HCIBLH?

I often ask myself, "How do I know what is right?" I have even asked God. I have been wrongly thinking that He has left me without an answer. No, it was not that He left me without an answer. It was that I wanted a list. I wanted God to give to me a list of everything I should do, and then another, telling me what I should not do.

God has not called us to do everything right. But to love. What is that saying? WWJD? What Would Jesus Do. I believe that we should instead ask: HCIBLH? It is not as catchy I admit but How Can I Be Like Him? God says in every way! What aspect of God's nature can we not mimic and become? We are called to be Christ-like. To practice His love, His compassion, His humility. Does God know what is right and what is wrong? Of course! So why would I sin and ask, what is right? Instead we need to seek God's Nature. God has shown us His Nature! If we truly knew Jesus we would not have to ask, "What is right?"

(WWJD, and HCIBLH are the same basicly, you might argue. But WWJD implies that there has to be a situation to show characteristics of God. HCIBLH is a preperation for any situations that might happen. Being like Christ is supposed to be on-going and improving. Whereas WWJD, is something you have to remember to ask yourself every time something comes up. Which is hard because you don't always know when something will happen.)

What is the greatest commandment? Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. And the second: Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus describes these as almost a summarization of all the other commands. Wow? Not if you think about it. You cannot break the others without breaking these. Paul in his letter to the Romans says "Love is the fulfillment of the law." I believe he understood why God has not given us a big long list of do's and don't's. Not since Jesus. It is because if he had, we would just go through the motions. Love is important because it is INVOLVED! Is not God involved with you and I? When we cry out does he not hear us? If so, and what I said earlier about being Christ-like is true... Then should we not be involved also? God is love. And love is involvement. You cannot be uninvolved with that which you love.

God lives in heaven. That isn't even humanly possible to get to from our universe. But God has managed, even when we separated ourselves from Him with sin, to be close, and involved in our lives, around our lives EVERYWHERE and ALWAYS. We are not God, so we cannot be there everywhere and always. But are we not to still be ALWAYS looking EVERYWHERE we go for chances to love and take-on parts of God's nature? I know we are. I believe it with all I am. Truth is, every second of every day we should be displaying God's Nature.

You might say, "Well, that isn't possible." You just told me why it isn't. If you confess with your tongue and believe in your heart, Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. I want to add to that: If you confess with your mouth and believe with your heart-Jesus is Lord- You will LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT. Look...

There is a God ruling over you. So great and powerful that he has the power to create and destroy anything and everything. In fact, he created us. You and me. He has been kind enough to allow you free-will. The ability to choose to live or die basicly. Following Him leads to life and is life. Turning away is death. Oh by the way, each of these are ETERNAL. That means FOREVER! He is also merciful, He forgives those who repent. He has the largest heart for the needy we could ever imagine. Does that not amaze you? Our God has the power to do ANYTHING. But He is worried about you. Does this not affect the way you will live? Will you not turn to Him in thanksgiving and praise and live a life full of honor and love towards God and everything He has made? We are fools! We are fools! We are such fools. And deserve damnation. Over and over again for eternity. But God wrestles with our sinful hearts and shows no tire. It is up to us to accept His love. What I don't understand is why it is hard for some to accept God's love. Who does not want to be loved? I do. And I am thankful that I am.

Praise The LORD, to whom we eternally owe what we cannot pay. Praise Jesus who has taken our debt and wiped us clean before the LORD.

Soli Deo Gloria

Selfish? You betcha.

Before today I didn't really think of myself as selfish. I mean I opened doors for people, I say thank you, I'm doing good, right? Not so. When I thought of selfish it was... If you are a jerk, you are selfish. Which may be true, but I have found that selfishness goes beyond how you treat other people. I screwed up today. Not in a huge way, but I still felt that sense of failure at the thing I love to do most. And I beat myself up over it.

I had to say something very simple (a bible verse) at church in front of a bunch of people. Definitely my kind of thing. I was honored to be asked to do this. Sadly, this is where the selfishness comes in: I took it as a moment for me to look good. And when I messed up, I got angry with myself. It wasn't serious anger but it was enough. I cannot believe I didn't see this at first; it wasn't about me! How dare I make my tiny role as important as that? I messed up the bible verse. So? It was still praise to God. And THAT should have been my goal from the start.