Actually, it was more like $100 breakfast! What do I mean by that? Well, it is a term that describes a fly-in fund raising lunch or breakfast, that is hosted by a particular airport. The idea that pilots will spend $100 to fly their airplane to an airport to have a $6 hamburger or in this case; breakfast! Today, another pilot and I flew from Lock Haven Pa. (KLHV) to Wellsboro Pa. (N38). He flew us there, and I flew us back.
Wellsboro is home to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, and the airport is known as the Grand Canyon airport. Lock Haven used to be home to the Piper airplane factory, and is known as the William T. Piper Memorial airport. There is also a Piper Museum across the road at the west end of the airport.
While we were enjoying our $100 breakfast, I mentioned that it was 9 years ago this weekend, that I first moved across the border. I know, it is another reason to celebrate Memorial Day eh? He asked if I met my wife here, or how it was that I came to move here. I told him that I met her on an internet web site, then I clarified it to say that it was actually a Christian message board, and not a web based dating service. I continued by saying that Cindi and I posted messages and responded to each other's posts, and then emailed each other after a while, and then continued from there.
He said, "Is that your way of telling me you are a Christian?"
I said, "No, that is my way of telling you how I met my wife!"
That little beginning led to an interesting conversation. I thought he might say that he was a Christian too, but it was the opposite of that. He said that he is not a Spiritual person. He then asked me what I thought of judgement day that was supposed to happen on May 21st. I said, "Oh ya, now the guy is saying that it will take place in October, but actually Judgement day actually took place 2,000 years ago on the cross!"
I said that most people think that we are on some spiritual journey, but that I believe we are Spiritual beings on a Human Journey. (See why I chose the name for this blog?) He denied that he was spiritual at all, and I was not wanting to argue with him, but I just told him that he was whether he knew it or not; which he denied some more. I did jokingly tell him that after we die, he will come up to me and say, "Do you remember that day in Wellsboro, I guess I was wrong, I am a spiritual being after all!" haha.
At one point, I told him that on several occasions over the past 30 years or so, I have specifically heard the voice of God. Of course the next question was whether I was sure it was not my own voice, and I confirmed to him that I was sure. It was not audible for anyone else to hear, but it was unmistakable that it was indeed the voice of God.
I put it into pilot terms. I said, look at it this way, when we flew into this airport, the radio is tuned to 122.8 and with that, everyone here can listen to what you have to say, and you can listen to what they have to say. But if you are tuned to 122.7, you can talk all you want, and no one will hear you, and you could not hear anyone else. Now, in God's case, he tunes to whatever frequency you can hear, and then gets your attention, and then tells you to tune your radio to 122.8 so you can know what is really going on.
We kept the conversation fairly light, and I finally told him that I was not interested in convincing him of anything... it was not my job to do that. But, I also think that we left it open to further discussions later on. That is my hope. I am more than willing to discuss with anybody what I believe to be true as long as they are interested in hearing it, and even sometimes when they are not. Ha. Isn't that what witnessing is all about anyway?
I Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"
To every man that ASKS YOU; is something that is easy to overlook. Now, the secret is to get them to ask you! haha. Well, it has been said that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. That's not true. You can always put salt in their oats. (see, the salt makes them thirsty, and they want to drink.... supposedly of their own "free will".... but that is another post. :-))
Well, perhaps in the mean time, God will add some salt to our discussion to spark some more conversations along this line, and who knows, that at a future get together he might get to know that he is a Spiritual being after all. It might even be at another fly-in $100 Hamburgers.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The End Is Near!! (or is it?)
Well, since I am writing this blog post, and you are reading this blog post, it has become obvious that the world did not come to an end like was predicted to happen yesterday. Some nutty pastor got a lot of press claiming that Sat. May 21st at 6:00 would begin the end of the world. It got a lot of media attention, and became the "water cooler topic" for a few days.
None, but the most ardent followers gave the prediction any credibility, but the ones who did believe it, seemed to believe it enough that they committed all of their resources into spreading the warning. It is reported that all of their money was spent on advertising judgement day, and the end of the world. If nothing else, you have to give them credit for their commitment to their belief, however misguided it is.
Part of what struck me the most in this story is the fact that these people believed their message was the truth so totally, that they were willing to sacrifice everything they owned in order to warn others! The other part that struck me in this story; and the motivation for my writing this post; is that I found it rather odd, that the verses I heard quoted and often misquoted as arguments against what this pastor preached about the end of the world, were just as misinterpreted, and misguided as the pastor's were! And that of all of the Christians that came out against this pastor and his prediction, none of them are as committed to what they believe to be true! Oh sure they would quickly state what they believe to be true, is indeed the truth, but none that I know are so commited to the fact that they are right, that they would risk everything in order to share it with others.
You have heard the saying "Put your money where your mouth is" as a way of telling people that their belief must cost them something if they are wrong, as proof of their own commitment to their belief. No one can fault these people for not being committed to their belief.
What I did hear and read were a lot of quotes and misquotes from the bible to try to show how wrong these people were; and indeed they were wrong; but why? And what is right? The church system for the most part teaches a literal interpretation of prophecy, and eschatology, (which is a study of end times). But is the church system any better at providing answers to such things? Not from my observations it is not!
Consider the Y2K scare. Of course you can buy the volume of books written about that subject for less money than the cost of the paper it was written on! And believe it or not there was a Y1K scare too. I guess some will have to wait a little more than a year from now before they realize there is not much truth to the end of the world scenario predicted by the Myan calendar either, and then come New Years day 2013 a new future end of the world date will be predicted and believed by a new group of people.
Others will be smarter than that and will quote once again, that the end will come when you least expect it, and since they expect it, then they are mistaken! Really? Or the most popular reason was "no man knows the day nor the hour". So, they are obviously not decieved, but then they will explain their version which usually has some agreement with the authors of the "Left Behind" series where there is an escape plan for the Christians with a Rapture, and an anti-Christ, and one world governments, and one world leader, and seven years of tribulation, and judgment and a firey torture for eternity for everyone who was not smart enough to believe before it was too late! (excuse me while I puke!)
I am so disgusted by Christians will tell you on one hand that God loves you, but are so willing to believe that this same God is as fickle as they are with His love, that He would think nothing of sending you to an eternal torture with out thought.... and then they go about their business as if it is no big deal to them!
I am reminded of a pastor I have met and come to know, named John Gavazzoni. He tells of a conference he was to speak at one day, and as he had his message all prepared to tell the people about the hell they would face if they did not believe; he said that God spoke to him and said "Do you really believe that about Me?" From that point on, he studied to find out that what he had been taught all along, and what he had taught as well about hell, was completely wrong!
But suppose you do believe what the church system teaches about the end of the world is true. My question is, how much are you willing to stake for your belief? How interested are you in the lost souls that will spend an eternity in a firey torment? Are you willing to sacrifice anything for someone else to be spared such a hideous future? I don't mean giving a dollar to a beggar on the street, or leaving a tract in a bus station. But consider these people who predicted the end of the world would take place on May 21st 2011, which was yesterday as I write this, and who spend all of their savings to share their belief. What is your commitment?
Don't forget, that the end of life on this earth comes to each one of us at some point. We do not have to wait until the whole world ends, to know that individually, it ends for each one of us at some moment, and many times without warning! Do you care? Are you committed? Or is it possible, that just maybe, the TRUE nature and character of God is not really as much of a monster as you have been taught?
Perhaps, just maybe, God IS love, without condition, without end, and that His Mercy IS everlasting! Not just for a select few, but for every last one of His creation. "The earth is the Lords, and the foulness thereof, the world and ALL they that dwell therein." How many does ALL exclude?
Perhaps it is true that "the love of God leads men to repentance." Perhaps it is true that the end is near for some, but not the end as we might think, but rather the end of an old life, and the beginning of a New Creation. Perhaps, The End Is Near!! (or is it?)
None, but the most ardent followers gave the prediction any credibility, but the ones who did believe it, seemed to believe it enough that they committed all of their resources into spreading the warning. It is reported that all of their money was spent on advertising judgement day, and the end of the world. If nothing else, you have to give them credit for their commitment to their belief, however misguided it is.
Part of what struck me the most in this story is the fact that these people believed their message was the truth so totally, that they were willing to sacrifice everything they owned in order to warn others! The other part that struck me in this story; and the motivation for my writing this post; is that I found it rather odd, that the verses I heard quoted and often misquoted as arguments against what this pastor preached about the end of the world, were just as misinterpreted, and misguided as the pastor's were! And that of all of the Christians that came out against this pastor and his prediction, none of them are as committed to what they believe to be true! Oh sure they would quickly state what they believe to be true, is indeed the truth, but none that I know are so commited to the fact that they are right, that they would risk everything in order to share it with others.
You have heard the saying "Put your money where your mouth is" as a way of telling people that their belief must cost them something if they are wrong, as proof of their own commitment to their belief. No one can fault these people for not being committed to their belief.
What I did hear and read were a lot of quotes and misquotes from the bible to try to show how wrong these people were; and indeed they were wrong; but why? And what is right? The church system for the most part teaches a literal interpretation of prophecy, and eschatology, (which is a study of end times). But is the church system any better at providing answers to such things? Not from my observations it is not!
Consider the Y2K scare. Of course you can buy the volume of books written about that subject for less money than the cost of the paper it was written on! And believe it or not there was a Y1K scare too. I guess some will have to wait a little more than a year from now before they realize there is not much truth to the end of the world scenario predicted by the Myan calendar either, and then come New Years day 2013 a new future end of the world date will be predicted and believed by a new group of people.
Others will be smarter than that and will quote once again, that the end will come when you least expect it, and since they expect it, then they are mistaken! Really? Or the most popular reason was "no man knows the day nor the hour". So, they are obviously not decieved, but then they will explain their version which usually has some agreement with the authors of the "Left Behind" series where there is an escape plan for the Christians with a Rapture, and an anti-Christ, and one world governments, and one world leader, and seven years of tribulation, and judgment and a firey torture for eternity for everyone who was not smart enough to believe before it was too late! (excuse me while I puke!)
I am so disgusted by Christians will tell you on one hand that God loves you, but are so willing to believe that this same God is as fickle as they are with His love, that He would think nothing of sending you to an eternal torture with out thought.... and then they go about their business as if it is no big deal to them!
I am reminded of a pastor I have met and come to know, named John Gavazzoni. He tells of a conference he was to speak at one day, and as he had his message all prepared to tell the people about the hell they would face if they did not believe; he said that God spoke to him and said "Do you really believe that about Me?" From that point on, he studied to find out that what he had been taught all along, and what he had taught as well about hell, was completely wrong!
But suppose you do believe what the church system teaches about the end of the world is true. My question is, how much are you willing to stake for your belief? How interested are you in the lost souls that will spend an eternity in a firey torment? Are you willing to sacrifice anything for someone else to be spared such a hideous future? I don't mean giving a dollar to a beggar on the street, or leaving a tract in a bus station. But consider these people who predicted the end of the world would take place on May 21st 2011, which was yesterday as I write this, and who spend all of their savings to share their belief. What is your commitment?
Don't forget, that the end of life on this earth comes to each one of us at some point. We do not have to wait until the whole world ends, to know that individually, it ends for each one of us at some moment, and many times without warning! Do you care? Are you committed? Or is it possible, that just maybe, the TRUE nature and character of God is not really as much of a monster as you have been taught?
Perhaps, just maybe, God IS love, without condition, without end, and that His Mercy IS everlasting! Not just for a select few, but for every last one of His creation. "The earth is the Lords, and the foulness thereof, the world and ALL they that dwell therein." How many does ALL exclude?
Perhaps it is true that "the love of God leads men to repentance." Perhaps it is true that the end is near for some, but not the end as we might think, but rather the end of an old life, and the beginning of a New Creation. Perhaps, The End Is Near!! (or is it?)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The Old Is Passed Away
In my last post, I mentioned about Jesus having died for the sin of the world, and that there is no depth to man's evil, that Jesus Christ's redemption by the cross does not go deeper yet! There is not sin so sinful, that the blood of Jesus does not wash clean, and as white as snow.
One example that seems to have most people confused, or unsure is often cited as being what about Hitler? And perhaps even now, Osama bin Laden has met his earthly demise, (or, so they say) then where does he end up? Well, the list goes on as to who some people think deserve an extended punishment even to eternity, and those who perhaps deserve to be cut a break. Like I said, it is sort of having God grading people based on a curve.
However, when I wrote what I am convinced to be true without a doubt, I was pretty sure I was not clear in my meaning. Since then I received an email from Roy, a long time friend, who added some comments to what I wrote, and I thought they so wonderfully clarified my meaning, that I wanted to write this post so I could share them with anyone who would read this blog. What follows is what he wrote.
The Adolph Hitler that had party to all that he did in this life will be so thoroughly changed by Christ he will no longer exist in his old nature and state, isn't that true? So,the old Hitler won't be in heaven if you look at it in a certain way. If any man be in Christ the old nature has passed away and all things have become new.....As with you and I, what we once were we are no more. We are being changed in degrees to new creatures that are and will be unrecognizable to even ourselves in the future! I have been changed by Him so much from what I was as a young man.....This is what many don't understand, don't you agree? That the old Hitler truly will never see "heaven" but a new creature raised up in him. Many don't see this process and don't see it yet...
This is truely the key to understanding such a great mystery of what happens to each one of us! Behold all things become new, because now, or later... in this life or the next.... The Old Is Passed Away!
One example that seems to have most people confused, or unsure is often cited as being what about Hitler? And perhaps even now, Osama bin Laden has met his earthly demise, (or, so they say) then where does he end up? Well, the list goes on as to who some people think deserve an extended punishment even to eternity, and those who perhaps deserve to be cut a break. Like I said, it is sort of having God grading people based on a curve.
However, when I wrote what I am convinced to be true without a doubt, I was pretty sure I was not clear in my meaning. Since then I received an email from Roy, a long time friend, who added some comments to what I wrote, and I thought they so wonderfully clarified my meaning, that I wanted to write this post so I could share them with anyone who would read this blog. What follows is what he wrote.
The Adolph Hitler that had party to all that he did in this life will be so thoroughly changed by Christ he will no longer exist in his old nature and state, isn't that true? So,the old Hitler won't be in heaven if you look at it in a certain way. If any man be in Christ the old nature has passed away and all things have become new.....As with you and I, what we once were we are no more. We are being changed in degrees to new creatures that are and will be unrecognizable to even ourselves in the future! I have been changed by Him so much from what I was as a young man.....This is what many don't understand, don't you agree? That the old Hitler truly will never see "heaven" but a new creature raised up in him. Many don't see this process and don't see it yet...
This is truely the key to understanding such a great mystery of what happens to each one of us! Behold all things become new, because now, or later... in this life or the next.... The Old Is Passed Away!
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