The Days That Define Us

 For this I entreat the Lord thrice, that it should withdraw from me.  And He has protested to me, "Sufficient for you is My grace, My power in infirmity is being perfected."  With the greatest relish, then, will I rather be glorying in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should be tabernacling over me.  Wherefore I delight in infirmities, in outrages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake, whenever I may be weak, then I am powerful.  

2 Corinthians 12: 8-10, Concordant New Testament

I was talking the other day with a friend about how we are often in need of prayer and fellowship when life events bring about stress and anxiety.  We agreed that this is a crucial need in the family of Christ, one that is all too often overlooked by others.  As for myself, I've had a rough few weeks, but I am reconciled by the fact that I have a Lord and Savior who is always intent on listening to my prayers.  I've known many a Christian who has been confused by the fact that they face difficult times in their lives once they came to accept Jesus.  As if knowing Jesus would somehow guarantee that life would become easier after that.  Sorry, it doesn't work out that way, in my experience anyway.  If we're to look upon the words of Jesus, we will also begin to see that Jesus is also well aware that life will bring us struggles {John 16:33}.  I learned some time ago that many people have the wrong understanding of the struggles which we all too often encounter.  It wasn't that long ago that I viewed these times in my life as something for Jesus to remove from my life.  I mean, He loves me, right?  Why would Jesus desire for me to encounter such situations knowing the effect they had not only on me but on my overall health as well?  The apostle Paul provides us with a good understanding of how Jesus looks upon these times in our lives.  Paul, as we know, had his own share of difficulties in life.  The persecutions he endured surely took their toll.  Paul once asked the Lord to remove a situation from his life that was obviously bringing him discomfort (Most commonly refer to this as a thorn in his flesh).  What was Jesus' response to Paul?  Did He remove the thorn from Paul's flesh?  No, we see that Jesus advises him that "My grace is sufficient for you" {2 Corinthians 12:8}.  I think of it this way, can any situation I am encountering ever take me away from the love and mercy Christ Jesus?  No.  While this may be encouraging to some, a lot can still be said for the fellowship of the brethren as we go through lifes struggles.

Two is better than one because there is better reward for them in their toil; for if they fall, one can raise up his partner; But woe to him, the one who falls when there is no second person to raise him up.  Also, if two lie down together it is warm for them, yet for one, how can he keep warm?  And if somebody can overpower him who is single, then two can stand firm in front of him who attacks.  A threefold thread cannot quickly be pulled apart. 

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, Concordant Old Testament 

There is something to be said of fellowship.  There is something to be said of meaningful fellowship.  The Lord Himself has declared that it is not good for man to be alone {Genesis 2:18}.  I really don't believe that it's a far stretch to also include women into this definition as well.  It's no secret that we are social creatures who more often than not gravitate to the fellowship of others.  We see this in men gathering for golf games while women often gather around more social venues as well.  How does all of this fit into those hectic times in our lives?  Because more often than not the company of others around us where we can relate our experiences helps us in dealing with all that life throws our way.  Did Jesus travel alone in His ministry?  No, He had a group of brethren who shared in His experiences daily.  I believe that the popularity which we saw in the Promise Keepers men's conference movement was in a large part due to the fellowship men experienced with each other.  I was witness to more than a few of these gatherings.  I feel that where the church has dropped the ball, among many places, is in the gathering of the brethren.  I'm not talking about a Sunday sermon gathering, but a gathering of believers with the intent of sharing life.  I used to be a part of such a group.  We would meet each Sunday at a local fast food joint and just talk about the Lord and what was happening in our lives.  I truly miss those gatherings.  The covid scare of the past few years reduced what was once a gathering in Christ to wondering what might have been.  

~Scott~ 

As Christ Loved The Church

 Now, I also, am saying to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will be building My ecclesia, and the gates of the unseen shall not be prevailing against it.

Matthew 16: 18, Concordant New Testament 

Some who read this page might recall that I often refer to my experiences in the mainstream church to illustrate the differences between the church man built and the one which Christ Jesus is the head of.  When I speak of the mainstream church, I am speaking of the brick and mortar cathedrals which many a believer has centered their faith lives around for thousands of years.  This is was how I was raised in the faith.  My mother was a believer, and to her it was very important to be sitting in that pew on Sunday morning.  I can recall more than a few Sundays, as I got older, where it became a struggle for her to get her youngest son to accompany her to Gods house.  Such is the price of teenage resistance.  Yet over time even I recognized how important it was to sit in the pew on Sunday and give the Lord His due.  after all, He was the one who had given me all I had ever known.  I also refer to the mainstream church when I speak to the theology.  This is the teachings which many a Christian has either grown up with or become used to once inside the mainstream church.  Many churches have taken to referring to this theology as the "Core beliefs" of that particular church.  The recognition of Jesus as the One Son of God, that he died on the cross and was risen from the tomb three days later, these are typical core beliefs.  I get it.  Yet some time ago I began to ask myself a question.  Is this church which I have sat in Sunday after Sunday the church that Jesus loved?  Now, before you say that you know the answer to this question, consider that I am speaking of the mainstream church and all that goes with it.  Is this the church which Jesus loves?  I would say that as a whole, this is NOT the church which Jesus loves.  I would go so far as to say that this is not even the church of which Jesus is the head of.  For that we need to strip away much of what we have  to know as the mainstream church.  

And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Soveriegn, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming.

Colossians 1: 18, Concordant New Testament 

We see the word ecclesia written in more than a few places in scripture.  It is here where we separate the brick and mortar mainstream church from the church which Christ sits at the head.  In many respects, there are but a few differences, but they are key differences.  When we speak of ecclesia, we are speaking of an assembly of people.  It is this assembly of believers which Jesus is the head of.  Whatever church you choose to sit in, if you are a believer then it is Jesus who is the head of the assembly of believers.  Now, does that assembly include such mainstream church trappings as praise and worship bands, multiple ministries and a church theology which seems to ignore the truth of the indwelling Christ?  Many Christians realize that Jesus was no big fan of the Pharisees of His day, for these Pharisees looked upon themselves as the anointed leaders of the traditional Jewish faith.  I'm sure that it would have galled the Pharisees had Jesus publicly proclaimed Himself as the head of the church.  This carpenters son from Galilee was stepping on their toes.  For His part, Jesus made it a point to call out the Pharisees publicly for their arrogance {Luke 11:37-44}.  Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their arrogance {Luke 11:43}.  He criticized the Pharisees and men of the law for their mistreatment of others {Luke 11:46}.  Judging from Jesus' critique of the Pharisees, I doubt that He would have little patience for the politics and business practices of todays mainstream church.  But for His ecclesia, for the assembly of believers in His name, Jesus sits at the very head of His church.  The foolishness of man is the construction of ornate temples of worship, never recognizing that it is the gathering of believers in His name that is the true church.  

But the most high is not dwelling in what is made by hands, according as the prophet is saying, "Heaven is My throne, yet the earth is a footstool for My feet.  What kind of house shall be built for Me?" the Lord is saying, or what is the place of My stopping?"  Is it not My hand that does all of these things?'  

Acts 6: 48-50, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~  

Provisional Prayers

 

"Therefore I am saying to you, do not worry about your soul, what you may be eating, or what you may be drinking, nor yet your body, what you should be putting on.  Is not the soul more than nourishment, and the body more than apparel?  Look at the flying creatures of heaven, they are not sowing, neither are they reaping, nor are they gathering into barns, and your heavenly Father is nourishing them.  Are you of more consequence than they?  Now who of you by worrying is able to add on to his stature one cubit?" 

Matthew 6: 25-27, Concordant New Testament 

I was thinking this Thanksgiving as I watched another Minnesota Vikings win that I am really not in need of anything.  Sure, I could pray that the Lord would provide for my needs, but He has already done that.  I have funds to pay my bills and to keep myself fed and clothed.  I am not foolish enough to not believe that God has provided for these necessities of life.  So, what is it that I should be praying for?  What is it that I need?  Unlike many Christians, I don't see the prayers I speak to the Lord as simply a wish list for all I need in life.  Doesn't God already know what I need from Him?  If so, will He not provide these things I need in His due timing?  In my heart this is what I believe.  However, I wasn't always this confident that my needs would be met.  I was raised in the mainstream church, where I was taught to pray to the Lord for Him to provide what I needed.  The trouble with this approach is that it tends to reveal our loving heavenly Father as simply a gift giver, a blank check if you will.  When things are going well, we have what we need and God is pleased with us.  However, what happens when things are not going so well and we're lacking a few things we need?  Well, the first thing we were taught to do was to search ourselves for some sin we were hiding which had upset the Lord (as if we could hide anything from Him).  If we felt righteous enough, we then prayed to ask God why He had not provided enough for us.  This, of course, turned into a never-ending cycle of prayer and expectation.  For we eagerly expected that if we asked Him for something, that He would indeed bless us with that request.  Well, I'm still waiting for that new Chevy Camaro!  Why hasn't God answered my request for that new muscle car?  Well, let me tell you, muscle cars don't do too very well in snow and ice and mud and such.  I'm thinking that this is why He blessed me a few years back with a new 4WD truck.  Not what I had been praying for, but definitely what I needed.  

Do not worry about anything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4: 6, Concordant New Testament 

When I prayed for that new car, I was taking something I learned in my years in the church and making use of it.  Some refer to this as the "Name it and claim it" theology.  We're told that we Christians are so favored by the Lord that we should dare to ask Him for the fancy things we dream of in life.  I've seen people beseech God for expensive homes, cars and vacations.  Many people in the faith continue to believe in this made up theology.  We are definitely free to ask the Lord for anything.  My contention is, what happens to our view of the Lord when what we ask Him for does not appear?  Do we immediately feel as if we are being punished?  That God is somehow unhappy with us?  That we've sinned?  This is the negative side of the name it and claim it teaching.  Pastors want to whitewash the idea of asking God for fancy gifts, yet they cannot whitewash the reality when what we ask for does not materialize.  I've seen more than a few believers retain a negative view of the Lord simply because they felt that He withheld what they felt they deserved.  I've had my own experiences with the name it and claim it farce.  When my mother lay in the hospital, I prayed that God would heal her and let her return home once again, which was her wish.  Yet, when she passed away, I was immediately angry with God because He hadn't answered my prayer.  In those first days after her passing, I didn't see the deeper meaning why God had responded in the way He did.  My thoughts were about me.  I wanted her healed.  I didn't want to lose her.  Soon after her memorial the Lord gently reminded me of the reason why He had called my mother home and not answered my prayer as I thought He should have.  She was not free of the pain which had been plaguing her for so many years.  Funny thing, one of the prayers for my mother before she passed was that God would remove her pain.  That prayer was answered.  

~Scott~ 

The First Pandemic

 

For all have sinned and are wanting of the glory of God.

Romans 3: 23, Concordant New Testament 

How righteous do you see yourself?  Are you a man or woman of God?  Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Well, no matter where you are in your faith life, you still were infected by the virus.  No, I'm not talking some Tony Fauci political virus, but a real and true virus.  One could say that we have all fallen victim to the first pandemic.  What is this virus which afflicted all of mankind?  The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans as he reminds us that ALL have sinned {Romans 3:23}.  I find it amazing how many a Christian has chosen to translate this verse in many ways to justify their religious stance.  The church will preach it as a reminder to all that it is still relevant.  As if attending a local church can still buy you forgiveness.  Sorry, dude, but indulgences went out a few centuries ago.  So the fact remains, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  We have all been infected with the lie of the accuser.  In my previous post I mentioned the human condition.  This human condition is (was) our condition prior to the work of Christ Jesus on the cross.  This human condition is the infection of the spirit of error the apostle John explains to us {1 John 4:6}.  Sin, hate and jealousy are all byproducts of the spirit of error.  It is the spirit of error which infected Cain to kill his brother Abel.  That seems feasible, as Cain was infected before Jesus was introduced as the cure for the virus.  It does not matter how religious you are, or how many times that you go to church, you've been infected.  I've been infected.  We've all been infected.  No face masks or social distancing will prevent us from getting this virus.  There is but one cure, and that is Jesus.  

Who Himself carries up our sins in His body on to the pole, that, coming away from sins, we should be living for righteousness; by Whose welt you were healed. 

1 Peter 2: 24, Concordant New Testament 

This is part of the reason why I decided to spurn the mainstream church.  The message of the mainstream church is that Christ Jesus has come to forgive all of our sins.  On that I agree.  Then the church goes off the rails by proclaiming that sin continues to be an issue.  That the infection continues to plague us.  Sorry, but I don't buy into that BS.  If this were true, then why have Jesus?  What good is the sacrifice of Christ if that which He bore on our behalf was not put to death?  As I am so fond of telling church folk these days, how many times do we need to sacrifice Jesus on the cross?  Is His defeat of our sin virus once and for all or an ongoing thing?  Well, scripture assures us that the death Christ has died is a one time sacrifice to put sin to death {Romans 6:10}.  It seems that the only ones who are in denial of Jesus defeating sin are those who should be heralding it from the rooftops.  For we should all be reminded by the church that Jesus has put an end to sin once and for all.  Yet that never happens.  In fact, it is the mainstream church that continues to remind us that we are still infected with that virus.  Is there some truth to these claims?  Maybe, if have never known Christ as your Lord and Savior.  For it is only through Jesus that we will be saved {Acts 4:12}.  So, if one has known Jesus and counted as saved, is there still sin in his life?  That depends on them remembering who it is they are in Christ.  For there has been many an example of Christians forgetting the work Jesus has accomplished for them.  They allow the sin, which He bled and died to put to death, to be raised once again.  In other words, we are the ones perpetuating the virus.  The death of Jesus on the cross put sin to death once and for all.  We keep it alive.  

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 

Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament

~Scott~ 

The Human Condition

 Cain said to his brother Abel: 'Let us go into the field.'  Now it came to pass that while they were in the field that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4: 8, Concordant Old Testament 

It wasn't supposed to happen this way.  The restrictions which were laid down were supposed to cut down on the violence being brought against our own.  Yet, this morning I was reminded once again of the senselessness of violence against others.  This morning, in Chesapeake, Virginia, a Walmart store employee took a gun and killed six of his fellow employees before turning the gun on himself.  I'm not familiar with the specific firearm regulations in the state of Virginia, but I'm sure that there were more than a few in place with the intent of reducing the threat of gun violence.  Here in Oregon, voters narrowly approved measure 114, which imposed some of the strictest measures on gun ownership in the nation.  Now, a lawsuit has challenged measure 114 on the grounds that it is unconstitutional.  I would tend to agree.  I voted against measure 114 simply because no matter how hard we try, we will never find a gun control measure that addresses the human condition.  One could argue that way back when Cain killed his brother Abel that there were no measures in place to prevent the first act of violence perpetrated by man.  They would be wrong.  For that which was needed for the prevention of Cains violence was already present in man.  That is, Cains love for his brother.  Somewhere along the way, Cains jealousy overcame the love he felt for his brother and he took matters into his own hands.  This is all part of our human condition, the choices which we make.  Far too many left-wing radicals blame that piece of fabricated metal for the evils of the violence that we have seen far too many times.  However, the old adage is as true today as it was yesterday...guns don't kill people, people kill people.  Yet we continue to believe that if we simply remove the access to firearms that the violence will go away.  Yeah, good luck with that.  With each and every gun grab legislation that we have seen, little is done to address the human element of the problem.  That is the issue we continue to face today.  

If anyone should be saying that "I am loving God," and should be hating his brother, he is a liar; for he who is not loving his brother whom he has seen can not be loving God whom he has not seen.

1 John 4: 20, Concordant New Testament.  

For the most part, the mainstream church clergy has often remained on the sidelines of the gun violence issue.  However, when measure 114 passed here in Oregon, one of the main contributors to the specifics of the bill was local reverend Mark Knutson.  This surprised me, for too long the church had washed its hands of the issue of gun violence, perhaps preferring to let it shake out in the courts.  In their silence, more people died.  I believe that one of the most effective anti gun violence legislation we could ever consider must address the human condition.  What is it that causes one to take a gun and kill?  What emotions overtake someone who knows in his heart that what he is doing is wrong?  That is the human condition.  Until we address this human condition we are simply spitting into the wind on this issue.  It is certainly tough to separate our emotions from logic at times.  I am reminded of the simple truth of our very existence.  That is, that we are all created in the image of our loving heavenly Father {Genesis 1:27}.  When we allow ourselves to be controlled by our emotions and take the life of another, we are destroying a life which God has given.  In effect, we are placing ourselves above God by deciding whose life will be taken.  This smacks of the lie of the accuser which was spoken to Eve in the garden.  That we would be like God {Genesis 3:5-6}.  I listened the other day as a radio pastor questioned why it is that God could allow such violence.  Again, we're on the wrong side of the issue.  Our question should be, why are we so damn arrogant that we would ever believe that we could be like God?  

~Scott~ 

Raising The Dead (When We Look Within)

 

To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is; Christ among you, the expectation of glory. 

Ephesians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament 

It's something I regret even now.  By now, those who read this page on a regular basis know that I recently was involved in a life saving/changing event while at work.  From what others have told me, I did everything by the book.  Or did I?  When it comes to the young man I came across that day caught in the slavery of drug addiction, maybe I haven't done quite enough.  The one regret that I have is not asking him the question.  The question that, if he were sober and thought about it seriously, might possibly change his life forever?  So what is this life changing question?  Simple, when you look at yourself who is it that you see?  I am willing to bet good money that this young man, if asked that question, would not have answered in a positive way.  For how can someone mired in the slavery of addiction have a good and positive view of themselves?  Better yet, how is it that someone living day to day and night by night on the streets of this city have a positive view of themselves?  Think about it, you're continually surrounded by a public who may feel that you are the scourge of the earth.  You're all too often treated like a stranger in your own home.  Everywhere you look, those around you reinforce the negative opinion you have of yourself.  The few times that someone does treat you kindly, your first reaction is to wonder what their motive is.  Are they simply seeking to make themselves feel good and righteous or are they truly interested in your situation?  This is your day to day world.  This is why you carry with you that negative opinion of yourself like a chain around your neck.  Granted, were I to ask the young man this question, I could almost guarantee what his answer would be.  I've seen it too many times before.  By now it's become like a broken record.  I suggest that this should be the first step of any rehabilitation program...how is it that you see yourself?  When you look within, who do you see?  

The forgiveness has always been there, Christ guaranteed that on the cross.  The main issue, as you know, is man never knowing or forgetting his one true identity.

Scott  Wakefield (In response to Dennis Deardorff message)

I didn't think much of the message my friend Dennis sent to me at first.  The question he posed was, "Is the issue that these people (The homeless) need forgiveness, or have they lost all knowledge of who they are?"  It wasn't long ago that my friend asked me the question.  What do you see when you look at yourself?  He already knew the real answer, but it wasn't the one I gave him.  I saw a scared man whose worth and value were somehow tied to his physical appearance.  What did Dennis see?  He saw Christ Jesus, the reality of my true identity.  Granted, Jesus had always been there, but my own realization of this truth was lacking.  For me, Jesus was in heaven judging the works of Gods children here on earth.  That was the church mantra I followed for so many years.  My identity and worth wasn't tied to my appearance, but to Christ Jesus who is in me {Galatians 2:20}.  You might see yourself as a sinner, unworthy of Gods love.  That's ok, Jesus has already dealt with that.  That old man, the person you used to be {Romans 3:23},  has been replaced by the indwelling Christ {Romans 6:8}.  When we look upon ourselves, all we should see is Jesus.  And Jesus will never condemn, ridicule or declare us unworthy.  Any voice which tries to convince us otherwise is spoken from the deceiver.  Satan has many tools in his inventory, but one of his most successful is our own self doubt.  If he can convince Gods children that they are unworthy of the Fathers love and mercy, then he has already won.  The good thing is that this is a lie.  You have never been unworthy.  The Father created us in His own image {Genesis 1:26}.  It's never too late for the question.  My prayer is that someone would ask it of the young man I encountered.  

When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.

~Spoken to me by a dear friend~ 

~Scott~ 

Raising The Dead (The Cost Of Addiction)

 

For we have not a high priest able to sympathize with our infirmities, but one who has been tried in all respects like us, apart from sin.  We may be coming, then, with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may be obtaining mercy and finding grace for opportune help. 

Hebrews 4: 15-16, Concordant New Testament 

Ask anyone about the cure for the scourge of drug addiction and you're likely to get more than a few different answers.  Some want stiffer penalties for the offenders.  Some desire stiffer penalties, but only for those who supply the poison to the public.  Still others feel that jail time without treatments for the addiction are a bit too draconian.  From what I have seen, most agree that something definitely needs to be done.  I wrote previously on a situation which brought home the issue of drug addiction among the homeless youth in our area.  I witnessed first-hand the cost one pays for that addiction.  In the span of one minute, I watched a young man go from the certain death of a drug overdose to yet another chance at life.  Of course, this was but one small example of what happens on the streets of Portland, Oregon on any given day.  Hundreds of homeless people striving to make a go of things the best way they are able.  From the "Legal" tiny house villages popping up across the city, to the unsanctioned tent encampments that plague the city, the issue of the homeless has emerged as one of the top issues in this state.  I have had a unique perspective on this issue as my employment requires that I cross that line into the reality of the homeless each and every day.  We have the opportunity to see what most Portlanders are immune from.  From used needles scattered around our public areas to feces biohazards, we've basically seen it all.  We're the ones who are charged with dealing with cleaning what the homeless problem leaves behind.  Now, there are those who are ok with this.  These people will say that this is a necessary service required for the city.  However, these same people will react in shock when they see what it costs our crews to deal with the aftermath of the homeless issue.  Which leads me to the question, what is the acceptable cost to deal with the homeless and drug addiction problems we face?  Can we even place a price tag on saving people from the slavery of addiction?  

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament 

For the Christian, it has become all too easy to profess that homelessness is an issue of the mind.  Once one recognizes who they are in Christ, their situation will automatically improve.  Sorry, but it's just not that simple of a solution.  We cannot preach to someone who has no idea where they will sleep or what they will eat that their sins are forgiven.  This is the traditional church model of gaining new members, and it doesn't work anymore.  We're not looking for new members.  What we're looking for is how that homeless young person is going to experience the love and forgiveness of Christ.  We can talk about Jesus all day long, but it falls on deaf ears if those who we're speaking to never come to know Jesus as we do.  To come to know Jesus as One who they can place their faith and trust in.  If we don't walk that walk, how is it that those around us will see Jesus through all we do?  In dealing with the scourge of addiction, we do ourselves no favors by placing dollar signs in front of the solution.  When Jesus is at the forefront of this issue, He will work through all of us to win the hearts of those who are hurting the most.  

~Scott~ 

Who Can Compare?

 

And Yahweh Elohim said: It is not good for the human to be alone by himself.  I shall make for him a helper as his compliment. 

Genesis 2: 18, Concordant Old Testament 

I've been through a lot lately, and this week was no exception.  Normally, when I go through stressful situations like this I can count on getting some type of cold or illness.  The old immune system becomes overwhelmed.  Thankfully this time it wasn't that bad.  But you'd think I'd learn that it doesn't need to be this way.  If living as Jesus tells us anything, it's that a stress-free life is impossible.  It also tells us that whatever comes along, we face it as Christ who is in us {Galatians 2:20}.  I was thinking about this this week as I pondered this situation I found myself in.  What if I had a helper, an assistant if you will?  Scripture tells us that even the Lord God recognizes that it's not a good thing for man to be alone {Genesis 2:18}.  Yes, the Lord who created me knows that I, too, require a helper at times.  My married friends joke that I live the good life being single.  Missing from my life are the honey do lists and other things couples do to keep life simple.  As it is, I'm free to do whatever I please so long as it's all legal.  Do I long for the opportunity to share my life's moments and responsibilities with a helper the Lord has chosen for me?  Of course.  I tell my married buddies that they are the fortunate ones.  They are the ones whom God has blessed with that helper in their lives.  It's not that I came up short in any way, it's just that God has blessed me with a different path so far.  That's the way that I see it anyway.  Do I still believe that the Lord will bless me with that helper?  Absolutely!  I can never give up on that belief.  In my heart I know that with God anything is possible {Matthew 19:26}.  

Therefore a man shall forsake his father and his mother; he will cling to his wife, and both of them will be one flesh.

Genesis 2: 24, Concordant Old Testament

I have to say that I have grown up in an era where the institution of marriage has been seen as one of a disposable opportunity.  Make no mistake, this is what we have made it.  My own parents were divorced when I was a young boy.  I grew up in a single parent household, never knowing my own father all that well.  Unfortunately, this happens far too often in our society.  Left in the rubble of many broken homes are the lives of the children we leave behind.  We become so obsessed with the 'he said, she said' of parental conflicts that the children all too often take a back seat as parents battle it out.  I know of what I speak.  So, every time I began to think of the opportunity the Lord will present to me of that helper comparable to me, I also think of what I've been through to get here.  I count it a blessing that I have friends who have placed a high value on their own marriages over the years.  When asked how he and his wife had survived for so many years, one of my friends told me, 'Divorce was never an option.'  If only everyone shared this view.  I'm not complaining.  I'm not saying that my life is somehow in a bad way because God has not yet blessed me with a helper.  I'm saying that it would be a blessing to share my life with someone the Lord has chosen.  That is the essence of marriage after all, that the two become one flesh.  

Husbands, be loving your wives according as Christ also loves the ecclesia, and gives Himself up for it's sake. 

Ephesians 5: 25, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Raising The Dead

 

Now at their becoming affrighted and inclining their faces to the earth, they say to them, "Why are you seeking the living with the dead?"  

Luke 24: 12, Concordant New Testament 

It seemed like just a normal Oregon winter day, with that east wind keeping us colder than normal.  As I pulled into one of the facilities we service, I noticed a pedestrian shouting and flagging me down.  I was able to discern that he was alerting me to a possible overdose nearby.  I was immediately skeptical, as this is an area with a large homeless population.  However, I made my way to where the man was directing me.  On arriving, I found a young man passed out on the ground, with his so called girlfriend administering what can only be described as rudimentary CPR.  Minutes after calling for assistance, the paramedics arrived to assist the victim.  One of the paramedics administered a dose of the drug Narcan, which somehow counteracts the effects of heroin on the body.  Within thirty seconds of receiving the life saving dose, the young man was sitting up, taking off the blood pressure cuff and oxygen mask the first responders had used to revive him, and shouting at those around him wondering where he was.  Such are the effects of this life saving drug.  Then it hit me...I'd just raised the dead.  

In November of 2020, Oregon voters passed state measure 110, which effectively decriminalized the possession of formerly illegal drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine.  Punishment for simple possession now turned from a felony to a minor ticket infraction.  As the measure passed by over 55% statewide, one can assume that the majority of the state agreed that criminalizing hard drugs was inhumane.  Yet I have a different take, because in Oregon, if you win the most populated areas of the state you have a good chance of winning.  So, to say that all of Oregon is in support of reduced penalties for drug possession would, I feel, be in error.  So it is that we have turned the scourge of drugs upon the same people we were attempting to save from them.  From a Christian perspective, our very first knee jerk reaction is to pray for the afflicted.  This is what we have been taught for most of our Christian lives in one way or another.  So we pray.  Yet, the homeless population seems to get larger.  Doesn't God care about those trapped in the slavery of addiction?  Sure He does, just pray for them.  Well, how about instead of simply praying for those most vulnerable, what if they were to experience the love and mercy of Christ Jesus firsthand?  

"For I hunger and you give Me to eat; I thirst and you give me drink; a stranger was I and you took me in; naked and you clothed Me; infirm am I and you visit Me; in jail was I and you come to Me."  "Then the just will be answering Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we perceive You hungering and nourish Thee, or thirsting and we give Thee drink?  Now when did we perceive Thee a stranger and took thee in, or naked and we clothed Thee?  Now when did we perceive Thee infirm, or in jail, and we came to Thee?'  "And, answering, the King shall be declaring to them, 'Verily, I am saying to you, in as much as you do it to one of these, the least of My brethren, you do it to Me.' 

Matthew 25: 35-40, Concordant New Testament 

I find it interesting that one of the most important teachings of the love and mercy Christ is found in Matthew.  Here, Jesus rattles off a few occasions where His followers dropped the ball and left Him high and dry.  They refused Him when He was hungry.  They ignored Him when He was a stranger.  They even left Him without clothing when He had none.  Incredulous, the people ask of Jesus just when they had seen Him in this way.  Then Jesus drops the hammer.  "In as much as you do it to one of these, the least of my brethren, you do it to Me" {Matthew 25:40}.  I'm sure that there was a long silence from the crowd after Jesus spoke these words.  For when was the last time that you saw Jesus in someone you don't care much about?  I admit that as I watched the paramedics administering medication to that young man recently that I immediately did not see any resemblance to Christ.  Now, I can speak all day and twice on Sundays about how I see Jesus in myself, but in some homeless kid?  Then I need to ask myself that question, what makes him so different from me?  What makes Jesus choose me over him?  Is the indwelling Christ simply available to those most Godly?  If so, then the apostle Paul broke that mold.  For it was Paul, the persecutor of the early church of the followers of Jesus, who speaks to the reality of Christ in us {Galatians 2:20}.  The indwelling Christ is not available to only a select few, but to all who accept Him.  How does the homeless kid in the slavery of addiction even hear of the freedom to be found in Jesus?  From those who have realized Christ Jesus in themselves.  Through us, Christ is manifested upon the world.  I guess I could say that as long as I have Jesus, I'll keep raising the dead.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Last One Out Turn Out The Lights

 

How, then, should they be invoking One in whom they do not believe?  Yet how should they be believing One of whom they do not hear?  Yet how should they be hearing apart from one heralding?  Yet how should they be heralding if ever they should not be commissioned?  According as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those bringing an evangel of good!  

Romans 10: 14-14, Concordant New Testament 

How would you have learned of something if someone had not first informed you?  Indeed, many Christians have come to the faith through the preaching and leading of others.  This is indeed why ministries are so very important.  Correctly accomplished, they spread the gospel of the Lord wherever those who are speaking it go.  I have been involved in a few ministry opportunities, and I have always been amazed at how eager some people are to hear the word of the Lord.  Yet, I could not speak of the word of the Lord had I not first heard it for myself all those years ago.  A good friend of mine has been speaking the gospel of Christ most of his life.  His credentials include time spent in seminary and many years in the pulpit.  He knows of what he speaks.  It is through his leadership that I myself came to the knowing of the truth of Christ in me.  But where would I have been without his words to guide me?  Granted, I am positive that the Lord used him to speak the gospel of Jesus into me as well as others.  I am fortunate for his leading.  Yet what of those who have not been as fortunate?  Who will tell them of the truth of Christ?  Sadly, I speak of my knowing Christ in me, but in mainstream Christianity those who speak to this are few and far between.  Instead, we all too often hear the theology connected to the modern mainstream church.  These are the teachings that I grew up with in a Christian home.  Through the years I listened to the man in the pulpit speak to me about God.  How God created me {Genesis 1:27}.  How He dispatched His only Son to die for me on the cross {John 3:16}.  How Jesus, after His death on the cross, rose again {Luke 24:5}.  Finally, how Jesus ascended unto the Father in heaven {Acts 1:9}.  However, as far as the story of Jesus goes, this is where the road ends according to Christian theology.  It is Jesus who now sits in heaven at the Fathers side.  This was the Jesus that was spoken to me.  This was the Jesus I knew.  

This is the stone that is being scorned by you builders, which is becoming the head of the corner.  And there is no salvation in any other one, for neither is there any other name, given under heaven by men, in which we must be saved. 

Acts 4: 11-12, Concordant New Testament 

Growing up, I remember sitting in front of the TV with my mom watching various Billy Graham crusades.  Now, the reverend Graham was indeed a wonderful speaker of the gospel.  Evidence of this is seen near the end of each and every gathering he spoke at.  For at the end of each and every broadcast, reverend Graham would invite all who wished to give their lives to the Lord to come forward.  I was always amazed at the crowds of people who willingly walked forward to accept Jesus as their Lord and savior.  My mother would often pray over those who walked forward.  As I thought about this writing this week one thought kept popping up.  What if Billy Graham had somehow chosen a different career path?  We can say all we want about fate and destiny, but was it the reverend Grahams ultimate decision to speak the Lord to millions of people, or was it the Lords leading him to do so?  I have listened to my friend speak of a "deeper desire" when he talks about his early pre-seminary days.  I believe that this was the Lords leading for him.  So, if indeed Billy Graham had never once spoke in public about the gospel of Jesus, what would have become of all those he helped lead to the Lord?  Would they somehow have been held guilty of never knowing Jesus?  The scripture is clear, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Nobody comes to the Father but through Him {John 14:6}.  Yet what of those who seemingly never knew or heard of Him?  Are they doomed to a future hell?  Knowing the full nature of God, I believe that His desire is that all will come to know His Son {1 John 4:8, John 3:17}.  Yet how will they know if someone never tells them of Jesus?  

For God's indignation is being revealed from heaven on all the irreverence and injustice of men who are retaining the truth in injustice, because that which is known of God is apparent among them, for God manifests it to them.  For His invisible attributes are descried from the creation of the world, being apprehended by His achievements, besides His imperceptible power and divinity, for them to be defenseless, because, knowing God, not as God do they glorify or thank Him, but vain were they made in their reasonings, and darkened is their unintelligent heart.

Romans 1: 18-21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Meta Universe

 

Now the soulish man is not receiving those things which are of the spirit of God, for they are stupidity to him, and he is not able to know seeing that they are spiritually examined. 

1 Corinthians 2: 14, Concordant New Testament 

The other day I found myself wandering through the gym I go to and noticed an alarming trend.  Now, I was already aware of the influx of the digital universe on our society, but it's interesting to see it first hand.  As I did my gym thing, I noticed more than a few youngsters playing on their phones.  No doubt they were immersed in their daily dose of alternate reality.  This topic of internet addiction is something which I can speak to as I have already had my go at being addicted to the internet.  As far as addictions go, I would say that most people would deny that they are addicted to their digital devices.  Yet these are the very same people who spend over half of their waking hours worried over how the meta universe perceives them.  Look on any social media platform and you will see millions of people jockeying for the favorable opinion of people whom they have never even met.  Again, I've been there.  I've experienced the high of having so many others look at me with approval.  But it turns out what they were approving of wasn't really me.  That man so many others were approving of was just the man I wanted others to see.  He was the cool dude who had everything under control.  He was the confident, attractive guy everyone wanted to know.  That is all part of the lie of social media.  When we're engaged in the meta universe we can create our own reality.  We are what we want those around us to see.  In the midst of my porn addiction, I also dabbled in the early days of the online meta universe.  Most youngsters these days have never heard of the first chat rooms that plagued the internet.  Back then, an alternate reality was as easy as creating a profile you wanted to be known as.  Once you had your profile, you could commence to surfing through the various chat rooms to chat up other chat folk.  Of course, you couldn't tell who the person on the other end of the line was, but you were hoping it was an attractive woman...or man.  That was the nature of these forums back in the day.  This was the start of the meta universe.  

They are of the world; therefore they are speaking of the world, and the world is hearing them. 

1 John 4: 5, Concordant New Testament

I've often wondered what the reaction of most people would be should their meta universe be taken away from them for any extended period of time.  The sitcom TV teenager who goes into cold sweats when their parents restrict their use of their electronic devices describes this generation Z perfectly.  I've known parents who gift their pre-teen kids with cell phones at ages as young as 11 years old.  So, from a pretty young age, our kids are not only dabbling in the meta universe, but more than likely engaging in more than they are telling us.  There have been countless stories of young children seduced online by those meaning to do them harm.  Knowing the alternate reality of the meta universe, it's easy to see how an impressionable child could be lured into danger by a would be sexual predator.  For their part, the parents of these kids are seldom aware of what their kids are dabbling in.  These are kids who could be searching for the acceptance and approval they feel they are not getting at home.  It's the perfect hunting ground for deviants.  This is what I tell those of the younger generation whenever they ask me why they don't see me spending time on my phone.  I've been there.  These days, I'm assured in the reality of who I am.  My worth and value is not at all gauged by the acceptance of those in the meta universe.  My reality is in Christ Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  Through Him I know the truth of who I am.  The beautiful part of that is, I didn't need the meta universe to convince me.  

~Scott~ 

The Lord Giveth

 

Wherefore God gives them over, in the lusts of their hearts, to the uncleanliness of dishonoring their bodies among themselves. 

Romans 1: 24, Concordant New Testament 

I present to you a question.  Is God the all-knowing creator of all that we see?  Is God indeed capable of accomplishing anything according to His will?  If you answered yes to these two questions, then you understand just who the Lord is.  Now, another question.  Knowing God as you do (Or as I am hoping that you do), do you believe that God would tolerate sin among His children?  Do you believe that He would simply turn a blind eye to sin while His children do things He sees as wrong?  Well, many Christians may not know the Lord as well as they say they do.  Far too many believers look at the world around them and wonder why it is that God does not work against the wrong behaviors they see.  Others engage in doing wrong without seemingly any fear that God might intervene.  We hear them talk of "Siezing the day" and living life on their terms.  I have even heard church going believers profess that the Christian life is far too restrictive.  They prefer to live the life of the world while claiming to follow the Lord.  Sorry, but that isn't how things work.  Yet, where is God in the midst of all of this misbehavior?  I'll tell you where, the same place He's always been.  God didn't change...we changed.  Along the way, the Lords creation chose to live their lives according to the lie of the accuser.  The problem is that the deck was already stacked against us even before we were born.  Scripture tells us that all have sinned {Romans 3:23}.  Yes, that means you.  For all of our good intentions, we were all born into sin.  This is the result of our acceptance of the lie of the accuser in the garden {Genesis 3:5-6}.  It is this moment which also demanded that we are in need of a Savior.  Make no mistake about it, we NEED Jesus.  For while we were all born into sin without a choice on our part, we do have the option to choose to accept Christ and the forgiveness offered to us by the Father.  However, what becomes of those who ultimately choose not to accept the offering the Lord gives?  Well, in that case the Lord giveth.  

In this was manifested the love of God among us, that God has dispatched His only-begotten Son into the world that we should be living through Him.

1 John 4: 9, Concordant New Testament 

We need to get one truth straight from the beginning, ALL have been given the opportunity to choose the forgiveness offered by Christ Jesus at the cross.  Just as all were born into sin, all have the opportunity to choose Jesus and have their life of sin forgiven.  That is our choice.  So, what of those who steadfastly refuse to accept Jesus, preferring instead to live life on their own terms?  Well, as the apostle Paul tells us, God gave them over to their own behavior {Romans 1:24}.  God is still who He is, He simply gave those who refuse His offer of forgiveness up to their sin.  God does not condone their misbehavior, He simply allows them to live their lives the way they choose.  This is their choice.  Our choice is a simple one...Jesus or a life in the world.  For those who refuse to accept Christ, the choice is still available to them.  There have been countless stories of those who have chosen the forgiveness of Christ Jesus even after a life of wrongdoing.  One of my favorite scriptures is the tried and true scripture we find in John 3: 16.  That a loving and merciful God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son.  That whoever believed in He whom the Father sent would not perish but have everlasting life.  We've all read this verse at one time or another.  Yet I believe that the real message of hope is found in John 3:17.  That Christ did not come to Condemn the world, but that ALL might be saved through Him.  That all might be saved.  This is why Jesus came to us.   

For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian.  For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world may be saved through Him. 

John 3: 16-17, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Gender Specific

 So Elohim created humanity in His image; in the image of Elohim He created it: male and female He created them. 

Genesis 1: 27, Concordant Old Testament 

I've come to realize lately that I could be in need of someone to identify with.  When I say identify, I mean who it is that I feel that I am.  So, who am I?  Better yet, who are we?  It seems that the biggest thing lately is for someone to identify with someone or something they feel defines them.  I even heard of a man in the southern U.S identifying as a goat.  While this might be taking things quite far, it provides you with an idea of the lengths which people will go to in order to feel accepted.  Some might feel that identifying as another race might somehow ease their guilty racist hearts.  While others might seek to identify as another sex entirely.  Take, for example, American swimmer Lia Thomas, who made waves recently by transitioning to a "female" swimmer.  Apparently, she identified more as a woman than as the male human she was conceived as.  I'm interested as to what the reaction of the average every day believer would be on this issue.  I can assume that, knowing the words in scripture, that Christians would know the difference between what God intended and what man desires.  However, believers are human and certainly not immune to the wiles of the modern world.  There might just be those few believers who think it's all well and good to identify with whatever makes them happy.  Hey, whatever floats their boat.  But what should we do with the truth of how God sees us?  I might just be a voice in the wilderness here, but wouldn't God know better than anyone who we are?  After all, He did create us {Genesis 1:27].  It is God who breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  This is the truth of who we really are.  

Yahweh Elohim formed the human out of the soil from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living soul. 

Genesis 2: 7, Concordant Old Testament 

From scripture we know that the Lord not only created us but gave us life as well.  How is it that we can be anything other than what God created us to be?  There is but one way to achieve this, through the arrogance of man.  Somewhere along the way, we accepted the lie that we ourselves are separated from the God who created us.  That we no longer have any connection to Him.  For the believer, this means continually striving to "Be like" Jesus.  Well, God isn't satisfied with His children simply resembling His Son.  It has always been the Lords desire that we would be one with He and Christ Jesus {John 17: 21}.  Separation was never in His ultimate plan for us.  This was simply the lie spoken by the accuser in the garden {Genesis 3:5-6}.  So, over time, we substituted the lie of the accuser for the truth of the Lord.  But this is much more important than saying the devil made me do it.  Satan has no power over us!  We, on the other hand, have the power to choose.  We can choose the truth revealed to us by God.  Or, we can choose the lie spoken to us by the accuser.  It's our choice.  Keep in mind that choice does nothing to affect the truth of who it is we are.  All it does is provide us with a choice to believe in.  We can choose truth, or we can choose the lie.  So, who is it that I identify as?  Well, I identify as Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  

We are of God.  He who knows God is hearing us.  He who is not of God is not hearing us.  By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

1 John 4: 6, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Oh God Where Art Thou?

 

The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord inherent of heaven and earth, is not dwelling in temples made by hands, as if requiring anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all

Acts 17: 24, Concordant New Testament 

I was thinking the other day of just how much effort we Christians put into locating God.  We look for God in our churches and in the world around us.  Heck, we even look for God in our popular worship music of the day.  Listen to a good number of the most popular praise and worship songs and you will hear the singer praying to God to appear in our presence so that WE CAN worship Him.  If I were God, and in most respects, through the work of His Son, I am, I would gently remind the praise and worship crew that, "Hey...I'm here!"  Think about it, would God suddenly decide that He does not want to be among His creation?  He made all which we know and see.  There is nothing that ever was that did not have His fingerprints upon it.  So, what, or Who, are we looking for?  Are we seeking God or are we simply seeking to satisfy our own curiosity that there is indeed a God there somewhere?  As a Christian, I often prayed to the Lord that He would reveal Himself to me.  Granted, I knew who God was, but I was seeking confirmation of sorts.  This is the plight of the modern believer.  We're fed the mainstream church mantra that God is in heaven watching everything we do.  So, what do we do when we seek a deeper connection with Him?  Well, the church tells us that in these situations we need to pray to God and ask Him to "come closer" to us.  Seriously?  We're asking our loving heavenly Father, who created all that we see, to be closer to us?  I think the better question which we should be asking is where do we NOT see God?  Can you think of anywhere that you would never expect to see Him?  Even in those most wretched of places where few venture, it is God who not only created it, but calls it His own.  Something we might see as wicked and evil, God sees as His very creation.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith this is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me. 

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament

I recall an old Hollywood movie back in the day titled Oh God.  In it, John Denver is Jerry, a super Market manager in California living what could be seen as a mundane life.  Until one day Jerry receives a note...from God.  The note instructs Jerry to meet God in an abandoned office.  You can imagine his reaction, God wants to meet me?  Jerry begins to question his sanity, along with others around him.  He eventually goes to the office building where he is met...by God (in the form of the late George Burns).  Why would God choose to make Himself known to a super market manager?  As God tells it, "Because people have forgotten who I am."  The movie climaxes with Jerry in a courtroom on trial, in part due to his insisting that God was indeed for real.  The trial seems cut and dry, with Jerry on the verge of being found guilty.  That is, until God shows up.  In the end, we see George Burns telling the world that God is indeed real and that He just wanted to see how His children were getting along.  It seems that this is that this is the scenario we find ourselves in these days.  A world looking for proof that God exists.  A world desperate to know Him.  This is why we seek Him.  This is why we are so very desperate to know Him.  We seek the assurance that what we have been told for so long is true.  God is real and God is here.  The apostle Paul's words in Galatians speak to the assurance we seek.  It is God who lives in me {Galatians 2:20}.  

~Scott~  

Lies He Told Me

 

Those who alter the truth of God into the lie, and are venerated, and offer divine service to the creature, who is blessed for the eons!  Amen! 

Romans 1: 25, Concordant New Testament 

I originally had planned to make this post about baggage.  More specifically, the emotional baggage which we all carry with us as a result of past experiences.  Hurts, emotional wounds, we all have experienced these lies at one time or another.  For much of my life, I have struggled with the truth of who it is that I really am.  Only recently have I come to know Jesus in a way where I understand that I am not the man who the world has been trying so hard to convince me that I am.  The lies have ranged from my identity being tied to my physical appearance to what I believe in.  Nowhere, in the worlds way of thinking, was I that precious child of God I was created to be.  No, for the world had other plans for me.  People wanted to be sure that I knew just who I was.  For quite a few years, this was the emotional baggage I carried with me.  The toll it took on my life was not good at all.  Depression and low self-worth haunted me from time to time.  Accepting positive comments became a struggle.  These were the lies he told me.  So, you ask, who is he?  Well, he is the same one who has spread the lie of every single false image that we have ever had of ourselves.  He is the one who instituted the lie that, in the aftermath of our own sin, that we would be exactly like God {Genesis 3:5-6}.  He is none other than Satan our accuser.  What the accuser has done to me is nothing new, he's been at it since before time began.  It was Lucifer who conceived in himself the lie that he could be as God {Isaiah 14:14}.  Indeed, if Lucifer was arrogant enough to conceive the lie that he could be as great as God, then he was certainly capable of deceiving us with that very same lie.  That lie of the accuser, spoken to Eve in the garden, started mankind down, as they say, the highway to hell.  For what Satan accomplished by speaking the lie to Adam and Eve was to introduce sin into Gods creation.  Contrary to what the accuser may have thought, however, this was not the end of our relationship with the Father, but the beginning of our relationship with Christ Jesus.  

Because knowing God, not as God do they glorify or thank Him, but vain were they made in their reasonings, and darkened in their unintelligent heart. 

Romans 1: 21, Concordant New Testament 

One question I've asked myself over and over is why is it so damn easy to accept the lie of the accuser than the truth of Jesus.  The lies of the accuser tell us that we are fat, lazy, scared and incapable of being loved by anyone.  These are the lies we all too often willingly accept.  These are the lies I believed about myself.  Although I knew God, I was deceived by the lies of the accuser.  So, what changed?  How did I come to know the truth of who it is I really am?  I was introduced to Jesus for the very first time in my life.  The moment I came to know Jesus I began to see the contrast between the truth of Christ and the lies of the accuser.  Jesus spoke to me what I knew in my heart, that I had been lovingly created by my heavenly Father.  The words of Jesus were not meant to tear down, but to reveal the truth of what God desires we know.  It is the desire of the Father that we would be reconciled to Him {John 17:21}.  I see the beginning of our relationship with Jesus to be in the aftermath of the lie spoken by Satan in the garden.  Because it is here where God desires that we realize our need for Him.  The Lords punishment did not carry over across the eons.  It is through Christ Jesus that He brings His children unto Him once again.  I mentioned that my own self image changed when I came to know Jesus in a deeper way.  The apostle Paul speaks to this in Galatians.  The reason that I see through the lies of the accuser is because of the revelation that I...am Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  I'm no longer that guy who the world tried so hard to convince me that I was.  In fact, I never was.  What I am is the living embodiment of Christ Jesus who is in me.  That's something the accuser never told me.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living: no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, who loves me and gives Himself up for me.

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~