Get Real

Christianity vs. Spirituality

What is spirituality? Some say it is the non-physical part of who we are. I agree. Our spiritual being is often referred to as the soul, mind or personality. Your worldview about God will reveal your belief regarding life after death.

Although it might seem hopeful to believe in reincarnation, God designed us to have one life and after this, “face our Maker.” Hoping to have another chance to get it right provides a bleak future. What if you don’t get it right? And, who ultimately decides what is right? Where is the hope in just ceasing to exist spiritually? More importantly, what is the reason for living if we are here one minute and gone the next?

Christianity, on the other hand, is the state of following Jesus Christ. It involves the non-physical part of who we are. As mortal human beings, we communicate with other humans in natural words. However, we interact with God in the spiritual realm because he is Spirit. We do not need to recite a mantra repeatedly, or focus on a word and chant it in quiet whispers. These things do not make us more spiritual. We are spiritual beings in a natural body and the God who breathed life into the body allows us to know him personally through Jesus Christ. The one who created you is the One who will determine your eternal destiny. He’s the One who decided what is right in the book known as the Bible.

Why would you want to be Christian rather than just spiritual? Simple. One provides strength and everlasting life with Jesus Christ who loves you. The other provides strength through the power of you and everlasting life after death in a miserable state apart from God and your loved ones.

I hope you’ll consider Christianity today.

Earth Days and Birth Days

I am a recycler by nature. When I was old enough to realize that my birthday had two significant meanings, I was ecstatic! You see I was born on Easter Sunday and eight years later in 1970, April 22 officially became Earth Day. Now I have to recycle because my birthday is on Earth Day.

This is nonsensical rhetoric isn’t it? Especially since this blog deals with things that really matter. My physical birthday and Earth day do not really matter. What does matter is my spiritual birthday.

On June 20, 1980, I realized my life was a mess and everything I did to try to fix it only made it worse. There was no amount of “self-awareness, finding the goodness in me, or being conscious of consciousness” that would help me. These self-centered disciplines are what Eckhart Tolle and Oprah claim help you find true purpose in life.

Tolle, Oprah, Marianne Williamson, Depak Chopra and countless other spiritual teachers are singing an enchanting tune, but it is a lie. The words provide a type of hope and sense of empowerment that provide temporary balm to the things that hurt. But, it is a counterfeit solution, not the long-term permanent relief that hurting people need.

We are miserable because of sin. Plain and simple. This life isn’t all about you, it’s about you and your relationship to the Creator of the Earth. He is not Mother Earth. He is Father God and he desires a personal relationship with each one of us. He is the light of the world who desires to light up your life with eternal peace and hope.

Yes, it may be Earth Day and my recycling sits at the curb as we speak. It may be the day I enjoy dessert because it’s my birthday, but my real purpose today is to encourage you to consider having a second birthday too.

If would like to be born again so that you will know true peace, joy and hope, pray this prayer right now:

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you took the pain of the cross to give me new life. I ask you to come into my life and to give me your peace and joy. I confess that I am a sinner -- that I have gone my own way and have done wrong. Please forgive me for my sins. I receive you now as my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to follow you and to serve you all my life. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, one of your birthdays is also on Earth Day. You are now a child of God. The things of your old life have passed away and He has made all things new. Please send me a note so I can wish you happy birthday.

Decisions Determine Destiny

Monday night a college basketball player named Mario Chalmers made a decision that determined the destiny of his team. With milliseconds left on the clock, he decided to take a shot that tied the game. Five minutes of playtime later, the Kansas Jayhawks won the national championship title.

Each of us is free to choose to “take the shot” at knowing God or decide it is too risky and dribble our life away. Our decision to trust God with our life will ultimately determine our destiny. We will spend the afterlife either with God or away from him in a place of eternal conscious punishment. For some these are harsh words. I agree.

The other choice we are free to make, is to yield our life to God through Jesus Christ. This decision results in a life of hope, peace and joy. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

As you consider your eternal destiny today, refer to the FAQ in the sidebar. I pray you will consider making a decision that will determine a favorable destiny. If you have questions, let me know.

What’s in a Name?

If someone used a term to describe me more than 2500 times in a document, I would probably conclude that person was onto something.

Speaking of God, the Hebrew term elohim occurs in the general sense of deity about 2,570 times in the Old Testament. About 2,310 times it is a name for the true God beginning with that ever popular text, “In the beginning, God…”

Sure, we could argue that the Bible is some ancient book full of errors and lacking proof of the claims made therein. But, that wouldn’t reveal intelligence in either of us.

The opposite is true—the Bible is without error and historical evidence abounds. Have you ever read it? The God it introduces is amazing. The story it tells is rich. The promises it reveals provide hope.

What’s in a name? In this case, life and death are in the name (that is, power and authority) of elohim through the person of Jesus Christ.

You can find more intriguing writings like this at http://www.keytofreedom.org/faq.html

Meaningless Existence Leads to Death

This week’s news of Matthew Murray, the gunman that opened fire not once, but twice at two religious organizations in Colorado, leaves me nauseous. Not for the crime, nor for the locations, so much as for the dark, driving force inside this young man. He said it himself on his blogsite, "I've just snapped. I can't take this meaningless existence anymore…”¹

It doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, Matthew grew up going to church, but that doesn’t mean he knew God as his Savior. If he did ever meet God and give his life to Him, he stopped depending on Him to be his strength in time of trouble—he had no hope. Murray was not alone in his misery:

·         Four days earlier a gunman in Omaha opened fire into a crowded mall, killed eight people and then killed himself.²

·         Studies show, “Mental health problems and suicide rates have increased among U.S. troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.”³

·         A woman leaped from an 11-story Tokyo apartment Wednesday in an apparent suicide, striking and seriously injuring a passer-by, a news report said Wednesday (the same day as Omaha).⁴

·         The suicide rate among preteen and young teen girls spiked dramatically in a disturbing shift that federal health officials say they can't fully explain. For all young people between ages 10 to 24, the suicide rate rose 8 percent from 2003 to 2004 the biggest single-year bump in 15 years ." These rates include older teen girls, those aged 15-19 shot up 32 percent. ⁵

The statistics could go on for pages. I know you know that. However, what federal health officials cannot explain can be explained in one word—hopelessness. It is here I will sound like the “broken record” and repeat myself yet again. God is our hope, the only hope for mankind. It’s a daily journey of knowing him through his Word (the Bible), depending on the principles therein and trusting that our lives are not meaningless. Our existence is not some futile random chance.

There really is a God. There really is life after death—either in the presence of the loving God or in eternal darkness away from God. Jesus really is the reason for the season. I pray his peace will surround and encourage all of those whose lives have been affected by the tragedies of this last week.

Know God; know peace. No God; no peace.

Know God; know hope. No God; no hope.

Find words of comfort and encouragement here.

You can find more intriguing writings like this at http://www.keytofreedom.org/faq.html

1 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316387,00.html

2 http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/05/mall.shooting/

3 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=3860587

4 http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3801575

5 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=3574114

A Bug's Life

A recent conversation with my daughter about a book she read made me stop and think.

Here’s my summary. The book tells a story of the main character that woke up one day and found he had turned into a bug. The family handled this peculiar change by closing the bedroom door, bringing him food twice a day and waiting. But, for what did they wait? I’m not sure. Eventually the bug—the family member— died and the book ended.

Speaking of how does that make you feel (see 11/14 post), aside from the absurdity of a human physically turning into an insect, don’t you feel empty at the end of that story? To think that a human life has no more value than a creature with six or eight legs which at the end of his or her existence ends up in a dusty corner, like a dead  spider or dehydrated cricket is a meaningless life.

We are not insects. We are not part of the animal kingdom. When we die, it means something to someone. If no one on earth notices, there is a God, the creator of all life, who notices and who cares. He cares about our life as well as our death.

Insects do not love, do not think and do not feel. Humans do. God created us in his image, so he does too.

Do you feel like your living a bug’s life, that someone could squash you and no one would care or notice?

God cares. Look up and ask him if what I’m saying is true.

You can find more intriguing writings like this at http://www.keytofreedom.org/resources.html

What is Heaven Like?

For many, heaven is a state of being; for others, it’s a destination. If I were to ask 20 people on the street to tell me about heaven I would probably get 20 different answers, that is unless they used the same “guidebook” to give them answers about life and death.

The guidebook I use is the Bible. Why the Bible? Because the Bible outlines the doctrine of Christianity. It is an amazing collection of fulfilled prophetic and historical writings of a Man that was born to take away the sins of the world—at no cost—to those who would follow him.

Other guidebooks such as the, the New World Translation of the Bible (Jehovah’s Witness), the Book of Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints), Pali Canon (Buddhist) and the Quran (Islam), to mention just a few of the more well-known religions, have one thing in common—heaven. The word heaven may not be used, it may be other words like heavenly Kingdom, telestial/terestial/celestial, Nirbana or Nirvana. However, the idea is the same—a trouble-free time in the afterlife.

The difference, however, is that all of these teachings include the follower doing deeds or works in order to gain this desired resting place of the soul. Additionally, all of the founders of these religions are dead and in a grave somewhere. This is not so with the teaching of the Bible nor its founder Jesus Christ (see Trilemma article).

So what is heaven like? With nearly 700 references to “heaven” in the Bible, one begins to get an idea that it is a place like nothing humans can imagine, yet if we imagine a life without fear, tears or mourning we begin to envision it emotionally. Rust does not destroy and moths do not eat our clothes. Locking our doors is a thing of the past.¹

Finally, heaven is, "the dwelling of God with men; [where] he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."²

What is heaven like? I’m not sure words can capture it, but it sounds like a place that will surpass life even on my best day. If you read the end of the book (the Bible), you’ll see there is hope for all who believe there is a God and that belief is followed up with an active faith in Jesus the Christ.

What do you think? Is heaven in your future? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

You can find more intriguing writings like this at http://www.keytofreedom.org/resources.html

¹ Matthew 6:19-21

² Revelation 21:1-5

Is Hell a Real Place?

You will answer this based on your worldview. But, before you answer, read the last post. Are you doing your own “thinking” or have you accepted someone else’s conclusions?

Many people believe differently about this subject. Given the fact that no one has ever offered a first-hand testimony regarding the reality of the subject, it should be carefully examined.

First, where does this idea come from? Most religious belief systems refer to some idea of “hell” or “punishment.” It’s subject matter is also plentiful in several mythologies and literature. One thing that remains consistent concerning the subject is that it involves the after-life.

Second, what happens to us when we die? Again, this subject has filled volumes. However, what is one to believe when there are so many opinions out there?

I choose to believe a doctrine and a time-tested set of truths called the Bible. Yes, it is time-tested and consistently, from start of the story to the end of the story, reveals a God that is personable and cares for us. This is important because this book answers the question, “is hell a real place” and explains whom it was designed for.

In short, the location of hell (in the center of the earth or otherwise) is not what’s really important, what matters is that hell is eternal, it’s a place of torment, there’s mention of fire and God is not there. Yes, hell is a reference to judgment for those who do not choose Jesus Christ as their Lord.

The most stunning consideration I faced a long time ago came from these few words, “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”¹

However…

“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”²

I told you God cared about people. He cared so much he sent his son to die so that no one would have to face judgment. He offers salvation to any who ask.

What do you believe? I’d like to hear about it.

You can find more intriguing writings like this at http://www.keytofreedom.org/resources.html

¹ Search results “hell”

² Heb 9:27-28 (NIV)

Hopeful Living or Wishful Thinking

“I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.”

I have no idea why that little verse is stuck in my memory bank. I’m not sure where or when I first heard it or if it’s in some children’s book somewhere. But, I can envision a little child looking out her bedroom window to the brightest star she can see and whispering those words. With all of her innocent and naïve heart, she has faith in something outside of herself and hopes her wish will come true.

Contrast the little girl’s wishful thinking into actuality—into faith in a real and personal God that cares about the lives and future of those who seek him.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see…By faith, we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.[1]

Most of us grow out of wishful thinking. But then what?

·         What if you could always have hope that your current crisis would turn out okay?

·         What if you could wake up with confidence that no matter what happens to you today, somebody cares about you and your tomorrow?

·         What if you had assurance about the unknown future?

If you have hope, confidence and assurance not on a star but on God, you move from wishful thinking to hopeful living.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on this matter. 

You can find more intriguing writings like this at

http://www.keytofreedom.org/resources.html

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[1] Hebrews 11:1-3 (NLT)