Tohearfrometernity's Blog

Think of it, to be a favorite among all; is it not the desire of us all?   Whether we are in school or in a family or at work, or even among our ‘friends’ do we not want to be the favorite in the group?

It is the desire of all to be chosen apart, and recognized for qualities that are above the rest.     When people are considerate, they have indeed applied discipline to their nature, by choosing to be thoughtful and considerate.   Anyone can choose to interrupt others, speak loudly and boisterously, and selfishly demand.

 In Proverbs: Chapter 16-verse 5 

“Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord; I assure you that he will not go unpunished.” 

Chapter 15 verse 4

4)”A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse one crushes  the spirit.”

Proverbs: Chapter 3verses 11-12

11)”The discipline of the Lord, my son, disdain not; spurn not his reproof; 12) For whom the Lord loves he reproves, and he chasitses the son he favors.”

In Genesis  Chapter 4 Verses 1-15 Cain and Abel

1)The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she concieved and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.”

2)Next she bore his brother Abel.   Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.

3)” In the course of time Cain brought an offoring to the Lord from the fruit of the soil.  4)While Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firslings of his flock.   The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offoring,  5) but Cain and his offoring he did not.  Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen.   6) so the Lord said to Cain: “Why are you so resentful and crestfallen? 7) If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door; his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.”   8)Cain said to his brother Abel, ” Let us go out in the field.”  When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.  9) Then the Lord asked Cain, ” Where is your brother Abel?”  He answered, “I do not know.   Am I my brothers keeper?” 10)  The Lord then said: ” What have you done!  Listen: Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil!”11) Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to recieve your brothers blood from your hand. 12) if you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce.   You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth.” 13) Cain said to the Lord: “My punishement is to great to bear. 14 )Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight.” 15) “Not So!”  The Lord said to him. “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.”   So the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him on sight.

Whether thousands of years ago, or today, the craving of being a favorite, or the first is still a desire, and evil as prevalent today as then.   We can see in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, that evil had its start.   God forwarned Cain and Cain did not heed the wisdom of God.  Today, we still find refusal of the wisdom of God.  The Bible, through out history intructs us to a Godly life. Whether one is more favored by God is not the question, but rather the desire to strive for the ‘love of
God’, fully and without reservation.    Then surely God will look with favor upon us.

Yet it is through holding fast to the scriptures and applying them daily to our lives that we will find favor with God.  Having found favor with God,  He will then bless us. 

For it is written: First Corinthians Chapter 2 verse 9

“Eye has not seen ear has not heard nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love him.”

THERE IS A  SPIRITUAL BATTLE THAT REIGNS AMONG MEN! 
THE BATTLE  OF GOOD AND EVIL.

In First Peter Chapter 3 verses 8-12 CHRISTIAN CHARITY:

8)” In summary, then, all of you should be like-minded, sympathetic, loving toward one another, kindly disposed, and humble. 9) Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult.   Return a blessing instead.   This you have been called to do, that you may recieve a blessing as your inheritance.”

10 )”He who cares for life and wants to see prosperous days must keep his tongue from evil. and his lips from uttering deceit.”     

11)  “He must turn from evil and do good, seek peace and follow after it.”

12 )”Because the Lord has eyes for the just and ears for their cry; but against evildoers the Lord sets his face.”

The following contrasts the evil of men, and the desires of the flesh.   Chapter 4 verses 1-6

In Christian faithfulness:1 “Christ suffered in the flesh;  therefore arm yoursleves  with His same mentality.    He who has sufferd in the flesh has broken with sin.   2 You are not to spend what remains of your earthly life on human desires but on the will of God.   3 )  Already you have devoted enough time to what the pagans enjoy, living lives of debauchery, evil desires, drunkenss, orgies, carousing, and wanton idolatry.   4) It is no wonder that those blasphemers are surprised when you do not plunge into the same swamp of profligacy as they.   5) They shalll have an accounting to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.   6)   The reason the gospel was preached even to the dead was that, although condemned in the flesh in the eyes of men, they might live in the spirit in the eyes of God.

Be on Guard!   For sin is cunning!   It appears beautiful and though deadly will appear sweet upon first ‘taste’!   For sin is of Satan.   His principalities are darkness, and evil.   A blindness that occurs within ones-self makes it most difficult to withdraw from, much like quicksand.

With in the scriptures there are different occasions where Our Lord refers to the eyes being opened.   The first occasion is in the book of Genesis, whereby Adam and Eve had their eyes opened and knew they were naked.  (the Old Testament)

The next is in the occurance of the conversion of Saul to Paul.   (The New Testament)   In both cases we can see Our Lord proves our sinfulness blinds us.

In fact the ‘truth’  is sin is blindness.   In we see in two different perspectives.    One when we choose to be spiritual the other when we choose the flesh.   Gods awareness in both occurances is why we have Jesus Christ.   He is the ‘truth’.   Unfortunatley, it takes great courage to, ‘look at the truth’ and desire to remain in the truth.    Jesus states, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”   He refernces this countless times.   The parable is, that to come to Christ is to come into the light. Christ is the light of the world.   In the ocurrance of ‘Oringial Sin, ‘  darkness, which is sin, covered the world.

 If only the world would see  through the ‘eyes of Christ’ then it would  be  in the light again.  

 Until the world claims Jesus as the light of the world and welcomes Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that He is, only then can the darkness leave the earth.

Since Jesus is the light, His reflection of each of us, and His desire to perfect us in His image is constant.   For to stay in the light is essential.   We can only achieve the light constantly, by choosing to refrain from the darkness, which is sin.

Darkness, and sin being the same, because they are the core of Satans desires.   The sin that people choose ‘blinds them spiritually’.   When the spirit is in sin, it is not in the light.  Though stating the obvious, many do not realize to maintain a higher spiritual realm, they must refrain from sin.   Sin, in all the books of the Bible, is constantly trying to deter us from the light of the world, who is Jesus Christ.   So, when one is ‘walking in darkness’ He has not been  made ‘anew’ in the light of Christ.   For to come to Christ and love Christ is to embrace Christ, His teachings, His life, and His desires.   For He and the Father are One in the Holy Spirit. 

Thereby the Holy Trinity is then a constant presence within us when we embrace the love of Christ our Lord and Savior.

References: Acts of theApostles, Chapter 26:17-18 

17″I have delivered you from this people and from the nations, 18) to open the eyes of those to whom I am sending you, to turn from darkness to light and from dominion of Satan to God; that through their  faith in me thay may obtain the forgiveness of their sins and a portion among God’s people”. 

Book of John, Chapter 12: 44-48  Jesus Proclaimed aloud:

44)”Whoever puts faith in me believes not so much in me as in him who sent me;   45)and whoever looks on me is seeing him who sent me.   46)I have come to the world as its light, to keep anyone who believes in me from remaining  in the dark.  47)If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I am not the one to condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save it.   48) Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words already has his judge, namely, the word I have spoken- it is that which will condemn him on the last day.   49)For I have not spoken on my own; no, the Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to speak.   50)Since I know that his commandment means eternal life, whatever I say is spoken just as he instructed me.”

Book Of John: Chapter 8 Verses  31-32  

31)Jesus  then went on to say to those Jews who believed in him:

“If you live according to my teaching, you are truly me disciples; 32)then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

When Jesus stood alone, without any disciples, he persevered in His calling.   Jesus looked to the Father for His guidance and direction.  He did not question, but continually prayed for wisdom and guidance.   Trusting fully that the Lord God, our Heavenly Father was guiding Him.   This is Faith.

The core to which we live in this life is the faith in which live it.   We choose our journey.  In choosing our lifes direction we hope it is the right one.   Yet, because evil exists in the world and temptations are constant we make our mistakes, and live with the consequences of our choices.   Yet, through it all Our Heavenly Father is watching over us.  His perfect constant filal love enduring for all time.

However we choose, we must realize His design for our life is perfect.   Some never come to realize this.   Sorrow fills the days of many, clear to their death; only to end in Gehenna. 

Jesus came unto the scene to change the direction and perception of Gods children. Without Jesus in our lives, it is as if we choose to believe God does not care. 

The Father, as with any loving father concerns himself  with  you and I.   He will not forsake us now or ever.

Before Jesus chose His twelve closest ‘friends,’ He prayed, and He prayed fervently. Desiring only the will of the Father.   This, His and the Father’s will brought forth a new and constant love.   These twelve were His companions.   Yet, even Jesus had a ‘friend’ betray Him.   This betrayal is still a constant among the many.   His spirit is such pure love that only Jesus can forgive completely , and show us how to forgive our betrayals completely.   To forgive without His help is physically impossible.   For evils desire is for each to bare a grudge and live in misery.   Then evil has won its way into our hearts.   This evil is the cause of the worlds destruction, our ‘hate’ for each other, and our selfish designs for ourselves.   Yet, only Christ the core to christian living can teach and bless us.  We will only achieve this in trusting Him completely.

What do you feel when you see the ‘Sacred Heart Of Jesus?   Jesus exposes His heart to all  of mankind.   His heart, both literally and figurativley, are His way of showing us who He is.   Nothing Held back.  He lived His life exposing Himself to the Whole World!   He waits!   Jesus wants each beating heart.  Yet, many do not realize the ‘peace of Christ’ is in the exposing of our hearts to Him.     To reveal the heart of oneself takes courage.   We all know rejection is a possiability.   Yet, with Jesus that is not the case.   Jesus will never turn anyone away.  If we wish to ‘know’ Jesus we must reveal our heart to Him.  He has already done the work.   He has led the way!  He is the only way!   Yet, to find Jesus is a comittment.  It is not at all like winning a game.  He is most definitly a gift.  Yet, He, like any relationship must be loved.  We know without loving, something or someone will die.  It is true with everything.  If you wish to know ‘peace’ then you must come to Jesus.  He is the peace that all look for, and few, very few care to embrace.   The love of Jesus is constant, and perfect.  His filal love is available, and yet people are afraid.  I can not think of another reason people would not come to Jesus, unless it is because they are afraid.  Satan, Christ’s opposition in all things; fights to deflect the desire of each one of us from this perfect love.  
As real as the sun rising, and as sure as death, the love of Christ remains.  He is and always will be.   Whether, you or I choose Him is up to each of us.  Jesus has paid the price with His life.  He welcomes all.  Choose Christ, and choose eternity with Him.  

I am convinced each of us touches a life for a reason.   It matters not for how long, or how frequently, but rather that it touches that life at all.   For the human spirit is so awsome, that it leaves and indelable impression behind.  We can fall in love without even thinking about it.  We can come upon someone that has touched our soul so deeply, that we will never be the same.   This is the magificense of the ‘love of God’!   For the human spirit is of God.   It is also true the human spirit can be injured and cut so deeply that it feels it may never recover.   However, God did not leave any stone unturned when He made us.  He sent us His only Son, Jesus Christ to live, love and die with.   We will never be alone with Jesus in our hearts.  He is the best.  No one and nothing will ever come close.  There are some ‘fine’people out there, but they are fickle.   They will drop you like a’hot potato’ the minute you do not meet their standards.   This imperfection is in all of us.   Jesus already knows who we are.  He knows our shortcomings and loves us anyway.  Yet, it is not enough.  Jesus Christ wants to be loved back!   That is what I am talking about!   Anyone can profess to love someone.   But it is the giving of ourselves that contributes to the depth of our love.   Empathy!   Many have the notion that because Jesus is God as well as Man he doesn’t expect so much.  I will not say one way or another, for it is not my place.   However, I will say, ‘who among us does not like flowers, or a gift from time to time.   This is everything.   Giving without recieving, just because.  It is awsome to be thought of just because.  I choose to believe that Jesus loves to be thought of just because too.   What to give to Jesus?  How about and hour of your prescious time in thanksgiving.  Anyone can say it is not nescessary!   That is not the point!   The point is to grow in the love of Christ!  The love of Christ is fertilized with mirth when we give and He is filled with Joy!

How Awsome!   Take time to know Jesus, and really discover who you are!  You will be surprised at how lovely He makes you!   I am absolutley certain He is filled with insurmountable joy when we come to Him, just because we love Him and want to be with Him!   To find your way, find Jesus! In finding Jesus you will never be disappointed!

When we look at the degree of something we usually consider the degree of completion to a project .

People equate the degree of things as to the achievement of accomplishment. 

  In the case of heaven, degrees of  reward is also achieved accordingly.   People and their comittment to the ‘Love Of God’ and His desires for them, warrant the degree of blessing in the eternal life.

How is this accomplished?   The self-sacrifice of the soul in love with God is considered and thereby blessed accordingly.

He who sets his sights on heaven, is he who is living a life for God already.    A life of servitude and self-sacrifice in a secular, material, sinful, lustful, world.    A sacrfice of denial.   

To love  God so completely as to  lay down ones life for his friends is to choose to walk with Christ in this life and the next.   Not an easy task but most certainly a blessed one.   Jesus Christ layed down His life for His friends.   This is a requirement to achieve heaven.   Even if one does not realize it at the time.   Jesus is a choice of pure love through sacrifice of ones-self.   Though difficult at times the choice and the blessings are well worth it.    The degree of self-sacrifice for Jesus warrants a closeness to Him so beautiful and so lovely that once attained, leaves one craving for more.    This is  pure love.      So we then crave heaven and the eternal life that only the love of God can manifest.

In the Book of Matthew Chapter 19 verses 20-22 & 25-26

Referring to the Ten Commandments, 20) “The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I need to do further?”  21) Jesus told him,“If you seek perfection, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor.  you will then have treasure in heaven.   Afterward, come back and follow me.”  22) Hearing these word, the young man went away sad, for his possessions were many.”

25)When the disciples heard this they were completely  overwhelmed, and exclaimed, “then who can saved?”  26) Jesus looked at them and said, “For man it impossible; but for God all things are possible.”

Can it be when she is taken by force, and He persues her to the desires of his will; and all innocence is stripped away, and the tears flow, and there is no where to go, can forgiveness be found?

When a violation of the human spirit is broken and the flesh is torn, and the brutality of life is real, and the pain so grave, can forgiveness come?

The human spirit, resilient as it is, suffers with and of Christ.  No matter what the occurance, the inflicted wounds of our savior were as real as the wounds we suffer today.  He is no stranger to pain.   One could say, Jesus invented pain.   Why?    Because His pain was that of the whole world.  His pain was, and still is, betrayal, abandonment, and anguish.   For His desire was to win every soul to the Father, and restore all mankind to the love of God.   After all He has done, He is still mocked, abandoned, rideculed, blasphemed, and betrayed.   Yet, pure, perfect, and true, He forgives completely and totally unto death.

His sacrifice of forgiveness, is our example of forgiveness to each other.   Yet, it is not so easy when it is the  heart that has been peirced, and the flesh that has been broken, and the spirit has been crushed.    Only God can teach us to forgive.   Sometimes, in the course of this life the betrayal, lies, and abandonment are cause for such heartache that we say, we will never forgive.    This choice is a choice to offend God, and blaspheme the love of  Jesus Christ.   The love of Jesus Christ is realized when we choose to suffer with Him, for Him, and because of Him.

Is it easy?  No!! No way!  It is a trial, and a constant desire to love God fully and without reservation, and then one can come to the fullness of peace that only God can give.

So important is forgiveness that Jesus died brutally to prove the point. 
Some scriptures expounding on the nescessity of forgivenss.

In the Book of The ‘Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians’
Chapter 2 verse10-11

10) ‘If you forgive a man anything, so do I.     Any forgiving I have done has been for your sakes and , before Christ.  11) To prevent Satan-whose guile we know too well-from outwitting us.’

In the Book Of Matthew Chapter 18 : verses 21-22  & 35

21) Then Peter came up and asked him, “Lord, when my brother wrongs me, how often must I forgive him? Seven times?”  22) “NO” Jesus replied, “Not seven times: I say seventy times seven times.”

35) “My heavenly  Father will treat you in exactly the same way unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

In the beginning, when God made man all was perfect.   Yet, the ‘evil one’ was lurking about.   Opposing all that is beautiful and lovely to God.

The God of heaven has many Angels.   In the hierarchy of Heaven, some of these angels are known as Arc Angels.   They are with-in the highest degree of heaven, and within the presence of God.   Their power is of God,  and  so are blessed indeed.

The angel that chose to remove himself from the presence of God and defy
God, is known to us as Satan.

Satan, saw that the ‘Garden of Eden’ was of God, and that God had created  people like himself.    Satan made haste to tempt the couple God had  made perfect in His image.    When God made Adam and Eve He formed the world and all within the world.   Pleasing to God, that He should enjoy the fruits of His labor he chose to make Man and Woman. 

Upon creating Adam, God realized He did not want man to be alone, so He put Adam in a deep sleep and removed a rib from his side, creating woman. 

From the Book of GENESIS: Chapter 21-25

21)’So, the Lord  God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  22)The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man.   When he brought her to the man, 23) the man said:”This one, at the last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman’, for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.”   24)That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.   25)The man and his wife were both naked, yet thay felt no shame.

    When it was finished the Lord God told Adam and Eve that they must not eat from the ‘tree of knowledge’ good and evil.   The tree,  (apple tree) was in the center of   the Garden, and forbidden to touch. 

Chapter 3: The Fall of Man  verses:1-7

1)Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the Lord God had made.    The serpant asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat of the trees in the garden?” 2)The woman answered the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3) it is only the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said,’You shall not eat it or even touch it lest you die.'” 4)But the serpent said to the woman, ” You certainly will not die.! 5)No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you be like gods who know what is good, and what is bad.”6) The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes , and desirable for gaining wisdom.   So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave it to her husband, who was with her, and ate it. 7)Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

   This act, of defiance brought forth original sin.   The original sin of Adam and Eve is ingrained unto and into each soul upon birth.   This is why we ‘must’ have baptism.   The stain of original sin is removed upon baptism; and yet temptation remains with us through out our lives.  

Jesus Christ the Son of God came to us on Christmas Day to live out the ‘Ten Commandments’ and the teachings of our Heavenly Father.

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ completed the purification of the sins of mankind in that one perfect pure act.    Yet, obedience to God is a requirement; Through acceptance of the Son of God as Our Lord and Savior.

The First Commandment:

1)”I Am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before me.”

The Second Commandment:

2)”Thou shalt not take the the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”

The Third Commandment:

3)”Thou keep Holy the Lords Day.”

The Forth Commandment:

4)”Honor thy Father and Thy Mother.”

The Fifth Commandment:

5)”Thou shalt not Kill.”

The Sixth Commandment:

6)”Thou shalt not committ adultry.”

The Seventhy Commandment:

7)”Thou shalt not steal.”

The Eighth Commandment:

8)”Thou shalt not bare false witness against thy neighbor.”

The Ninth Commanment:

9)” Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife.”

The Tenth commanment:

10)”Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors goods.”

The ‘Ten Commandments’ were instituted by God, and  given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and Christ our Lord confirmed them.

Anger is one of the seven deadly sins.   The seven deadly sins are as such because they are a constant battle daily, to living a holy and reighteous life.   

The sins are:

1)Pride

2) Lust

3)Anger

4)sloth

5)gluttony

6)Envy

7)Greed

Though all these sins are difficult to bare, perhaps anger is the most difficult.   The spirit filled with anger can destroy a life-time of love and adoration.    This ‘evil’ is the tool of the devil.    For when one choose to hold tight to his or her anger, one chooses to stand with the devil and oppose God.
To oppose God in clear conscious is an out-right choice to comitt a mortal sin.   It is so hurtful to the love of God that it pierces the very heart of God; defying His perfect love and perfect grace instituted through the life, death, and resurrection of His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ.  

Anger, an emotion that is unavoidable in our lives is not so much the sin, as the refusal  of the    desire to ask for forgiveness, and loosen oneself from the claims of the devils hold on us.    So deadly is the cunning of the devil, that he knows our very weakest of points.  He pounces when we do not hold fast to prayer, and the love of God.   For it is the ‘flesh’ of us that causes us to deny ourselves the humility of our shortcomings-sin!   Sin is and it will always be.   It is and only will be washed away by the ‘blood of the Lamb of God’!   There are no other means, no other ‘sacrifices, and no other excuses!   Whether humility is of the liking to us or not; Jesus did it first and asks no less of each of us

As Anger plunges us into separation from the love of God, it also causes us to  progress into the other six deadly sins.   Upon refection, one can recognize that they feed unto each other.  For as one becomes angry and refuses to forgive, whereby holding a life-long grudge.    Then  ‘Pride’ emerges, for ‘ why should I be the one to forgive first’?   This thinking is common today.  I have heard far to many stories of, estranged siblings, parent to their children, and brother against brother, even broken marriages, because of anger, pride, and that leading to the envy of the other.    It is most disturbing to think people believe ‘peace’ is refusal to make amends.   Yet, it is indeed the case.   Many have not spoken for years.    After the passing of to much time, the desire and the infiltrateing of the other sins move in as well.  ‘ I don’t have the time!’   Again, another sin, Greed.   ‘My time is too prescious.’  All the reasons far to many for all the sins in all the world.  Yet, it is the core to our sinful, lustful, covetous, prideful, greedy, gluttonous, envious, and slothfulness that brings us to self-destruction!    God is about the soul of each of us.  His desires, are so above us we can not comprehend such love.  Yet, He still perseveres loving each of us to the last breathe we take.   Waiting to see if we desire to love Him as completely as He loves us.   Or at least endeavoring to do so.   For that is everything!   For when talking of love, does it not feed our very souls to know we are so loved?   It is everything.   We love each other for the ‘love of God’!   Yet, it means giving of ourseves, in our desire to be ‘God-like’ and pleasing to Him!   He has layed the foundations of our lives, and has showed us how to build upon it.  It is up to each of us to follow His command.   Anything less, and we will crash and burn!