A personal note

Today I spent sometime in Target.... looking for Easter Eggs... the malt ball ones. I love those things! I hate it though when each egg is individually wrapped... TO MUCH GARBAGE and I know it would end up all over my car floor and aside from this, I am much to impatient when the goodness of the egg is held behind a little wrapper than my nail bitten fingers cannot open! I don't know if I've ever shopped for my favorite Easter treat on Good Friday but I was flat out shocked at how many people were hovering around the goodness of the 'Easter candy lane'. I never did find my Malted Easter goodness which kinda made me sad... but then again there is so much more to this than the economists have planted in our minds, by that I mean, their tricks of making a holiday into a BUY THIS GREAT THING.

It has always astounded me the sheer lack of intelligence when it comes to the cross. Even in most churches I go to you will find some smooth glossy cross somewhere in the backdrop or maybe in the church yard... and they always look so serene. I guess one could say looking at an empty cross is serene considering what happened there... but I tell you, you are lieing(sp?) to yourself! Crucifixion was no 'lethal injection.' There was no last meal... of steak, nor was there a doctor near by. Human rights groups were not fighting .... so that at least there could have been a pillow for one to rest their head against. There was no numbing solution given so that Christ wouldn't feel the nails driven through His hands or His feet... there was no cleaning solution used over the areas. And the Crucifixion isn't even the whole gig! History states that a large percentage of people who were to be crucified DIED during the beatings leading up to their crucifixion! The whip used was meant to 'tenderize the meat then rip is from the body' so many of us trot through this weekend seeing Jesus, with a perfect hair due hanging to a smooth cross with a red dot on each wrist by the nails and a red dot on his feet... not caring nor wanting to consider the truth... that a considerable percentage of his body had been pulverized by whips. Why don't we consider the true facts of what Christ went through? It is so gory some say, so violent, yet I say He did it for me, He did it for YOU. Had Jesus Christ not shed His blood, we would have no hope.

In Christ's death we find the hope of Glory. This hope is not in things we do (go to church, read the bible, not get drunk, not kill, etc) but in what HE DID FOR US. We stained by our sins were unable to enter heaven but until Christ shed His blood this perfect payment was made for you and I. The Bible says that while we were still in sin Christ died for us. We don't have to be perfect to believe. Upon believing Christ helps us in a multitude of ways recenter our life on Him. Without this help, without this direction from Him, we would be helpless as we as flesh only understand flesh, and the Spirit helps us understand the Spiritual.

My point for you as a non-believer. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. IF you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you WILL be saved. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Upon this I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is HOPE.

My point to the believer. When was the last time you considered the cross? Do we live lives that are so grateful to Christ for everything he DID NOT HAVE TO DO FOR US? Is Christ the focus of why we live, work, play.... And knowing what we know, are we humbly grateful that he has called us out of darkness? Do we hear the word and DO IT... or are we like so many that shrug it off and move on wit hour daily lives... us, still in control. Give up control of your life, be ready in season and out of season to give an answer for the hope that we have. HOLD FAST for I am sure, that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Check this out-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkMmJ6tPL2k&feature=PlayList&p=1EB61F87113ADF3C&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=18
God help us.

My Northwood notes...

I'm going to attempt to keep up on my notes... putting them out here maybe for you to use??? Of course I'm incapable of writing all that I said but the beauty about this is I can write what I WANTED to say ... sometimes I get through an evening and wonder what I was saying and if it made any sense anyway!

The Book of James... An attempt to get through James 1:1-18
Review... last session- Matthew 6:25-34- don't be anxious, God know's what you need and He will take care of your needs... SEEK HIM FIRST! If our soul focus in life is the Glory of Christ and HIs kingdom He WILL NOT LEAVE US HANGING. v 32b- your heavenly Father knows that you them all (referring to food, drink, clothing... the essentials)Matthew 10:28-31: And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. (He knows when one of the many millions of little tiny sparrows dies!) But even the hairs on your head are all numbered . Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Moving on to James 1:1-18
V1 James was a brother to Christ... in the familial sense... his mother was marry his father was Joseph...(no, Mary was NOT holy and only the mother of Jesus- Matthew 12:46, Matthew 13:55) Jude was also a brother of Jesus... and a brother of James.
James is a servant... a message in and of itself... he had submitted to his own brother... how ackward would that be?
To the twelve tribes in Dispersion- The dispersion referred back to the time te Israilites were scattered abroad by the Assyrians and Babylonians however James was reffering to the people of God being disperesed from their heavenly home and oppressed but assured of their final destination.
v2- Joy in sorrows, found all throughout the Bible this concept of rejoicing in trials and persecutions. Does this mean we are happy and smily all the time??? NO, this means that we are aconfident and capable of being TRULY happy because we know that God is soveriegn and in control of our worst situations. If your god can't handle your worst situations, he's a loser and NOT the God found in the BIble. What is a trial?What is a trial YOU face? I Peter 1:6; Matthew 5:11,12
V3- The testing of your faith produces steadfastness.steadfastness means- a life of faithful endurance amid troubles and affliction.
V5- Wisdom- Is a God-given and God centered discernment regarding the practical issues in life.
WE all face trials, hardships in our life where we may panic or wonder what on earth we are to do and multiple times in the scripture God TELLS us to ASK for WISDOM AND HE WILL PROVIDE IT! Why don't I ever ask???He gives if FREELY
V6- Asking in faith, a lot of us believers spout out prayers like they are going out of style... We pray cause we were taught to pray immediately for everything... and we end up asking not actually believing that God will act. God will act ARE WE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN T HE SPARROWS? BELIEVE WHat you pray or don't pray... save your breath!
V9-10- be humble no matter who you are...
V12- So God tells us to ask for wisdom in a trial then he tells us he will reward us with the Crown of Life for withstanding the trial!
V13-18- God does no evil... we are enticed by our own desires... we as humans seem to lose our focus like the temptation of Eve, we worry about whether or not God is withholding goodness from us so we do things that are sinful we need to find our satisfaction in what God reveals to us. Every Good thing is from God.
Pray

Salvation

Salvation is an act of God... and this is why humans need it as well as how we 'get' it.
This is just raw detail and what I can maybe get into 40 minutes of teaching (i hope)!
If your salvation doesn't fit into the lower section I'd be concerned for repentance is Biblical as well as submitting to the Lordship of Christ... not working your way in (which includes baptism, attending church, praying, reading the Bible, being nice, and working toward world peace) like so many are in the habit of doing. May the Spirit use this.



Salvation… WHY?

The fall of man-

Genesis 3:1-5


The first promise of a Savior

Genesis 3:15

More promises –

Isaiah 53:7-12

The CHRIST-

Birth
Luke 2:1-7

Crucifixion
Luke 23:26-44

Resurrection
John 20:1-10

How does this relate to us???

Romans Road

Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord
Romans 5:8- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How do I get saved?
Romans 10:9- … if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13- For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Assurance and promises-

Romans 8:28-39

Today is a great day to be an American.... today we vote. What is sad to me is the amount of people who won't vote... out of business, stupidity, or just laziness. What is more frustrating to me is the amount of people who will enter a voting booth and have NO clue who stands for what. Then there are those who know who stands for what and don't care. Apathy, in order for this nation to remain great, people need to care. What is frustrating about BOTH candidates is their seeming lack of ability to take a stance on things! I'll tell you where I stand and maybe it can help you. I confess I have a bias however my bias comes with literally hundreds if not thousands of hours of research. I DO research both sides I think pretty thoroughly. Before I give my points here I would also like to state my disappointment in each party for the people they put forth...
I am not a socialist. I believe that you should work for what you have and that the other guy should work for what he has. If you are lazy, you won't have much and your opportunities will not be as broad. As a human being, you must take care of yourself. It is NOT the job of the Federal government of any nation to take care of you. Nor is it the job of the federal government to take from one party and give to another. The less involved the federal government is in your life.. the happier you will ultimately be.
Secondly, taxes, we must pay taxes, it is what funds the country, however, taxing people more never helps when the economics of a country are not that great. Barack claims that he will drop taxes for people in my financial bracket... that is weird cause he also states that he is going to end the tax break that Bush gave us. I get an estimated 2000 bucks off with Bush's' tax break... how is it going to cut taxes if he is going to cut that plan unless he cuts the taxes so it will add up to more than 2000 bucks? It is also interesting when Barack Hussien Obama talks about taxes an percentages that he doesn't seem to get that 40% of Americans do not pay taxes and the top 10% pay 90% of the taxes! Also, the wealthy are established so when they recieve tax cuts, they are capable financially of starting businesses or expanding businesses.... therefor providing jobs. If you hike taxes on Walmart or Target... or Heinz Ketchup.... I don't think these companys are going to pay the taxes out of their profit... no, they are more likely going to raise the prices of the product so the profit margin stays the same and the consumer will pay the tax! Am I the only one that thinks this way? Makes sense to me!!!
Thirdly .... Barack Hussien Obama is buddys with some crazy people. Bill Ayers is a homegrown terrorist. He has stated in a 2001 interview that his bombings of the pentagon, capital building and several police stations in the late 60s wasn't enough. He has never apologized and almost brags about what he did. Barack Hussien Obama also has other fishy ties with some crazy organizations and their leaders.


Fourth and by far more important than any other issue... abortion. I can handle higher taxes, I can even be forced to handle socialism, but the killing of babies I won't stand for.
FOUR times in the Illinios state Senate, Barack Hussien Obama voted against a bill that would require hospitals to provide care to babies who had survived abortions. The alternative to providing care was to leave them until they died. (Infanticide) In the US Senate Barack voted against the measure as well... even though Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Boxer, and other extreme liberals voted for the protection of these babies born alive.
Barack Hussien Obama also voted against the ban on partial birth abortion. This process involves the inducing of the mother... birth with and exception for the head... slitting the back of the head at the base of the skull placing a suction device in this slit and removing the babies brain and crushing its skull to make it 'easier'. If this doesn't make you sick and saddened at the state of humanity... you need help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foSW-CkWbqI
To you with an 'open mind' ... watch that... all of it.

I've got nothing more to say.

God help us.

September 11, 2001

I seek almost to write something brilliant... but find myself speechless. I'd love to express in words what this country means to me but I can't. I fear for this nation... the direction it is going however I am comforted by a mysterious comfort ... knowing that the earth and all that is on it is mearly nothing when you consider the BIG picture. For example... the sun is 93 million miles from the earth and is HUGE. If the earth were a golf ball, the sun would be the equivelent of a ball 15 feet in diameter... enough golf balls (earths) could fill a regular sized school bus... how tiny we are. But lets not stop there. Canus Majorus ... the largest star known... if the earth were a golf ball, Canus Majorus would be Mt Everest.... standing about 5+ miles tall. How little we are... we are effectively nothing... Oh, if the earth were a golf ball... to fill Canus Majorus .... it would be as many golf balls as could cover the state of Texas in 22 inches of golf balls(a little over half a meter)!!!
Life, the Bible talks about us being a mere vapor... here for a moment and gone the next. That's another thing, scientists are BEGGING to find life elsewhere... why... cause there is way to much out there for just us! The milky way Galaxy is approximately 100,000 lightyears wide... a light year is how far light travels in 1 year... 5.88 trillion miles is how far light travels in one year. If our solar system (all the planets earth goes around the sun with) was a golf ball the MIlky Way Galaxy would be the whole North American continent. They (and you) can search all you want, they can find 'proof' all they want, but they will not find life. The universe is so huge and I think it emphasizes the point that the world doesn't revolve around me or you... it revolves around God. The Bible says that God holds the universe in His hands.
September 11, 2001
What am I talking about... stars, galaxy, extra terrestrial life.... September 11 2001???? Let me get to my point. I remember the day well. I was pooring concrete at an place that would become a home for elderly people and as truck drivers brought us concrete each would tell us different horrible rumor of what was going on. Some sayed we were being bombed by China while others stated other random and farout things... IT wasn't till lunch that me and the crew I worked with sat in what was normally a buseling busy taco shop in complete silence with others and watched the single tv up in the corner and heard about the attack on New York and the Pentagon as well as the other plain that crashed in Pennsylvania. Later that night my wife and I sat in our living room and cried as we watched the events of the day.
As I watch the 9/11 memorial shows the thing that strikes me the most is the stills of the second plane split seconds before it hits the building... split seconds before those people died. People who didn't deserve to die... people who didn't know they were going to die that day. It is almost haunting to me. The next thing that strikes to the core of my emotion is seeing people who jumped from the building. People who were in such a bad situation that they determined it was better to jump than stay where they were. Thirdly, it is the ammount of people who survived .... the few dozen who survived the collapse of the building from the inside... and the many who were able to excape before the collapse... then there are the storys of those who missed there flight.....
It was a terrible event but through it and looking back at it, I believe I see the soveriegn (in control of everything) hand of God in the situation. God wasn't surprised when these wacos took planes and crashed them into these buildings... He was ready... God wasn't surprised that the buildings couldn't handle the heat from the fire and collapsed... He was ready... God wasn't surprised at the death toll either. The Lord is the giver and taker of life. The Bible states that God knows the number of days of each of our life... how little we are... in the big scheem of things. When my brother- in law died last year... it wasn't random folks... it was the time that God ordained for him to die. Even though he was married... even though he had two kids... it was his time. I am trying to explain a concept that takes time and faith to grasp... and some of you will never be capable of grasping it. About 3,000 people died that day... most not have a clue... and God was there, in control... not surprised... not weakened... not sleeping. Greeting those He had ordained to enter heaven and protecting those He had not chosen to take.
how little we are in the big scheme of things...
God Help us,
OZ
Scientific info
www.nasa.gov
http://hubblesite.org/
A lot of the info came from a video by Loui Giglio entitled How Great is Our God. I'm not interested in becoming a salesperson however, I'd highly recommend everyone buy this disc! you can find it at:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Great-Our-God-DVD/dp/B00190J6HI/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1221197478&sr=8-1