God and Time Part 1

Ive been thinking about this subject for quite a while and I realized I needed to start writing these things down, so maybe one day I'll get all these thoughts together in one place.

I've been thinking about the way we all perceive time and just how it affects our lives.

Let me put it this way.

We see time as constantly moving. Tomorrow never comes because its always tomorrow. It will never be the future, we are not in the past. Its always in the present. Always moving.

Its like we are stuck here, unmoving in this time... but somehow still moving.

When we as humans look at time we see it like this

0--------0--------0

past present and future

We see events on a time line. And it makes sense. Its the only way we can perceive time because we are stuck smack dab in the middle. In the Present.

But, the omnipresence of God doesn't just mean He's at all places at all times. It also means all TIMES at all times.

Keeping in mind how we see time, we can try to grasp the way God must see time.

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He wasnt just there at the beginning. He was there BEFORE the beginning. He isnt just here in the present, stuck with us... he's also in the Future, after the end.

All at once.

He can step back from the timeline and see the whole picture. Like the expression "Hindsight is 20/20" God doesn't need hindsight, because he can see everything that HAS and WILL happen!

I believe too that He sees time like this as well:

Since we have free will, things can always change. God has to be able to SEE what choices we will make, what the possible outcome is, and shift things. Could you imagine? He's not only seeing what IS and what WAS but what COULD BE and what WILL BE!

The concept is staggering.

I know its hard to grasp... I confess I don't understand it all. But the point is, God sees the whole picture. We cant possibly know the way things will turn out. But for GOD, he's in ALL times and ALL places moving events into a bigger plan.

Theres no way we as finite humans could grasp His plan. Thats why we need to have Faith in Him.

I was talking to someone who wondered why their life was messed up at the moment. I told them its all for a reason. Nothing can happen beyond the Eye and Hand of God.

And the greatest thing is, we still have free will to choose for ourselves, but God sees all possible outcomes.

Faith: A work in progress (part 1)

Everyone knows the verse: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".

Without Faith, it is impossible to please God.

We've all heard these verses, and could probably quote them backwards and forwards.

but something dawned on me today, and I saw this verse in a way I hadn't before.

Faith is a SUBSTANCE. it's what gives our hope something tangible to cling to. I dont have any proof that God even exists! I cant prove it to anyone! But, my faith.... makes it all tangible, and I can see the evidence around me everyday.

Its an emotion, stirred and plucked like a musical instrument by the Holy Spirit. The kind of Faith we need doesn't come from ourselves, but it is a GIFT from God. Our own faith doesnt take us to heaven! it doesn't cleanse our sins. God does that. He makes our faith a SUBSTANCE. He makes it as tangible to us as anything in our physical world.

Faith is our proof. But only proof to ourselves. not to anyone else. I cant convince anyone else that God exists. Until they have that faith, it really cant be explained. It's different for everyone... some come across it quickly, others it takes longer. Its a spiritual stirring that God must do inside you.

I have a SUBSTANCE, a tangible feeling, a stirring of my mind, that tells me that HE is out there. and what He says is always truth. It's not tangible with my hands, but with my SOUL. It latches on and becomes a part of me. Defines who I am and what I do.

It doesn't make me perfect, but it makes me want to try.

In many ways, Faith is like the Holy Spirit, and I am coming to the conclusion that MAYBE (conjecture on my part) they ARE the same thing. maybe the Holy Ghost as we call Him, can be simply defined as "FAITH".

It comes, it lives in us, and through us, an extension of God Almighty.

Its a humbling thought.... maybe we should listen to that Faith a little more often. Maybe then, we would do all the things we are supposed to. Not to get to heaven, but to please the One who is already taking us there.

More on this later.

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1-10-10 Sunday post

I usually take a lot of notes during church. Sometimes though, I get distracted and start off on some topic that the pastor isn't even talking about. I used to feel bad about this, until it hit me today, that God has put me on that track... I am still learning something, I just took it in a different direction than most people would.

I thought I'd start putting these down here.

I'll title them all "Date" Sunday Post. There may not be a clear thought or anything you think it valid. But it means something to me.

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Why do pastors have sermons they preach over and over and over.

I'm trying not to seem judgmental or hateful, but I feel like its laziness.

I'll try not to name names here, but one pastor I knew of would preach the same message at the same time every year. I know this because I was at that particular church for a few years.

No changes. word for word. No thought or extra effort put into it. Why would you preach the same message twice and not improve on it? I know that God can lead for the same message to be preached....but wouldn't He do that so you could IMPROVE on it? He doesn't expect you to just recycle material. I'm guilty of this. But no more.

I haven't preached much, but from now on... if I'm going to re-preach a message, it will be with care and thought and MUCH MUCH MUCH prayer. Just because it was Christmas-time, doesn't mean I should dust off the old Christmas Message and re-use it.

I should find something new, something challenging for the people. For myself.

I'll post some of my messages on here sometime, but I need to be careful, or I can be just as complacent.

Could You Spare Any Change?: The Church and Your Money

Sitting in my car the other day, eating some lunch and waiting for my shift to start, someone walked up to my window and tapped on it. I rolled it down and this lady started in on her sob story.
Same old, same old. Need a bus ticket out of town, no one will help, not even the churches. Need just a few dollars for a hotel room for the night.
As she was speaking though, I made a note of looking her straight in the eyes. and a weird thing happened. She almost recoiled when I met her gaze and she swallowed hard, but she powered through her speech.
How do I know she was lying? Well, common sense for one. Most people who would go to complete strangers and ask for money, are the people who most likely don't need it.
The other way I knew? I don't care if you find this crazy, but I could just FEEL it. Why do you think people want you to "look at my eyes" when they think you're telling a lie? It really is a doorway to the soul. I can't explain it, I cant prove it... but I just KNEW she was lying.
Well, I dont keep much cash on me anyway, so I gave her some dimes I had lying around. I actually kinda found it insulting, but I wasn't going to give her anything else. Call me cold and calloused.

After she left, a unique thought crossed my mind. How is she any different then the plate thats passed on Sunday Morning? Now hold on, before you stone me, Im not saying that all churches are lying to you and just want your money. Not all churches are lying to you.
Not all.
But you'd be surprised at how many.

Its all about the money: the Almighty Dollar, and not the Almighty God.
It scared me when the thought hit me, that some pastors are like that lady. They carefully prepare their speech each Sunday, then lie to your face and tell you what you want to hear so you'll throw in your money.
Now, I know. A church needs money to operate. We as Christians are supposed to give tithes and offerings.
But a church should not have to pander to its people for their money.
The people are complacent and the pastors are willing to pander to that as long as they keep putting their weekly offerings into the collection plate.

The churches who have to get more and more people in the door (sometimes by any means necessary) are usually the ones who suffer from this. While they may have a lot of people warming their pews and a lot of people giving their cash, they are essentially dead.
Im not saying all big churches are this way, but the majority are. Theres a handful of people who want to do right and they try. But theres hundreds, maybe thousands that sit on their pews and do nothing. and the pastor doesn't challenge that. Because he's afraid of losing their "contributions".
On a related note: Why does the pastor have to drive a Bentley and have 300 suits and ties? Im all for looking nice...but come on. Someone has to see through these people!

What can we do about this? Should we all leave the big churches and only join small country churches? well, no, because small churches can suffer from this too, on a smaller scale. Sometimes it can be harder for the small church because if one person stops giving, that could cause the doors to close.
We should just focus on preaching to word. Let God worry about the money. Either he can supply or He cant. Which is it?
Do you rely on man's money to keep God's work going? or do you rely on GOD to keep His work going?

And how can you tell if someone is just pandering to you to get your money? Trust me, just like that lady in the parking lot, you will know the fake when you look for it. If you're comfortable and not being challenged while you sit in your pew, chances are something isn't right.

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