When the Wise Men followed the star that lead to where the Messiah was born, they weren't on an exploration of just awe & wonder but one that would be a completion of all their years of eager anticipation, dedicated work & heart-filled passions. What is amazing is that this "completion" did not end with them standing up as the kings of the world, but bowing down to The King of the world. God has a plan for our dreams & desires. That thing or things you're passionate about is purposeful. You're searching & longing all have meaning. And on that day when all you've ever hoped for comes to be, may it bring you to your knees at the feet of Jesus. (Matt. 2)
Some say Jesus was just a great teacher. Some even say a prophet, but what about friend? Lover? Savior?
Being a Philosophy minor (& living in Denver) I hear a lot of crap thrown onto Christianity. We shake our heads at religion & curse it's name for what it has done/is doing.
At work we are taught not to apologize because we can not (personally) be found liable for a person's injuries. However, as I am a Christian & obviously human (who by nature is broken; thus, I do stupid things). I take my responsibility in apologizing for any time I have misrepresented my Jesus who loves you. My brothers & sisters (called The Church) may have also hurt you & misrepresented Jesus, who loves you.
I am sorry you have experienced pain. But I am also sorry that you let an emotion then dictate what you believe.
I heard today at my job a lady converse with another lady about a bracelet. This particular bracelet was silver with dragonflys engraved upon it. The one wearing it stated that wearing the silver healed her pain within her body & the dragonfly delivered her prayers to the gods.
#denver
What I don't understand is why we look to creation to do what we can already do? How's come we trust ininanimate objects to do the job God has already given us the power to do? Does a stone or metal really heal you? Or is it just in your perception? Does an insect or animal really know what you're thinking, or does the Creator who made both of you know?
Don't get me wrong & go to a Burning-Man Festival (or whatever it is called) just because I said the power is inside you. What I refer to is not just our consciousness, but our consciousness connected with the Holy Spirit.
People snuff at religious freaks who say "turn or burn". I am not a "religious freak"...but as the 90's DC Talk says "I am a Jesus Freak."
Yes, I preach of love & forgiveness. However, this cannot be taught without also the fact that we are fallen. God's mercy & wrath are different sides of the same coin. You can't get one without the other. Praise be to Jesus though for being the mediator so we just experience mercy!
It has been said by a great philosopher, that if you don't understand something you don't know it.
I don't understand how that can be true ironically-for there are a lot of things we don't understand & yet we know them to be.
-gravity
-space
-love
-ourselves
And the greatest of these being God.
The philosopher would then continue to say, "What I meant was, if you can not explain it or properly define it-you do not know it. And if you do not know it, how can it truly exist?"
Well, the same can be said about telling an Anglo-Saxon American to wear a camono while doing the rain dance. The White-Anglo Saxon American couldn't explain either due to lack of previously being taught. Do those things not exist then?
And who can ever know something without being taught? How can someone be taught if no one goes to teach? And how can someone go to teach without being sent?
Plato got one thing right in his Theory that we were born with a prior a knowledge. That knowledge being God exists. (Romans 1-2)
Yet, Satan has put many blinders on our eyes & before we know it we have over 2 thousand gods!
We are deceived in thinking that similar to spokes on a wheel of a bike, there are many paths (or religions) that lead to the same end. My friends, this is incorrect. There are many stories (like paths), but there is only One Road and that is walking with Jesus. We all have different ways we come to know Jesus, but it is all about knowing Jesus. And the Word says that if you know Him (Jesus), you know the Father (God).
Ever notice how people get so angry when you say "Jesus loves you," but not when they say something like: "May Krishna bless you?"
I think this is for several reasons:
1) people need to experience His (Jesus's) love before telling them it just exists (remember Thomas)
2) people think Christianity is old & dying (so though Thomas)
3) people like to be intrigued by what they don't understand (Thomas was brought to his knees)
*side note: Thomas (one of the apostles) brought the Gospel to Asia.
And let me tell yah something, those people passing out Vedas & chanting mantras don't know to whom they worship. Just like the Ancient Greeks.
All who lack understanding, just ask & it will be given to you. (James)
God did not put you in this world, in this society, in this culture & time period to confuse you. He wants you to know Him & tell the world that He alone (out of all the gods) lives.
Don't be fooled, the days are sort; thus live as wise men.
