Statues that represent a god of one’s religion is common throughout many beliefs. Some Catholics have a shrine of figures that represent various saints, along with Jesus and Mary. In India, there are white, black and blue figures that represent some of the gods in the Hindu religion. In China, the Buddhist carved enormous sculptures of figures into the mountain. In Greece, they had enormous statues of their Greek gods carved from stone.
Although these statues or carvings represent different religions, people would interact with them in a similar fashion, such as, bowing down, kneeling and praying with the thought that their god is living in the statue or starring down observing and listening to their prayers.
Considering God’s creation of all that is living and His glorious majesty, if we were to create a representation of Him, it would have to look divine, massive like the universe, a royal shimmering gold, but what or who does God really look like? The bible says that we were created in His image. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27 . We are a representation of God’s and His creation, not that we should worship ourselves or other human beings, but there is a shared connection. Not only did God create us, but He was pleased with us as His creation. In the book of Genesis, it reveals God’s reaction when He gazed as the humans He created. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:30
If God created us in His image and was pleased, what would He want from us humans? The greatest commandment given by Christ is written in by His disciple Mark. “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-34
If we want to worship God, this is what the bible says in the book of John, Jesus says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24. No where in the bible, does God tell humans to make an image of Himself and worship it.
It can be hard for some to speak, worship or pray to something unseen so it’s more familiar to do so with a physical object that looks semi-human. But if we want to hear our prayers or questions answered from God, He will not speak or move the lips of a dead object. If He did that would be scary. When He speaks, it’s from within. God is everywhere so we don’t need to go to a church to pray, although Jesus typically went up to the mountain to pray out in nature.
Life is great when all is well, but we all know that it’s not always happiness and joy. There are seasons of rain and drought. The passages of scripture in the Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes says that there is a time for everything :
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:2A time [a]to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
There have been times of sadness and joy, times when I feel like I’m in a desert, a place with no water to fulfill my thirty soul. There have been times of rejoicing when hopes come into fruition, but in the dry season of life, should there never be any joy?
Moreover, the rain in life that satisfies the thirst for dreams, wishes or goals, doesn’t always quench and coming to realizing once again, the joy inside me.
It’s been a long while, walking through life, trying to put my faith in Christ, when things seem to not go as expected, a waiting pattern that seems to strip hope away day after day. The ever so common question arises, “why God why?
Feeling distant as if God is silent, doubt starts to settle in. Where is He? Is He still listening? Then a series of events within two days happens, each resulting from the next. First, receiving a notification of a compromised account, led to having to get a new card and finally, after searching for a new car for the past month and a half, I finally inquired of a car loan, she told me I was approved and granted the exact amount I was thinking in my head.
In addition, since searching for a car for so long, I wasn’t under pressure because my car was still doing fine, mechanically. Then for the first time, when I turned on my car before going to the bank, my check engine light came on, which was the first time ever.
I had mentioned this to the teller and she told me the exact thing I was thinking, that, “the Lord is telling you to get a new car.” I had been taking my time about purchasing and she mentioned something about having to be under pressure to finally do it, like with the check engine light.
Maybe to most this might not seem like a big deal or coincidence, but having been in seasons of hearing His voice inside of me, then being in a desolate silent desert for long, then once again, the rain comes and that very clear message that God gives, satisfies my soul.
It is like rain drops in the desert, an instant thirst quencher.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4
It is the confirmation of His love, undoubtedly letting me know that He’s listening. He’s with me and has not forgotten about me & that alone, is all I need for joy.
Never exempt from having a bad day, it is expected, sometimes everyday, once a week, once a month or several times a year. Things will go bad, maybe a flat tire, parking ticket, loosing a wallet, a job, a break-up or the worst, a loved one.
Even in the worst times, life goes on and for some that play a critical position that many depend on, we have to forsake our feelings and live outside of ourselves to fulfill a greater purpose. When we have a position to fulfill and need to be at a certain place at a certain time, it seems at that time, right before you break-through, it can feel like a ton of bricks full of emotions is thrown down at you, wanting to keep you from getting off of the floor. That, of a tidal wave on its way toward you ready to knock the heck out of you.
Yes, emotions are a blessing, but sometimes you wish they weren’t there. At the turning points in life, where you are doing something that will break barriers carried from generation to generation, it’s as if opposition is tremendously stronger than what anyone else is going through, as if you are carrying the weight of previous generations to the finish line.
I’ve felt the struggle when I had to persevere through tough times when I felt I wanted to give up or hopeless of ever making it. The most pain-staking times have to be the times when I had to be somewhere at a certain time for the purpose of serving God in certain ways. Although, volunteering to be a camera person in church may sound minuscule to some, when I had to leave home to drive to church, strong emotional pain hit me so hard all of a sudden. I felt like not going. It was my first day or serving and I did not want to go. It’s important to recognize the works of the enemy, the dark-side that wants to keep us from crossing into something greater. With tears falling from my eyes as an emotional wreck, I made it and at the end of the service, I received a blessing that was the start of a changed life.
If not for emotional pain coming at the wrong time, there were times I felt way too tired to go, almost changing my mind and had I listened to my feelings, I wouldn’t have been blessed just by getting into my car, driving over and walking into church.
The most life-changing time was before I got baptized, I kept getting thoughts, telling me I’m not ready or that it won’t change anything or that I’m not worthy in God’s eyes, but I proceeded and it changed my life forever.
Even if we feel tired, emotionally distraught or depressed, sometimes surrendering to God also means, surrendering our feelings and knowing that there’s something much greater than our ourselves, but God’s purpose. Instead of allowing feelings to take over, it’s better to get down on your knees and just worship God, not because of your difficult situation, but because who God is and that He is worthy to be praised.
So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.
Exodus 17:11
Worshiping God does not always mean lifting up our hands, but also obedience and sacrifice or putting God above anything or anyone we love. Look up, not inwards and let Him pour out His love, peace and joy on you today.
In the Persian Gulf, on Saadiyat Island of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, a center of worship for three different religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam is being built, to be completed this year. There are three buildings, one for each religion and at the center, an educational center for all. This complex of buildings is called the Abrahamic Family House, designed by architect, David Adjaye , set to be completed this year.
You’ve probably seen the co-exist bumper sticker that spells out co-exist with symbols that represent different faiths. The Abrahamic House has a similar logo, only leaving out some faiths and enclosing it with a roof with chimney.
The idea that religions can co-exist is nothing new at all in America since it’s something that’s been happening for so many years. We have buildings for all faiths where people from different religions come to worship their god and we’ve allowed it. This religious right is protected under the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the freedom for one to exercise his or her religion.
This is one of the things I love about the United States of America, our freedoms. Although my faith is in the salvation of Jesus dying on the cross for my sins, which I can never save myself from, I still hold strongly to the belief that people should freely practice their own religions. This might sound a bit crazy, but I believe that the God I worship, would want people to be able to choose their own religious path. If you read the Genesis 2: 15-17 in the bible. God tells Adam not to eat from the knowledge of good and evil. It wasn’t an apple tree, which most believe. It doesn’t say even say fruit, it just says tree and if you eat from it, you will die. God was not speaking of a physical death, but a spiritual death. The death that one feels inside due to sin, guilt, shame and most of all, separation from God. This sin that has the potential to lead one to eternal damnation.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Even though God told Adam not to eat from the tree, he still did and he also blamed Eve for it. After Adam and Eve ate from the tree, they realized that they were naked and hid from God. However, God already knew they disobeyed, yet He still went looking for them. He still wanted to connect with them. One may ask, if God did not want them to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then why did he allow it to stay in the garden in the first place? Adam and Eve had the freedom to choose to obey or disobey. God knows the way we are wired, He created us. He knows what will bring us joy and what will bring us to emptiness and devastation. When we don’t listen to His commands, we hurt our-self. Sometimes when things are used for the wrong purpose, they can break.
Having being raised catholic, that was my religion. I went to church on Sundays religiously, dressed up and tried my best to pay attention to what the priest was saying. I thought that kissing the feet of a Jesus statue would earn me brownie points with God. I prayed almost every night, the rosary, in repetition or memorized verses, but I didn’t find out until later that God wanted to hear me speak my heart out to Him. I always knew that God existed. I just could not fathom the fact that He actually knows my name and loves me and created me to be loved by Him. It wasn’t that people told me, but I experienced His love through reading the bible that speaks of His love and His voice that spoke to my heart. That inner voice inside that saves you, brings conviction or brings hope, joy and peace is the still voice of God.
The effort of a one world religion is pointless. God is not a religion. Kissing a statue of Jesus is not worshiping God. God does not live in statues nor does he live in a stone. The bible says that God is spirit.
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
This fraternity of all religions may lead to the compromise of beliefs of each and although it sounds like it would bring unity, which it may, it can evolve into a new religion which combines the beliefs of all faiths into one. The scary part about it, is that if it becomes a one world religion, everyone will be forced to follow it, which negates the whole idea of ones freedom to choose. Although, Jesus in the bible says that there is only one way to God, the Father, we have the freedom to choose whether we want to believe what Jesus said or follow Him.
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
We can choose our own path to finding the truth. With all honestly, after finding God through the bible and a real spiritual life-changing experience of God’s love, I’ve found the truth and there was no reason to look any further. When truth comes, doubt does not exist. God already loves us, His creation and He will never force us to love or follow Him. It is our choice whether we want to receive His love for us and love Him back. It is also our choice whether we want to follow His will and His ways. If God knows what will destroy us and tells us to stay away from it because He know what it will do to us, why not follow His voice?
Sometimes when you feel alone, you may not be, for there might be an unseen presence with you. Angels appear in various ways. One way, is described in the Bible.
Last night I saw it again, I have been seeing it around my house lately. It appears in dark areas around my house. The times I see it are usually times when I’m feeling scared. Sometimes it’s from my peripheral view, yet sometimes it’s right in front of me. It’s a flash of white light, similar to a flash on a camera, which is but a second. It’s like God is reminding me that He sends angels to watch over me so I should not worry.
The first time I saw it, I was in a dark room. It was late at night and there was no way that light would get in since it appeared no where close to any window in the room. Other than the recent times I have been seeing it around my house, there was one time when I was about to fall asleep. All of a sudden, I hear something fall down beside my pillow. I looked and it was my business card, which landed on the side that had a picture of my Jesus painting. It seemed like it came out of nowhere, but then I remembered that I placed it on top of my candle right next to the window. The wind blew it down that it landed Jesus side up, right by my head. As I looked up at the place where I put my card, I saw a flash of light. It was like God reminding me again that He is with me.
One day when I stayed at my parents house, they had left town so I was alone in their house. It was late at night and I walked in their dark house. I went into the kitchen and with the backyard lights on, I saw a dove sitting on the top of the gazebo. It was rare and random to see that type of bird in the neighborhood, but knowing that a dove represents the spirit of God, it was like God was telling me that I don’t need to fear, because He is protecting me.
With everything we go through in life, there are some events that we remember forever and there was one that my Mom would never forget. She would always tell my sister and I the story of when she was alone in the house with us kids. My Dad was in the Navy so he would have to frequently leave town. One time when my Dad was away, she had just finished putting us kids to bed. She felt tired and decided to sit down in the hallway right next to our bedroom. As she sat their thinking about how much work it was to take care of us without my Dad being there, all of a sudden, she smelt the most wonderful smell of flowers she’s ever smelt before. She felt that at that moment, it was God sending an angel to reassure her that He is with her and afterwards she felt good about taking good care of us.
I remember the time when I was venturing out in London alone. It was short day and a half trip, a stop over on my way back to the States. I had toured many places during the day time, but when I got back to the hotel, I realized that I forgot to see the Buckingham Palace so I went back out. By that time, it was late at night. I took the train out to the closest stop to the Palace. When I got off and up to the street, it was really dark, not many street lights. There weren’t too many people around so I asked anyone around where to go. One person pointed me to a sidewalk along a dark park. I was dreading the walk, but I went anyway. As I walked through the darkness, I was looking around me and no one in site. I kept praying for God protection over me and then out of no where, I hear a couple talking behind me. It didn’t make sense how they where so close to me all of a sudden when I didn’t see anyone around. I was already a fourth into the park and there were no side streets so I wondered, how could they get there all of a sudden and catch up to me that fast, unless they were running, but they didn’t look to be in a rush. They were two friends, male and female, walking and smiling together, having a good conversation. They seemed friendly so I started talking to them. They happened to be going the same way so we walked over together. I ended up walking back with them to the train station. There was something usual about how the girl got on the train. She hopped on backwards. Although, not fully sure, I believe that they were angels.
2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2
An angelic presence can be experienced in different ways. What is your experience, if any?
There are many types of religions in the world, most commonly: Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Judaism, Mormonism, Hinduism and Christianity. Most involve prayer, worship, bowing, singing or offerings. Others have rituals, which they believe would set them up to a higher level of spirituality. All these efforts to make one believe that through certain actions, they will become holy, a good or better person or pleasing to the eyes of God. There’s usually a set of rules or boundaries that set a line not to cross or actions that must be carried out tied to consequences.
The continual trying to be perfect on our own humanly efforts can turn into our religion and trapped us into residual traditions often wondering where is revival? Without knowing our Creator, how do we know where He has placed the true switch of joy? Do we keep believing that our religious traditions will save us? Of all religions in the world, how do we know which one is true or which God is real or fake?
The truth lays inside of each of us, mended into the fabric of who we are created to be. God placed it there before we came out into the world. Unfortunately, when we get older and corrupted by our environment, it eventually gets hidden. Truth is found when there’s no way of denying it. Sometimes it’s hard to know if it’s God speaking, especially when so many lies spoken have been dwelling inside for many years, yet He still speaks.
Aside from the bible or religious books, there are stories of people who had encounters with God, some that wrote about it and have become the basis of a religion, but what about the time when there were no books published in the world, yet there were still stories of God’s mighty hand or visitations from angels or God? People spoken about in these stories had a relationship with God. They knew God and were in communion with Him. God spoke in dreams, visions, by an angelic messenger or a burning bush. Still to this day, God speaks in dreams, visions, angelic messengers, by audible voice, a voice inside and sometimes through events, strangers or friends, but not a burning bush.
Religious traditions are mostly good practices, as the bible says in James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” However, besides doing or not doing certain things to keep ourselves feeling a certain way, what’s more important is our relationship with God. Think about all the things you do for the one you love, imagine never spending time with that person just caught up in the job of trying to please them, but never spending quality time, opening up your heart, talking to them and telling them how thankful you are, how much you love them or sharing your sorrows. Spending time talking to someone will get you very antiquated with their voice and character. Similarly, building a relationship with God is spending time in prayer, thanking God for the littlest things, sharing your sorrows and requests and worshiping Him. Sometimes, it’s a matter of just sitting and listening.
How do we know it’s the voice of God? He speaks to our heart and the bible confirms it. Image God speaking to different people and revealing who He is, then all of those people wrote it and down and just so happened to write the same or very similar thing about Him. Similar to the stories in the bible, God appears to people, there are different people spoken about that had a relationship with God and wrote about it. The stories reveal His character as a Father in Heaven. The book of Psalms 103:1-5, reveals God the Father’s love for us,”Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The book of Romans reveal the Christ, the Son of God’s love for us. Romans 8: 35-39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. There are many other scriptures that speak of God’s love and throughout the bible we see His character. God is love. Romans 5:8 says,”8 God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Of all the many religions in the world and gods that people worship, Jesus is the only one that came down to earth from heaven, in human form, to be nailed to a cross and die for the sin of humanity so that we can once again, have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. As Adam and Eve hid from God in the garden after they sinned, we no longer have to hide from God as our sins our taken away from the blood of Jesus on the cross, we can come face to face with Him again, unashamed. We don’t have to go through a ritual or run miles making efforts to be good or right with God, salvation is a love gift from God and having faith in His love, goodness, mercy and grace is what frees us and makes us more like Him. It’s a relationship, not a religion. It starts with inviting God into your heart, confessing and believing. Romans 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
There are many stories of people who find God or who grew up in the church and later fall off the path later on in life, taking anew path that leads to an empty soul. The beginning of finding God is like a honeymoon stage where one is so in love with God. All the love songs point to God and the experience is a high that lasts for months, constantly smiling, laughing and loving others, but without trials, how can love and faith be tested?
Just like in any relationship, there’s circumstances that can make it or break it. I have a deep respect for couples who have been married for more than forty years. Through thick and thin, they have fought through hardships and learned to forgive, work together, compromise and sacrifice some of their own desires.
Even outside of a relationship there’s always a battle in life, a test of strength. After surrendering my own will to God, I was high for three months, but after that, there’s more the walk. The faith of a believer is constantly tested. Sometimes life can get so hard that it turns Believers away from walking towards God and then walking into a dark life, but God seems to have a way of bringing them back.
Faith without backing or reinforcement is like a tree with shallow roots. When a storm comes, it’s roots are ripped out from the ground and topples over. When Jesus was in the desert, he was tempted, even tired and hungry, He still overcame temptation.
Ephesians 6:13-14,16-17 says Wherefore take unto you the whole amour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; [16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. [17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Just like in a marriage, there’s a fight to stay on the path that leads to life. Truth, righteousness, faith, salvation and knowing the Bible are a few ingredients, but there’s also another factor that enables us to fight temptation. Jesus did not minister to the crowds alone, He had twelve other men with Him. Fellowship is pertinent for any walk. The serpent tempted Eve when she was alone. To have others around praying with you and offering support through hard times will keep any Believer from tipping over like a dead tree or getting off the right track. When you know the voice of God, you can easily identify when it’s not His voice in your mind.
vange 
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