why?

Why doesn’t God intervene more? Why doesn’t he directly feed the hungry, heal all the sick and stop all wars? If God really exists, at the very least why doesn’t he make himself more obvious?

People who ask such questions often assume that if God ever did spectacularly reveal himself, all doubts would vanish. Everyone would line up to believe in him.

Exodus tells of a time when God made himself perfectly obvious. The plagues on Egypt revealed his mighty power. An enormous miracle at the Red Sea provided sensational deliverance. A recurring miracle supplied food for the Israelites every morning. And, if questions about God’s existence arose, doubters needed only to look to the ever-present glory cloud or pillar of fire. It must have been hard to be an atheist in those days.

Yet every instance of God’s faithfulness seemed to summon up astonishing human unfaithfulness. The same Israelites who had watched God crush a pharaoh, quaked at the first sign of Egyptian chariots. Three days after a miraculous escape across the Red Sea they were grumbling to Moses and God about water supplies.

A month or so later, when hunger pangs began to gnaw at them, they bitterly complained, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death” (Exodus 16:3). God responded with a provision of manna (that would continue for 40 years) and quail, but the Israelites were soon grousing about the water supplies again.

Break my heart

Break my heart, dear Lord,
Tear the barriers down,
Show me with, convicting tears,
The glory of Your crown.

My heart is hard, my soul so weak
The ways of evil cut so deep
I need You, Lord to come inside
And gently break my heart.

My sin is great, but I can see,
The glory set for me.
Show me Father, where to start.
And gently break my heart

Frustration

Are you frustrated about many things and sometimes everything. Being a Christian doesn't mean that we will not experience difficult times. God has told us the truth, that at times life will be difficult. He has provided to us a way to overcome these tough times, that way is found in following Jesus' teachings and surrendering our lives to Him. His peace is amazing and His love is unmatched. You can rest in trusting that He is working all things for the good. Victory through tough times comes by staying connected to other believers, reading Gods word, trusting God, praying, worshiping and staying free from sins hold through forgiveness. If you are troubled today, lift your head up and stand strong on the rock of your Savior's love for you. He has promised to never leave you.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)

Be Thankful

We flip a light switch, and expect the lights come on. We get into our car, and we expect that when we turn the key it will start up. When we’re hungry, we open the refrigerator and know food will be there. We pull out our dresser drawers and fully expect to find clean clothes just like every other morning. We turn the faucet on and expect clean water to flow.

What do all of these have in common? They are all simple things we take for granted. They’ve become so much a part of our lives that we don’t think much about them – much less give thanks for them. However, if there is ever a problem with one of them, we notice it immediately. How sad is it that when everything is working as it is supposed to, we are so wrapped up in ourselves that we don’t express our thankfulness; however, when they don’t and we’re inconvenienced, we’re the first ones to get bent out of shape.

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus preforms a wonderful miracle for some men who were sick with leprosy. Because of their sickness, they had not been allowed to be with their families or the people of the city or participate in any of the normal activities they had once enjoyed. Upon seeing Jesus, they cry out to Him for help, verse 13 and 14, “and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:13-14 ESV)

We can imagine their newfound excitement as they are reunited with friends and family members. As they re-enter their houses for the first time and sit at their tables to enjoy a meal, we envision their happiness and place ourselves in their shoes, mentally and emotionally experiencing that same sense of relief that getting one’s life back would bring. As a smile comes over our face, we read verses 15-17 and are confronted by selfishness that at times we display.

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:15-17 ESV)

We need to recognize that Jesus noticed the nine who didn’t come back to give thanks for getting their lives back. We can’t imagine how anyone, after being given a second chance like this, would not want to fall to his knees and express his sincere thankfulness to God. However, when things are going well, it’s easy to forget the One who makes it all go.

Always be thankful for the simple things and never be so wrapped up in ourselves that we forget to thank God for giving us life.

He prayed for us.

The scene was the upper room. Jesus was spending His final night with His beloved apostles. He knew that His ministry was quickly coming to an end and that He soon would be taken, unjustly judged, crucified, buried, raised from the dead and returned to heaven, leaving His precious apostles behind. Before He left, what should He say to them, what should He teach them, and of what should He warn them?

In John 13-16, you can see that He spoke to them about having confident faith, trusting in Him and God, loving one another, and serving others. He assured them that they would not be alone for He would send another comforter, the Holy Spirit; and they could ask for and receive whatever they needed. He also reassured them that He would come back, but first he must prepare a place for them.

After Jesus had shared with His disciples these final words of encouragement, warning and assurance, He looked toward heaven and prayed. In this dynamic prayer (John 17), He prayed for Himself, His apostles, and the disciples yet to be taught and converted. But, have you notice where He was when He prayed? He was still in the upper room in the presence of His apostles. He was in their midst praying for them. That’s how John is able to record this spectacular prayer. He was an eyewitness, or you may say an “earwitness.”

Can you imagine Jesus right beside you praying for you – The Son of God, speaking to His Heavenly Father in your behalf; Your Master beseeching the Almighty God for your benefit? What a touching and powerful thought. As you listen to His prayer, what would that mean to you? Would you not be thinking, “He really knows who I am. He cares about me. He loves me enough to pray for me. He knows what I’m facing. He knows my circumstances. He wants me (yes, me) to be one with Him in heaven.”

Well, remember, even though we were not present in the upper room on that dark night, Jesus also prayed for us. He prayed for His twenty-first century disciples, as well as His first century apostles. And, His prayer for us should open our eyes to the fact that He loves us, He knows what we are facing and He wants us to be one with Him and the Father in heaven forever.

Steps to Salvation

I believe there are fives steps we must take to salvation. We must hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptized. I am just going to list the verses for each of them now. I will probably go back and elaborate on them later.

If you follow the link below it should take you to an online bible where you can search each of the verses below.

Online Bible, English Standard Version

HEAR

John 6:44-45
Romans 10:13-17

BELIEVE 

Hebrews 11:1, 11:6
John 3:16; 8:24
Romans 5:1
James 2:24

REPENT

Luke 13:3
Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30

CONFESS

Matthew 10:32-33
Romans 10:9-10
Acts 8:37

BE BAPTIZED

Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15-16
Acts 2:38; 22:16
Romans 6:3-6
1 Corinthians 12:13
Galatians 3:26-27
Colossians 2:12
1 Peter 3:21



I believe you must have all of these working together to be saved,.

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:14-17 ESV)

Faith without works is dead. You cannot have faith without works.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
(Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV)

Works alone won't save you. You can't work your own way to salvation. It is the gift of God.