Cultural Change

Have you ever considered what causes a culture to change?  What is it that brings this change that either builds up or tears down a culture or society?  I was watching a program the other day about music. It had to do with the era I started paying attention more to the music of the times, the mid to late 50's, into the 60's and 70's.  These are the years as far as music was concerned had the most impact on my style of music.  Take for instance, Elvis Presely.  Here was a time of cultural change that was very noticeable, we came from the era of Lawerence Welk, the Big Bands, and Jazz, Blues, etc.  Elvis brought a profound change to society with his style of music that not only changed the music of the time, but began changing how people thought about life styles.  I remember a news report about an interview with a woman and her child and what she said about Elvis's music, "I saw him swivel his hips."  Now if that statement doesn't show how music and style were and what it was becoming, not sure anything else can show it any better.  Over time Elvis began to be accepted and adored until all you had were massive crowds of screaming girls and boys who tried to copy his style and dress.  Elvis even today is still one of the most copied musicians.  Elvis's music changed not only the way music was viewed, but it changed the way people dressed, wore their hair, and viewed society.  Over time as this music was accepted as normal other changes in music began to take place.  Watch the documentaries on this sometime and pay attention to how the changes took place.  

In the 60's we began to notice another change taking place with music.  Although Elvis was still the king of rock and roll, other styles began to merge and bring change to our culture.  The Beatles brought a whole new style not only in music, but in how people thought about moral's.  There music also over time was accepted as normal.  Drugs, sex, and freedom from establishment began to overshadow us.  Not the kind that brought relief from pain. etc, but mind altering experiences.  Sex was no longer viewed as something sacred but used as a way to express a break from religion and other forms of moral guidance.  Then came the 70's with so much free love that one did not know the consequences of their actions any longer.  Groups like the Mama's and Papa's, the Monkey's, Creedance Clearwater Rival, and many other's that not only promoted their style of music, they promoted a life style of no moral values.  The music and life style seemed to be accepted as the norm for the time.

Here we are in the next century and with a lot of the music now you are not sure what is being promoted or even being said.  Language that once was considered very disrespectful began to be used in the lyric's of music, and the music industry promoted it as normal.  Freedom of speech they cried, the right of self expression, doesn't matter what society thinks, we have our rights.  Yes, society began to change, our culture of the past began to die out and a new way of thinking emerged and we accepted it as normal.  Even the Christian music changed from one style to another, of which a lot of it if someone did not tell you it was Christian you would not have known it by the lyrics or the style.  Music definitely played a part in cultural change, but the biggest contributor was the acceptance of it.  When something is done long enough it becomes the norm and accepted as right.  Whether music brought about change in our culture or was nothing more than an expression of what was going inside man's heart, music played a role in cultural change

There are of course many other factors that help bring about change in a culture, but the result is the same, a lost culture either for the better or for the worse.  The question still remains, what brings about this change?  Why do we accept things that we know are not right or good and make them a part of our society or culture?

Let me take us back and look at the culture that existed in the beginning, a culture that was pure and right from its very inception.  This culture would be called Kingdom culture, a culture set in motion by God Himself.  Here man had all the freedom in the world, freedom to name, freedom to expand, freedom to care for, freedom to worship, no shame, no guilt, plus he had the authority to do it.  There were very few rules, just one to be exact, don't touch the tree.  But, something happened to bring a permanent change to a perfect society or culture.  Something happened that is still happening today, and in my opinion, I believe it would be called selfishness, or rebellion.  We thought we could do it ourselves and we listened to the outside influence and allowed it to alter our thinking.  Instead of doing it the way of the Creator, God, we figured we had the power to do whatever we wanted without consequences, even though we were told what would happen if we disobeyed and broke the one rule, don't touch the tree.  The consequences were separation from the Creator and death.  The outside influence then became the authority over this world instead of the created being "Man."  So ever since, societies and cultures have been changing and not really for the better.  The more we accept as normal into our culture the farther away we get from the original culture.  It is not normal for an outside influence to affect the Kingdom culture but since man was given authority over this world God must allow us to accept anything we desire into it.  The problem is we listen to the outside influence instead of the Creator of this world.  What a mess we have made of it all.

So, what do we do?  Every year we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God's only Son who was sent to this world to redeem it from its lostness.  Every year we recognize there is a God, but we do not return to the Kingdom culture that was meant for us because we fail to follow His instructions for returning.  It's very simple, accept Christ as the only begotten Son of God, let Him be the Lord of your life and listen to His instructions.  If you believe this and believe that He came to this earth, gave His life for you and me, and was resurrected on the third day you can reenter the Kingdom culture.  Look at John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but have eternal life."   Now that is not so hard is it?  Why not let the influence of the one who created us in the beginning bring about the change in our culture by changing what the outside influence has destroyed?  Life change takes time, culture change takes time, but when in the Kingdom culture we have the source of power to bring about the change we desire.  Look at it this way, by living in God's Kingdom, all we need to do is follow His constitution, HIs Word, written down for us through the centuries.  We can find it most anywhere, in a library, in a book store, on your shelf, under your bed or even on your nightstand.  It is called the Bible, or God's Holy Word.

I know we could sit down and discuss cultural change for a long time and never really agree on every topic that brings about change in culture, but one thing for sure, God laid out His plan and we need to follow it or we will continue to suffer the consequences of breaking the one rule, don't touch the tree.  Touch rebellion and the consequences are the same as with Adam and Eve, separation and death.  If you want to change the culture of this world, then start with you, let God change you and His influence will permeant out from your heart and into the world around you.

May God truly bless you today and keep you under His wings of protection and influence.

The Journey

I have been been thinking about different things lately, the holidays, my family, God, marriage, etc.  Still not sure which direction to go so I feel like I should share something that I truly enjoy, God's creation.  I wish I had the writing skills of my daughter Alyssa, or some poet, but I don't so I will attempt to express my heart while on a journey recently and a walk I went on a little later.  They both are similar in experiences so it would be best if I just combined them into an overall experience of refreshing.  

My wife and I attended a memorial service for our sister in laws mother recently.  The service was nice and it brought out some good memories of her life.  The journey to the coast is what I want to share and the type of day it was.  The day started out as any other day except we had more of a destination in mind.  We had decided to stop at a local restaurant for breakfast, as we were seated and waited for our server we became aware of the time.  Our server was rather slow getting to us to take our order, the coffee never came for quite some time.  I finally got a cup of coffee, sipped on it slowly as usual until the cup was empty, I waited for a refill but none came.  Finally the server came by to take our order, still no refill.  Yes, I know, I could have flagged someone down or asked the server for a refill, but being me, I wanted to see what kind of service I would really get.  Our breakfast finally arrived and I got a refill on the coffee.  I commented to my wife about the service and hoped this is not an indication of how the day is going to go.  We needed to be on the road by a certain time in order to make the two hour drive in time for the memorial service.  Fortunately we got on the road in time and began our journey down the freeway headed for the cut off to the town of Drain.  This is where the journey really began.  There was nothing exciting about the journey, no mishaps other than a slow breakfast, no detours, no road rage on my part or anyone else.  Just one of those really good trips.  

As we cut off the freeway onto the Drain hwy. I began to notice just how nice the day was, the sun was shining, there were still a lot of fall colors left and they blended into the country side as if an artist had painted them on canvas.  I couldn't help but think about how great and wonderful the world is when we take the time to look closely at it.  As we continued our journey the mountains began to stand out more, along the road were stands of oak and maple trees.  The light grey, green moss on the trees stood out against the darker greens of the douglas firs and the brown hillsides making a gentle blend of colors into the sloping hillsides of other shades of greens with a backdrop of beautiful blue sky making for a perfect picture.  The Oak tress displayed their limbs in manners that only Oaks can do.  The limbs of the Oaks grow in many different directions, twisted around and branching off with smaller limbs doing the same.  These trees remind me the way life is, that no matter which path we take, no matter what decisions we make, if we stay rooted in our faith we will grow strong, the paths we take to get on in life may be hard, complicated and take us in many different directions, the twists and turns help us find the most light and nourishment for our journey, our roots get planted to hold us up, the strong trunk will support us as we display our leaves of accomplishments and proudly tell of our journey we have been on to reach our destination.


Further down the road a river comes into play, flowing gently towards its destination, the sea.  Along its shores are fields of grass where cattle, deer, elk, water fowl, and many other forms of life have become dependent on its life giving nourishment that is held within its waters and along its shores.  The calmness of the rivers flow created a peacefulness in me as if to say that all is good, stay the course, and know that you do not have to worry.  The rivers flow brings life and sustenance to those that live along its shores with a continuing flow of replenishment.  As we were closing in on our destination we were able to observe a herd of Elk lazily grazing in the fields on the refuge dedicated for the wildlife that lives in the surrounding area.  The Elk seemed to not have a care in world and looked fully content as we passed them by.  


As we entered into the small town where the memorial service was to be held, I couldn't help but realize that the day was ordered by the Creator.  As the service was underway, there was a sense of sadness but yet a peacefulness knowing that the one who was being remembered was in a better place.  She had lived her life the best she knew how and gave back to those the Lord brought across her path.  Like the old Oak tree she had planted her roots, grew strong and took many different paths on her journey.  Those who are left behind are a product of her strength and deep roots.  Each has branched off into their own journey and will continue on until the days ordered have been completed.


Let me share now with you some scriptures that reflect the greatness of the Creator and exclaims His honor and majesty.  When we see the Creator in where we go and what we see, our journey's will be one of calm, gentleness and peace. 


1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

1 Chronicles 29:12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

Psalm 91
(Tanakh)

O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most high
and abide in the protection of Shaddai-
I say of the Lord, my refuge and stronghold, my God in whom I trust,
that He will save you from the fowler's trap, from the destructive plague.
He will cover you with His pinions; you will find refuge under His wing;
His fidelity is an encircling shield.
You need not fear terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day,
the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the scourge that ravages at noon.
A thousand may fall at your left side, ten thousand at your right,
but it shall not reach you.
You will see it with your eyes, you will witness the punishment of the wicked.
Because you took the Lord - my refuge, the Most High - as your haven,
no harm will befall you, no disease touch your tent.
For He will order His angels to guard you wherever you go.
They will carry you in their hands lest you hurt your foot on a stone.
You will tread on cubs and vipers; you will trample lions and asps.
Because he is devoted to Me I will deliver him; I will keep him safe,
for he knows My name.
When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in distress;
I will rescue him and make him honored;
I will let him live to a ripe old age, and show him My salvation.

 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens... When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, What is man, that thou art mindful of him?...
(Psalm 8:1,3,4)

 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
(Psalm 86:8,10)

 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
(Psalm 104:1-3)

 O Lord, thou hast search me, and known me.  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my though afar off.  Thou compasseth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 
(Psalm 139:1-4)

 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well ... How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 
(Psalm 139:14,17,18)

 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 
(Psalm 121:3,4)

When we go through life without a map we get lost, the scenery is not noticed, only fear and discouragement await us.  Until we can find our way back to our roots we will forever have an emptiness within us, a lostness that cannot be filled until we reattach ourselves to the trunk and become one of the vines on the branch, we will not find our way through this life without a constant turmoil and restlessness.  Only God, our Creator can truly bring us through this journey set before us with peace and understanding.  Let the calmness of God's Spirit dwell within you through His Son Jesus Christ.  May God bless all and help each to find your way as we journey on this earth.  Read the following scripture and know that in Him we have life, detach from the Vine and we do not have life.

The vine and the branches

'I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

'I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

'As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

'You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.' (John 15:1–11,16–17)

Holidays/Feasts

Holidays are supposed to be a special time in our lives that bring peace and joy with a time of reflection.  In our quest for these times in our lives I wonder if we really know how to have holidays and feasts with the joy, peace and reflection that they are supposed to bring us?

I have chosen these particular words for this blog because we are in the holiday and feasting season.  It might be a good idea to ask ourselves why do we have holiday's and feasts.  Do we just celebrate these seasons because they are pushed on us and we are expected to celebrate them?  Do we celebrate these seasons because they are traditional?  Are we celebrating these seasons not even understanding them and we just see them as holiday's?  What meaning do these times have?  These are questions I would like to explore for a moment and try and give some context and content to them.  Lets look at the present two holiday seasons since we are in the middle of them.

Thanksgiving!  Here is a holiday that we all seem to enjoy.  We spend several hours if not days preparing for this special event.  We make plans for family to get together, we spend our hard earned money on all the fixings for the dinner along with the size and cost of the turkey.  The turkey will usually be frozen and will take days to thaw.  Some go as far as reserving a fresh turkey, others will make sure it is free of anything not natural, and then there is the tofurkey.

I personally love thanksgiving and the meal that goes with it.  We have some family over to join us or we join with family at their homes.  No matter  where one celebrates this holiday, we will no doubt eat to much and still try to figure out what to do with the left overs.  Getting together with family and friends seems to make the time just that much more special.  Being the age that I am there is still a remembrance of the reason why we celebrate this time of year.  I remember being taught about the Pilgrim's and how the native's had come to feed them in a time of hardship.  Whether they ate turkey's or other birds, maybe a combination, the fact that they had come together in this time and our nations beginnings were directly related to this period is why we celebrate this time of year and why the turkey has become the main dish on our menu.  We were told that we need to be thankful for what God has given us through our forefather's.  The hardships they endured and the vision they had of a new nation carried them through.  I wonder just what we are giving thanks for these days?  Has Thanksgiving just become a holiday where we gather together and just enjoy a good meal?

Christmas!  Here is another holiday I really love.  It is not the presents and such that makes this time so special to me, it is more the feel of the entire season.  The smell of certain spices, the decorations that make you feel good, the bells ringing around the stores, the cold winter days and the need for  a cup of rich hot chocolate with a dab of whip cream on top, the warmth of a fire, the smell of homemade goodies and such.  Then there is the excitement in the air of all the hustle and bustle of the approaching day.  I can remember many times going out into the forest looking for that special tree to hang decorations on.  Now I see the same excitement in my children and grandchildren.  I could go on and on about so many different traditions over the years, but, everyone has somewhat the same traditions with maybe a little twist added to them from their own personal experiences passed down from family.  The one thing about Christmas that I used to remember is that we would hear some of the greatest Christmas hymns, songs, and instrumental music.  The singing of Handel's Messiah, Joy to the World, and many other wonderful songs were heard throughout business's and office buildings.  You would walk down the streets and sense the joy of the season.
The real sense of comfort and joy came when you stopped for a few moments and realized that we are celebrating one of the most memorable, one of the most dynamic and world celebrated birthdays.  Jesus Christ was the main reason for the celebration, everything during this time was done to remember that special day that He came into the world and why He came.  I don't hear the good old songs, hymns and such anymore, nor do hear the reason we celebrate this time of year.  I wonder what has happened?  It seems that the children today look forward to presents and what they can receive during this time than realize the meaning of the giving of the gifts.  It is sad when children run out of presents to open and they ask, is that all.
I am hoping this year will be a bit different.  I am hoping that the Christmas story will be told before opening any gifts and the reason for the gifts will be explained to our children.  I say this because I feel we have lost the reason we have holidays and feasts.  We have lost the purpose of celebrating and remembering.  I want to share for a moment just how important holidays and feasts are to God.  I want to share for a moment why we need to get back to the old fashioned celebrating of a holiday.  Lets look for a moment at some scriptures that relate to feast's and holidays.

All through the scripture's we find the nation of Israel being told to set aside a day or a month to remember what God has done for them.  They were told to tell their children throughout the generations of all the miracles and guidance God had provided for them on their journey to the promised land.  Here are a few of those special days and why they still celebrate them today.

There are seven main feasts in the Jewish culture, although all seven of them are carried forth from the past and are done in remembrance of what either God had done for the Israelites as far as deliverance or for how and what God has provided for them.  Three of these feasts are done specifically for the sake of remembering.  Passover, Unleavened Bread and Sukkoth.

Passover  (Leviticus 23:5)

Passover is held in the Spring and for the purpose of remembering God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt when God passed over the Israelite children and killed the firstborn of every Egyptian family.

Unleavened Bread  (Leviticus 23:6-8)

The feast of Unleavened Bread is also held in the Spring, on the 15th day of the 1st month.  This feast is also done to remember.  The Israelites are to remember the escape from Egypt and God's provision of bread from the earth.

Sukkoth  (Leviticus 23:33-36, 39-43)

Sukkoth is held in the fall, on the 15th day of the 7th month.  This feast can also be referred to the Feast of Tabernacles and is done to remember when the Jewish people lived in the wilderness before entering Canaan.

These three feast are extremely important for remembering how God was with the people of Israel and how God not only delivered them from slavery, but provided for them during their journey to the promised land.  God did not then and does not now want them to forget how He took care of them.  He wants not only the Jewish people to remember but the rest of the world to remember and know how He keeps His promises for all eternity.

The next four feast have more to do with God's provision and they are just as valid today as they were when they were instituted.  Lets take a look at them.

First Fruits  (Leviticus 23:9-14)

This feast is done in the Spring on the 15th day of the 1st month.  It is done to celebrate God's gift of harvest.  Israelites sacrificed the first part of their harvest, flocks, and earned money in recognition that God was the giver of every good thing.  This is also a time when the people also acknowledged God's ownership of the land by bringing seven fruits to the Temple.

Shavuot  (Leviticus 23:15-21)

This is also referred to as the Feast of Weeks.  This feast is done 50 days after Passover.  The feast is for the Jewish people to give Thanksgiving for the end of harvest and the anniversary of receiving the Law.  Joyful  crowds gathered on the Southern Stairs, brought their offerings of wheat to the Temple, and celebrate the good harvest God had given.

Rosh Hashanah  (Leviticus 23:23-35)

This feast is held in the fall, on the 1st day of the 7th month and is for the purpose of preparing for God's judgment.  Rosh Hashana celebrated the beginning of a new religious year.  The people celebrated by attending religious services and considering God's sovereignty and His future day of judgment.  The shofar was blown-a-sound that reminded Jewish people of their ancient past, God's great power, and their call for faithfulness in HIs coming judgment.

Yom Kipper  (Leviticus 16; 23:26-32)

The feast of Yom Kipper is held in the fall, 10th day of the 7th month.  This is a day for the nation of Israel to seek forgiveness.  God passed judgment of people onto the scapegoat.  In preparation for Yom Kipper, the people fasted as a form of self-denial, repentance, and confession of sin before God.

These are the main feast of the Jewish people and are still held for a specific purpose.  Every one  of them will have a form of remembrance of what God did and provided.  They also point to coming judgment and the preparation for them.  If these feasts are important to God for the Jewish nation, would it not be wise for us to look closely at them and understand their purpose.  There are many other feasts listed in the scriptures and carry an important message also.  We should take the time to research these feast to find the relevance for our lives today.  Now lets go back to the two of our holidays and why we need to take a close look at them and why they are so important.  Yes, we have several other holidays that are important also, but these are here now.

Thanksgiving

A time to remember how and why we celebrate the birth of a new nation founded on Godly principle's.  A time to remember how God provided for a few chosen people that God gave a vision or purpose to.  It is a time to remember how our nation was developed and the reason we have such a great nation today.  When we sit down to our Thanksgiving dinner's in the future let us tell our children why we celebrate this time of year.  Remind them of how God brought this nation together and how the nation is founded on biblical principles.  Tell them about the struggles the pilgrims went through and how their faith in a loving God carried them through the toughest of times.  Tell them even though the men and women may not have always been true to the biblical principle's, God was always faithful to His word.  When you bow your heads in thanks for what you have and the dinner you are about to take part in, remember.  Remember God's faithfulness to provide our freedoms, our heritage, and our day to day needs.  Think about what you are really thankful for and then give thanks to God for that.

Please take a moment and look at the link below:

http://www.gotquestions.org/thanksgiving-Christian.html 

Christmas

Here is a time of year that should bring us joy and happiness and new hope.  Even though Christmas probably should be celebrated around June or July, we have given in to the month of December to celebrate the birth of Christ.  This should be a time of celebration and giving to remember not only the birth of the Lord but a time to give of ourselves because of what He gave to us.  I believe that we for the most part have neglected to keep Christ the center of this celebration.  We have made it a commercialized season for an excuse to get what we want and go into unneeded debt just to let our loved ones know that we love them.  Christmas should be a time of reflection on what God did for us and the price He paid to set us free from our captor.  Christmas should be a time for us to remember why Christ came into this world and why He was born in the way He was.  John 3:16-17 tells us the real reason He came and it was not to go into debt, it was to pay a debt that we created.  "For God so loved the world that He gave HIs one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."  And this is why we celebrate the Christmas season.  This is a time to remember for sure.  This is a time to teach our children the greatest event that has ever happened in the world.  This indeed is a time to celebrate our savior.

I want us for a moment to think about these two distinct holidays.  Remembering is something we all do.  Remembering why we do something can get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season.  We tend to forget why we join together for Thanksgiving other than just having a good meal together.  We definitely forget why we celebrate Christmas.  We get caught up in the worlds perspective on this time of year as we see all the commercials on television that encourages us to buy when we don't even have the means to do so.  We feel guilty if we can't get that special gift.  We listen to the news who tells us that Christ should not be in our stores by means of music, symbols, and bells.  We accept our politicians rules that Christ cannot be in our government because we might offend some and tell us to take Christ out of these arena's.  It makes me wonder what our founding forefathers who landed on this land would think if they were here today.

Let me close with this.  Thanksgiving should be celebrated because we our thankful for our nation and the fact the we are a Christian based nation.  We should celebrate this time because we are still a free nation and we are free because of the way we were established in the beginning.  Christmas should be celebrated for what Christ did for us and we should do this in a way that brings honor to Him and Glory to God.  Christmas should be a time of love, peace and joy in our hearts and if it is not, maybe we should take a moment to reflect on the why of this season.  Going into debt and buying gifts that really don't have much meaning just because it is Christmas should not be a factor for celebrating this season either.  When was the last time you read the Christmas story, and when was the last time you read it to your children?  We cannot replace the love of Christ by commercializing Him right out of the season, after all, it is His birthday, not ours.

Would you take a moment and think about this.  Take some time to reflect on these two feasts or celebrations and lets put God back on the throne of our hearts where He belongs.  Lets allow Christ to be the center of attention this year and the years to come.  If we should do this, then I believe we will experience the true peace and joy that passes all understanding.   Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Lets give God the thanks and the praise He deserves.  Lets put Christ back in Christmas by remembering why we celebrate this season.  Don't let the world's perspective of this season ruin your time of celebration.

Forgiveness

I have chosen the word forgiveness for this blog because forgiveness is something that we all need and something that we all must learn to do.  Out of all the words we can discuss, this one may be one of the strongest and most powerful words we will encounter.  We all have that inherit need to be accepted and liked by our fellow man.  When we experience some degree of pain caused by our friends, neighbors and family we tend to hold ill feelings towards those that hurt us.  This of course is a natural aspect of human nature, but it is not necessarily a normal recourse for us.


When someone has hurt us in some way the last thing that we as humans want to do is forgive them for what they have done.  The natural reaction to these people would be to get revenge, hold a grudge, avoid them or feel sorry for ourselves.  The problem with any of these is that if we continue to hold this hurt in and think about what has happened to us, in time, we will not only continue to be angry, we will more than likely become very bitter.  Un-forgiveness can and will bring nothing but guilt, pain, and sorrow into our lives.


Lets examine this word for a moment and try and get its true meaning and why it carries such power over us.  First look at the dictionaries definition of Forgive:


for·give  (fr-gv, fôr-)
v. for·gave (-gv), for·giv·en (-gvn), for·giv·ing, for·gives

v.tr.

1. To excuse for a fault or an offense; pardon.

2. To renounce anger or resentment against.

3. To absolve from payment of (a debt, for example).

v.intr.

To accord forgiveness.

The basic's of forgiveness are to give up resentment, to grant relief from payment.  I believe that forgiveness goes much, much deeper than a basic definition.  Forgiveness goes to the very soul and spirit of man.  To truly forgive someone the act has to go beyond just saying we forgive.  It is easy to say I forgive you, and then walk away with still feeling the same resentment.  This always shows up later when you hear about what happened to you and the anger, resentment and many other emotions are in your voice and in what you say.  So when we say we forgive someone but the ill feelings are still lingering in us then we can't really say we have forgiven the offender.  Forgiveness must go to the very heart of us humans, it has to be a total release of ourselves and a total letting go of the offense committed against us.  Lets see what the scriptures have to say about forgiveness.


Matthew 6:14-15 is one of the most familiar scriptures to us.  Simply stated, if we forgive, we will be forgiven, if we don't forgive the Heavenly Father will not forgive us.  
Another scripture very familiar to us would be Matthew 18:21-22.  This scripture gives us indication of how much or how often we must forgive.  Basically, according to this verse we must continually forgive no matter how often the offender offends.  Take  the time to read these two scripture verses  and see what God is saying to you.  Here is a list of some other scriptures relating to forgiving, read them and let them soak into your heart.  James 5:15, Luke 23:34, Colossians 3:12-13, John 1:9.  There are many other scriptures throughout God's Word that we can draw from, but realize this, unless we are willing to forgive others we cannot be forgiven.  I believe the reason for this comes from the very beginning when Adam and Eve where caught in sin.  They rebelled against God by disobeying His word, but God made a way for them to return to Him.  In other words, God forgave their actions and made it possible for us today to live in His presence again through Jesus Christ who said from the cross "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."  With the ultimate price paid for our rebellion against God we can now live.  We can live in peace knowing that our sins have been forgiven and that we can freely forgive those that hurt us.  Look at the link below to get  a clearer understanding of the word "forgiveness."


http://www.allaboutgod.com/definition-for-forgiveness-



The results of not forgiving can be devastating.  When we do not forgive we will hold resentment, anger and develop a deep rooted bitterness in our lives that robs us our joy and destroys any hope of peace within.  You see, when we hold anger in and we resent those who hurt us we block out God's love for us and leave no room for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.  Bitterness is a nasty taste in our mouths that is hard to swallow.  Bitterness will cause us to be sour in our spirits and not allow joy to come forth.  Bitterness will destroy any hope of peace in our lives.  You may find yourself with bitterness from hurts of the past, and you may be holding a grudge against a loved one for hurt they caused you, but realize again, you cannot have the peace that God offers you until you reach a place in your life where you can forgive that person who hurt you.  If you want the fullness of God's peace in your life, then search your heart and see if there is anyone you need to forgive and then do it.



It is your responsibility to forgive and it is not easy to do.  In some cases it may take time to forgive because you have such anger and bitterness in your life, but you must begin the journey.  Forgiveness is an unselfish act that you can perform but you must be willing to surrender your desires.  You cannot have a right relationship with Christ if you have an un-forgiving spirit.


I would suggest that you deal with your anger and hostility by confessing it first to God, then if possible to those who hurt you.  By doing this you will break free of your bondage or of being a slave to these.  Ask God to forgive you completely.  Know this though, there is NO conditional forgiveness.  You cannot attach conditions to God forgiving you and you cannot attach conditions to those you are forgiving.  Lay down your anger and bitterness at the feet of Christ by the act of your will (I choose) and let Him do the rest.  The link below may help you to understand better the power of forgiving.  Take the time to read this and take that which applies to you to heart. 


faq.htmhttp://www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2000/May/500-20.htm

I have placed a couple more web sites that you can go for reference on forgiveness.  Again take the time to look at them.  Forgiving can and will be one of the most powerful acts you can do, not only to change your life, but possibly to change someone else's.  Remember, Christ took all of your sins to the cross and removed them, you must first accept His forgiveness, then you must do the same by taking all your hurts and pain to the cross of Christ and leave them there.  May God bless you richly and grant you His peace and comfort as you reach out and forgive others as He forgave you.


http://www.heavensinspirations.com/word-forgiveness.html 


http://morechristlike.com/scriptures-on-forgiveness/ 

Hypocrite

I have chosen the word hypocrite because I hear it so much from people.  Being a Christian and involving myself in a local church over the years I have continually heard the excuse from those who do not attend church that "they do not attend church because it is full of hypocrites."  Hypocrite is an interesting word because it can be used in just about any group of people.  Lets first look at the origin of the word and just what it means. 

From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Main Entry: hyp·o·crite 

Pronunciation: \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English ypocrite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greekhypokritēs actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai

Date: 13th century

1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

— hypocrite adjective

From the Encarta World English Dictionary

hyp·o·crite [ híppə krìt ] (plural hyp·o·crites)

noun

Definition:

somebody feigning high principles: somebody who pretends to have admirable principles, beliefs, or feelings but behaves otherwise

[12th century. Via Old French ypocrite< Greek hupokritēs "actor, pretender" <hupokrinesthai So basically it is anyone doing or saying something contrary to what the standards they want others to live up to.  Another way of saying would be "do as I say and not as I do."  I have seen this at all of the places I have worked.  People want you to do something they themselves do not do.  I have seen it in church's where believer's are friendly, cheery, and praising the Lord on Sunday only to go home and yell at their children, treat their wives or husbands with disrespect, and live a life that the world around them couldn't tell if they were Christian or heathen.  It is never fun to have to listen to a boss tell you something to do that they themselves will not do, or have them tell you to do your work ethically and with high standards only to know that they themselves do not live up to the standards they are advocating.  It sort of leaves a sickening feeling in your stomach along with a whole lot of distrust. Lets now look at what the scriptures say about such a life.   Here are just a few scriptures to reference.  It does not matter whether you read them in the Old Testament or the New, they are all strong words and make it very clear that hypocrisy has no place in the Kingdom of God. Matt. 23:27 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto awhited bsepulchres, which indeed appear cbeautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all duncleanness. Matt. 22: 18 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why atempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Matt. 6: 2 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the ahypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have bglory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. When hypocrisy enters our lives we can be assured we are not serving the Master or our lives.  Christians especially must be careful of this form of lies that enter our hearts.  We can accuse others of some sin in their life only have some sin in our life that seems to stand out before others.  When we know that a fellow believer has a sin in their life it is not our place to judge them.  It is our place to approach them with a clean heart before God and let them know that they will need to repent of the sin.  If they do not repent then we are to take a fellow believer with us and point out the sin, if still they will not listen they are to be brought before the church or group of believers, if they still will not repent they are to be put out of the group or church.  We ourselves are not their judge, this is left to God.  God desires they repent and return to Him.  Through Christ forgiveness is given to us all, and He desires that the hypocrite also experience His love by coming to Him and ask for forgiveness.  God is faithful and just to forgive us through His Son Jesus Christ.  Where the scripture talks about the hypocrite sounding his or her trumpet so that men will see what we are doing typically refers to the pharisee's who would stand when praying or giving money so their good works could be seen of men and receive glory or honor for their actions.  I believe it goes further than this.  When we sin we want everyone around us live like we are, and we justify what we are doing by the worlds standards.  We say it is accepted today or the scripture did not mean that.  We want others to accept us for how we are living our lives by flaunting our sin in front of all.  This is a way of gaining acceptance of sin and bring glory and honor to ourselves. The problem we face today is whether we want to be accepted by man or be accepted by God.  We must make that choice or one day God will make it for us.  Do not think that any of us are free from committing hypocrisy, or for that matter any sin, we all are subject to falling into one of satan's traps of deception and lies.  The question is, what are we going to do, change by repenting or continue in our sin?  None of us are perfect, but under the blood of Christ we are covered in His righteousness, let us not remove that covering by living in a known sin. Remember, repent means to change directions.  If we change directions we will not keep committing the same sin.  Christ told many that they were forgiven, "go and sin no more." Follow this link and read the contents of it, it makes it very clear as to what a hypocrite is and how a hypocrite acts.  http://truthinscripture.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/hypocrite-christians If you are living in sin and call yourself a believer or Christian, know this, God loves you and has forgiven you already, but His forgiveness is not valid until you repent.  You must accept His forgiveness before it comes valid and if you accept His forgiveness it means you have recognized the sin in your life and basically told God you will not do this any more (repentance).   If we are going to call ourselves "Christian" or a "Follower of Christ" then our words and our actions must line up.  We cannot say one thing and live another.  This brings dishonor and disrespect for God and His Kingdom.  Remember, God knows where we are and what we are doing, so why do we try so hard to cover it all up and disguise our sin in society?