happen after we have gained salvation, but too many people stop there. We must press on – as Paul says in Philippians 3:12 – and Paul also prods us onto continue to work out our salvation in fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). He’s not talking about earning our salvation, but entering into and maintaining our fellowship with God. This is done through the many things we’ve outlined in this series.
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 17
When Moses met with God on the mountain, there was certainly a “to do” list of sorts and part of that included giving the Ten Commandments. Other parts included providing all the parameters for the building of the tabernacle, which eventually became the Temple under Solomon. Still other areas included all aspects of the Law, including the ceremonial aspects of the Law that dealt with daily living in Israel. But Moses also simply enjoyed God’s presence and who wouldn’t? It was through this “face-to-face” that Moses began to learn about and got to know the Pre-incarnate Jesus. It was based on these experiences with Jesus that Moses grew in knowledge of the Lord, how He wanted things done, and how He expected Moses to live before Him.
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 16
We were made to fellowship with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). That is our primary purpose. God wants us to come to Him, to talk with Him, to rely on Him, to understand that apart from Him, we can do nothing. He knows our frame. Sometimes, the best way to ensure that we come to Him on a daily basis is to give us less than quality health so that we are forced to trust and rely on Him. Too many do not do this. Too many simply complain about their “lot” in life, but continue to eat the foods and practice the things that contributed to their ill-health in the first place. In at least some cases, poor health is totally caused by what we ingest and how we live. God wants better for us and that can often be a process.
Continue Reading January 3, 2016 at 12:09 PM Leave a comment
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 15
Poor health robs us of a sense of well being because the symptoms that we experience are often way too “loud” and are difficult to ignore, not to mention that many of those symptoms can be physically debilitating and even affect our ability to think clearly. Sometimes, seeking out quality healthcare from specialists is the only way to go for some folks who suffer from maladies like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other illnesses. We need to learn how to be and remain as healthy as possible. This goes a long way in ensuring the spiritual portion of our lives is also doing well.
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