I WAS ONCE A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN

by Andrew Photiou

Text copyright © 2012 Andrew Photiou

All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents

Chapter 1              4

The Message              9

Chapter 2              11

Does the world have answers?              11

Man's leadership              14

Is there a case?              15

Chapter 3              16

Our ways are not God's ways              16

The choices of life              17

The meaning of life              18

Our common journey              19

God or the world?              20

Chapter 4              22

In the image of God              22

The garden of our heart, the book of our mind              24

The battle within              25

The fruit of our love              27

A deceiving world              28

Our gift of life              29

Chapter 5              30

Jesus, the cross and sin              30

God's character              33

Chapter 6              35

Why so much suffering?              35

The body of Christ              37

What about those who have never heard of Jesus?              40

Our questions, God's answers              41

Chapter 7              43

Walking with God              43

Living in the truth              46

Leaving a life of sin              48

The path to freedom              50

Chapter 8              52

Turn to Jesus!              52

Speakers of truth, bearers of light              54

Chapter 1

I was born in 1978 in London, UK, and was raised by my mother after my parents had divorced in 1980. Throughout the 80's and 90's, I witnessed many changes in the western way of life while growing up in one of the world’s biggest and busiest cities. New technologies and gadgets were constantly emerging. Music, fashion and trends tirelessly fought to be the latest craze, as they still seem to do. And the media and celebrity culture was steadily becoming bigger and louder. I tried in my own way to keep up and fit in, but it never really worked, no matter how hard I tried.

I was an odd child, at least, that is how I felt. I was often quiet and withdrawn and at times I would act crazy and do silly things around friends so that they would think I was 'cool' and fearless. The type of crowd that I associated with slowly changed for the worse as I went through my teenage years, and these 'acts of craziness' became crazier and often illegal. I felt that to be in the cooler crowd I had to do crazier things, but I rarely felt cool. Awkwardly I stumbled on, trying to dance to the music of the world, which, I later learned, is completely out of tune with its Creator.

As teenagers, my friends and I loved cars. When it came to driving I was one of the craziest. I always felt like I had something to prove and I had very little fear behind the wheel; a lethal combination. I was often street racing or driving extremely dangerously, like driving into oncoming traffic to see who would move out of the way first, driving down roads and roundabouts the wrong way and in reverse, driving on pavements and taking corners using the handbrake to make the back side of the car fly out. And I drove like this in busy London streets while often high, and on the odd occasion, drunk. After numerous driving accidents and incidents, I received a driving ban at 19.

My recklessness in driving was a pattern for the rest of my life. From my disobedience and selfishness, my careless drug use, my lustful ways in ungodly relationships and pornography, and my general inconsideration for others; I grew to excel in sin. Naively I followed the crowd, led by the dark appeal of city night life; money, girls, cars, clubs, bars and lots of drugs. And I believed that I was somehow different and unique from everyone else. But mainstream trends were exactly what I was aspiring too and indeed following. There was nothing different or special about me and my lifestyle. It was nearly a perfect deception if not for the gentle, faint voice of God inside.

Due to my insecurities it wasn’t long before I began to gradually detach myself from the crowd of friends that I tried so hard to be a part off. I just wasn't comfortable and didn’t fit in, and as time went on, this became more and more obvious to me. I retreated from any kind of social event, even with my own family, and I started smoking marijuana heavily which took me further into my own secluded world. I became very depressed, confused and insecure, and spent many painful nights in an extremely dark place, plagued by my demons and sin. Apart from the love that my mother showed me, I never found any love or peace, or any real purpose or meaning.

Why did that kind of lifestyle appeal to me back then anyway? Without realizing, I looked out into the world to find male role models in the absence of a father at home. In retrospect I can see now how God wanted to fulfil that father figure role for me, but I was nowhere near secure enough as a teenager to overcome all the temptations and influences that I faced. During my time at school I felt more pressured to conform and be one of the 'boys' than to actually learn anything. It was the cool boys that had all the glory and fun, not the clever, sensible ones; and I completely fell for this fallacy. When I look at today’s youth, it is painfully evident to me to see many of them following the same trends, with even greater pressures and influences, louder media and bigger celebrities that glorify such lifestyles.

Most of my family is originally from Cyprus and the Greek Orthodox faith had its role in our family traditions. As a child, I strongly believed and felt that God was my real Father. I had a very simple childlike approach to the faith and wholeheartedly believed everything that I learned from the bible. There was something about God and the bible stories that grabbed my attention. There was something very special to me about Jesus and what He did on that cross. But even with this spiritual attraction to Him at a very young age, my faith never grew with me.

Much of my Greek Orthodox influence came much later in my life from a couple of uncles who were observant of the faith. Throughout my twenties, I would frequently question them about Orthodoxy as my curiosity about God slowly started growing again. They would occasionally give me a religious book to read, which was usually about a Greek or Russian Orthodox saint. I remember being so taken back by the kind of lifestyle they lived, the morals they lived by and the God they worshiped. Their love, peace, humility and obedience to God, left a very strong impression on my mind. Very slowly, seeds from God started to take root in my heart again, and those dormant seeds from my early childhood began to bud.

I was also a big fan of science, one of my favorite subjects in school, one of which I actually paid a little bit of attention. I was fascinated about the order and structure of the universe, the way that everything worked and came together; unlike everything else it made so much sense to me. Unfortunately, science is generally not a big proponent to the idea of a Creator, especially here in the UK. And so I grew up with this contrast of thought; objective logic and reason, and pure simple faith, which battled in my heart and mind for many years. I had so many questions, so many doubts. Is God real? Is there more to this life? I needed lots of answers, real answers that I could believe in, like the kind you get in a science lab which can be observed and measured.

The only thing that I had going for me was my genuine hunger to find something meaningful, true and real, as everything else in my life seemed so dark and meaningless. Why was I here? What is this life about? Is there a purpose to all this madness? I studied and read anything that was relevant – religious, scientific or philosophical. After diligently searching for a couple years I still wasn’t at peace. Yet somehow, without really being conscious of it and even with all my doubts, deep down I knew in my heart that Jesus was real, but I just wouldn’t turn to Him.

My mind was like a sponge, soaking in anything that was even remotely relevant, but nothing was proving to be enlightening. The more I read the closer I came to the conclusion that there weren’t any answers that made sense to me - intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. All the paths I took eventually led back to the fundamental question; were we created or are we here by chance? If I was going to find any kind of answers and direction I had to first know; is God real and if so, is He the God that I had learned about all those years ago - Jesus? I remembered the saying of Jesus in Matthew 7:7 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you'. And so I eventually gave into my subtle curiosity of Jesus and approached Him in the only way I knew how; I asked Him, and I asked Him again, and then I asked Him some more. With patience, persistence (a touch of stubbornness) and a real hunger for truth, I have received so much more than I will ever deserve. From the revelations, dreams, visions, signs, wonders, and outright miracles; I am now in a position where it would be a great sin for me to ignore the existence of God. I gave my life to follow Jesus in 2007 and my spiritual journey continued to grow exponentially as God healed me from the inside and showed me a whole new world and life with Christ.

Due to my weak faith and sinful lifestyle it took me many years to come to an understanding of Jesus. But God has always been patient with me and gave me many signs to help build my faith and make my way. One such time was in my mid-twenties while driving home from work. I was stopped at a set of traffic lights waiting for them to turn green. I was smoking a cigarette and my window was open. Then a man, dressed in smart trousers and shirt, with a backpack over his shoulders, walked right up to my car in the middle of the traffic and lent over to my open window and told me 'Jesus wants to show you heaven’, and then just casually walked off behind me. The first thing that came to my mind was 'What a nutcase'. But a few seconds later curiosity hit me. I quickly turned back round to look for him, literally 4 or 5 seconds later, but there was no one there. I knew that God was reaching out to me, yet I still kept postponing Him.

Some have had a dramatic life changing experience of Jesus and from that moment they totally change in character. You can read or hear about such experiences today or in the New Testament with the apostle Paul while traveling on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). For others, the process is slower and gradual like it was for me. Regardless, we must make that real conscience decision to turn around from the paths that we have chosen for ourselves and start walking in the complete opposite direction – to God. Hearing about such testimonies can be inspirational, but having our own relationship with God is what it really is all about. Why should we be a spectator to the greatest gift in life, when the gift is free for everyone?

Sometime in May 2009, I received an extremely vivid dream. In that dream I was asleep in my bedroom and woke to find that all my window blinds were fully opened and drawn all the way up to the top. That bedroom had quite large windows and so I always kept the blinds fully closed while sleeping as they let in a lot of light. So I looked around the room trying to find a reason as to why the blinds were fully opened. But then I turned my attention to the very cloudy sky outside and my focus fixated on the clouds. I was then overcome by an immense feeling of God's presence; I knew in my dream that He was in those clouds. My body then started to lift out of my bed and float slowly towards the window, as if to continue going out towards the clouds. But for some reason I became fearful as this was happening. My body then stopped floating towards the window and I found myself turning slowly back towards my bed, and I was gently placed on the floor by the foot of my bed. The dream ended and then I really woke up.

This dream really disturbed me. I was actually upset and concerned as to why I was placed at the foot of my bed and didn’t continue to be lifted up. Was I not good enough? Why did I become fearful? A few weeks later it all made sense.

On the 14th of June 2009 around 5.00am on a Sunday morning, I was still awake laying on my bed and thinking about God. As I was lying there, the Spirit of Truth came on me in a way that I cannot describe. While I was contemplating things of God, all of my thoughts seem to perceive the truth. It was like for the first time my spiritual eyes were opened. Even though I had been actively pursuing my faith at that time for a couple of years, and I thought that I had a reasonable understanding of the Christian faith; I was now receiving a much deeper and clearer understanding in a completely spiritual way. These revelations were so profound that I kept calling out 'Oh my God!’ I just couldn't understand how and why I was now seeing things so clearly. Wave after wave of revelation came over me, from the creation to the crucifixion, I just cannot describe it.

Then with real conviction, I felt a strong desire to get some water from the kitchen downstairs, and so I went. While walking down the stairs I remember feeling that the atmosphere in the house felt tangible and alive. It was so strong that I felt slightly fearful of it, so I quickened my pace and continued to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. I rushed back upstairs to my room and then, as crazy as this will sound, I was driven by an immense conviction to pour some water from the bottle over my own head! I hesitated for a brief moment as this was (and still is) completely out of character for me (I guess it would be for most people). But I couldn’t resist the urge; I poured some water over my head and at first I remember feeling quite silly for just a moment, but that soon faded as a feeling of sheer life hit me like a wave! I don’t know how to describe it; it felt as though I had just poured life itself over my head! I felt so alive! I stood there absorbing that tremendous feeling. For brief moments I remember thinking to myself 'I am going mad, what is happening? What am I doing?!' But the feeling was too real to ignore.

After I had poured the water over myself and absorbed that tremendous feeling, as silly at is sounds, I then grabbed some tissues and wiped up the water that was left on my wooden floor. I then sat down on my chair beside my windows and tried to take in and make sense of what was happening. But what followed next completely destroyed any of my feeble attempts at reasoning, as I was led by a deep conviction to open the blinds to my windows.

I opened the blinds, looked around briefly, and then my eyes fixated on the clouds, just like in my dream. It was raining and the clouds were becoming dark, like it does before lightning comes. Then suddenly my body started to shake uncontrollably as an indescribable feeling of immense life and fear overcame me - I was in the presence of God! I did not see any physical representation of Him, but I just knew with every part of my being that God was in those clouds and that His presence was on me; it was truly unmistakable! With uncontrollable trembling, tears and sheer awe, His presence put my soul and spirit in such an ecstatic state! There was so much life! His presence was so magnificent! So fearful! So holy!

The rain outside then started to pour down very heavily, with thunder and lightning. I then heard what sounded like the voice of God! I don’t know how to explain it; I just knew that His voice was in the thunder! With each rumble I felt like my whole being was literally crumbling to pieces!

As I continued looking out of my bedroom window in complete awe, looking onto the presence of God in the clouds through the pouring rain, I started to see the world as though it was the first time I had ever seen it. The rain was furiously hitting the quiet street in front of my house, but with spiritual eyes, I saw that the rain was washing away sins! The verse from John 21:17 'Do you love me? Feed my sheep' filled my mind. I remember saying through uncontrollable trembling and tears 'Oh God! I am such a bad person, I am no one, please don’t come any closer to me, I am not worthy of you'. His presence was so holy that it was revealing to me just how sinful and unworthy I really was. I was in so much awe that I felt I was literally going to die if any more of His indescribable presence came on me.

This is a testimony of mine and I am very aware of how crazy it sounds. There was a time when I would have strongly questioned the integrity of anyone who would claim to have had an experience like that. Even I have questioned what happened that night, but I know what happened to me was real. Since I have come to know Jesus, I know that there are many others who have experienced much greater things than I have.

God really does want a relationship with all of us. If we push into Him with all our heart, mind and strength, we will have our own experiences and relationship with Him - in which we will believe. Only because of my great weakness of faith did I receive such signs.

I have been a great sinner in my life. I have done nothing good and deserve nothing good. Nothing I write here is of my own wisdom or understanding. I have failed in life and righteousness and excelled in sin. But Jesus patiently and persistently called me. He was full of love and compassion. His Spirit led me out of my deep darkness and despair. He taught me truth and showed me life. I am now a new creation in Christ. Yet still I let Him down every day without fail, but I do not take my eyes off Him. My heart and mind is fixated on Jesus. I know, beyond any doubt, that He is the way, the truth and the life. I hate sin and I love God. Yet still I sin and disobey God every day. So every day I strive to die to myself so that Christ can live in me and lead me to a real, beautiful and everlasting life with Him. Only Jesus can save me from myself and sin, and only because of His love for me am I saved.

The Message

My message in this book is primarily for those of us who are still sitting on the fence in regards to our walk with God. To those of us who can hear the faint call of Jesus, knocking on the door of our heart, but have not yet invited Him in. And to those of us who say that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but other than that, do little else for Him (Matthew 7:21, James 2:14-17, Hebrews 11:6). Why do so many of us who call ourselves Christians still strive so vigorously for worldly things, yet give only a tiny fraction of our time to God? Have we forgotten about Him? Have we been deceived and deterred by the daily grind of life and all of its many influences? Is it that we just simply do not care?

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? James 2:14

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

If you are willing, I would ask that you say a simple prayer in your heart before you read any further, asking God to show you the truth. Not my version or your version of the truth, but Jesus Christ's truth.

Chapter 2

Does the world have answers?

According to many educated guesses at this time, somewhere around 40 - 160 billion human beings have been born since the beginning. With so many billions of lives spanning thousands of years, we have advanced and accumulated vast amounts of knowledge in every area of life. With such a rich history it is not unreasonable for us to ask questions such as; have we found love, peace, meaning and happiness on a global scale? Are we any closer in bringing mankind together in such harmony? Has man solved any of life's common problems, such as death? Or answered any of our universal questions about life, such as our purpose in this world?

Our approach to these kinds of questions will vary depending on our own personal beliefs and worldview. Some may not want to bother themselves with such questions and live life regardless of such contemplations. Some may think that such questions are a waste of time and even unproductive. Others may say that we shouldn’t be looking to mankind to find such answers, as we all have to arrive at our own conclusion, if any at all. An atheist may argue that we are here to simply live according to how we each see appropriate. And that when we die the atoms that make up our physical body go back into the earth and carry on the cycle of life and death. From dust back to dust (Genesis 3:19).

By the sweat of your brow

you will eat your food

until you return to the ground,

since from it you were taken;

for dust you are

and to dust you will return. Genesis 3:19

None of us really want to hear about it, but all over the world millions of people are suffering every moment with all kinds of problems. Even in today's developed countries there are a plethora of reasons that lead many to feel sad, angry, fearful, worried, confused, anxious, lost, depressed and even suicidal. Those who live in much less fortunate circumstances may face countless other struggles. Love, peace, happiness and purpose, which are what most people say they seek, are still beyond most people's control and reach. Shouldn't mankind have found the answers by now? Should we find them ourselves? Are they even truly attainable?

What can we learn from our history? With an extremely brief and general overview; our history shows us how pockets of civilizations grew, traveled, explored and spread. Many kingdoms rise and fall. Many nations impose their will upon other nations with countless wars and conflicts. The reasons for these conflicts would vary from religious or ideological differences, territorial disputes, resource or economic greed, ethnic hatred, or sometimes just the desire to conquer and expand.

Eventually, as man spans the whole world and every corner is explored and claimed, we can see how the world emerges today with our nations still striving for economic, strategic and political power and stability. We have ever increasing environmental issues. Some are still living under the threat of nuclear attack. Wars and rumors of wars still common occurrence. World peace, justice and equality for all is nowhere in sight, even though many claim it to be their goal. Murder, theft, rape, violence, torture, persecution, discrimination, terrorism, kidnapping, starvation, corruption, physical and mental abuse, lack of basic human rights, human trafficking, organized crime...the list is vast, all suffered by billions throughout our history and continuing to this day. Even with all our great advances in science, technology, medicine and engineering, nearly 3 billion people are still living in poverty. Around 10 – 20 thousand people are dying every day to hunger and hunger related causes (please think about that for a moment). Over 1 billion people in poorer, developing countries still do not have adequate access to clean drinking water.

These kinds of numbers are hard to even comprehend. The reality of our world really does show the incredible inequality and failure of our time on this planet, especially since we have the potential to eradicate all these serious issues. Many of our shortcomings will not be so obvious to us, as we can only know what we see, hear or read about. I believe that many of us are grossly unaware of what is taking place in our world today and throughout its history, as it is very easy to be ignorant and dismissive to the suffering of others.

If we were to now try and imagine that we have been an external entity to the earth for its whole duration, viewing mankind from the very beginning up until the present day; how would we describe the human race? Would we say that we are a kind, benevolent, peace loving people? That we are eager to get along and thrive in harmony with each other and the natural world? That we share and maintain the earth and its many resources so that all could benefit from them? Could we say that mankind has found answers to his common problems? Can we say that man has managed to come together and achieve a pleasant world for all to live in, or at least, for the vast majority? Would it be fair to say that in many very important areas of life, man has severely failed?

Maybe I am too negative or biased in my approach here. Maybe all the suffering is outweighed by all the great advances that we have made in science, medicine, technology and every other area of life. Maybe we will eventually find a way to live in harmony with each other and the earth. Or maybe we shouldn't expect anything from mankind and we should solely rely on ourselves to produce our own results, if any at all.

Our history is full of people who have asked big, difficult questions, and have tried to push the boundaries of life in every possible way imaginable. Is not all this because we are a curious, adventurous and conquering species? Is it then wrong for us to question why mankind still struggles with something as fundamental as love and peace?

Did man want to put his foot on the moon before he wanted to find peace on earth? Did we seek to study and learn about all the various forms of life on our planet before we tried to understand our own? Now that we know so much more about all the various kinds of life on our planet, do we really know any more about our own emotional and spiritual life? Did man seek to know the hidden secrets of our DNA, or the incredible mystery of atoms, before he searched for a purpose to his own life? Do some now expect to find these answers within our DNA and atoms?

We have advanced in so many ways that those who lived thousands of years ago may not have even dreamed that such things even exist, and yet, our most basic needs remain out of reach for so many.

Some may argue that the kind of questions we are posing here have to be explored and experienced by each and every one of us, and in our own good time. In this case, we can look at our history and the current state of the world to approximate, in general, how successful each man has been in his own personal pursuit of love, peace and happiness. And the answers are quite obvious; we haven’t been very successful at all. If anything, we seem to have had more success in causing pain and suffering to others and ourselves.

Some will argue that it is impossible to attain such a universal state of love and peace. Others may say that we have done a great job considering the nature of man. Some may argue that each of us are to follow our own goals in life, that these ideals of love, peace and happiness are just pleasant by-products of the choices we make and our circumstances, just a chemical reaction in our brain.

In all my experiences in this world, it is plain for me to see that man, in general, has always greatly desired love and happiness. The majority do want a peaceful and pleasant world to live in. And that eventually, most of us do search for some meaning and purpose to our life. We can just look at the songs we sing and listen too, the stories we read and the movies we watch, to see that we long and search for love, peace, happiness, purpose and though many may disagree, a savior.

Unfortunately, many of us look for love in all the wrong places. We search for peace in the chaos. We try to find joy in things that can never really make us happy. We end up pursuing and believing in things that should never be followed. Some find themselves in very unfortunate circumstances, where finding any kind of love, peace or joy, can be extremely difficult.

However we approach this, we have failed to provide a world that is full of love, peace and joy, or even anywhere close.

Man's leadership

What can we say for man's attempt at leading our world? Should we be looking to the world's leaders for answers? How about democracy, communism, socialism and any other kind of governing ruling system; can they provide us with the kind of environment that we need to truly prosper? Our history shows that all of our leaders and governments have fallen significantly short in one way or another. Not so much because these leaderships and systems are flawed (and they are indeed flawed), but more so because each and every man is flawed.

Man has invented no system, law, or doctrine that is capable of ensuring or enforcing a successful state where all could live to a high standard of life, providing and ensuring them with equality, liberty and justice. Anyone in leadership is prone to seeking personal gain and ideals, corruption, misjudgment, favoritism, greed and every other kind of ungodly way. Likewise, all who are under any kind of leadership are prone to the same kind of evils. Many will always look for ways to manipulate a system for their own personal gain. All of this is evident in the world today and throughout history.

Many people only obey their ruling authorities because of the fear of being caught, prosecuted or imprisoned. Could we imagine if our authorities abolished every law and its enforcement? Imagine the chaos. Even during times of unrest and natural disasters, many seize the opportunity to steal and do other ungodly things. Consider how much worse it would be if there was complete freedom without fear of reprimand? The fact that we cannot live in harmony without the enforcement of laws should remind us that there is something fundamentally wrong with mankind. Many of us living under authority only enjoy a reasonable amount of security due to law enforcement, which provides an obedience for many due to fear, and not out of love.

How about today’s new moral leadership? In many of today's secular nations we are being preached to with a corrupt moral compass. Today's secular humanism tells us that morality is subjective to the individual and circumstances, that there is no definitive good or bad. With clever sounding arguments and a politically correct attitude, they wish to discard God and replace our Creator with theories of evolution and infinite universes. Ultimately, they promote man to the god of this world. A fallible god that tries to lead us away from our own true Creator, leaves us in a world where pain and suffering is rife, where we ourselves are the cause. Then provides no real solutions and gives no certain answers. A fallible god that cannot see what even the next day will bring for us, and eventually, is faced with old age and certain death. The blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14). It is mankind's best and worst attempt at moral leadership.

Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. Matthew 15:14

Is there a case?

The truth is that we do not live in peace and harmony with all our neighbors, suffering is everywhere and there seems to be no end in sight. The world has never put God first and the results are here for all of us to plainly see.

Many will go through numerous hardships in this life. Some may be fortunate to have an easier ride compared to others. A tiny fraction of people will achieve greatness in human terms, but it is fleeting, incomplete and absolutely nothing compared to what our Creator has achieved and prepared for eternity for those who are willingly led by His love. If some of us give such acclaim to man for the small things that he has achieved, why do we not then give much greater praise to God who has created everything out of nothing? Does our own Creator not deserve any of our attention?

Chapter 3

Our ways are not God's ways

Why has our history evolved in such a way and fallen so short of our potential with God? Simply because we have followed our own ways and not God's (Isaiah 55:8). Most of us only live for ourselves, striving for temporary rewards, following worldly ways.

”For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways"

declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

World and religious leaders, governments, organizations, campaigns, celebrities, politicians, scientists, artists, education, careers, fashion, games, sports, technology, money, movies, drugs, clubs, lust, culture, patriotism, hobbies, ideas, ideals...the list is endless. The list is as vast as it is various and it grows every day. All these things come and go, yet many of us are distracted by them and end up disconnected from the true purpose of life.

No doubt that some things in life are necessary in moderation and so merit some of our attention, examples being food and education. But many of us dedicate much of our mental and physical energy into these temporary things, yet give very little thought to the foundation of the world and our sole reason for being here in the first place. Work and rest, enjoying positive and productive activities; all these things are greater when put into context with the true meaning of life and done with God's perspective, and ultimately, used to exalt our Creator.

Am I being a bit too drastic here? Well, how many of us argue and debate with our friends and families about our nation’s politicians and leaders? How many of us align ourselves with a side and cast our votes to them, some even willing to go to war for their nation. Do we show such devotion to God, the Creator of all nations and people? How many of us have made our voice heard or protested for a movement of some kind, yet not for Jesus who willingly sacrificed Himself to give us life? How many of us have spent countless hours on games and sports, following them passionately, yet do not show a fraction of that enthusiasm for God? How about gadgets, cars, clothes, houses and all the various things that we desire to fill our lives with; do we desire the love of God nearly as much as the latest craze? What about the celebrities that many of us idolize and even impersonate? Shouldn't we be trying to impersonate and glorify Jesus?

The hardest part for many of us is getting to that turning point in our life, to that solemn place in our heart and mind where we are willing to let go of ourselves, our desires, and look completely to God for life. Many of us would rather run a mile or turn the T.V on before contemplating such thoughts. The hold that this world has over many of us makes the approach to our Creator impossible with our strength alone.

We are not naturally inclined to love and follow our Creator. Our carnal nature craves what is instantly gratifying. Yet once we come to a better understanding of His character, we will know that it is much easier to love Him than it is to love even ourselves. It is more beneficial for us to follow Him in this temporary life solely for this temporary life's sake, let alone for the eternal rewards that will follow. But the world has deceived many of us into thinking differently.

We may achieve and attain certain things in this short life of ours; we may even think that we are good, respectable people. But the truth is that none of us have done anything to deserve this short life we have now, let alone everlasting life. It is all a free gift, a free gift that many of us are throwing away and replacing with temporary things that will fade away.

The choices of life

Who of us have been given any choice in the time and place we were born? How about our gender at birth? Or our general appearance or skin color? Who has chosen their biological family? None of us have had any choice in these fundamental, life defining facts, yet some of us seem to behave as though we have; like those who are proud of their nationality, ethnic origin or skin color.

There are so many variables to life that are beyond our control, yet many of us fight so hard for them. But that which is totally within our grasp, many of us invest very little, or no time. Of course we should do the best we can with the life that has been freely given to us. Yet much of what we may achieve in this world will largely be due to circumstances that are beyond our control.

Many of us are so proud to associate ourselves with people of this world, whether it is our children or parents, friends or family, celebrities or colleagues, those who are wealthy or powerful, educated or talented. But who is like God? How much more then should we celebrate our association with the One who gave us life and created the universe?

Striving for independence, justice and liberty against all the various kinds of oppression in this world is seen by many as the good fight. How much greater then is the fight against the oppression that leads to complete and everlasting death? Those who have acquired much wealth in this world are considered by many to have been successful in this life. How much greater then is the success of those who have acquired infinite riches for eternity, which, unlike worldly riches, are not completely lost after we pass from this life (Matthew 6:19-21)? And why struggle to be accepted and admired by society, if only to be rejected and forgotten about when old? Surely there is only one good fight in this life; the good fight for a good life with our Creator.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

The meaning of life

The greatest of men and women will all die, and if they have not inherited the gift of eternal life by their Creator, they will have absolutely nothing when they do (Ecclesiastes 5:15, 1 Timothy 6:7). So many of us think that we are something special, that we can make a change, that we know the right way, that we have what it takes. Even if we do have any special gifts or natural talents, they have been freely given to us by our Creator. But if we die without God then it is all for nothing. Even the little we have now will be taken from us (Matthew 25:29). As one man wisely said, everything is meaningless without God (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,

and as everyone comes, so they depart.

They take nothing from their toil

that they can carry in their hands. Ecclesiastes 5:15

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 1 Timothy 6:7

For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Matthew 25:29

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14

As written in the bible, Solomon, the son of David, had great wisdom and understanding. He starts his message at the beginning of the book of Ecclesiastes:

"Meaningless! Meaningless!"

says the Teacher.

"Utterly meaningless!

Everything is meaningless." Ecclesiastes 1:2

After Solomon examines life in greater detail and finding it all to be meaningless in the grand scheme of things, he concludes at the very end of Ecclesiastes:

Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole duty of man.

For God will bring every deed into judgement,

including every hidden thing,

whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Our common journey

Most people have lived or will live an average life compared to the tiny fraction that achieve great fame, fortune or any other misleading aspiration of this world. That average will vary depending on where and when they were born. For many that average is poverty. Regardless of our journey, our physical body ends up back in the earth as dust.

What kind of life could a soul entering this world today expect? If they are fortunate they may be born and raised in one of our more peaceful and prosperous nations, with at least one parent who loves and nurtures them as they grow. Eventually, they could expect to start their education and then move on to a career that may give them a reasonable standard of living. They may find a partner and a place of their own to live, and they may have children. During their lifetime they may have many dreams and aspirations which they may try to fulfill. Eventually, they may watch their children and grandchildren go through similar cycles. Then they pass away and the cycle of life continues.

This is, of course, a very simple and basic synopsis of life and I am not trying to make it sound so mundane. I appreciate that life is much more complicated and deeper than this with many countless variables. However, as followers of Jesus, do we really believe that this is God's plan for creation? That He created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, that He willingly became a man and suffered horribly at our own hands, just so that we can follow our own short-lived paths and completely ignore our Creator and eternity?

Are the world's luxuries so comfortable that we are willing to let go of the blissful eternity that we have been called to? Are the world’s leaders truly looking out for us, do they really have our best interests at heart? And if they did, are they really able to provide? Do celebrities, T.V programs, movies, fiction/fantasy stories and computer games really offer us anything more than a temporary means of escapism and disconnection to our own reality? Has the daily grind and struggle that many go through made us forget that this life is not just about our own short-lived choices? Have we forgotten that there is an infinitely greater purpose for all of us?

We are constantly bombarded by various forms of media, all of which is leading many of us astray. I remember once reading somewhere, 'We want many things in life, but what do we really need?' Essentially, for physical survival, we need only water, food, air and maybe some clothing. Anything else is a bonus, or maybe, a curse. But how many of us would be content with just those things? We might be surprised to find how content we would actually be with just those basic necessities. However, for overflowing, abundant and everlasting life, we only need God.

God or the world?

We often feel as though we have no space for God in our lives as we have bills to pay, things to fix, people to impress, games to play, things to acquire, money to gain and everything to lose. We should thoroughly examine our heart and mind and re-evaluate what we truly want from life in the grand scheme of things. We must thoughtfully consider who we want to be as a person and where we want to be for the eternity that follows. For those with a strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, these questions are answered in full. If we release our tight grip on this world and its many things, we can hold onto the hope of a full, rich life with our Creator in the age to come. But if we try to hold onto eternity and this world, both will fall out of our hands (Luke 12:18-21, Matthew 6:24, Mark 8:36).

Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. Luke 12:18-21

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36

Some may think that God and eternity seems so distant, that we can consider our walk with God at some later point in time. Just like when we are children, adulthood can seem so far away, yet inevitably it does come, and much sooner than we realize. 'I have more important things to do now than to talk to God, He understands'. 'God knows I am not a bad person, I will be okay'. 'I pray all the time to God for what I want, He doesn't answer me'. This is not a relationship with God!

If we believe that we have all the answers, that the world has everything we need, we will eventually come to the dreadful realization that our only inevitable outcome will be death, as this is all that the world really has to offer us in the end. Maybe it would help If we were visit one of our many, overflowing cemeteries to remind ourselves that those who lay there now in their graves were once just like us, with eternity in their hearts. Their time inevitably came; ours will come just as surely.

I know that some of us need a sign to remind us just how real Jesus Christ is. It is completely understandable to have doubts and questions about our Creator and His ways. God loves when we show an interest to try and understand Him, just as it would please any father to see his children show an interest in him. In my weakness and lack of faith, God showed me many things as I pressed into Him. He delivered so much more than I could ever deserve. And who am I that the Creator of the everything should show me anything?

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

Chapter 4

In the image of God

Every tree produces fruit in keeping with its kind (Luke 6:43-44). An orange tree produces oranges. Each animal gives birth to its own kind. Our biological parents gave birth to our physical body in their image, and God created our inner being in His image, as God is not flesh, but Spirit (John 4:24). Our physical body is just a temporary housing of something far greater than anything found on the earth, even the earth itself. And it is this inner being of ours that God is searching (John 6:63, Jeremiah 17:10, 1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 44:20-21, Chronicles 28:9).

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. Luke 6:43-44

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. John 4:24

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. John 6:63

I the LORD search the heart

and examine the mind,

to reward a man according to his conduct,

according to what his deeds deserve. Jeremiah 17:10

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

If we had forgotten the name of our God

or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

would not God have discovered it,

since he knows the secrets of the heart? Psalm 44:20-21

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. 1 Chronicles 28:9

We may be made in the image of God, but only Jesus is an exact representation of God's holy image, which we are also intended to be (Colossians 1:15, 1 Peter 1:16).

He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God. Colossians 1:15

For it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16

We are capable of such wonderful things, but also great evil. We laugh and cry. We bless and curse. We make friends and enemies. We create and destroy. We give and take. We kiss, hug and love. We shout, fight and argue. We write stories and songs, create paintings and sculptures. We form kingdoms and nations. We tame animals, make them pets and give them names. We design our clothes and change our hair styles. We bring our imaginations to life in films and games. We examine life in all its forms and explore life in all its ways. We have shaped the whole face of the planet and we dominate it. We even question our own existence.

We are capable of all these things and so much more because we are created in the image of God. Do not be deceived and believe that we evolved from apes and single cell life forms. Life, the world and the universe did not happen by some wonderful accident. Everything is evidence of our Creator (Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20). If we are to doubt anything it should be ourselves, as it is we who are not true, even to ourselves.

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2

Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:19-20

Erroneous worldly teaching is leading many into a false sense of security. Many passionately study and search the universe, the earth, our DNA, atoms and the dead remains of fossils for clues as to our existence, yet Jesus is passionately knocking on the door of our heart and mind, trying to lead us to our very Creator (Luke 17:20-21, Ezekiel 12:2).

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21

Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people. Ezekiel 12:2

I used to be a strong proponent for the scientific approach and I believed that science could explain everything, eventually. There is nothing wrong with science, but the truth belongs to God. With just one word our Creator can change all the natural laws of our universe, which He Himself fashioned with His own hands. And for those of us who believe in them, miracles are just such times when these laws are changed. We can learn much from our study of creation and the numbers do not lie, but we are not calculators and there is much that science will never be able to explain to us. If we really want to know the whole truth - let's search for the Creator Himself.

Everything in existence has been made by God for a purpose, and everything is following that purpose, except us. Our inner being, created in God's own image, is a gift so precious, so powerful and so glorious, that even the angels of God look at us in wonder. Many are completely oblivious of their gift, forcefully kept in the darkness to this truth. Our God given life is the most precious thing in the entire universe, and because it is so precious, God is searching for those who use their gift for good, for love, for God.

The garden of our heart, the book of our mind

Our heart and mind can be compared to a garden. As the gardener, we can plant and grow anything we like, nothing at all, or just let it grow wild. We can grant access to anyone or anything, even to take up residence. Some may break in or enter deceitfully. Many who enter will try to plant their own seeds, or attempt to destroy that which already grows. But this garden is ours to maintain and we can do whatever we wish with it, even destroy it. However, we only get one of these gardens that is our heart and mind, spirit and soul.

If we could visualize our heart and mind as a garden, how would it look? Would it be wild and out of control? Would it be dry and desolate? Have we neglected our garden? Have some forcefully or deceivingly entered and caused damage? Is it overrun with weeds which hinder anything good that tries to grow? Or, would it be full of life and good fruit that we, and any who may visit, could eat and be nourished? Does the river of life run through your garden (John 7:37-38)?

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. John 7:37-38

Our heart and mind can also be compared to a damaged, yet priceless book. Our book can be written in by anyone or anything. As the main author of our book, we can accept, deny or erase anything that is written, whether by ourselves or by another. We can re-arrange its contents, set the chapters, prioritize, illustrate, index and even give it a main title. This book is ours to edit however we wish, we can even destroy it. However, we only get one of these books that is our heart and mind, spirit and soul.

The contents of our book are being constantly and carefully observed by the book’s Creator. At the end of our story, He will read and examine every page, word and letter in great detail with us. Not even a full stop or comma will go unnoticed by Him. If our damaged, yet priceless book is a story of love, He will fully repair all the damage, and only then, will our life story truly begin.

Even though we are given to be the author of our heart and mind, there may be several or even many thousands of authors writing in our book. Yet Jesus, who is the only Author of life, should be the sole author writing in our heart and mind.

All the media we are exposed to, our education, family or friends, any books we read, movies we watch, songs we hear, absolutely anything we see, hear, smell, taste or touch; all can influence us and leave its mark. Our heart and mind, if left unguarded, is an open book for any to write on. The greatest influences for many of us may not be any of the above, but the carnal desires of our own body.

The battle within

The greatest battles in earth's history are not those fought with guns and swords, but those within our heart and mind. These internal conflicts shape the world we live in, and ultimately, our eternal outcome. The only true ally we have in this internal battle is Jesus, and only with Him can we win.

Those who fight by His side do so with the armor of humility and faith, with weapons of love and truth (Ephesians 6:10-18). And because Jesus has already won this war, His peace will be with us if we are by His side. And with such fruits we can know which side we are actually on.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:10-18

Many of us would seem to be opposed to wrong-doing due to the conscience that our Creator has given us. Those who are out to deceive us and even our own heart, will try to disguise and justify our wrong ways, even to make them look right. The enemies’ lies can often be recognized by the trails they leave behind; pride, selfishness, a sense of ego. These are only a few of the destructive weapons in their arsenal.

The voice inside us, the voice which is reading these words right now; from the beginning of our life this voice is with us, and is us - our word. Do we ever stop to listen to that other quieter and gentle voice, that tries to lead us in the way that may seem narrower and harder, yet brighter and full of love (Matthew 7:13-14)?

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14

When I was a child, I remember watching in various films and cartoon animations, the human conscience being portrayed by animated angelic and demonic beings. Each would be hanging over the shoulders of someone having a moral dilemma. Both would be constantly trying to sway that person to their way of thinking. The angelic being would be trying to influence for the good, wiser, but nearly always less carnally gratifying decision. While the demonic being appealing more to the carnal, instinctual and instantly gratifying action, regardless of any moral conduct. Which voice in our conscience is the stronger? Which do we entertain? Which usually wins?

Jesus constantly calls out to us through our heart and mind, our conscience, to follow ways that are good, full of light and truth. Yet Christ's gentle voice seems to have been diminished to a faint whisper for many of us. Some of us only obey Him when it is easy or convenient to, or when some other secret agenda is leading us; maybe to impress others, to receive praise, or any other deceitful purpose.

The enemy wants us to believe that our wrong ways are acceptable, and because so much of the world today follows ways that are contrary to God's, it will appear acceptable and even correct to do the wrong thing. Yet through that gentle voice inside us, Jesus is patiently calling out to us. Those of us who belong to him will eventually recognize His voice, turn around and follow Him (John 10:27).

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

The fruit of our love

In Matthew 22:37-40, we are told to love God with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our strength. Those who love a particular game or sport spend much time participating and watching it. Those who love money spend much time thinking about ways to acquire more of it and how to spend it. Those who love lustful ways spend much time pursuing them. Those who love philosophy will spend time philosophizing. Those who love celebrities spend much time idolizing them. Some love their partner, family or friends, and spend much time showing that love. Some do not love much, and it shows. Whatever we love in life will show in some way.

Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'  Matthew 22:37-39

How much does our love for God show? If we truly love Him we would want to talk to Him and to tell others about Him. We would want to learn everything we can about Him. Not because we have to, but because we are driven by the joy of our love. Does our daily life show any love towards God, our Father?

A deceiving world

I think it is fair to say that this world has lost sight of its Creator. As a result, if the majority are deceived then many more will conform; some out of fear, some to be accepted, some because they cannot see any other way. By striving to be a follower of Jesus and to spread His message of hope, we may then be seen by many as a minority, as people who are naive, deluded or even extreme. The deceiver and the world will then offer us their misleading ways, masking it with plenty of make-up and worldly intelligence to make it look attractive, convincing us that many are going their way. If we were to honestly ask ourselves who it is that we actually follow; Jesus or the world, which would it be? And if your answer is neither Jesus nor the world, but yourself – then it is the world you follow.

I used to love and follow the things of this world. I was blind, deceived into living a lifestyle that is now normal and even expected from a young man in many parts of the world. A lifestyle filled with drugs, lust, materialism, social status and vanity. I was so engrossed with the things of this world that I was oblivious to the true reality of life.

Some of us may argue that we never really engaged in any obvious or excessive negative activities, that inside we are clean and deserving of life. Let’s not deceive ourselves. God sees to the very core of our heart and mind. God knows every motive, every thought and the true reason for every action of ours. There is no escaping the true color of our soul to His eyes. Compared to Him, we are all as dark as the pitch black night.

Many of us unknowingly believe in lies. Lies that are convincingly sold to us, and we are paying dearly for them. Our heart and mind is being pulled here and there. Which paths do we choose? Too often it is the worldly paths of material wealth, social acceptance and human achievements. However, God has set eternity in our hearts and only He is able to offer us eternity, nothing else will ever truly fulfill (John 4:13-14, Ecclesiastes 1:8).

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

All things are wearisome,

more than one can say.

The eye never has enough of seeing,

nor the ear its fill of hearing. Ecclesiastes 1:8

Our gift of life

The kingdom of God is all that we could ever want and so much more. It is peace in abundance, it is a joy that is overflowing, it is a love that is totally selfless, it is a purpose that leaves everything else meaningless, it is a glory that makes all the world's achievements seem petty, and it is a freedom that makes even the birds of the air seem like slaves. In Luke 17:20-21, Jesus tells us that this kingdom of God can be found within us, yet many of us have been deceived into looking outwards.

We must seek a complete change of heart and mind, be refreshed and renewed in spirit and turn wholeheartedly towards our loving Creator. The sooner we start the sooner we will be set free and we will find a real, unshakable peace that cannot be found anywhere in this world. You do not have to believe me or anyone else, only Jesus. He will answer you if you sincerely want to know Him. No matter what condition you are in, whoever you are, Jesus will meet you wherever you are.

Can we honestly say to ourselves that we have sincerely tried to have a relationship with God? How much physical and mental energy have we invested into worldly things, and how much more is God than worldly things? For thousands of years God has patiently and consistently worked with each and everyone one of us for our own eternal good, never giving up. We cannot then give Him a few brief, halfhearted moments here and there and expect to see results.

We can be confident in giving our heart to God because we are the very thing He loves! It does not matter how terrible we may think we are, how dark and painful our past may have been. There is absolutely nothing we can do that will make God love us any less. He sat and ate with sinners. He willingly died for the worst of us. Weak, poor, lonely, ill, depressed, oppressed or anything else, it doesn’t matter at all to Him. Our inner being is unfathomably precious, an indescribably beautiful thing. We are capable of such wonderful things that, at this present time, we cannot yet fathom our true potential with our Creator (1 John 3:2, Psalm 139:13-14).

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

Chapter 5

Jesus, the cross and sin

God is The Good Father. He disciplines us because we are His children (Hebrews 12:5-11, 1 Corinthians 11:32). If God overlooked our wrong, destructive ways, and even allowed them to continue into eternity - would we respect such a father? Would we want to follow such a god?

And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:4-11

When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32

If a father permitted his children to sin, however small, then he himself is at fault and his children will suffer, as sin is the cause of the suffering. Sin is not just an old biblical term that has no relevance to us today. All the pain and suffering we see in the world is the result of our sins. God is simply pleading with us to leave this self-destructive path.

Sin, however small it may seem, leads to destruction. Whether it is a slow deterioration of the heart and mind or of a more immediate destructive effect; the consequences are very real. All the good things that our Creator wants to share with us would be ruined if we continued sinning.

Many of us have been blinded to just how serious sin is. Some of us take a lighthearted approach to it, even thinking that it is acceptable and 'cool'. But sin is so serious and so devastating that God tells us in Ezekiel 18:4 and Romans 6:23 that ‘the soul that sins shall die’ and ‘the wages of sin is death’.

Before Christ, various sacrifices were offered to God in order to make atonement for sins. Animals, such as lambs and goats, were often used in these offerings. They were a very valuable commodity of those times and often the main source of the people's livelihood (as they still are in some parts of the world). This would serve to show the sincerity of the repentance, that they would willingly sacrifice something of great value to them. The barbaric and bloody nature of an animal sacrifice would help to reveal the severity of sins consequences and be a deterrent from continuing on the same path. The sacrifice also had to be perfect, without defect and undeserving of death, which, among other things, symbolized how that it is the innocent that suffer horribly for our wrong-doing, that innocence and perfection are destroyed because of our sins. And even more importantly, those offerings were a shadow of a spiritual truth, a sign to God's people of the great sacrifice that God would soon make Himself through the body of Jesus; the sacrifice to pay for all our sins once and for all.

Some may think it is out of character for such a loving God to accept something as seemingly barbaric as an animal sacrifice, even though most of us do not hesitate for a moment to eat a slaughtered chicken, lamb, pig or cow, in order to satisfy our hunger for just a few hours. The truth is that God never wanted any sacrifices, but neither does He want us to die because of our sins (Ezekiel 33:11, Isaiah 1:11, Matthew 9:13, Psalm 51:16-17). Yet our sins cannot be so easily discarded, as they have very real and lasting consequences. So something had to be done in order to free us from the eternal consequence of sin and bridge that gap between us in our sinful nature, and our Creator who is calling us to a sinless life.

Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?' Ezekiel 33:11

"The multitude of your sacrifices - what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.” Isaiah 1:11

But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:13

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17

The bible tells us that only by the shedding of blood can something be made clean and forgiven (Hebrews 9:22). This is because sin, which is the cause of this spiritual uncleanliness, has only one result, one payment – death. Sin is a destroyer, a liar, a thief, a murderer, an adulterer, a bully, a tyrant, greedy, selfish, angry and hateful - all things which destroy. So Sin leads to death. Death is signified by the shedding of blood. Blood symbolizes life. And Jesus Christ's shed blood gives us back our life (Matthew 26:28, John 3:16).

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:28

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Many of us have become resilient in hearing of the greatest sacrificial act ever, when Jesus was crucified on that cross. Its significance has lost its impact for many of us. But this takes nothing away from the true reality of this incredible act of love. Jesus willingly offered His own life, and not just a few weeks, months or years, but the whole thirty three years of His life in the flesh, devoting it to a single cause; our salvation, which led Him to an excruciating and humiliating death.

If we truly believe that Jesus died for our sins, we will then accept that we are sinners. If we truly decide to follow Jesus, we will then reject our sinful nature. And so our sins are no longer held against us; not because we are now good and perfect, but because we now truly believe in and follow that which is good and perfect. We are now a new person! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our Father is then justified in forgiving all our sins.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

God's character

A good father, while teaching his children to live in love and seeing that they are sincerely trying to follow his guidance and do what is right, will not hold any of their shortcomings against them, no matter how many times they might fall. Because his children are faithful and value his teachings, he will gladly share and give all that he has to his children. The children already have an inheritance then, not because of their achievements, but because of their fathers love for them. This is how it is for us who follow Jesus and love God. Our eternal inheritance is secured solely because of our Father’s love for us, not because of anything we can actually do, except to make that crucial decision to follow Him.

I want to remind us just how fortunate we really are, that our Creator is the way that He is, that His character is that of love, justice and forgiveness. Those of us who are still in the infancy of our faith can have the utmost confidence going forward that our Father is perfect, loving and worthy of all our praise and adoration. Our Father is gathering His family in this age for a life that is beyond anything that we can comprehend in the next age.

Should we follow the commands of Christ? Yes. Are we then saved by our good works and obeying His commands? No. We are saved by His love for us. So we continue in His same spirit of love, striving to obey all His commands because of our love for Him (John 14:15, John 14:23, John 15:17). Following His commands only has merit if it is done with faith and love, as this is how we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith and love in Jesus Christ will lead us to obedience and good works in His name, which is the fruit of our salvation. If there is no fruit, there cannot be salvation.

If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:15

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23

This is my command: Love each other. John 15:17

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Chapter 6

Why so much suffering?

Some question why God permits so much pain and suffering in the world. Why not just create a perfect world from the beginning? Well, that is exactly what God did. Everything was created perfect. Pain and suffering in our world did not exist until man was introduced. Adam and Eve had the freedom that is naturally inherited by being a child of God, to do as they wanted, just as we do. And with that freedom they chose to disobey God, just as we do. With these first acts of disobedience came a knowledge that previously did not exist for them in their initial innocence. A knowledge that made them conscious of a sinful and destructive path that deceivingly led them away from God and eternal life. Death, pain and suffering entered the world. Life, given to us by God, and death, rewarded to us by our sin. Such a profound shift in creation changed the very nature of creation itself. Even the laws of nature changed to reflect this disastrous change, as the physical world we inhabit is a representation of the spiritual reality; which is the real and true existence and nature of our being.

It is similar to our own childhood; when we are babies we are not yet fully conscious of good and evil and our innocence is retained. When we become old enough to understand our parent's commands and they forbid us to do something, but we do it anyway, we act in disobedience. When we first start to disobey our parent’s we learn what is, according to our parents, right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable, or in Adam and Eve's case with God, good and evil. Once we move away from innocence into the knowledge of what is right and wrong, good and evil, the knowledge remains with us and innocence is lost. We bring this knowledge of good and evil into our own world. Or in Adam and Eve's case with God, the whole world.

Adam and Eve in the story of Genesis represent all of mankind. We all disobey God. We do it willingly even without deception. We are all guilty of Adam and Eve's disobedience. Their story is our story. All the pain and suffering in the world is completely contributed by our own actions, not because God created it to be this way.

We may then question why God didn't create life without the possibility of sin. Why not create a world where death, pain, suffering and evil could not exist? Well, quite simply, He is going to. This is God's plan (Revelation 21:1-5). However, we are His children and we have the freedom to choose which path we take. Would we respect and willingly follow a father who gave us no choice? So God has not made us like good mechanical machines that only follow preset instructions, as if He did we would not then be His children made in His image. And if we were not His children we would not have the temporary life that we have now, let alone the choice of eternal life. But we are God’s children and we have the freedom to choose, and God is now gathering His eternal family for those who so choose. Then we will see a new creation that will be completely absent of any sin, death, pain or suffering, forever.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Revelation 21:1-5

Did we earn the right to have life that we should demand anything from our Creator? (Romans 11:34-36). But with Jesus we have a real hope for an infinitely better future. Do we thank God for this? Do we believe it? Or does He exist only to be ignored and/or blamed for the wrong we may see, but not to be followed and praised for all the good He alone created? Who is it then that is unjust and unfair? He who died for us, or we who live for ourselves?

Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been his counsellor?"

"Who has ever given to God,

that God should repay him?"

For from him and through him and to him are all things. Romans 11:34-36

In the bible, there are many events that could be described as natural disasters; famines, droughts, earthquakes, floods, diseases etc. All of them were attributed to man's constant, unrepentant sin, and every single one worked for the greater, everlasting good of those who loved God (Romans 8:28). Yet some of us still question God when we witness a natural disaster or some other unfortunate event. These disasters that we call 'natural' are not natural at all, they are sinfully unnatural and a physical representation of a spiritual truth; that we are constantly going against our Creator and following self-destructive paths.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

We rarely look at the whole picture of life because we are usually too busy looking at our own, and so, we see only a tiny fraction of the whole truth, if any at all. We will not know the reasons for everything now; neither do we have the wisdom of God to understand. Regardless, God is the most fair and just. All the worlds courts and judges, all the educated, all the world’s leaders, all who have ever lived and ever will, would never come to a more fairer or just decision than the Creator of all things. Do we believe this? Or do we believe that we know better? We who did not create anything and cannot see what even tomorrow brings for us.

The body of Christ

Some of us are deterred in our walk towards God because of the negativity surrounding many of today's churches and religion. Depending on where we look, the world and its history can portray the church and religion in a bad light. It is easy to be confused from the countless Christian denominations, each one proclaiming to hold the truth. But we do not need to be deterred by any of this. We must not follow any man, denomination, church or religion - only Jesus Christ.

The truth is that none of our churches hold the whole truth, only Jesus does. Religion cannot save us, only Jesus can. Religious activity does not lead us closer to God, love and faith does. God is not a religion, He is our Creator. And following Jesus does not make us religious; it makes us children of God.

Followers of Jesus can be found in many Christian denominations, across every nation and people. Those who love and obey Jesus and follow Him; these are the true church. Only Jesus' body was broken for our salvation, so unless we are really following Him, we are in no church at all regardless of our denomination or how many times we may visit a church building.

We must not confine our relationship and worship of God to these buildings that we call churches. The church should be active in the streets, fields, prisons, workplaces and homes; anywhere and everywhere.

Only Jesus Christ alone can save us (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 5:23). No religious artifacts, no church leaders, no saints, men or women, dead or alive, can save us. Even if every righteous man and woman who ever lived, including Enoch, Noah, Job, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, Daniel, the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, the apostles Paul, John and Peter – all these righteous children of God combined could not save even one hair on our head. Nothing but the blood of Jesus alone will cleanse us.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Ephesians 5:23

There are many who consider other Christians who are not part of their own church or denomination as not real or proper Christians. Or they may consider them not fully enlightened, still in the dark, misled or deceived. This is often the spirit of religion at work, which divides and destroys, which works to the enemies advantage. Yet in the same light there are some teachings and practices in many Christian churches that are damaging people's relationship with God, even leading them away from Him. And there are some church leaders who are just outright stealing from people by using the name of Jesus. Unfortunately, our churches and those of us who call ourselves Christians are not immune to greed and every other act of ungodliness, so it is for these reasons that it is imperative for us to stay close to Jesus alone. We must always be asking Him to give us wisdom to see, protect and guide us. No church leader or denomination will save us, only Jesus will. No one who sincerely seeks God will be ignored by Him just because of their denomination, nationality or race. God does not show partiality or favoritism as we are all His creation (Acts 10:34-35).

Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Acts 10:34-35

I am not trying to discredit any of God's chosen men and women, but rather, to focus all the glory on the One who deserves all of the glory – Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the bible are we told to pray to anyone other than to our Father in heaven. We can be confident that He is hearing us loud and clearly, that there is no need for any intercessor other than Jesus Christ (1 John 5:14-15, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 7:25). It is only to the deceiver's advantage that we slowly start to take our eyes off Jesus, who is the only one who can actually save us. The deceiver will make that lie grow until we end up focusing on everyone else but Jesus. The deceiver may give us ninety-nine truths to tell us that one lie that may cause us to fall away from the whole truth.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him.  1 John 5:14-15

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Hebrews 7:25

It is good for us to gather with our brothers and sisters in the faith so that we can hear and be edified in the Word of God. To gain wisdom, understanding and share revelations. To pray and heal. To encourage and be encouraged. To help others in whatever way is needed and most importantly, to worship God. However, we can gather with other Christian’s everyday of our life and still not know Jesus. Some churches may even hinder our walk with God. So unless we have a personal relationship with God and follow and obey Jesus, we will not inherit His gift of eternal life.

There are many religious practices that are man-made traditions, often influenced by certain cultures, some even having pagan origins. There are always new Christian denominations arising, claiming to have new revelations of God's truth. These different denominations and religious practices often leave many still searching for the presence of God in their life. Religion that God searches for is the kind that leads us to love others and do what is right and good (James 1:26-27). If we do anything for God genuinely, even if we are honestly misguided, He will see our heart and be moved.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:26-27

There are many interpretations and theoretical differences that separate the church and there are many issues concerning the churches that should be addressed. We pray for those who are unknowingly led in false churches to come out of them. There is only one truth and I do not want to separate us from that truth, but rather, unite us in heart and mind with Jesus Christ who is that truth. God’s people are beautiful people because He lives in and through them. Otherwise, we are in the wrong church.

I do not write these things to incite any kind of negative feeling towards religious followers or any Christian denomination. However, I am against the division of Christ's church and the damage it does to God's people. If the church we associate with produces good fruit in accordance with the teaching of Jesus Christ, and if practicing any religious activity helps us in our walk of faith, then by all means we should continue. There are many religious traditions that can help some to focus and meditate on Jesus, and this is definitely a good thing. However, I mention these things only because I know that there are many who are confused and deterred by our denominational divisions. This is completely understandable because these divisions do not represent Jesus. But we do not need to look at any man, denomination, church or religion - only at Jesus Christ.

What about those who have never heard of Jesus?

There are no excuses for anyone, even for those who have never heard of Jesus. We will all be judged according to the life we live (2 Corinthians 5:10). We have all been made in the likeness of God, with the knowledge of right and wrong. And God is constantly calling out to us through this conscience to lead us away from sin. Those who listen and follow that gentle voice know Jesus, even if they have never heard of Him.

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

If we are led by genuine, selfless love, we are being led by the Spirit that comes from God (1 John 4:7-8). Comforting and helping those in need, giving to those who are without, doing whatever is right, however big or small; if we do these things then we know Christ and He knows us, regardless of what we may or may not know (Matthew 25:34-40). Those of us who have heard of the good news of Jesus will be judged more strictly, as we have been shown the truth plainly. To who much is given, much is expected (Luke 12:47-48, James 3:1).

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:47-48

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1

In Luke 10:30-37, Jesus tells us the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this particular parable, the priest and Levite, who in those times were generally considered the most religious and understanding of God and His ways, did not help the man in need. But the Samaritan, who were a people considered by the Jews to not fully know about God, actually did the right thing and helped the wounded man (Luke 10:30-37). And in this case we can see that even a man who may not fully know about God, can still do the right thing in God’s eyes, which will lead him to salvation.

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise. Luke 10:30-37

God will not judge us harshly on what we do not know. We must not forget that He is on our side. But we cannot willingly choose ignorance as a means of escape. Even if we have never heard of Jesus, He is still the only way to God, as it is only by living in His way, by His truth and with His life and death that we can ever hope to come before God (John 14:6). He has given all of us everything we need in order to do what is right and good. Christ will judge the life that we live with the knowledge that we have, not the life we do not live and the knowledge we do not have.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Our questions, God's answers

There are many questions we can have regarding our Creator and the way things are. I would love to know the answers to them all, but I still have much that I do not understand myself and am learning all the time. However, I point to the One who is the truth - Jesus Christ.

What child does not have questions for his father? In good time, with maturity, we will understand much more. We should all be asking our Creator questions as He is the only one with all the answers. We will grow and receive understanding if our heart is humble and sincere in its pursuit of the truth. Sometimes we will receive revelations when we least expect it, from who we least expect it, in the way we least expect it. And sometimes it will come to us through the more obvious channels; such as praying, reading the bible and Christian fellowship and study.

A good father will refuse his son if he comes to him with selfish motives, asking for the keys to the family business. The father refuses for the good of the son and the family business, not because he does not love his son. The good father will continue to teach and guide his son and wait eagerly until he is ready.

We may lie and deceive ourselves but we can never deceive God. We cannot approach our Father with apathy or selfish motives and expect to see results. We must be genuine when we press into our heavenly Father. With patience, persistence and sincerity, He will show us all things in His correct timing.

Our greatest lessons, the building of our faith and the majority of our understanding and wisdom will come through the trials and hardships of our life’s experiences. Through the fire we are refined (1 Peter 1:6-8).

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-8

Chapter 7

Walking with God

If someone calls themselves a doctor but knows nothing about the body, they are not a doctor. Can anyone call themselves a teacher and never teach anything? Do we call someone a veteran soldier who has never fought in a war? How can we then say that we are Christians without actually following Christ?

Even though this may seem obvious, it does not seem to be evident to all that a follower of Christ must indeed have strong faith in God, putting into action love towards God and others. Telling others of our joy and faith in the One who saves us. Striving to imitate Jesus in every way so that His peace and joy would be evident to all around us. Our everyday lives should be a testimony to all that we are indeed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we were to take away our church buildings, Christian friends, bibles, icons, crucifixes, religious practices and ceremonies; what would be left in our life to identify us to Christ? If our everyday life does not bear fruit that comes from following Jesus, then we are not a Christian, regardless of what we call ourselves.

Our knowledge of scripture will not save us (John 5:39-40). The cross we wear around our neck will not save us. Our occasional or even frequent visit to church buildings will not save us. Filling our homes with icons and crosses will not save us. Studying theology and interpretations and biblical history will not save us.

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39-40

Why are you reading this book? What did you expect to find? Did you have preconceived ideas before reading this as to what a relationship with God should look like? Do some parts clash with what you had in mind? Have you already come to a conclusion? Have any of the words in this book touched your heart? Would you allow them to? Or are they being intentionally misinterpreted? Has your own personal understanding, which may have been influenced by a long history of culture, upbringing, religion, secular teaching or personal study, closed your mind to anything other than what you want to believe in and are comfortable with already? Are you trying to convince yourself that your walk with God is already where it should be? Is your heart truly open to the whole truth of our wonderful Creator, even though it may disagree with your current lifestyle and beliefs? We must question with complete objectivity our heart's motives in all that we do, especially when we are contemplating things of God.

Many, if not all, will be tempted as soon as this book is put down (and any book that points to Jesus) to disregard every word that has been read. Many of us would sooner question another person’s integrity before we would question our own. The enemy will come straight away to plant any lie that will make us ignore our own walk with God. But I urge you, ignore me and this book by all means, but please do not ignore God any longer!

We can all have a relationship with God that is as close and as powerful as those found in the bible. A relationship with God is not restricted to a few saints or an elect few. A saint is anyone who truly believes and follows Christ. Our relationship with Him is restricted only by our faith and love.

We can talk to our Creator at any time and in any situation. From the moment we wake, while we eat, on the way to work, at work, in our free time, when we play, when we rest, when we cook, when we clean, with friends or family, just before we sleep and even while we are on the toilet, absolutely anywhere. The conversations we have with Him are not just one way; we should expect to hear from Him too. But we have to listen to that gentle voice that leads us in truth.

We should share all our thoughts and feelings with our Father. When we are angry we can talk to Him and we will feel His peace come to us. When we are happy we can share our joy with Him and we will feel His smile in our hearts. When we are unhappy we can confide in Him and we will see how He will turn it around for the good. We can talk with God about the simplest or the deepest things in life, even the deep things of God Himself (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:10-14

As we grow in Christ His Holy Spirit will guide us and give us understanding. He will lead us in our thoughts and emotions. We will not want to live without feeling the presence of God once we get a taste of Him. The absence of His Spirit will leave a dark, empty feeling in our life. Life will even seem boring without Him.

As children we often ask our parents questions that we cannot understand the answers too, even when explained in detail. Likewise, we must have faith that when we are able and the time is correct, all things will be revealed to us.

We will have many ups and downs on our journey, just like those in the scriptures did. But by God’s grace their faith kept them on the good and right path. We must also make sure that our love and faith is strong, so that we stay close to God throughout the good times and the bad. There will be some days where we will feel distant to God, but He is with us every single moment, every single day, and even right now as you are reading this (Hebrews 13:8, Matthew 28:20).

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

And remember, I am with you always, until the end of the age. Matthew 28:20

Every child will fall as it learns to walk. As we grow we will find our feet and eventually start to run. We all start off as infants in Christ, but with faith and God's guiding love, He will eventually make us great athletes in the spirit. But we must stay in the race if we are to win.

Our Creator has a plan for each and everyone one of us. You and I are called to be in His will. But we can only know His plan for our life if we let His Spirit guide us. When we spend time talking to God, reading and hearing His Word, by spending quality time in our heart and in all faithful activities; we will start to hear His spiritual voice and calling. We will realize that any fortunate circumstances, special abilities or gifts that we may have are there to be used for the greater good, for the good fight, for the calling that leads to everything that is good.

God's story of love for mankind did not end after Christ was resurrected or after the book of Revelation; it continues for eternity and we are all invited to be a part of it. Do not think that God has forgotten the world and that the 4000 or so years that is covered in the bible is the only time that God visibly or miraculously acted. He is moving in great signs and wonders this very moment, and if we saw just how much we would all fall down on our faces in humility and awe.

Having a relationship with God is vital! This relationship must be real and active, with evidence to those around us that we are indeed in a relationship with God. It is a relationship that starts within us, a personal journey that is pursued within our heart and mind, spirit and soul, which in turn produces visible changes in our everyday life. There is never a better time than right now to start, why wait? Any hesitation is a sign to us that our heart is deceiving us, our motives impure.

The deceiver is constantly lying to us, trying to deny us our inheritance with our Father. The only reason for delay is because of sin. Many of us have stored up worldly treasures and invested much time and effort into the things of this world. Many of us still have worldly dreams and aspirations that we want to fulfil, or worldly sins that we don’t really want to let go off. If our heart still longs after worldly things we will not be able to love and follow God. We are all weak and need His help to let go of this world, and He is more than willing to help us if He can see that our heart is humble and sincere, as it is only a humble and sincere heart that is truly willing to change.

A true Christian life is exciting and passionate, with meaning and direction. A real purpose and calling that is good, joyful, worthwhile, fair, just and everlasting. We are now part of the greatest movement in all the universe! There are no families, social groups, games, sports teams, governments, leaders, movements, ideals, ideas, or anything else on earth that compares to God's purpose. There are no celebrities as glorious as Christ and there are no personal ambitions or goals that come close to Christ's reward.

If there are genuine questions and doubts in your heart that prevent you from going forward or if you genuinely struggle with sin or anything else, don’t worry, God really does understand better than anyone how hard it can be for us. Just press into Him and He will deliver. Come exactly as you are and bring all your problems and doubts with you. If you are sincere, God will answer you and give you peace.

Living in the truth

It may take some time for true reality of life to really sink into our heart and mind. We may find it hard to accept the Word of God at first and we will likely put up some resistance as we battle with our carnal nature. The world and the deceiver has put many of us into a deep darkness and many of us are comfortable in our sins. But we must wake up! There is a whole new spiritual truth and life that many of us are totally unaware of. If we continue sleeping we will find ourselves totally unprepared when our last day on this earth comes (1 Thessilonians 5:2-6).

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6

God's Holy Spirit will help guide us back into the light of truth, leaving us with a revelation of the darkness of this world (John 16:13). Slowly but surely we will feel the burdens of the world become lighter. But Jesus did not say that our life here will be easy, on the contrary, there may be many trials ahead. The reward is for those who endure to the end (Revelation 3:21). But all the lies, fears and insecurities we are plagued with will fade away as the peace and joy of God comes to reside in us.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21

It is important that we realize, however, that the deceiver will not let go of us easily. He will fight us even harder when he knows that we are trying to break free from the slavery of sin and walk with God. We will be bombarded with even more temptation and lies when we try to follow Jesus. But we have the most powerful Father in all the universe. We must call on Him often, and we will see His hand on our life.

Can we not feel our soul telling us that something is not right with this world? Can we not hear our conscience constantly calling out to us, telling us to do what is right? We must open our eyes to see and listen with our ears to hear the spiritual truth of life. The truth will amaze us and set us free from the deceiving world we live in (John 8:32).

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

Some people may think that this all just crazy, over-the-top, extreme Christian talk. Some may think that God is just for the occasional Sunday service, weddings, christenings, Easter and Christmas. We may think that we are safe in our casual belief in Christ. Many of us think that we are already good, decent people, with no further need to press into God. The Word of God is very clear regarding halfhearted, casual believers who do not include God in their lives. God should be number one in our life, not number two or three, and for many of us He is not even on our list at all. We were created by Him and for Him, it is the sole reason we have our life (Colossians 1:16).

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Colossians 1:16

Leaving a life of sin

Why postpone knowing and living in truth? Sin. Many of us do not take our walk with God to the next level because of our desire to continue doing wrong things. Many of us know, even though we may not want admit it, that we are involved in sinful ways. But we try to justify and convince ourselves that we are fine as we are. Even our own heart deceives us (Jeremiah 17:9).

The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

Why should we stop going out with our friends, getting drunk and being unholy in all manner of ways, as long as we are not hurting anyone, right? Why should we stop smoking or taking the occasional drug, as long as we are not hurting anyone else, God understands that we mean no harm, doesn't He? There is nothing wrong with a few lustful thoughts, flirting or the occasional fornication; as long as it is all consensual and no one is hurt, right? Why do we need to stop watching sinful things on the T.V and internet? There is nothing wrong with swearing occasionally, is there? God doesn't really expect us to love everyone all the time, does He? Some people have really hurt me in life; I don't really have to forgive them, do I? God knows my heart and He knows that I am not a bad person, doesn’t He? It’s not cool to be a Christian; do I have to tell others that I love and follow Jesus? I can't be bothered to put effort into knowing God, I just want to relax, have fun, watch T.V and play games, but I still believe in God.

I could go on but I think the point is obvious. We constantly lie and deceive ourselves so that we can continue in sin. I was guilty of all of the above and so much more. There are so many excuses that our heart and mind can conjure, and since it is often our own heart and mind that we battle against, we may be biased enough to give in to its lies. Plus the enemy is constantly trying to deceive us and the world only enforces that deception.

If we spend time around people who keep influencing and/or leading us to do the wrong things and they prevent us from progressing with our faith, we must cut them off. If they are true friends they would be willing to hear of our faith in Christ. But if they keep rejecting our walk with God and they try to lead us away from our only true friend - Jesus, then we must cut them off completely (John 15:15, 1 Corinthians 15:33). God is able to bring us through any situation, however hard it may seem to us.

I (Jesus) no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33

We are not talking about perfection here, only God is perfect. But we must strive to be perfect and not remain idle in our walk with God. We have no passport that allows for us to purposely sin, even occasionally, even once.

Our Father has completely forgiven us of every single sin; past, present and future, thought or action; as long as we are truly sorry and sincerely striving to do what is right. He knows better than anyone how we can struggle. It does not matter how many times we fall with sin, as long as we never give up the fight against it. We should always be speaking to our Father about our sinful struggles, confessing them openly to Him, asking Him for help and wisdom. As we grow in Christ we will find that with His strength, not our own, we will overcome our sin. But if we slowly start to lose our focus on Christ, we may find those sinful ways return to us, and if we are not careful, we will find ourselves deeper in those sinful ways than the first time. We must never give up the fight against sin and temptation. We must be totally convicted in our belief that God commands us to stop all sin, however small and insignificant that sin may seem to us (John 8:11, John 5:14). As we mature as Christians, we will find that we will love living righteously, we will love obeying Christ, and we will hate it when we fall to temptation and sin as His Spirit inside convicts us.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:11

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."  John 5:14

The path to freedom

Jesus did not come to give us wealth and luxuries in this temporary life. If we still expect these things then we are not following Christ but our own desires. His gift is much greater than anything the world has to offer. It is a guarantee that we will find true peace and freedom, meaning and purpose, with real riches, glory and power that all come from God and last forever. We must be brave and confident in our faith and loyal to our heavenly Father (2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Timothy 6:11-12).

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12

God understands better than anyone how hard life can be, but in our weakness He is more than capable (2 Corinthians 12:9). God is more than happy to accept us in our most weakest and broken state. In fact, He calls out to us all the more when we are poor and broken in spirit, as we are more likely to be humble and accepting when our pride is deflated. When times are good and we have everything we want, many of us have no need for God, and so many of us only turn to him in times of desperation and despair. For others it may be the opposite; even with wealth and worldly success, they still feel an emptiness inside them that they can’t seem to fill.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

What God offers us is so much greater than this world so we must not think that we are getting a bad deal, quite the opposite! The reward that comes from giving our life to Jesus is far greater than anything on earth, and yet, the real reward is still to come. This reward will come to those who persevere in truth, obedience, humility, faith and love.

Chapter 8

Turn to Jesus!

Right now is the best time and the perfect opportunity for us to dedicate our lives to God. If we have any questions or doubts and need help in any way, we can seek a brother or sister in the faith to help guide us. However, ultimately all that we need comes from God. Everything needed to be victorious is found in Him. We have been given all the tools that we need to turn to Jesus and walk with our God. There are no excuses.

The good news of Jesus is not about wealth or popularity. Neither is it just a successful way to live our daily lives. It is not just some philosophy or a state of mind that will help us be a better person. It is not just some good advice and morals to live by. This is the very truth of life itself! God is very real and He really does love us! Eternity with or without God are the only two real options that are before us in this life. It will happen; there is no escaping this reality.

As a fellow creation I beg you to choose Jesus Christ as your God and Savior. Do not hold anything back or be cautious in coming to Him. Wherever we are and whatever we are doing; we should always be having an active relationship Him, always giving Him thanks and praise. We should place God at the very center of our life.

Many in the western world and other places have become resilient to the good news of Jesus. Our hearts have become hard, poisoned with lies and sin. We have put Jesus on the bookcase and we are leaving Him there to gather dust, maybe only revisiting Him briefly a few times a year, and even then, not spending any real heartfelt time with Him. His life and death, His resurrection, Him taking away all our sins and giving us eternal life; all this has lost its meaning and impact for many of us.

Jesus walked the earth over 2000 years ago, and yet, He is still by far the most influential Man to ever walk this planet. He has shaped the world both by His life and His death and literally as the Creator. He has influenced our laws and morality, our holidays, our calendar and our beliefs. Nearly anywhere we go in the world there is a building raised in His name. The most read book of all time, the bible, is all about Him. He is God. He is the only way, the only truth, and in Him only is there life. He is the One who will judge us. He is the reason why we are here and He is the reason why you are reading this book right now. Yet many of us have completely forgotten about Him.

I am not writing this to try and pressure us into being religious or to visit church buildings more often. I write this to remind us of the good news of life! That our Father in heaven is calling out to us with open arms, wanting to have a real, active and on-going relationship with us daily and forever!

The gospel is called good news for a reason! There is no better news we could ever hear. Jesus has shown us the way to everything that is true. With His life and death He has cleared the way for us to inherit everything that is good. He has revealed to us the Creator, our Father.

Why are we permitting the deceiver and this world to lead us along in darkness like blind sheep? The good Shepherd has made Himself known to us. Many of us are just accepting life as the world offers it and not stopping to question where we are heading. What does the world really have to offer us? God offers everlasting life, overwhelming joy, unshakeable peace, never ending love, immeasurable enjoyment, a real family, true friendship, no more pain, no suffering, no fears, no worries, no more struggles, no more tears - and these are just words! Living this abundant life is beyond anything that can be described with just words.

God is only calling us to do what we can do, not what we cannot - He does the hard part. Let’s remind ourselves who it is we are actually talking about here – God, the Creator of everything, contemplate this for a moment! Once we have had a taste of Him everything else in life will seem boring and dark in comparison. When I fall behind in my own walk with God I become bored and depressed, as everything else in life is pitch black when compared to His Spirit.

Many find it difficult to believe that there is anything good outside of this life. The enemy has deceived many of us into believing that this world is our lot. Many who do believe that there is more to life than what we see now are still deceived into thinking that no, or very little effort is required by us to enter into eternal life. Many think that God will understand that we are just too busy and distracted to try and contemplate things of God, sin and eternal life. Some of us think that we can contemplate God nearer to, or after death. Some have not even contemplated the matter at all!

We must wake up and realize that wearing a cross around our neck does not make us a follower of Christ. God will not accept us just because we visit a church building a few times a year. We are not justified in God's eyes because we think that we are decent, respectable people, or because we believe that we have not done anything bad enough to warrant God not accepting us. Unless God has a permanent home inside our heart, there will be no permanent home for us with Him.

On that day when we all come before our Creator, where all the world and everything is shown plainly and openly for what it is, our hearts laid bare and our minds opened like a book for all to read; any regrets we have then will be too late to rectify. Those who have denied themselves and followed Jesus will receive His gift of everlasting, abundant life. We are the only ones to blame if we choose poorly. We cannot come before the Creator and say that we did not have the time or that we didn’t know. We all know in our hearts what is right and what is wrong.

We must not look to others and try to lay any blame on them; we must make that crucial decision. Only we can make that change in our heart and mind to follow Christ. Our eternal outcome is completely dependent on our own actions and choices, not others.

Speakers of truth, bearers of light

Once we fully accept and receive Jesus Christ into our heart we will become a carrier of His light (Luke 8:16). We are called to spread His message, His hope and His love. Christ calls for disciples in every street, house, workplace, for every nation and for every people. God's Word was freely given to us in the spirit of love, and in the same spirit of love, we patiently plant these seeds in the hearts of others. If they are willing, God makes them grow. Sometimes the most powerful actions are the simplest, sometimes we don’t even need to use words, and sometimes boldness is needed to shout out aloud about Jesus! Whatever it is, God’s Spirit will guide us. It is such a joyful and rewarding experience to help lead another back to their heavenly Father. This is a true purpose, with real meaning, a just and worthwhile cause with eternal consequences.

No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. Luke 8:16

Your heavenly Father really does love you more than I could ever hope to explain. He desires you to prosper in all that you do. He has only good things planned for you. He loves you more than anyone else ever will and this love He has for you will never change.

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Andrew Photiou can be contacted at andrew.photiou@gmail.com