Ever wonder why you don't get answers?

I love this picture. Kids often mimic what they see adults do, but they don't always understand they why we do what we do. Most kids today know that when you pick up a phone, you're supposed to touch the screen and something is supposed to happen. They can't read, but they like to see the interaction.

The sad thing is, that there are a lot of people that are the same way with their Bible. If you hand them a Bible and ask them to explain to you what the Bible says about salvation, or who Jesus is - they may start flipping through the pages hoping to stumble across something, but honestly, it's a smaller subset of people that can truly do this.

The truth is, God wants us to know Him intimately. The scriptures reveal His plan and point to His son Jesus, the Messiah.

Shortly after Jesus rose from the dead, He met two people that were on a journey

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 14:27)

As we get ready to enter into Easter, the celebration of the subsitutionary death of Jesus on the cross to redeem us from the curse of sin, let us show God our love by understanding what He is saying in the Holy Bible, and allow His words to impact our lives.

It's not easy to hold out during a storm...

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan^[a] standing at his right hand to accuse him. ² And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand^[b] plucked from the fire?” ³ Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. ⁴ And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” ⁵ And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.

⁶ And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, ⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. (Zechariah 3:1-8)

I love the image in this verse. The high priest is exactly where he should be... in the presence of the Lord. But even while he's there, Satan is right there... accusing him, telling him that he is not worthy. I can see him telling God of the many ways that he has failed him in the past.

The high priest doesn't move... the doubts are swirling in his head, but if he can't find help in God, where will he find it?

Then... when God is ready... in God's timing - God moves.

Sometimes we're in uncomfortable situations and we wonder if God is there or if he's listening. Let's take this as a lesson. God is there and He cares for us. We may not understand His timing... but He is aware of our situation and our circumstances.

Let us struggle to stay close to God and wait for Him to move.

What's wrong with cookies for breakfast?

I really want a cookie right now. One of the luxuries of being an adult is that there is nothing that prevents me from having cookies for breakfast. I could grab a hand full of cookies, a nice glass of cold milk and really treat myself.

The problem is that eating like that has caused me to get fat, and once you get that extra layer of fatness around your mid-section... it's really hard to make it go away.

Now... there's not anything wrong with having a few extra pounds... unless the few extra pounds becomes a lot of extra pounds... then, as you get older, it causes health issues like increase blood sugar bringing on the possibility of Type II diabetes, raised cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Honestly, it all sneaks up on you so quickly that it's hard for you to notice... and once it's there, it's hard to do anything to get rid of it!

So, what does this have to do with Christianity? Everything!

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything. 1 Cor 6:12

In other words, just because you think you can do something, doesn't mean that it's the best thing for you spiritually. Let's take a look at our lives this week and find out if there are any places spiritually that we've become "fat" and let us work on strengthening that area of our spiritual lives.

Handwritten letters from God.

If God told you what He wanted you to do by writing messages to you in the sky in 30 foot flaming letters, would you follow Him?

If the Bible is an indicator of human behavior, probably not.

When Israel was in captivity in Egypt, God sent Moses and a series of plagues. Some say that the plagues were for Pharaoh, but I believe it was to remind God's people who of who He is and that He cares for them.

God parted a sea, fed them with quail and manna, provided water from a rock, led them by a cloud in the day time and a pillar of fire at night, and they STILL rebelled against God. So, it appears as though people take signs and wonders for granted after a while.

When Jesus came, He performed miracles. He walked on water, healed blind people, raised people from the dead, cured lepers, and when it came time for Jesus to fulfill God's plan, even Peter who had been with Him for years denied Jesus... 3 times.

15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
    after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
    and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Heb 10:15-18)

 Let us struggle to remember that we have something that they didn't have, when Jesus came and sacrificed Himself for us, He made it possible for God to actually put His law into our hearts and minds. We no longer need a priest to offer sacrifices for us. We don't have to wear fringes on our clothes to remind us to remember God. He speaks to us.

Sadly, it's easy to treat His voice as casually and common as seeing a flaming cloud lead your way... this week, try to listen to the voice of God and see what a difference it makes.

You can try to blend in, but is that really who you are?

I had this friend in college, let's call him Scott for the sake of this illustration. Scott grew up in a small town with parents that had conservative Christian values. Everything about the way he looked, dressed, and acted said - "I am different."

Once he had the "freedom" of being in college - he grew out his hair, stopped tucking in his shirt. Started, smoking, drinking and cursing. Pretty soon, his life became a big escape and a desire to prove how much he was like everyone else.

The guys on campus bought him a plastic mug so he would't break it when he fell down, and they would literally carry his drunken body from party to party.

At the end of the first semester he was failing all of his classes and was on academic probation.

Scott, forgot who he was and tried to blend in.

Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. Ezekiel 16:47

The problem with trying to blend in, and be something that you are not is that the decision to rebel against the     request made by God for us to be holy because He is holy is cast aside. The opposite of holiness is unholiness... or wickedness, and that cannot be controlled.

This weekend, let us struggle to not compromise. We are to look like Christ, not the world.