Heb 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

We are what we speak

I sometimes think of actors who make movies attacking each other are risking and paying heavily acting out such attacks. Geroge Sanders acted out being snobbish and bored. He looked down on others and was the very essence of boredom. He committed suicide at 65 saying so in a note he left behind. He wrote a bio book about himself with a title that said he was a dreadful man. He acted all his films that way and so he was.

Jesus is talking in Mark 11:23-25 telling me to forgive others so that I can be forgiven myself. Attacking others, or even just being annoyed by someone since it too is a sign of weakness, is an attack on myself.   

 It was not until I encountered the word "incarnate," regarding Jesus, that I realized the Baby Jesus emphasis this time of year crowds out for the children the fact He was already God before the beginning, when He was incarnate, "born" in a manger. 

I remembered then, as a youngster, adults who often said that Jesus was not always a Baby, reflecting this view that Jesus did not begin as a Baby. 

I wonder how many young people endure this same mistaken impression, as I did when growing up looking for Santa Claus, only to discover he did not exist. Another case of the story is not true, only the meaning is true. It was all for the sake of the children. When I found this out, I felt that I had grown up and adopted the same adult pretensions.

God is Existence

I trust what Jesus' spirit within me moves me to do.

I was walking home from summer Bible School as a child (I can see the entire scene, every detail, totally vividly even now.) My thoughts were not dwelling on anything at all. I suddenly heard within me, as if with ears of my heart, the words ""God is Existence." 

I had no idea then what it meant, and years later it seems now, I unexpectedly stumbled upon a verse in the Old Testament, Exodus 3. It all came back to me, and more time passed in which events occurred, all intermittently, when I had the strong sense God was showing me something and I wondered why. 

After all this time the only thing I know now what to do is to witness. Those who confess God before men, he it is who Jesus said He would confess them before His Holy Father. 

Jesus said,

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.

The world is about suffering. Did man not give the world to a prince who now has power over the very air? Knowledge works against us. What Jesus has told us is, even though we die in this seen physically changing world, we will live forever in the unseen world fashioned by the spirit I adopt. This is why I am working out my salvation. I want to be where Jesus is. His spirit is the only one I trust.

"Incarnate" restored the real "beginning"

  It was not until I encountered the word "incarnate," regarding Jesus, that I realized the Baby Jesus emphasis this time of year crowds out for the children the fact He was already God before the beginning, when He was incarnate, "born" in a manger. 

I remembered then, as a youngster, adults who often said that Jesus was not always a Baby, reflecting this view that Jesus did not begin as a Baby. 

I wonder how many young people endure this same mistaken impression, as I did when growing up looking for Santa Claus, only to discover he did not exist. Another case of the story is not true, only the meaning is true. It was all for the sake of the children. When I found this out, I felt that I had grown up and adopted the same adult pretensions.

Working out salvation

 Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight.