Tag: God

  • Who Owns Death? (Part I)

    Death is a subject that may not interest very many people. For some it may be something that looms over their head that they just don’t want to think about. For others it may be a mystery that grips the heart with fear. Still others have some morbid fascination with death that defies logic and explanation. But one thing is for sure, it is something that is universal and affects each and every person who lives.

    Given that death may be such an uncomfortable subject that most people don’t want to get into, or even think about, why would I devote a BLOG post to it? Especially since my BLOG purports to talk about Life/Religion/Politics/Science/and Philosophy? And while there may not seem to be any connection with death in that topic list, death is something we deal with in life, and it has very serious and important consequences in the Religious (Spiritual) realm. But my purpose for bringing it up today is to hopefully have people, especially, Christians, think about it a little bit differently than what is typically put forth in mainstream conversations. I believe that we treat several conversations about death incorrectly and that concerns me for a number of reasons. So that is why I’d like to share my thoughts on death today.

    When we talk about death, the very first thing we should consider, and the most important thing we should clarify, is Which death are we talking about? For the atheist or agnostic, there is probably surprise (or disbelief) at the concept of multiple deaths. But for the theist, and especially Christians, two deaths should be known and understood. Scripture makes it very clear that there are two deaths (Revelation 2:10-12, Revelation 20:5-7, Revelation 20:13-15, and Revelation 21:7-9 King James Version Bible). If there is a second death mentioned, it would only follow that there is a first death. Christians know these two deaths as the physical death and the spiritual death.

    Everyone knows of the physical death regardless of your world view. Things live and die. It is the cycle of life. For the evolutionist this is the end. Nothing else happens (by-the-way, if you are an Evolutionist who believes in some type of afterlife or spirit world, you are at odds with evolutionary theory which does not allow for any type of god or higher being).

    For the agnostic, you might believe in reincarnation, so something that allows the spirit to still inhabit the earth (as in ghosts, ghouls, or goblins), but there is little rational thought around those ideas, and they lack purpose, meaning, or hope.

    For the theist however, there is an afterlife, perpetuated by a god. And for Christians that God is Jehovah God. And the part of the being that carries forward is the spirit. And most theists, Christians included, believe that God (or gods for polytheists) provide a new body when this this present physical body dies.

    The second death, or spiritual death is unique to Christians and Judaism, and has no meaning to either atheists, agnostics, or most other religions.

    So far, I believe that about 80% – 90% of people are understanding of at least one, some, or all of these concepts and think there is nothing new here. So, let me ask you a question, Who owns death? And let’s be even more specific and identify who owns each death.

    This is where I believe so many people begin to get things wrong (even in some churches). Because believe it or not, I believe they are not the same.

    In Genesis 2:17 the death talked about is clearly spiritual death. This is obvious because when Adam ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he did not immediately physically die. But at the same time Adam sealed the fate of humanities mortality to physically die. And we know this because in Genesis 3:22-24 God clearly indicated that He would honor His original design should Adam eat of the tree of life. And God clearly took steps to not allow that to happen.

    So here we see God exercising control over physical life and death. Both in the fact that Adam and Eve did not immediately physically die when they sinned against God, and by not allowing them to live forever by eating of the tree of life.

    But what of spiritual death? Satan was the one who deceived Eve with a lie. We see this in Genesis 3:1-7. Yet God did not intervene. He allowed Adam and Eve to make a choice. Free will. To either gamble on Satan’s lie, or to adhere to the truth. And he allowed Satan to deceive because he gave over the spiritual life to Satan.

    I am sure there are Bible scholars screaming at their screens right now. God did what!?! OK, OK, the proper way to describe it in the words of Paul is that Satan stole humanity away from God (Ephesians 1:13-15, Hebrews 9:11-16). But I’m going to maintain that no one, not even Satan, can steal from God that which He does not allow to be stolen. Allow me a few verses to illustrate. Christians know that humans start their physical lives dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1-3, Colossians 2:12-14). That is, we inherit the sin nature, and its condition, from Adam (Romans 5:6-21). And in this passage, we even see Paul explain that even though we did not sin in the same manner of Adam, we are still sinners (Romans 5:14).

    What we see here is that from Satan’s initial lie to Eve, humanity has been trapped in sin (spiritual death). And we all see that God sent His Son in order to pay our sin debt (buy us back). And why would God need to buy back that which was stolen from Him? And what does any of that have to do with physical death? And what is the relevance to you today?

    Come back and read Part II to find out.

  • Do You Practice What You Preach?

    [For the second time in a very short period of time I find myself breaking one of my primary rules for a fixed length BLOG and making a long post (about 2.6 times longer than my average).  I realize that your time is a precious commodity and that time spent on one resource (on the Internet) is time lost to another resource.  However, I believe the hypocrisy in our political, social, and religious conversations these days is spiraling out of control and wanted to share my thoughts on it.  For continuity's sake I am putting this discourse into one post rather than breaking it apart.]

    For all of my life and for all of history that I have learned, there has been one complaint that is constantly brought up: You Christians are hypocrites. And I’ll be bold enough to answer this criticism on behalf of all Christians everywhere: Yes, we are. And if you are a Christian who is screaming at your screen right now: I am not a hypocrite! then I guess I’ll just speak for myself and remind everyone that not only am I the biggest hypocrite here, I am also still chief amongst sinners.

    We are all human and we all live in a sinful world. And all of us (the entirety of humanity) are bound to slip at points and not exactly practice what we preach. And when we don’t practice what we preach, well that is pretty hypocritical.

    But all of that is mostly an academic argument. The real heart of the matter is why the criticism is brought up in the first place. And that (usually) is: You Christians want to force your morals on everyone. Or: You Christians just want to force your God on everyone. Or: You Christians just want to tell me what to do. Which is a really interesting lie from Satan that actually surprises me that so many people believe.

    There are three words in my vocabulary that I have been told I am never allowed to use (except when referring to Nancy Pelosi). Those words are stupid, idiotic, and moron. And I understand those are harsh and hurtful words, however they sometimes spill out of my mouth when frustrated by the inexplicable lunacy we see in the world around us. However, I’ve freely admitted that Christians are indeed hypocritical at times. What I’d ask of any rational thinking person is that they would honestly evaluate their own arguments and consider what really occurs.

    For example, Christians just want to force their morals/values on everyone else. But do you even know what Christian morals or values are? You may think that you do because you feel that they are anything that tells you, you can’t do what you please. But let me tell you what Christian morals and values really are:

    (1) To have no other god before the Lord God in Heaven. Christians worship God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. The triune God of all of creation. There is no way that I or any other Christian can force you to worship God. Not even with torture or under duress. Worship just cannot be forced on anyone. It is an act of free will. So no, Christians do not force this on anyone. Rather they invite people to participate in the worship of the one true God. The world, on the other hand, insists that Christians worship at their alter and honor their gods. The world constantly and consistently forces their worship of child sacrifices through abortions, immorality through transgenderism and LBGTQIA+ agendas, and insisting that Christians cater to them in business and grant them marriages in God’s houses of worship, and to even grant them Holy Communion under the practices of the Christian faith. The world demands that Christian honor their religions, without showing the same respect and courtesy to Christianity.

    (2) To make no graven images of worship. Christians are to worship in Spirit and in Truth. Not bowing down to some golden idol made by kings. And when the governments set up graven images and command the people to bow down and worship, Christians should not, and I will not, bow down and worship them. Even when threatened with being thrown into the fiery furnace. Christians do not hail Cesar (or Hitler, or the President, or even the Pope) as a god. And obviously Christians cannot force you to you to not make graven images nor to not bow down and worship them. Rather it is the world that wants to tear down and eradicate the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is the world that wants to close the doors of Christian churches. It is the world that has hated Christians throughout all of history and has sought to end it. And it is the world that creates the graven images of worship that they then demand Christians bow down to.

    (3) To not take the name of the Lord God in vain. Christians are physically and emotionally pained when around someone who vehemently, needlessly, and with scorn exclaims the name of Jesus Christ. And this is a particularly puzzling thing since Jesus Christ is our God. So why does the world delight in exclaiming the name of the Christian God as an explicative? Christians do not force this on anyone, rather it is the world that insists on causing pain and anguish by repeatedly invoking the name of Jesus Christ inappropriately in their conversation. If we really wanted a kinder, gentler world, I would think that the world would be a little more sensitive and respectful in their conversations.

    (4) To remember the sabbath and to keep it holy. Christians want to work six days a week and on the seventh day, to rest and worship God. This may vary between various groups and practices with some debate on whether Saturday or Sunday (on the Gregorian calendar) is the proper day of worship, but Christians want to keep one day a week holy, meeting in their synagogues, temples, or churches to worship as they see fit. I know of no law of man in any free world country that would compel you to keep the sabbath holy. And indeed, Christians cannot, and do not force this on anyone. If anything, I would say that it is the world that has succeeded in making the Sabbath an un-holy day (or just another day of the week).

    (5) To honor their fathers and mothers. Christians believe in a nuclear family consisting of a father and a mother. That they have the inalienable God given right, duty, and responsibility to raise up their children in the way they should go. And that those children should honor their fathers and mothers so that their days may be long upon the Earth. Is it Christians that force other’s children to honor their parents? Of course not. Christians suggest that the world would be a much better place if we had children that honored their fathers and mothers, but Christians have enough responsibility raising their own children let alone everyone else’s. So why is it then that the world is not content to raise their own children but insists on moral and ethical indoctrination of children within the public school system? It is the world that wants to take a place of learning and turn it into a place of socialization and indoctrination. Why do our public-school systems believe it is OK to usurp parents’ responsibilities and thrust a state sponsored set of morals and values upon them? And while the world believes it is Christians that want to force their morals and values on everyone else, the world goes blindly by as public schools promote Heather Has Two Mommies or the support by teachers of transgenderism in the classroom. Forcing their morals and their values on Christian students.

    (6) To not commit murder. Christians are fiercely pro-life. Christians know life is a gift from God and that death is the wages of sin. Christians know God is the author of life and that all life comes from him and is for His honor and His glory. Christians also know that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price of His own life so that we may have eternal life with Him. Not taking the life of another human through deliberate means contrary to God’s law (murder) is respect for the precious gift of life and the creator that sustains it. It is the world that does not see life as precious. And why should they? If everything is just an accident of natural forces within the universe and all of humanity just happened to crawl out of the primoradial ooze by chance, then who cares if a person lives or dies? There is no meaning to it all, and no greater consequences to our actions here on earth. So, it is easy for the world to sacrifice little unborn children in abortion factories. It is easy for the world to champion euthanasia. It is easy for the world to pull the life support plug on those hanging by a thread. And it is easy for the world to adopt a cavalier attitude towards the suicide and murder rates within our cities and towns and not rush to defend the innocent. This is all because the world does not respect nor cherish life.

    (7) To not commit adultery. Christians believe in the sanctity of a Biblical marriage between a man (biological male at birth) and a woman (biological female at birth). Or at least they should. Christians believe that marriage is ordained by God and is a depiction of his perfect plan in the world. God is a trinity – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. Humans are a trinity – a Body, a Soul (our mind, will, emotions), and a Spirit (that part of us that connects with God and that He sustains). Our families are a trinity – a Father, a Mother, and Children. Our Churches are a trinity – Jesus Christ (the head of the Church), a Pastor (Priest, Rabbi), and the body (congregation). Even the US Government is a trinity – the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. This balanced design is seen throughout our world and Christians know that a breakdown in this balance (such as the act of adultery in a marriage) has disastrous consequences long term. It strains (or often destroys) the marriage. It perpetuates discord and distrust in the lives of children, often for several generations. And it betrays a commitment and a trust that Jesus Christ has set an example of through His love for us. The world takes great pleasure in sexual promiscuity. And it is easy to understand why as lust has a very powerful pull in our lives. So, while Christians do not sanction the act of adultery as it destroys the trinity of the marriage, they still recognize (and at times succumb to themselves) the dangerous alluring temptations of adulterous relationships. It is for this reason that Christians believe they need to be on their constant guard such that they are able to stand against the temptations of evil. The world delights in tearing this guard down. The world delights in the sensual, the sexual, and the temptations that destroy families. And all the while the world is flaunting these temptations and putting their own morality (or lack thereof) on display for all to see, they are demanding that Christians stop forcing Christian morals on them. One might honestly ask, who is forcing whose morals on whom?

    (8) To not steal. For Christians, not taking that which does not belong to them goes beyond just respecting others property and others’ rights. For Christians, not taking that which does not belong to them from others is trusting in God. It is trusting God to provide for their needs (without having to steal from others). It is trusting God bless them and keep them (without having to take the blessings of others). And it is trusting God with a jealous heart in that God has provided for them as He has seen fit and not as they see fit in their own eyes. Seemingly, for the world, taking that which is not theirs has become a standard of excellence. Our news is filled with stories of rioting and looting across our entire country. The world believes it is “owed” something as people demand reparations and seek compensation for perceived injustices. And it is the world that constantly strives to ignore the crime of theft, to the point where the State of California will hardly prosecute thieves anymore.

    (9) To not bear false witness. For Christians, not bearing witness to the truth, should remind them of the betrayal of their Lord and Savior to be crucified on a cross. Christians believe in honesty and integrity in their witness because it depicts the honesty and integrity of God’s own words to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden when He told them that if they were to eat of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, that they would surely die. And the lie that Satan then whispered into Eve’s ear that they would not die but would become as gods. And Christians should love all even as God loves all. To bear false witness against another and cause them harm, is the same betrayal shown by Satan at the beginning of time. More and more it would seem that the world is no longer with Christians when it comes to truthful testimony in court. Especially in politics. Today we simply need to turn on our cable network news, visit a news WEB site on the internet, consult a social media application on our cell phone, or tune into talk radio. The world is full of those that bear false witness against others and have no problem with it whatsoever when it is to their benefit.

    (10) To not covet their neighbors’ possessions. Christians believe that they should be content with what God has given them and that their desires should not be for the things of this world, but rather for the things of God. For Christians, not coveting or lusting after the possessions of others is to keep from replacing God in their lives with the things of this world. It is to keep their hearts and minds free to be filled by God and not the desires for the possessions of others. And as with all other Christian morals/values, Christians cannot force this upon the rest of the world. It is something that must be accomplished individually and personally. Today, the world is trying to force socialism and communism upon all of us. The world tries to force a level playing field to the detriment of all. And the world is immensely jealous of the “haves” and the “have nots” believing that it is a blight on society that they must fix. It is the world that is trying to play out it’s lust and covet-ness on everyone (including Christians).

    And on all of these hang the entire law. These 10 morals/values that Christians hold to (or at least should strive to make a reality in their own lives) define an outcome that places God first, others second, and themselves last. And Christians see the world this way (or should see the world this way) because God sees the world this way. Christians can consider every other person better than themselves because Jesus Christ, being God, did not consider Himself better than God and gave Himself up for all of creation. God humbled Himself before us, the creation, and we should do the same for others around us.

    And I don’t really believe that people are stupid, or idiotic. At least I don’t believe that about the majority of people. I believe that people are not honest. They are not honest with themselves, and they are certainly not honest with others. If they were, they would recognize their own hypocrisies and understand that they do not Practice What They Preach. Think about it.

  • Do I Drive a Ford Mustang?

    In 1987 I was 26 years old and I drove a 1985 Ford Mustang GT Convertible:

    I cannot even hazard a guess today as to the number of speeding tickets I received in that car. Let’s just say there were jokes amongst family members and friends about wall-papering my room with them. At one point I even thought I was going to lose my license and go to jail. I was clocked on radar at well over 120 MPH in Massachusetts. Fortunately for me the Police Officer that stopped me was more interested in putting the fear of God into a reckless young individual than he was in ruining a life.

    There was a co-worker in the car with me at the time I was stopped, and that individual actually paid the speeding ticket and court fines on my behalf. There had been a conversation in the car as to whether I could get us back to the office within a specified amount of time or not. And my co-worker felt that he had goaded me into speeding and that he was therefore responsible for the costs.

    But let me just say that I knew full well who was responsible for doing over 120 MPH in a 45 MPH zone at the time. I was. No one else. Just me. I was the one driving the car, my hands were on the steering wheel and my foot was on the gas pedal. So just like there was no one else responsible for eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden other than Eve, there was no one else responsible for my speeding ticket. However, just as Jesus Christ stepped in and told the entire human race that he was going to pay the debt for sin in full, my co-worker insisted (and ultimately did, despite my protests) on stepping in and paying my speeding ticket and fines. Which is interesting because I don’t believe he was a Christian believer and would get the analogy. That was 35 years ago though and perhaps things have changed. However, I digress. None of that is the topic of this post. Putting up that photo just reminded me of that incident.

    As I was saying before chasing that rabbit, in 1987 I drove a Ford Mustang GT convertible. And there wasn’t a person I passed on the road (or that passed me) that didn’t see that car and instantly think “Mustang!”. My family knew I drove a Mustang. My friends knew I drove a Mustang. My co-workers knew I drove a Mustang. And people at Church knew I drove a Mustang. And I could be wrong, but I’m willing to bet that the majority of visitors to this BLOG who looked at that photo, immediately thought “Mustang!”. It was indisputable. That car was a 1985 Ford Mustang GT convertible 5.0-liter V8 big block.

    But that was 35 years ago. And my question was not “DID I drive a Ford Mustang” but rather “DO I drive a Ford Mustang”. And I’ll save you some suspense, No, I do not have that car today.

    I retired at the end of 2021 and we wanted to consolidate down to one vehicle and we wanted a new vehicle that would last us through retirement. Probably the last vehicle we will ever buy. So, a few weeks ago we purchased a brand-new vehicle and traded in our 2 previous vehicles. But was it a Ford Mustang? Well, here it is:

    That is our brand new 2022 Ford Mustang GT Performance Edition. The MACH-E 4x. So yes, I drive a Ford Mustang.

    Except that my friends, family, co-workers, and even Church members don’t quite see it that way. And you may have your own doubts looking at those pictures. I’ve heard a variety of explanations as to why I do not drive a Ford Mustang. HINT: Mustangs have 2 doors. A Mustang is a muscle car not a cross-over. That doesn’t look like a Mustang. Is that thing electric? Mustangs aren’t electric. I’m sorry, I can’t accept that as a Mustang. And once I was even told Yes, and No. All to the question of Do I Drive a Ford Mustang?

    And I understand all of those comments/responses. People that have grown up with Ford Mustangs have developed certain expectations of what a Ford Mustang is. And an electric cross over does not meet those expectations.

    But here is what we all need to understand. Ford Motor Co. owns the Mustang brand. Ford Motor Co. invented the Mustang brand. Ford Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. alone decides what vehicle will bear the Mustang logo and branding. And Ford Motor Co. has said that my vehicle is indeed a Mustang. And I purchased it from an authorized Ford dealer from Ford stock. So, plain and simple it is a Mustang, ergo I drive a Ford Mustang.

    Some people approach this problem with the argument that they are the consumers of Ford products here. Don’t they get a say? And the answer to that is No, they do not. Consumers may influence Ford through their buying actions, however only Ford executives get to decide what the product branding will ultimately be.

    So why do you care? Why would anyone in the world care if my car is a Mustang or not?

    Here is the thought I’d like to leave you with. Let me phrase the question a little differently. Don’t we all have our own ideas about what is, and is not a reality in our lives? Don’t we even do this with the Bible, the Word of God? We decide what we want it to say and what we want it to mean rather than what God wants it to say and what God wants it to mean.

    When it comes to Scripture, God is the only authority that can establish the meaning and the application. When we just suddenly decide that the car is not a Mustang because it doesn’t fit our mental image, or our definition, or our expectations. We need to remember that Ford Motor Co. owns the Mustang brand. And likewise, God owns His own Word, the Bible.

    Think about it.

  • Is Jesus Christ God?

    The other day I was watching this video on YouTube:

    It is an hour and forty-one minutes long, however there are some very interesting questions asked with some perspectives given from both a Jewish point of view, and from the point of view of a Gentile.

    A gentile is easy to define as they are the group of people on Earth that are not of a Jewish linage. A Jew is a person of the linage of Abraham (the definition given defines the roots of the ancient kingdom of Judah, but we will go with the linage of Abraham here). A distinct characteristic of the Jewish people is that they were directly established by God, and are identified as the people of God, and the nation has the sole purpose to carry out the plan of God. (One may argue that all people fit that last criteria, and from a holistic perspective that would be correct, however God specifically identified the Jewish Nation as the Nation whereby the world would be cursed, or the world would be blessed).

    So the point of the discussion is views based on the perspective of God’s people, versus everyone else (at least as these two individuals represent those groups and express their own personal views). And if you are unaware, Dennis Prager is the Jew here, and Jack Hibbs is the gentile.

    There were many interesting aspects of the discussion, however there is one point I’d like to pick up specifically. During the questions and answers, the question was asked: “Is Jesus Christ the Messiah?” A very important point to a Jew, since the Messiah, was promised to the Jewish people, by God, as a savior or deliverer. And if Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah, then the Jewish Nation would expect the Kingdom of God to be established here on Earth today.

    The way Dennis Prager answered this question however, is quite interesting (and very eye opening). Dennis answered the question by saying (and I paraphrase) ‘The question to most Jews is not whether Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but whether or not he is God.’

    This is an extremely important distinction. To the Jew, the people of God, God is to be revered above all else. And the entity of God, Yahweh, Jehovah, Elohim, or simply “I AM”, is crucial to the Jew above all else. Even the name of God is to be reverenced (I am somewhat amused by people that run around and constantly try and “correct” everyone else on the correct name and pronunciation of the name of God. We should all be mindful of the fact that God did not hire any of us to protect his name – he is perfectly capable of that on his own and trying to correct someone on the pronunciation of the name of God is not being very respectful of the name of God). Asking, stating, or implying that Jesus Christ is God is the highest order of blasphemy and of the gravest of sins.

    So, is Jesus Christ indeed God? Probably the most important question one can ask (and discover an answer for) in a lifetime. So much hangs on this question it is a defining point between Heaven and Hell. It establishes eternity in its answer and separates all of human history in its asking.

    Is Jesus Christ God? Well first of all he said that he was. In John 14:8-9 Jesus clearly stated that if you had seen him, you had seen the Father. In this exchange the reference is clearly to God the Father. Jesus was saying that he and God the Father were equal, one in the same, if you had seen one you’ve seen the other. This line of reasoning extended to his claim to be the Son of God as well. In the Jewish culture the son represented the father. Indeed, in many parables if the son were acting on behalf of the father, it was if the father were carrying out the act himself. In John 10:30 He stated that he and the Father were one. And in John 8:58 He directly used a significant title of God.

    Secondly, God recognized Him as His own Son. In the Gospels are recordings of a voice from Heaven identifying Jesus Christ as His Son. In Matthew 17:5 a bright cloud appears and a voice from Heaven identifies Jesus Christ as His Son. In a Jewish context this would have equated Jesus Christ to God. And how would a voice be heard from Heaven more than 2,000 years ago? There were no special effects crews standing on the banks of the Jordan river. And yet hundreds of people heard a voice from the Heavens. The people of the time recognized this as the voice of God.

    Thirdly, those that followed him, the apostles and disciples recognized him as God. In John 1:1-3 John was referring to Jesus as “The Word” (meaning The Word of God) and clearly states that He was with God and was God. These are the claims that lead to Jeus’s crucifixion and were what set the religious leaders of the day against Him. And this claim is also what sent the vast majority of the apostles and disciples to their own exile and deaths. The only thing they needed to do to avoid torture and persecution was to deny the claim of Jesus Christ to be God. And yet these individuals were willing to be put to death rather than deny Christ.

    Lastly, Jesus Christ did what no other could do, he raised himself from the dead. In John 2:18-20 Jesus said, “I will raise it up“. Jesus Christ said that He and God were acting as one, in accord, in raising Him from the dead. And if Jesus Christ is not God, then God has allowed an imposters reputation to stand, and spread, all of the world, for more than two centuries.

    If there is still any doubt in your heart as to whether Jesus Christ is God, then I have this suggestion to both you and Dennis Prager, Ask Him. Just ask God to show you if Jesus Christ is indeed His Son and part of the Godhead. And sincerely, earnestly, honestly, and expecting an answer. And I believe that is one question God is guaranteed to answer.

  • Have You Heard The Voice?

    Have you seen the NBC show The Voice? If you have, you are (kind of) one up on me because I have not watched even one episode (at least not a complete episode). What I have watched however are quite a few YouTube compilations of the “best” auditions (at least in the opinion of those posting the YouTube videos).

    One I recently watched is this one:

    One of the interesting things about this particular compilation is all of the acts are groups. I believe they are all trios except for one. I had to Google this to be sure, but I believe the very first group up, A Girl Named Tom, (anyone else convinced that has to be a twist on A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash?) were the winners of the American competition of The Voice in 2021 and were the first trio to win. Kelley Clarkson, who seems to have quite a few winning teams on the show as a coach, practically begged the group to pick her as she pointed out she was the first to say she wanted them.

    There is something completely captivating about a harmony. When voices come together in a harmony smoothly and perfectly on pitch, it immediately gets your attention. I just love harmonies and every so often when a particular set of voices join together to create a harmony that is so breathtaking, you just know there will never be a repeat of that sound again ever in human history.

    Here are couple of my all-time favorites:

    What is especially captivating about the Gaither video (besides the fact that I just love the song) is the way they build by adding and subtracting parts and different voices throughout the song. Who just doesn’t appreciate a good harmony?

    A voice is a powerful thing. And when several voices come together in perfect harmony they are amplified and even more powerful. Voices can convey many different feelings and evoke many different emotions within us. They can touch lives, tear down lives, bring hope, or bring sorrow.

    I don’t know about you, but my parents had a simple little saying they taught us when I was a child. You have probably heard it. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me“. The idea was that when someone said something we did not like, when an insult was shouted at us, or an angry challenge was directed our way, that we should just ignore it and walk away. And while I understand the message that was trying to be conveyed, there is nothing further from the truth of “words will never hurt me“. The Holy Scriptures teach that words are really powerful and that we should be careful as to how we use them. And while I do believe that we are all individually responsible for how we receive words and what we do with them, that does not negate the fact the voice is a powerful thing and we had better use it responsibly.

    When people do not use their voice in a way that glorifies God and the Lord Jesus Christ, I recognize that I can either allow that to rule my circumstances or I can take my hurt and pain and leave it at the foot of The Cross.

    And I realize that there are people out there that will just insist that I cannot possibly know the pain they feel or the depths of despair they sink to whenever they hear a discouraging voice. I know that there are those people that want to believe that they, and they alone have felt the extreme depths of pain and despair and no one else understands what they are going through. All because of something someone said. All because of a voice out of harmony with their own.

    And I’ll admit, whenever I hear this sentiment expressed by my friends, I am in disbelief and wonderment as to whether or not they have heard The Voice.

    And I’m not talking about the NBC TV show here. I am talking about The Voice. The only Voice that matters. The Voice that is all powerful, in perfect harmony, and immediately demands your attention.

    I am, of course, referring to The Voice of God. The Voice that was heard in Mark 1:11. Interesting isn’t it that 2,000 years ago, when people did not have Internet, or recording studios, or amplifiers, or any of the modern wonders you and I know that will enhance the voice, a large group of people, gathered together on the banks of a river (the Jordon River) all heard a Voice coming from Heaven.

    That’s The Voice I’m interested in knowing whether or not you have heard. Have you heard The Voice from Heaven? I’ve had people tell me that God has spoken to them but let me tell you what I look for in identifying The Voice from Heaven.

    The very first thing in identifying The Voice is that it immediately takes you to The Son. That is the person of Jesus Christ. If The Voice doesn’t foremost and immediately take you to the person of Jesus Christ, then I am immediately skeptical of the voice you heard. The second thing I look for in identifying The Voice is where the preeminence is placed. If The Voice doesn’t immediately take you to The Son and immediately shower The Son with LOVE (note that The Voice doesn’t just take you to The Son but takes you to the Beloved Son), then I am immediately skeptical of the voice you have heard. And the third thing I use in identifying The Voice is in knowing where the pleasure lies. If you tell me about the voice and your displeasure all in one sentence, I am immediately lost because I don’t think you are listening to The Voice of God.

    There is ONE VOICE the world needs to hear today. The Voice that leads us to The Son, Jesus Christ, shows us His Love and reinforces that we are here for His Pleasure and not He for ours.

    How about it? Have you heard The Voice? If not, I pray that you would today, and that you would respond to Jesus Christ. Because I believe that once you do, all other voices will be heard in a different light.

  • Who DID America Vote For?

    The United States of America Elections are over and Americans believe they know who they voted for and that their vote counted. But do they really?

    I have voted in 10 US Presidential elections. I remember the previous 3 US Presidents prior to my first vote. And while there have certainly been jokes and allegations and even some embarrassing moments concerning US voter fraud in the past, I do not ever recall an election with this level of unanswered allegations or this level of divisiveness.

    To be clear, there have almost always been anomalies. The old joke that ‘dead people can vote in Chicago‘ is not just some comedian being funny. People that have been proven to be deceased have been found to have cast votes on multiple occasions (across multiple election cycles) in Chicago, Illinois. And this Presidential election certainly did not break that cycle. I suspect that some form of this has occurred back to our earliest elections. People are, after all, people. And human beings are prone to sin. And humans will get away with whatever they can get away with. Which reminds me of J.C. Watts, a former Congressman from Oklahoma who said that his grandmother told him that ‘character was doing the right thing when you were alone in the woods‘ (I loosely paraphrase). The point is that people are prone to get away with anything and everything they can, especially when they are unseen, and our election process is not immune from that.

    But while dead people voting does, and has, swayed elections locally, no one has been able to prove that it has made that great an impact on a National scale. Not that I’m in favor of just ignoring dead people voting, I’m not. I believe we should have enforceable laws with very strict penalties to compel States and local jurisdictions to accurately scrub their voting rosters and to rigorously protect voter integrity.

    And this extends to legal voters as well. Non citizens of the United States of America do not get to vote here. Whether here legally or illegally. When I’m allowed to vote or have a significant say in the political process of whatever country people come from, then perhaps the United States could consider having people of those countries vote here. But that does not happen today. So whether you came here seeking asylum, a better way of life, to go to school, or just to be with family that already lives here, apply for citizenship, obtain it, and then you can vote. The same thing applies to underage voting. As far as I’m concerned, if you are old enough to legally be out from under your parents care you are old enough to vote. I believe we’ve established this age as 18 years old in this country. I’m also good with establishing the voter age as the legal drinking (alcohol) age. Which in some jurisdictions is still 21 years of age. But the important thing here is protecting the integrity of the legal voter against all of the voting criteria. Citizenship, age, legal residence, etc. should all be held to the highest level of verification during all National level elections.

    However, unverified voters was only a fraction of the problem during this election. The integrity of a vote cast is also greatly in doubt.

    First of all, mail-in ballots are about the worst idea anyone could ever possibly come up with. There is no (none, nada, zero) chain-of-custody with a mail-in ballot. If you want to vote in this country, you should be required to show up in person and to physically cast your vote on premise after having duly shown that you are a citizen who meets all the criteria to vote. Mail-in ballots are an easy mark for fraud and have been shown to meet that low bar in this past election. And we need go no further than the tens of thousands of mail-in ballots that were just suddenly found either hours, or in some cases a day or more, after the polls closed. I don’t need to even get to the counting methods of these ballots, whether or not their signatures were verified (by an expert), whether any of them were ‘lost in the mail‘, thrown away, forged, or whether or not the person who signed actually cast the vote. The mere fact that mail-in ballots in the tens of thousands were mishandled, discovered after the fact, or even if they were just delivered late, is unequivocally and undeniably reason for every single American voter to be disenfranchised.

    But secondly, in some cases, even those voters who were legal, who met the criteria, and who showed up in person, cannot ascertain with complete certainty that their vote counted as cast. This is because some jurisdictions used voting machines that were digitally based with loadable software. By that I mean that the machines operate off of some sort of integrated circuits designed to run program instructions that can be updated within the machine. This is a complete recipe for disaster and should tell all of us that we are disenfranchised voters. In my opinion any voting machine should not have loadable or alterable software of any type. And if a voting machine is used that has programmed instructions in it, those machines should have the code published and made available free of charge to the general public and the machine code should be open to examination prior to each and every election by any citizen eligible to vote. But the mere fact that some jurisdictions used voting machines of a highly questionable nature is all we need to know that American voters cannot be assured that their vote counted as cast during this election.

    Lastly we have the news media. And by news media I mean MSNBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, FOX and just about any other outlet out there ‘telling us what is going on‘. Reporting these days almost borders on treason. When we shape elections through early and constant reporting, through ‘calling states‘ for one candidate or another before all due process, voters are disenfranchised. In my opinion, all reporting during an election should be suspended until after the election and the process has run its course. Hyping a candidate into office by crowd manipulation, while possible, is not exactly free and open elections.

    So who won the US Presidential Election? Most likely President Donald J. Trump legally acquired the most actual citizen votes to secure the Electoral College. However when all the dust settles and the air is clear, Joe Biden will most likely be sworn in as the next President of the United States.

    But before you lament the loss of your candidate, or celebrate the victory of your candidate, just remember that while we are certainly allowed to participate in the process, it is God who controls the process: Daniel 2:20-22 states that God removes kings and sets up kings. And he does this from the Throne of the King of Kings. And He is still in control.

  • What is your cause?

    Pastor’s are not supposed to have a “cause” other than preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was always taught that you preach TO the people not AT the people. Unfortunately, even preaching TO the people (or just being a prophet in your own time) is more often than not interpreted as preaching AT the people. But fortunately we have the Holy Spirit and it is between you and him as to what you do with the Holy Word of God. My calling is simply to expound on the Word of God and leave the rest up to him (and of course you – of which I am included). The Word of God is the Word of God and it stands for all of eternity. I’ve actually had people come up to me in the past and say “give us a word from God”. As if people cannot get their own word from God. It doesn’t exactly work that way. God gives a word (wisdom) to those whom he chooses. Even with the prophets of old (Biblical times) God rarely gave a personal word for an individual to a prophet (unless it was to another prophet).

    And don’t believe for a minute that I do not believe in preaching Hell Fire and Brimstone. I do. People need to understand that there is a great destiny in life. And you can either spend that destiny in Heaven or in Hell. But it is not my place to preach AT the people. Even Jesus Christ himself made it clear that God sent his Son into the world to save the world not to condemn the world (John 3:17). Which is why I try to be careful not to care about your sin, but only to point out that there is sin and that I am included. Indeed, I am chief amongst sinners.

    But I must confess that indeed I do have a cause. I’m only human (which is just a fact not an excuse) and there are a couple of things that raise my ire more than anything else. And the biggest cause that gets under my skin is ABORTION.

    I just do not accept that abortion is a woman’s right to choose. It is not their right to do with their body as they see fit. That fetus is a human life. It is not some forming mass of tissue. It is a life formed by a Holy and Righteous God that has all power and authority over life and death. And the reason we (humanity) fall into this trap is because of my second top cause – the lie of evolution. The lie of evolution has tried to teach us that there is no God and that everything we see and experience is just happenstance without any Devine providence or guidance. And I’m sorry, but that is just a lie. I believe possibly the biggest lie ever told. The lie of evolution allows us to believe that God does not form a life in the womb and that a woman has a choice over her body and the life that it contains. Which simply is not true and I’m sorry, if you believe that a woman has a right to choose you are just wrong.

    Abortion is murder. It doesn’t matter what any of us believe. The simple truth (and it is simple) is that there is a God and he does hold all power and authority over all of human life. And when we unjustly take a life, including through abortion, it is by definition murder.

    And this bothers me greatly. US President Ronald Regan said that if you could not state for certain when human life begins (and I can, it begins when a Holy and Righteous God forms it in the womb. On day one.) then we owed them the benefit of the doubt. And we should give this cause the respect that it is due. None of us can definitely prove when human life begins. Neither science nor religion nor philosophy can definitively prove the start of human life. Science struggles with the conundrum of human life and denial of God. They can’t explain the miracle of life to begin with let alone Define the exact start of it. Religion obviously defaults to a God creating that life and has no choice but to accept the moment of conception as the definitive start of that human life. Philosophy tries to find a happy medium that fails on both fronts. On all fronts humanity has no choice but to accept human life beginning at conception. And by not doing so we allow for the murder of hundreds of millions of unborn babies worldwide every year.

    Rush Limbaugh wrote that his problem with abortion is that it cheapens human life. And this is an excellent argument. Abortion takes a human life created by a Holy God and formed in his perfect image and reduces it to an inconsequential event of less than the miracle it truly is. And this is having severe consequences on our societies worldwide. It is tearing our world apart.

    However my reason for carrying abortion as my cause is that it brings evil incarnate into our world. If a Holy God is the author of life, then the undeniable enemy of life is none other than Satan. Life is the gift of God and that makes Satan it’s number one enemy. Satan is the antithesis of life and his hatred would have him destroy it at all cost. And abortion is a huge lie that allows him to further his cause.

    And if I’m not being plain spoken here, let me just state that the people that participate in this industry are godless, evil people driven by the forces of darkness to include Satan himself.

    And if you think I’m being overly dramatic here, may I bring your attention to this story that recently emerged in the news. An abortion (so called) doctor (the irony of referring to these individuals as medical professionals makes my blood boil) for years stacked up human remains at his home and he wasn’t found out until his death. If this isn’t an atrocity on a par with the actions of the Nazis during WWII, I don’t know what you could use to make an argument for what is.

    Planned Parenthood and the (once again so called) doctors that practice under their umbrella are the agents of Satan and they represent evil manifested in our world. An abortionist who collected over 2,000 human remains and kept them at his personal residence is sick, evil, and disturbing on all levels. As an ambassador of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry this doctor shows us to what depths of human depravity we’ve allowed to grip the world. It is horrifying to realize that we have come to accept this culture in our societies and the world.

    Obviously my desire is that your cause would be that all would be saved and come to know Jesus Christ as Lord of their life. But if there were one (or two) causes that you had to take up, how about carefully considering the lies of abortion and evolution? I truly believe that if anything could make a dramatic change on our societies and bring the world closer to a Holy God, it would have to be honestly and ethically dealing with the lies of abortion and evolution. With the evil that abortion manifests in the world (as demonstrated by this recent story) I pray you would join me in my cause (and that you would forgive me for having a cause).

  • Are You Living on the Other Side of the BUT …?

    Three friends of mine, whom I’ve mentioned in the past, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, found themselves facing quite a predicament one afternoon.  They faced a situation where they could do what God had said to do, or they could do what man had said to do.  But they couldn’t do both.

    Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that God had commanded them to have no other gods before Him.  They knew they could not bow down to idols or graven images.  They knew the word of the Lord (Exodus 20:1-6).

    Unfortunately for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded that they do exactly what the word of the Lord told them not to do (Daniel 3:4-6).  And the King’s commandment carried quite a heavy weight along with it.  Anyone who violated the commandment would be thrown into a burning firey furnace.

    And thus their predicament.  If they did what King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded they do, they would end up violating what God had commanded they do.  And if they did what God had commanded they do, they would end up violating what King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded they do.  But they couldn’t do both.  They had to please one and risk angering the other.  They had to make a difficult choice.

    Interestingly enough, I believe every person in the world today faces the exact same choice as my three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  We all have an impossible choice to make.  We may either bow down and serve the images of the world, or we may serve God.  But we can’t do both.  We must choose one or the other.

    And our choices have consequences attached to them.  Dire ones.  Severe ones.  Serious ones.  Literally as scary and fatal as being thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.  We are talking life threatening endangerment here accompanied with violent pain and torture.

    If we examine our choices in light of our three base world views, we begin to unravel what drives us within our lives.

    The Atheist has no problem whatsoever bowing down to the King’s idol.  It is a mode of self-preservation.  Which is disingenuous in and of itself.  Because if you are Atheistic in your world view you have no belief in any God.  So why would you be inventing one and serving one?  The Atheist has no reason to be motivated by their own self-preservation to the extent of violating their own personal beliefs, they simply set their World View aside and in the interest of continuing their life journey, they bow down.

    The Agnostic is completely indifferent to bowing down to the King’s idol.  The Agnostic most likely wants to hedge their bets.  But in situations like this, they cannot.  The Agnostic lives in real confusion at times.  They would like to please both God and man, just in case one or the other happens to come true and they find themselves facing consequences they cannot deal with.  Unfortunately for the Agnostic, there are some questions in life that require a real choice and a single action.  You must choose one or the other.  You cannot choose both, and you will face consequences for your actions whether you want to or not.  In most cases the Agnostic will join their Atheist friends and bow down to the golden image and worship it in the interest of self-preservation.

    For the Theist however, the choice becomes a lot more granular.  Unlike their Atheist and Agnostic neighbors, the Theist actually believes both choices to be solid and real.  The commandments of their God are true and define the core of their beliefs.  The Theist really must stand on the principles of their world view if they are to be true to themselves, and that means they must accept the consequences of violating the commandments of the King.

    The Theist, especially Christians, have an out though, right?  After all, the Theist serves a God that can deliver them for any consequences of man.  And yet, 99.999% of all the people in the world today choose to bow down to the King’s idols.  Why?  It makes sense with the Atheists and the Agnostics, but why do the Theists, for the most part, give in and bow down?  Especially when they supposedly believe that their God can save them?

    My friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were in the very small minority in their answer to the King.  Here is what they said:

    16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.  17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.  18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”  Daniel 3:16-18 KJV

    Most Christians familiar with the story of my three friends shout triumphantly and proclaim victory through God’s hands.  Yet the evidence remains, that the majority of people bow down and worship the idols.  Why is that?  Why do Theist Christians so adamantly believe that God can save them yet they go ahead and bow down?

    I believe it is because the vast majority of us do not live beyond the BUT.  Do you see it there?  The BUT at the beginning of verse 18.  You see, it is very easy to proclaim that God has the power to save, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to go beyond that.  They were willing to say BUT “if not“.  If God chooses NOT to save us, then we still will not bow down.  Because God is still God.

    Here is the bottom line: you cannot truly be free until you are willing to live beyond the BUT.  It is easy to stand and proclaim that God has the power to save, but it is hard to say I trust him even when he chooses not to rescue me from the burning firey furnace.

    And God cannot work in your life until you are ready to put your complete trust in Him.  Until you are ready to say to Him “God, I trust you to save me.  But even if You choose not to, I still trust and worship You, and You alone.”

    I told someone recently that when I stand before the judgement seat of the Holy God, my only plea is the Blood of the Lamb.  I’ve put my complete faith and trust in Him and I know He has the power to save.  BUT if Jesus looks at me in that day and says “I’ve changed my mind and you are not to be saved.”  Then know this: as I am on my way to the gates of Hell, I will be singing “Praise Him!  Praise Him!  Praise Him.  For He is Just.  He is Holy.  He is Righteous.  And He has given me what I deserve!”

    And I know this to be true because when you live on the other side of the BUT … you live a life that accepts whatever decision God makes for you.  Whether it be to save you from the burning firey furnace, or whether He chooses not to.  Either way, He still is God and I will bow down to no other.

    What about you?  Are you ready to live on the other side of the BUT and to serve Him, to worship Him, to Praise God no matter what decision He may make for your life?

  • Are You The Redeemed of the Lord?

    One of the more interesting dynamics of the Christian Faith to me is the argument that as the Elect of God, we are perfectly in his hands.  Never to have calamity or evil ever cross our paths again.  These are the “feel good” Christians.  The idea that “if God be for me, who can be against me?”

    The opposite side of the coin however are the “daily struggle” Christians. The I must “work out my faith” Christians.  That every day of my life is a new challenge and I must face the Sin in the world against a constant barrage of ill will directed at me by Satan himself.

    Both view points point to various Scripture to bolster their claims and to drive their points home.  They will preach that you should live your life secure in the knowledge that God only wants the best for you, or that you must constantly be on your guard and struggle in your faith.

    What is interesting about these studies to me is that you never hear both sides at once (or so rarely that they are almost impossible to pinpoint).  You never hear someone preach “God wants to make you rich!” and “You have to put on the whole armor of God” at the same time.  And so you are left with the feeling that perhaps God wants to fight all your battles for you, but only if you take up the sword and do the fighting yourself.

    There are many interesting concepts found within Scripture.  Some that are seemingly contradictory of each other.  But only when considered from humankind perspective.  When considered from God’s perspective, they begin to look a little differently to us.  I’ve talked about these Scriptural paradoxes in previous posts.  Perhaps the most famous one known is Calvinism vs, Arminianism, of which I have quoted Louie Giglio when he stated that it is a great mystery to man; that God is 100% in control and yet man has free will at exactly the same time.   I believe our “status” here in this world is exactly one of those cases.

    Consider the words of Paul of Tarsus to Timothy in I Timothy 1:15.  Paul told Timothy that he was Chief amongst sinners.  He said “I am”.  I’ve looked up the Greek word for “I am” in this passage for you.  It literally means “to be”, in this case “to be found”.  It is present tense.  Paul was telling Timothy that he literally was the number one sinner in the world at that time.  Paul probably wrote this letter to Timothy somewhere between 58 and 64 AD.  Yet in his letter to the Roman’s Paul writes that it is not he who sins, but the sin that dwells in him: Romans 7:17.  Most scholars date the book of Romans to somewhere between 54 and 57 AD.  Before his letter to Timothy, where he is currently, at that time, Chief amongst sinners.

    So which is it?  Is Paul confused?  Or do we have a Biblical paradox here?

    I believe that both are true at exactly the same time.  At the same time Paul enjoys the completed work of Christ in him, and yet he remains Chief amongst sinners.  He is both redeemed, and within the sin struggle of this world at exactly the same time.

    Consider Paul’s words in Romans 8:17.  Paul is so bold as to point out that we are Joint Heirs with Jesus Christ, the Name above all names.  The Son of the living God.  But he points out that if we share in His Glory, surely we share in His suffering as well.  You might be considering that Christ’s suffering is over, and you are correct, but we should not be so naïve as to think that we can know Glory without also knowing Suffering.

    So the question then comes “Does God own the Cattle on a thousand hills”?  Well of course he does.  He is God.  And “Does God want the best for our lives”?  Well of course he does.  He sent his only Son to die on a cross for our sin.  He plans to one day wipe away every tear and lift every burden.  But do we still have to put on the whole armor of God and take up our cross and follow in the footsteps of Jesus?  Well yes, we do.

    Why?  Because there is little substitute for experience.  I was talking with a very well-educated person recently.  A person with many degrees and certificates.  But yet this person needed some advice, even with all of their studies and academic achievements, they needed some advice in life.  And the reason they needed advice is because they lacked experience.  You see, experience cannot be taught.  It must be gained though one’s own journey.  And God desires for us to experience Him.  He delights when we explore and strive to understand Him.  He delights when we come to Him in order to know Him more.

    And that includes with both blessings and sorrow in our lives.  It includes when we struggle with sin in our lives and when we put on the armor of God and say No! to Satan.  We cannot know victory without knowing defeat.  And God’s blessings are all that much greater when they have been delivered in the midst of great sorrow.  It is when we are weak, that He can be strong in our lives.  Is it because we do not already have the Creator of all things living inside of us?  No, of course not!  If Christ be for me, who can stand against me?  No, it is because He wants us to stand in His strength and not our own.

    Are you the Redeemed of the Lord?  I pray today that you are.  But if you are, I pray that you will recall that it is only because of what God has done for you and not what you have done for God.  Can God grant you all the blessings of Job in your life and much more?  Well of course he can.  However I, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, say that if God so chooses NOT to bless me, NOT to shower my life with all the peace, joy, and love, that only He can give, He is still God.  And He is still upon His throne.  God may choose to deliver me from the fiery furnace or He may not.  But He is still God.

  • Do You Make A Difference?

    In 2008 The Oak Ridge Boys asked the question “Did I make a difference in somebody’s life?” through a pretty thoughtful melody.

    They inspired people though song to consider whether or not they were making a difference in the world in which we all live.  The song is asking us whether or not we are making a positive difference.  And it embodies the idea of sacrifice in making that difference.  When the songwriter states “When my race is run, when my song is sung” it captures the idea of when at the end of my life, how will I be judged?

    In reality, we all make a difference.  The very fact that you are alive and here on Earth means you have already made a difference.  Your presence has impacted the world.  All of our presence has impacted the world.  Some for good, and some for evil.  And using any reasonable world standard, we could all be judged to have impacted those around us with a little of both.

    But what is the real difference we make?  Maybe I should ask what difference do you want to make?  Most of us want to make a difference, I might say that most of us try to make a difference.  After all, is that not how we are judged?  Isn’t that how we judge one another?  By the impact, or difference, someone makes in our lives?

    When we are at our jobs we strive to make a difference.  That is the way we get noticed and are singled out for advancement.  When we court a sweetheart we want to make a difference.  That is how we gain their attention and eventually their love and affections.  When we interact with friends, relatives, and even strangers, we make a difference.  That is why we tell young people that first impressions are the most important.  Some of us make a difference by volunteering, helping the homeless, feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, or working in public service.  Some of us become Fire Fighters, Police Officers, Doctors, Nurses, or join the Military.  Because we want to make a difference.  Most of us want to make a difference, but few realize that we always do.  That we are constantly making a difference in someone else’s life with either positive or negative impressions whether we want to or not.

    But to what end or gain?  What does it avail us to make a difference in the world?  What is the motivation?  What should be the motivation?  What do we hope to accomplish and how do we hope to be judged?  I’d like to consider this thought from our three primary base views.

    If you are agnostic in your world view, I might ask (as I always do) why do you even care?  The agnostic is completely indifferent to making a difference or to those making a difference on them by sheer definition.  If the agnostic is working to make a difference, it is for their own gain or self-gratification.  Even if the agnostic is working “just in case there is a god”, they are hedging their bets and trying to garner good deed points in their own stead.  Just in case they actually are judged.  Since the agnostic is “rolling the dice”, as it were, they cannot possibly be working towards any other means other than their own good.

    If you are atheistic in your world view, I have news for you.  It doesn’t matter whether you make a difference or not.  Void of a god, there is no moral relevance in your life.  I’ve had atheists argue that our moral values are a result of a common societal conscious agreement.  But that doesn’t hold water.  Consider the fact that the ancient Roman Empire considered it perfectly acceptable to put essentially defenseless civilians into an arena with lions, tigers, bears, and great Roman gladiators, in order to watch them meet their deaths for sport.  Today we would consider that barbaric.  The atheist would argue that our morals have evolved.  But that is exactly my point.  There is no relevance. No base.  And they cannot predict where evolutionary morals will take us next.  And whose to say what is right or what is wrong?  Perhaps the Romans were right in their time and we are wrong today.  Without a moral relevance it simply does not matter what difference you make other than for your own self gain.  And even then it is pointless given that all of the universe is just one great big chemical and physical reaction.  The true atheist, the one that has thought their world view through to its logical conclusion, realizes that it is all just natural processes following set laws and is completely without meaning.  And if there is no meaning, what does it matter whether or not you make a difference?

    If your world view is theistic however, making a difference gains a whole new importance.  For the theist, making a difference is not about meeting man’s law, but rather meeting the law as prescribed by their god.  There are consequences to ones actions and making a difference determines how one will be judged by their creator.

    There is one group of theists that have a quandary though.  For the Christian we are taught there is no one good, not even one (Romans 3:10).  Christianity is the only world religion that teaches there is nothing an individual can do to obtain favor with their God save he intervene in their lives.  Given that there is no one righteous in the Christian world view, even to the extent we cannot obtain our own salvation apart from our Creator himself, it is an amazement to me that so many Christians run around the world trying to “make a difference”.  How can you make a difference apart from The Great I Am, the Creator, the one true God?  You see, for the Christian it should be a different paradigm.  Not one of making a difference, but rather one of being made a difference in.

    I wonder every single second of every single minute of every single hour of every single day of every single year if I ever do, or ever have, made a difference.

    Which is why I have to constantly remind myself that it is not about me making a difference in the world, it is about Him, the Great I AM, making a difference in me.