Verse of the Day - Colosians 1:17

He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
~ Colossians 1:17 (NLT)

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Sometimes I think we forget the chain of command on this earth. Okay, see...you and me? We're the humans --- Created. Finite. Limited. Dependent. And God? Yeah -- He's the Creator. Infinite. Limitless. Independent. We're born into this world by God's hand and design, and yet, somehow, we grow up to be these little adult humans who think we stand apart from Him. Like we own the joint...

We don't own the joint, and it's a good thing, 'cuz we'd mess it up in short order. In fact, we've tried and we have. This world is a mess because humanity has sought to strike out on its own and be its own boss. To run its own joint. To be captain of its own ship. Look around us...our establishment is in disrepair and bankrupt, and our ship has run aground.

Our world runs heavily on spiritual anarchy -- no ultimate God authority, only individual authority. If it works for me, I'm good with that. If what you do and believe works for you, that's cool. No one's in charge here, so it really doesn't matter. All paths, one God...one path to many gods....hey, it's all good --amen and pass the mantra! Anarchy is a state of confusion, chaos and disorder. Would that be an accurate portrayal of the spiritual condition of this world?

(I did a quick web search to find out how many religions there are in the world. Sources vary, but how's this for statistics? (22) major religions that comprise approximately 98% of the world's population....upward of 4,200 world religions all tolled)

We're in religious and spiritual chaos. Everyone's searching and finding something. If they don't find something that fits them, they make up a religion to suit their needs, their style. Truth is relative...pick a god or a path out of a hat, it doesn't really matter. And the Creator God mourns for humanity, for its mortal anarchy.

That's why God instituted the plan of a Savior before the creation of the world. He knew we would walk away from His hand, His face, into the depravity of sin and self. He knew we would lie and kill and steal anything we could if given the opportunity. He knew that we would ultimately realize we're limited and in need of some Higher Being, and yet make wood and stone idols to worship instead of Him. He knew all of this...and yet still the Son said, "I'll go. I'll take the body of a man and walk the earth like them. I'll submit to their hatred and suffer immense pain, unto death, to pay for their spiritual crimes. Yes, Father, I'll go. Because I love them just as you do..."

This plan, this path is the one true path. THIS God is the one true God -- The Creator God, who truly does hold all things together. So many are in the dark and don't know it...or if they do know it, they seem content to stumble around kicking their shins on every piece of spiritual furniture, never even thinking there is a light switch.

Trying to argue with people about what truth is seems often to be a futile experience. There are those who are truly gifted in the area of apologetics and evangelism (e.g. Ravi Zacharias http://www.rzim.org/ , Ray Comfort http://www.wayofthemaster.com/), and we can learn alot from them in being able to defend what we believe about Jesus Christ. But arguing puts people in a negative emotional state, and I believe that even if we speak truth in our arguments, they're not hearing truth -- they're just hearing our negative emotion. Like when we yell at our kids to clean their room or take out the trash...they often don't hear the task needing to be done, only the yelling, which either puts them on the defensive or crushes their spirit -- either way, the room probably doesn't get cleaned and the trash doesn't get dumped, without even more yelling and more tears...see what I mean about negative emotions getting in the way?

I pray you know the truth about the One True God of the Bible, that you have accepted His Son Jesus Christ as your salvation for your sins, and that you live in such a way (justice, mercy, love, truth) that speaks volumes to others that negative arguments can't touch.

Love,
Joelene