Good Manners

[Love] does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil. 1 Corinthians 13:5

In an old village in England, this inscription was reportedly found on a tombstone: "Here lies a miser who lived for himself and cared for nothing but gathering wealth.
Now where he is or how he fares, nobody knows and nobody cares." How would you like to have that written on your tombstone?

How much better it would be for others to say of our lives, "This person was always thinking of and caring for others."

The Bible tells us that "[love] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own" (1 Corinthians 13:5). In other words, true love has good manners. This is something that is largely lost in our culture today.

There's a prevailing attitude that seems to say, "If my behavior offends someone else, that's their problem. They have to get over it." But as Christians, we need to realize we are part of the body of Christ, and as such, we should consider what other people are experiencing.

We should care about others. The world does not revolve around you or me.
We should put the needs of others above our own.God's love is not provoked.
It is not aroused to anger. It thinks no evil, which means it doesn't keep a record of wrongs.

When someone has been wronged and says, "I can't believe you did that! I keep records. I don't get mad; I get even," that is not God's love.

Has someone taken advantage of you? Forget about it. Did they do it again? Don't worry about it. Let it go. It doesn't matter.

That's how God's love is.Caring about others more than we care about ourselves is more than good manners. It is godly love.

(Taken from my daily devotions from Harvest Crusade Church.)

Who Needs Jesus?

Who needs Jesus? We all do. It is only through Him do any of us have the promise and hope of eternity in heaven and not hell. Jesus himself said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, NO man comes to the Father but through ME."

Why must a person accept Jesus in order to be assured of heaven? Because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". No one can ever be good enough to earn heaven. It's not possible for us to do enough "good deeds" to pay for our sinfulness.

God is a Holy God. He is also a just God. Justice is an important thing not only in this world but in the world to come. Breaking the law requires penalties and consequences. If you were to break the law say, for stealing, and were arrested you would stand before a judge, who would decide what punishment would be just for that transgression.

Believing you are a "good person" will not save you. No one is good when their life is held up to God's standard of goodness--which would be perfection.

Have you ever lied? Then what would that make you? Be honest...and no the answer is not human...What would you call someone else who lied to you? A liar of course.

Have you ever stolen anything? Taken even something small that did not belong to you? Like a pen or some other inconsequential object from work? What would that make you? A thief!

Have you ever looked at another person with lust? Jesus said if a man even looks at a woman with lust he has committed adultery in his heart... So that would make you an adulterer.

You see? There is no one who can say they have never ever told a lie, if you say that then you definitely are lying.
There is no one who can say, that even as a child they have taken nothing that didn't belong to them.
And we all know in today's world it would be almost impossible to say a person has never looked at another person without lusting ... Another word would be desiring to be with that person in a sexual way. Same thing...In case you thought you could bypass that one on a technicality!

So by God's law just those three would make a person a liar, thief and adulterer...Which is why we need Jesus. God's law is just, and those who break His laws will stand before Him someday in judgment.

Just as man's law requires punishment or atonement for breaking the law (sin=breaking God's laws), so does God demand atonement for transgressions of His law. The 10 Commandments (God's Laws to us) are impossible for us to keep. The Bible says if we break one we are guilty of breaking them all. The punishment for sin is death..."For the wages of sin is death". Jesus paid that debt for us...All of us. But if we don't accept His gift for us, it does us no good.

Jesus willingly went to the cross to become the sacrifice to pay the penalty for all of our sins. He willingly suffered brutal beatings, and crucifixion because He loves us so much He wants us to be able to spend eternity with Him. He wants to give us the forgiveness and mercy freely...it's a free gift to us that cost Him a lot.

Because it is a gift, all we need do is accept it. God is not willing that anyone should perishes. He made a way that each person has the choice to accept the gift His son Jesus gives to us. It is a choice each one has to make on their own. God doesn't WANT to send anyone to hell, and actually He does not send anyone, if you reject His saving grace you CHOOSE to go there.

It's like someone giving you a check for $1000,000.00 if you never cash it, you might as well not have the money and it does you no good. Unless you make the choice to freely accept it, it's worthless.

You can never be good enough, or do enough good to merit heaven. You cannot earn your way or talk your way into heaven. Yes God loves YOU so very much, and He is a God of Love...but like I said He is also a God of Justice.

A Holy God who requires holiness to see Him...and we receive that Holiness and righteousness when we admit we are sinners, repent and turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins (wrongs). Without that repentance and acceptance of Jesus, the only alternative is to be forever separated from your creator...and eternity out of the presence of God truly will be hell.

The True Danger in the DaVinci Code

Do you know what the biggest danger of this controversy over the Da Vinci Code is?

It is the fact it is causing division among Christians. You know that old saying, A house divided cannot stand. We have two camps, so to speak on this controversy. Those who say if you are a "true" Christian you will protest this movie and not see it." And those who say there is nothing wrong with it at all it's just a movie and fiction.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I agree this "fiction" is causing a certain amount of harm to the Christian beliefs, but only to those who are not grounded in their faith and the Truth of God's word, and those who are looking for another excuse to reject Jesus. But I also believe we can use this as a way to bring about dialoge with those who have seen this movie or read the book.

Know your enemy I say. As a Christian we should be well aware that as long as the world has existed the "enemy" has been trying to decieve people into believing there is no God or that the word of God is nothing more than a fable.

If we as believers refuse to learn as much as we can about the falsehood others are believing, how are we to honestly have the ability to show them the truth? In order to show someone the truth you have to be able to show them why what they believe is NOT the truth. To make a case for the truth by dispelling through evidence falsehood.

The biggest harm though is like I said, the divison it is causing among Christians. Jesus said that by our love for one another the world will know Him. That through this love between the believers we will be known as Christians.

"34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-36

When fellow believers backbite and criticise each other it gives unbelievers even more excuse to say.."see they're lives are no different than mine..I'm just as good as they are". We're suppose to be loving of one another, not judging someone's faith by OUR standards, but God's.

"1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things....10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.....

12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.....

14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. .......

19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another......

21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." Romans 14

So insteading of attacking each other, which is exactly what we SHOULDN'T be doing, keep in mind each has their own opinion and each of us will give account to God for their own life.

Below are some questions and answers on certain points of fiction in this movie and book.

Q: “Did Jesus choose Mary Magdalene to lead the early church?”

A: In short, no. Two historical documents—the Gospel of Mary and the writings of Hippolytus—form the flimsy basis of the argument that Mary Magdalene had an extremely elevated status among Christ’s followers, but two problems derail this evidence:

The documents in question aren’t historically reliable. Historians agree that the Gospel of Mary was probably written in the 2nd century by someone other than Mary. And archaeological findings suggest that the quote The Da Vinci Code attributes to Hippolytus in the 3rd century doesn’t appear in any manuscripts until the 10th century.

The documents are misinterpreted. The Gospel of Mary suggests only that Mary was “the disciple Jesus loved.” Erroneous as that theory is, it never suggests that she was to lead the church. And Hippolytus merely includes Mary in a group of women who observed the risen Christ and who proclaimed the message of the resurrection (which was the heart of Hippolytus’s message, conveniently ignored by The Da Vinci Code and those who support the theories.)

Q: Did Constantine commission the destruction of the Gnostic gospels to hide evidence of the human attributes of Christ?

A: Actually, the Gnostic gospels did quite the opposite. They were spiritual allegories that usually downplayed and often denied the humanity of Jesus.
They are comparable to an ancient version of The Da Vinci Code—fictional accounts attributed to historically significant characters in order to convey a heretical religious or philosophical agenda.

And the Council of Nicaea was an effort to reach consensus on existing church beliefs, not to eradicate the truth or invent new ideas. Within the church, a man named Arius had introduced the new argument that Jesus was not divine, and this deviation from the previously accepted doctrine was shot down.

Q: Was the New Testament altered throughout history?

A: The New Testament is without a doubt one of the most well-preserved ancient collections in history. All of the books were written either by eye witnesses to the events described (namely, the apostles) or men in close contact with eye witnesses. And all 27 books of the New Testament were quoted by early church fathers within a relatively short time of their writing.

Basically, the New Testament was written by people who had been in close contact with Christ Himself, and they were accepted as true by eye witnesses as well as the following generation of believers. Considering the nature of the claims made in the New Testament, its wide acceptance gives remarkable credibility to its truth.

Since the New Testament books were so publicly recognized, they also would have been next to impossible to alter or destroy.

The Da Vinci Code Controversy: Ten Facts You Should Know.

Is Bill Maher A Chicken??

The author of a new book called, Intelligent Design Versus Evolution—letters to an atheist has challenged Bill Maher to a public debate.

Ray Comfort maintains, “Mr. Maher, like all believers in the theory of evolution simply has a blind faith in a theory-tale that can’t be substantiated. It’s just another opiate of the masses--a religion called ‘Darwinism’ that piously robes itself in what it thinks is ‘science.’ It is true science fiction.”


The author adds, “I am beginning to suspect that some men may have evolved from chickens, or at least that’s the impression I get when it comes to evolutionists standing up for their convictions.
Mr. Maher can choose the place of the debate.
I don’t mind if he has it in front of his audience. He can bill it as ‘Another simple-minded Christian being thrown to the lions.’”

He maintains that the political satirist was woefully misinformed last year when he lashed out at intelligent design and said, “Evolution is supported by the entire scientific community . . . the reason there is no real debate, is that intelligent design isn't real science.

The author said, “I can scientifically prove intelligent design. Let’s have 20 minutes each. I present my case (I won’t even mention “faith”) and then he can present his case for evolution. I say that he doesn’t have one. He’s bluffing. I don’t mind if he spends his 20 minutes telling jokes, because that’s all he has.”

In 2001, Comfort was flown from Los Angeles to Orlando, Florida by American Atheists, Inc., to be a platform speaker at their 27th National Convention. “They not only paid my airfare, but they even put me up in a nice hotel, and kindly gave me a gift basket when I arrived.”

He has also spoken on the subject of intelligent design at Yale, UCLA and other prestigious learning institutions.
His publication “The Atheist Test” has sold over 700,000 copies. He’s the author of more than 50 books, including, God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists and, The Evidence Bible (2002 Gold Medallion Award finalist).
He also produced an co-hosted “The Science of Evolution,” which won 2005 NRB “People’s Choice” and “Best Program Award.”

As for Maher’s claim that “intelligent design isn’t real science,” Comfort points out that the concept of Intelligent Design originated with scientists and it’s the scientific evidence that lead them to that conclusion.

“Hundreds of scientific scholars and researchers throughout the world support it—including scientists with the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian Institute, with doctoral degrees in biological sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, computer science, and related disciplines, from universities such as Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley, and UCLA. So Mr. Maher can’t dismiss the idea as ‘not scientific’ just because he doesn’t like that conclusion.”

Comfort adds that Intelligent Design is supported by scientist Fritz Schaefer, four times nominated for a Nobel Prize; Oxford Professor Antony Flew, the famous British philosopher and atheist who acknowledged that intelligent design proves there is a Creator; and Professor Michael Behe, the biochemist who has proven the “irreducible complexity” of the human cell structure.

According to Behe, “Intelligent design is based on observed, empirical, physical evidence from nature.”The best-selling author also points out that Intelligent Design Versus Evolution—letters to an atheist gives both sides of the issue. “The book contains scores of letters written by a very intelligently designed atheist who gives evolution’s best arguments. I think that’s healthy.

Yet pro-evolution pseudo-intellectuals are calling for censorship, by not allowing school kids the freedom to listen to both sides of the argument. That reveals their insecurity.”Comfort added, “It was the British journalist and philosopher Malcolm Muggeridge who so aptly said, ‘I myself am convinced that the theory of evolution, especially the extent to which it has been applied, will be one of the great jokes in the history books of the future.’

Perhaps Mr. Maher has thought about the issue and will admit that it was all a new standup routine—that evolution is just a ‘great joke,’ and we will laugh together. I’d love to hear from him, but I won’t be holding my breath.”

CLICK HERE to watch Mr. Maher explain his position on the Intelligent Design vs. Evolution debate.

Take from Way of the Master's Website.

Today I decided to take a challenge from one of my daily email devotions. It is to read the Bible every day for at least an hour a day. I am not sure I read for exactly an hour, but I did read the last several chapters of proverbs and the book of Ecclesiastes.

I am sure I have read it before, yet for some reason today I saw nuggets of truth I missed before. Just like the picture above says, I rejoiced in the Word as someone finding a great treasure.

It always amazes me at those times when I see something as if it's for the first time when I read the Word. I find myself wondering why sometimes we can read a passage and it doesn't seem to "hit home" and then you read it days or weeks later and it is so clear.

There is so much wisdom in the Bible, and if you have ever wondered if the Lord has a sense of humor, pick it up sometime and read it. It was given to us to teach us who God is, to show us the way to have a personal relationship with our creator, and to give us hope in times of trials.

It's a guide book on how to live our lives, what is important and what our very purpose is on earth. BasicInstructionsBeforeLeavingEarth.

Through it's pages we learn of the awesome love God has for us, His desire for us to have a relationship with Him and the extent of actions to bring that about...in the sacrifice of His only Son through beating and crucifixion.

I find hope, and love and encouragement every time I pick it up. I find out more about myself than I really want to know at times. I learn about mercy and forgiveness, grace and faith. I learn that every time I pick it up it never ceases to amaze me.

It holds the answers to all my questions, all my fears, my needs and my hope. The Word of God truly is a treasure to be sought after and one that I will rejoice over.

What is Love?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13

It's Fiction People!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so everyone is all upset about a book that is fiction. I personally believe this is all a marketing tool. Think about it, how many people are going to go see the movie for the simple reason there has been so much press about this so called controversy.

Why are Christians so upset about this book? It's FICTION!!! Why are so many ignoring this fact?

Here are some interesting fact and fictions regarding this story. Taken from an article in Today's Christian Woman and written by Susy Flory, Co-Author of Fear Not Da Vinci: Using the Code to Share Your Faith.


Fiction: Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
Fact: Eyewitness accounts of those who ate, traveled, and ministered with Jesus never so much as hint Jesus was married or fathered a child. His mother, brothers and cousins are mentioned, but never a wife.

Fiction: Mary Magdalene is in the last supper.
Fact: When The Last Supper was just a few years old, one observer described it as "so badly preserved that one can only see a middle of blots". In this muddle, seated next to Jesus' right is John, portrayed as a beardless, slightly feminine youth. During the Italian Renaissance, artists such as Michelangelo and Botticelli helped popularize this feminized ideal of male beauty.

Fiction: Mona Lisa was really a man.
Fact: Mona Lisa's smile does hold a mystery. Dan Brown has that much right. Leonardo da Vinci kept journal upon journal, but he never gave this painting a title or even mentioned it. Who is she? Many art historians think the portrait represents 24-year old Madonna Lisa di Giaconda, or Lisa from Giaconda. But Leonardo doesn't say.

Fiction: The early church leaders conspired to hide the truth of Christianity's origins and repress the power of goddess worship.
Fact: Instead of hiding the truth, early church leaders painstakingly worked to copy eyewitness accounts of Jesus' life and ministry and distribute them as widely as possible. As for goddess worship, ancient cultures did worship female deities, but most of them were counterparts o female deities, not expample of female empowering. In fact, the Gnostic writing often cited in the Da Vinci Code say, "For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Gospel of Thomas 114). On the contrary, Jesus demonstrated the value of women by speaking to and working with women at a time when a Jewish man wouldn't dare be seen in public with a woman.

Fiction: Jesus' bloodline is alive and well today.
Fact: The Da Vinci Code tantalizes readers with the possibility Jesus' descendants might still walk to the earth. Although Dan Brown fans the flames o conspiracy theory, if someone alive today could prove he or she were related to Jesus Christ, who would be able to keep that under wraps? But people curious about Jesus and his true identity, and this curiosity powers the popularity of The Da Vinci Code and its make-believe mystery.

I for one want to see the movie, I love a good mystery. And the fact Tom Hanks is in the movie and it's directed by Ron Howard it should be some great entertainment... And that is the KEY people...It's a movie based on book that is FICTION! Fiction...Meaning it's NOT TRUE! SO get over the hype and the over dramatic reactions...

He is in Control ...Always!

Sometimes I have to be reminded God is truly in control. That He sees past, present and future. He knows everything that is going to happen before it happens.

He knew Adam and Eve were going to disobey him, and he prepared His plan for forgiveness and salvation before they even fell.

I have been praying for awhile now for the Lord to work in my husband's life. For Him to break him and bring him to the place he needs to be in order for our relationship as well as his relationship with the Lord to be where it needs to be, so we can get back to being married.

I didn't realize when I left California, six months later I would still be in Michigan. Not that I am complaining, I love being here with my two oldest kids and son-in-law. It's been awesome after all the years of being apart, being once again a part of their lives.

With Jason's possible up coming surgery for epilepsy, and various other things that have happened, it's all been a part of God's plan I believe. Everything happens for a reason as the saying goes.

Anyway, even though it's been a major blessing being here, I do miss my husband in spite of all the crap (sorry but only word that describes it) that we have gone through, and the hurtful things that have been done. I do love him and believe in our marriage.

Sometimes when we are hurting we forget God is God and He knows what he is doing. He KNEW what is happening now was going to happen. I have put my relationship with my husband totally in the Lord's hands, including the timing on when we will be back together. Knowing when John is where he needs to be with the Lord, having repented and finally submitted his addictions and/or behaviors over to God, the Lord will open the door for us to get back together.

The last month or so, my husband has been telling me, pretty much on a weekly basis he is sending money for my to fly home. I have not worried about it or made plans as so far, it hasn't happened. Which is simply because God is in control and He knows things are not as they should be.

I believe because I have completely put my faith in the Lord regarding all this, that only when my husband starts being completely honest with me (and himself), stops using ALL substances, and honestly puts the Lord first, going back isn't going to happen.

The Lord reminded me of this yesterday...actually is was almost like having one of those light bulbs go off over my head...

I have been praying daily for him, for the Lord to deliver him, open his eyes and his heart to the importance of total honesty, and to show him his need to put the Lord as well as our marriage first. In my prayers I have been asking the Lord why things have gone the way they have, why it is taking so long... I have known for a few weeks something has not been right...not knowing exactly what is going on, but my husband slipped and told me something he didn't intend to...and it answered a lot of questions..

In that moment the Lord showed me why we have not been reunited yet...and it goes back to knowing God is in control and knows before things happen they are going to happen. The Lord showed me had I gone back now certain things would still be an issue, we would end up going back to having the kind of relationship we had before I left, one filled with dishonesty and "secrets". He also reminded me of something that needs to happen in my husbands heart before the Lord will allow us to reunite.

As hard as it is sometimes and as much as it breaks my heart those times when he isn't honest, or I miss him, I know I have to take one day at a time. Totally trusting in the Lord to work miracles in my life, my husband's life and our marriage. It will happen, I know this with all the faith and trust I have within my heart in the Lord.

Waiting on the Lord is not always easy, and patience is not one of my strong points. But above all things I know my Lord has it covered...and I am reminded of the words of Jesus on the cross...

IT IS FINISHED!

I just have to hold on to the Lord and know...Past, present and future are in His hands...and for all intents and purposes ... it has been done..."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1-3

Beautiful

Yesterday I decided to walk down to the river. It's the first time in the six months I have been in Michigan I've seen the water so calm. It was like a mirror, reflecting the trees along the bank, the clouds over head and the birds flying over it.

It was so beautiful and so peaceful. I sat on the bank reflecting on life, the rough times I've experienced in the last few months and the blessings. It's important to remember the blessings amid the hard times.

I sat there watching these little birds dive down and sweep across the water. I am not sure what exactly they were doing, but it was fascinating to watch. What made it even more interesting to watch was the glassiness of the waters reflection. At times I wondered if they were swooping down because they could see their reflection and thought it was another bird.

I found myself losing track of time, sitting there by the water. Caught up in the beauty of the trees, the stillness of the water, the clouds slowly passing by, both reflecting in the mirrored lake.

I couldn't help but be amazed at the beauty of God's creation. What must the Garden of Eden been like? I see so much beauty around us now, in the imperfect world we now live in, what must Eden have been like? Before sin entered in, before the changes brought on because of Adam and Eve's disobedience?

What must heaven look like? I don't think it is even possible for our human minds to be able to come close, even in imagination, to remotely picture how beautiful it must be there. Something to think about...

Starting Over

Ok, well I messed up my other blog, so I decided to just start over. Be patient because it will probably take me a while.