WHY

In a time when it seems that the world outside of Christianity has more to offer then the one inside of the walls of a Holy covenant with the Creator. Why do we continue in this strenuous battle to be saved, to save others and to daily but our best foot forward in an attempt to live close to the Word of our father as we can. What is it that makes us wake up day after day and not throw in the towel?
If we were to be honest with ourselves, then we would see that we can be a selfish, greedy, prideful people. We drive in our 2005 Toyota Corollas and covet the Jaguar that just drove by us. We walk around Malls and city streets with our iPhones and Blackberry's and lust after the person’s phone that is walking in front of us, because it is “the newest model”. And we are driven to make the next agenda on our list to quench that burning desire inside of us. Yet we gather together in our churches and small group and say we are willing to give everything up for the name of Christ. So again I ask, why do we really continue in this world of Christianity? What makes us wake up day after day and not throw in the towel?
We see people living without the Creator and it seems that they are prosperous and that they are “living the life”. It would appear that they have no issues, no problems. They have money, family, social status, health. All the things that most humans desire, and to add insult to injury, THEY DID IT ALL WITH OUT THE CREATOR. And still there are those that follow the Creator, that devote their lives to His teaching and His commands, that drive vehicles that are literally falling apart, barely have enough money to buy a burger off the dollar menu at McDonald's, whose family is in turmoil and whose health is deteriorating. Yet if you ask them to give up the life they have in exchange for money, fame, health and an “easier” life, they would look you in the eyes and sincerely and wholeheartedly refuse.
We look in the Bible and we find reports of all those who where beating and murdered for following the Creator and spreading His teaching. We read their stories of how badly and horrendously they were tortured, beat and ridiculed. How some were forced to watch as their family members were murdered one by one in front of them. And how when it came time for them to stand before their murders, after watching the ones they loved brutally killed, they would choose to die over giving up their love for the Creator. What is it that allows Christians to choose their love for the Creator, even when face to face with the people that are about to end the very life that they have lived for Him?
I have been in many conversations that end up with the parties involved asking this very question. WHY? Why do we keep doing what we are doing? Why do we keep believing what we are believing? In those moments when I’ve been in the presence of those questions or even when I have asked myself the same questions in a more solitary environment, I think of one thing. JESUS.
Every time I here the name Jesus, and read of what he did. I ask myself, WHY, why did he come to this planet? Why did he live a life as a mere man? He was there in the beginning, when there was nothing, and there at the end of the seven days when there was everything. He was in a place that we as humans can only begin to imagine, a place where he was worshiped continually. Yet he gave it all up, he left it all behind to come to a place where he would be ridiculed, beaten, his skin ripped from his body, a place where he would be murdered. Why would he leave Heaven and its entire splendor, to come to the dirty, filthy, greedy, selfish, petty, prideful realm of mankind?
Why would Jesus do this……because we NEEDED him to. We were on a road that lead to destruction, the bridge was out and we couldn’t stop the train in time. The Creator knew that we were unable to save ourselves, so he sent his only son to come and save us. Jesus came to mankind, died and resurrected and in doing so created a new bridge for us to pass over. You see we were all heading for hell, for we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is why Jesus came and died for us, He loved us to much to sit there and do nothing.
So why do we wake up every day and not throw in the towel? Why have saints since the beginning of the church given their lives to follow and spread the teaching of the Creator? Because those that are still on a train to hell NEED us to. We love them to much to sit back and do NOTHING!

Dead End

"When we must always have control over every aspect of our lives, we are telling God that we know how to get where we are supposed to be better then he does. When in reality we are like mice trapped in a maze attempting to reach a piece of cheese. No matter how many turns we take, there is always a wall there to meet us at the end. All the while God (who is greater then we) is standing there looking down at us saying...."I see and know the way you need to go, let me lead you"....the question is, will we set aside our pride and follow God, or will we let our selfishness lead us on a perpetual journey of dead ends?"

The Family...pt 1.

I drive around in the endless sea of boredom. Roaming from here to there as sanity strives to keep its grip on the frail world that it reluctantly claims residency in. Pondering how to purge this world, which holds my service in it’s twisted hands, from the stench of the action less beasts that wander in stagnancy and pollute the air of those who dream and desire the ambitions of a world more active and fruitful. I see the faces of those that would dare to aspire for a greatness alien to this world that keeps them captive. I see their noses cringe and the countenance disintegrate as the beasts of this world intoxicate them with their stench of indolence in successful efforts to murder any spark of motivation in the hearts of those that would rise up and topple the current regime’s power and authority. Day after Day, my mind battles and wars with ways of breaking the bondages that the foul beasts have places on the people of this world that I grant my service to. Day after Day I see dreams torn apart and desire burned away by the acidic poison that corrupts that air that is inhaled by its inhabitants. I fear that one man is not capable of overthrowing the power of this world’s lord. So as I drive from here to there I am ever vigilant, training my eyes to spot those that I may introduce to The Family. Secretly hoping that one day, as The Family grows, our unity will bring relief from the grasps of sub-mediocrity that we all now face.

Who are we as Christians supposed to be?

Who are we as Christians supposed to be? Were we saved to sit walk around and paint a beautiful picture of life with no worries, no cares, and perfect family and social relationships? Is that what Jesus came, died and resurrected for? I mean I hear and see bible preachers get in front of their perspective congregations and tell them that if they give their live to Jesus, He take care of everything for them. It’s like one lady right after President Obama got elected, she said; “I’m so happy, now I don’t have to worry about putting gas in my car or paying my mortgage.” As if President Obama himself was going to personally pay for everything in her life. Is that the picture that we as Christians are expected to paint to those that we are speaking to about what we believe? “Just come to Christ and He will pay all your bills and take care of your children, they will never get into any trouble and grow up to be lawyers, doctors, and possibly the next president.” “If you give your heart to God then he make sure that your never feel pain anymore and you will never have a challenging moment or time of struggle every again in your life.”
If that is what is required from this generation of Christian, then I will never be able to measure up to those “difficult” requirements. Mainly because of what I read in the Bible, perhaps those preachers that preach “happy-go-lucky” sermons don’t read everything in their Bibles, or maybe its just that they are people pleasers and they don’t want to offend anyone, or maybe they are all about the size of their congregation and they feel like light, easy sermons will bring more people through the building doors. But the bible I read has numerous accounts of Christians going through hard and strenuous times.
2 Corinthians 1:8 (ESV)
8For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers,[a] of(A) the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.
2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (ESV)
3We(A) put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but(B) as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:(C) by great endurance,(D) in afflictions,(E) hardships, calamities, 5(F) beatings, imprisonments,(G) riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6(H) by purity,(I) knowledge, patience, kindness,(J) the Holy Spirit,(K) genuine love; 7by(L) truthful speech, and(M) the power of God; with(N) the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8through honor and dishonor,(O) through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and(P) yet well known;(Q) as dying, and behold, we live;(R) as punished, and yet not killed; 10(S) as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;(T) as poor, yet making many rich;(U) as having nothing,(V) yet possessing everything.
Just in these two passages we see that the biblical Christians knew what suffering and hardship was. So if they suffered for the name of Jesus, and faced hardship some to the point of “despairing of life itself”, who do we think we are?! Do we seriously think that becoming a Christian will magically transform our future from pain and struggle to meadows of daisies and fresh air? No, rather Jesus inside of us gives strength and endurance to make it through the hard times. When struggles and pain come, Jesus whispers in our hearts; “keep moving forward, I know it’s hard now and it hurts, but I KNOW how you feel. I’ve been there too, and I will help you get through this.” Jesus doesn’t magically take us and move us AROUND the difficult times; he walks with us THROUGH them and sees us to the other side. And once we get there he looks at us and says, “See I told you that you were stronger then you thought you were.”
So if there requirement for Christianity is to paint a easy care-free life, then I’m never going to be able to be a Christian in that sense. Rather I will preach and teach that hard time will come, but that Jesus, our savor and our King, will help us through and see us to he other side.

Simon Says…

I traveled back in time and met a man name Simon Says. Simon Says said that he was the one that invented, conjured up, made that global children’s fun time activity. Simon Says do this but don’t do that, it was simply harmless and entertaining. I asked him if he wanted to go to the future to see how his game impacted the world a large. Simon said “Take me please”… (Traveling through time)…As we entered into the future Simon was appalled at what he saw. He saw nations of people standing around like zombies doing nothing but waiting. He turned to me and asked “what is this? What is going on?” “Shhh…watch and see” then suddenly and all at once screens all over every city turned on and a figure appeared on them and said “Simon Says turn around and walk” immediately the masses turned and began to walk. Simon asked me where they were going. I replied, “I don’t know, and neither do they. They hear the figure that calls himself “SIMON” give orders and they obey. We then saw thousands walk into the sea…”What are they doing! They will die if they don’t stop!” “You know that Simon and I know that, but they do not. They think that if “SIMON” says it, it must be right and good for them. What ever “SIMON” says is truth and should be followed.” “Why are they so blind, why can they not see that they are being lead to their deaths?” You see Simon they have become so accustomed to blindly following orders that they have put reason aside and are now letting even their own lives to be dictated and determined for them. They stand around and with for the figure to come one every day and tell them what to do and decide who will live and who will die. Your innocent children’s activity that was all so entertaining back in your day, has turned out to be exactly what the world has become. Peoples with no capacity to think or act for themselves, they stand and wait for someone else to tell them what to do and how to live.

Mental Rampage........

(I don't know why, but I just had to write, and this is what came from that urge.)

"My mind tells me that I'll never win, that's it just quit. History show us the frailty of humanity. Yes, many are chosen and few are called, but even the called, fail and run into a wall. Your destined to fail, your destined to ruin the lives of all those around you, all those that come in contact with you. Can't you see the end?!!! Can't you see that I AM RIGHT!!!!! The proof is in the past, look at your family, you think that your friends are ACTUALLY your friends. Those people you see with careers and money, and a happy family. Yeah, you will never have that!! So stop trying, give up, it's over, YOU NEVER HAD A CHANCE. Listen to me, I know what I am talking about. Don't make a fool of yourself!"

(At the same time I felt like God was saying this)

"My child, listen, come walk with ME. Let me speak into your heart. I created you, I know you better then you know yourself. I have a plan and purpose for your life, I believe in you and I Love you. See how much I love you, I sent my son to right your wrongs and take the punishment for your crimes against me. You are important to me. IF you feel like no one else is there, remember, my Love covers the earth. Do not listen to those foolish thoughts, I am here with you, I will help you through all the tough times and all the easy times. Come, Come walk with me, I will show you the potential I have bestow to you. Remember I believe in YOU, so believe in YOURSELF. I am here with you."

God vs. Man

My wife and I were driving the other day, and I looked over at an abandoned parking lot to my right. I noticed that there was grass growing through the cracks in the pavement. At that mometn a thought ran through my mind. I thought: "Man, God's creation is relentless!" Then I began thinking about that thought. Here we have an abandoned parking lot, something that man created, and when it is left unattended, and unkept, we see that it can not continue performing the task that it was created for. But yet there is grass growing the cracks that were formed in the pavement. Grass, something that God created, and yet even though it is not taken care of and watered every day, it still finds a way to grow and to fullfil its life purpose.That made me think that that which God creates and gives purpose will always find a way to fullfil that which God has created it for, even if there is a man made obsticle in the way. The abandoned parking lot showed me that man made objects will fade and wither and loose their ability to complete what they were made for. But God's creations will push through, fight and find any way to complete their task. Even if it means taking over the object that is hindering them from moving forward. So it was kind of an encouragement(yet the grassy abandonded parking lot)to see that. It helps me to know that God doesent create us and give us purpose so that we can fail. Rather He gives us purpose because we will succeed at the task He has bestowed upon us. We see that a small creation such as grass is relentless in its mission in life, how much more should we, a much greater creation hold nothing back in completing the mission that
God has given us. The creator created us to succeed not to fail, no matter how immovable the man made obsticle might be that stands in our way. We can see that all of God's creations push,fight,claw and find a way to squeeze through the smallest of space and overtake that very obsticle that hinders our foward motion.

?_?

Have you ever felt, that you give and give, but never get in return? Have you ever questioned whether the golden rule is actually a rule at all. You do unto others as you would have done unto you, and yet you still don't see the positive outcome promised? Sometimes in this life I feel like, if there ever was evidence against the Bible, it would be that very "rule". But i sit here and know that God is faithful and will always provide. In my history, I have learned that sometimes when we obey God and follow his commands, that promises that ensues from our obedience may take years to come to fruition. I know that during that period of waiting it may seem like your turn will never come. It may seem like God enjoys blessing others, but you who strives to follow God and do his will, get left in the dark, dusty cloud of those around running off to experience and enjoy THEIR blessings. I guess there is only one question for me to ask us. "Are you willing to wait for what God has for you?" I know that I spoke on that a few weeks ago to the teens, but it has reemerged in my mind as I began writing. Are we truly willing to wait for what God has for us, or are we so impatient that we will let our greed and selfishness cause us to make unwise decisions that will leave us wishing we would have waited.

Not Easily Erased

Not Easily Erased

In light of future events I began thinking of my history here on this earth. I (as most on the surface of this planet) can say that are things that I am not proud of and that if left up to me, would be completely obliterated from what is known as “Isaac Arodi Valentin’s” historical time line. What I must realize is that my history is indeed what has cultivated the present person that most perceive me to be. As much as I want to get rid of my actions they are who I am and what God will use as he pleases. Those things (as much as I wish they were) are not so easily erased from the fabric of time. If I could go back then I would bring the Taser I have now and Tase myself to make sure that I would have walked a different path. And in light of future events (and I guess finally get this off of my convicting flesh) for the first time I will relinquish memories that I myself had suppressed for years. Memories that are not ones I wish to have bouncing off the canvases of my mind. Now this is not a my version of therapy, but as a man in the beginnings of his ministry, how can I expect God to use me to help teens who may battle with similar enemies as I have, if I can not praise God for my victory of those enemies.
In my early teen years, I found myself in the grasps of homosexuality. I had never thought about it growing up as a kid, the battle began and I am afraid to say that it was not one that I won at first. I had a girlfriend at the time, but I was also sexually involved with one of my male friends. These things I am not proud of, but as I sit here now and reflect back on those times, I am completely thankful to God and to Jesus for my victory here today. Like I said, when God finally granted me freedom from perversion that had consumed me, I subconsciously locked the memories of what I had done away in the deepest recesses of my mind. It wasn’t till after I got married that God brought them into light again. And although I, God and my wife have worked through these things, I still have those memories, memories that if left up to me would not exist today. But that is how the mind works, and that period of my life is one that I wish I would not have gone through.
You see, in our lives there will always be crucial moments that arise, and in those moments we have choices. The decisions we make in those moments can either MAKE or BREAK the very fabric of our historical timeline. In my history, when I chose to give in to the perversion that was before me, it ripped that strand of my time line, and now when I look back at my life, instead of seeing a beautiful tapestry of events that lead up to my present state of victory. I see missing and incomplete images, followed by periods of shame and self unforgiveness.
You see when you face this pivotal moments in your life, you must truly turn to Jesus and rely on his guidance. I’m sure in my case, Jesus would have told me to flee, and not some passive “fleeing”, but to flee as if I had just murdered some one and I was trying to leave the country. Jesus should be the center of it all. When we look back at the tapestry of our history, we should see, countless woven masterpieces of when life brought us pivotal, life altering moments, and we turned to Jesus to guide us the path that HE sees fit for our future purposes in HIS grand scheme of eternity.
In the end what every path we take, how ever we decide to handle our life of opportunities. Whether it is to allow Jesus to guide us or to allow our own selfish curiosity and desire to be what we follow. The outcomes are not so easily erased.

When did we become “God”

The Great Commission
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

The great commission, something that as Christians we learn early in our newly found walk and way, but for many it seems to have been forgotten for a more “glamorous” or “Christian” seeming life. I sit here day by day and listen to people discuss how this preacher is wrong and how that pastor is not a “true” Christian. But we see here in the Great Commission that us judging others is never part of the command. Have we not noticed that Jesus says in verse 18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” I’m pretty sure that when Jesus said “ALL” and “Heaven and Earth” He meant it. This means that He alone has the authority to judge ones eternity or life, not us.
As I read on the phrase in verse 20 “teaching them to observe” caught my eye. So I went to my trusty research tool www.blueletterbible.org and look up the verse. Then I looked up the Strong’s number for that phrase, which pulled up “τηρέω” which means
1) To attend to carefully, take care of
a) To guard
b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is
c) To observe
d) To reserve: to undergo something
So if we take this definition then it is our job to teach people to take care of, to guard, to attend to carefully all the things that Jesus has commanded us. So with that said, to go back to my previous statement of how I am constantly hearing Christians criticize preachers and pastors saying that their eternity is unsure because of what they are saying. Know that Jesus has all authority in heaven and in earth, what does JESUS say about us judging others.
Judging Others (Matthew 7)
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
6"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Judging Others (Luke 6:37)
37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
So when did we become “God” and take on the authority to sit around and judge others as the Pharisees did. To sit around and say that this preacher is not saved because he does not believe what I believe. Or to discuss with like minded brethren about how this pastor is a hieratic for living out his Christian walk in a way that doesn’t suit me. When did we take the authority away from Jesus and what he did on the cross. Instead of judging and saying that this person has their theology all wrong and that the result of that faulty theology will be them missing heaven. How about we pray and ask God to help all of us better understand his word. We walk around arrogantly thinking that we fully understand what God’s word says and how it applies to our walk with the Lord today. We are human and our thinking is corrupted as our flesh is. So what makes us think that in our corrupted state of being we can truly say, “My theology is spot on, and any other is a fallacy.”
I say we just realize that we are human and will never fully, completely understand the living word of God. And that we must daily ask God for guidance and help comprehending when we read. So I ask again When did we become “God” and take the authority away from Jesus and what he did on the cross?

Inner Tumult

Have you ever felt like there was an epic war going on inside of you? It’s a feeling as if you can feel the darkness and the light colliding, clashing and leaving your very essence ruined and destroyed. You see flashes of light and you are almost certain that the flashes are the result of the battle going on inside of you. It gets to the point where you have to scream and yell just to release the pent up energy. You clench your fist so tight they start bleeding, your breathing becomes erratic and your heart starts racing. There is something inside of you that wants to come out, and something else that wants to keep it prisoner. One entity cries and wars for FREEDOM and the other battles to maintain CAPTIVITY. It’s a war of the ages between two entities that have been battling since time began; and for one reason. You, Me. Humanity, there is a battle that has been going on inside of men, since the very moment time came into existence. This war between GOOD and EVIL, between LIGHT and DARKNESS is older then any of us can comprehend. Yet we have known it our entire lives. So have you ever felt like there was an epic war going on inside of you? It’s a feeling as if you can feel the DARKNESS and the LIGHT colliding, clashing and leaving your very essence in ruined and destroyed. You see flashes of light and you are almost certain that the flashes are the result of the battle going on inside of you.
In the end there is only one question I have for you. Which side will you aid in victory, how will you quench the INNER TUMULT? You decide, but choose wisely, your decision will end a war that has been roaring through time itself.