Love is the answer.

Luke 6:37
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Through many conversations I have discussed the concept of judging and people are quick to say they don't judge people. However, you spend enough time with someone and you will discover the type of people that they judge. I have the previous verse tattooed on my arm to be a constant reminder to me that I should be quick to forgive and that I shouldn't judge/condemn others.

In spending time with people, and listening to them, I found many things that people judge others on. Here is a list that I've compiled of the most-common:

• How someone talks (less educated speech, southern drawl, grammatical errors, etc.)
• How someone dresses (clothes are torn, clothes are stained/dirty, clothes are mismatched, colors are bright, clothes are old/out of date)
• Sexual Orientation (whether he/she is gay, whether he/she is straight, whether he/she is bi)
• Someone who is transsexual (this is very evident, currently, especially with Caitlyn Jenner)
• Someone's ethnicity/race (white people judging black people, black people judging white people)
• Religion (there has been a very large number of people judging the Christian religion lately, as a whole. I've seen, and heard, this first-hand as well as through others. Christianity is under fire right now. Judaism is also under fire from all sides.)
• Someone's weight (people make fun of fat people, or thing negative things when they see someone who is obese. Some people even make fun of people who are thin. I've also heard people make fun of people who weight-life. Saying women shouldn't look like that, or men shouldn't be that big.)
• Someone who is rich/poor (this one goes both ways...and can lead into coveting in one direction. We don't know circumstances, yet judgment still happens)
• Women who strip for money (wasn't it Jesus that spent time with prostitutes and the outcasts?)

 This list could easily go on and on. I'm not saying that we should become afraid or paranoid. We need to become aware that we are human and can make intentional efforts to change the way we view people. We need to see them the way God sees them. See them how Christ would see them.

Does this mean we need to accept what the Bible says is wrong? No. Did Jesus say it was okay to be a prostitute? Did He say to continue living in your sin? No. He loved them. And he would tell them to .."go and sin no more." He would show love and kindness to those looked down upon in society.

One thing to remember. The one that you judge is a human. He/she is created in God's Image. He/she has feelings. He/she can feel pain, humiliation, sadness, sorrow, hate, joy, happiness, love. If you open your heart to understand where you may be passing judgment, make a change. When you feel yourself starting to judge someone, pray for them. If you can see that they are struggling with something, offer assistance. What better way to break a habit of judgment than to show the love of Jesus Christ?

What about Prayer?

As I look at the news and read many articles, I find myself often in an odd state. I'm saddened by the direction of this once-great country. I can trace ancestry arriving to the colonies in the 1600s. I know many can go back further. My family has been here a while.

The country is quickly going down the tubes, and what is being done about it? Nothing. Anyone who tries to prevent it seems to get shut down. Planned Parenthood is selling baby parts, and the attempt to defund them has been blocked? Seriously? And those who ally with them are saying that all this is is political attacks. Um...what? Seriously?

So, then, what can we do? Well, we can get out there and vocally be against the direction of the country. We can write letters and emails to try and show powers that be that we have a voice. Or we can do something far more powerful--pray.

Why is it that the "Christian" seems to usually go to prayer as a last resort? And why is it when you ask someone who confesses to be a Christian to pray about something, they act put out? One reason this country is going downhill fast is because it is full of "Christians" who just "want to feel good" about themselves. Those who don't want to offend, but want to get along with everyone.

I would say I "hate" to break it to you, but...I don't hate it. The Bible is offensive. To those living in the dark, the Bible is offensive. Even to those trying to walk in the Light, it's still offensive. We are called to live a different life. We are called to a life that will bring attention to us. Jesus offended everywhere He went. He was so offensive, they killed Him for it. But...as we know...He didn't stay dead. Which is Life for us!
James 5:20
"remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

Back to prayer. Prayer should ALWAYS be our first course of action!!

James 5:16
"therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

John 14:12-14
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." 

We've heard this many times in Bible Studies, church sermons, etc. We get to ask Him anything and He will do it! But, there is a catch. He said it to His disciples in the same chapter:

John 14:23-24
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." 

If you do not follow His teaching, how do you expect Him to "give you whatever you want"? How can you know what His teaching is if you don't read His Word?

"Christians"! Wake up! The world is going to hell and we are doing nothing. Our eyes are drooping from being online and on our phones all day. We are too busy to do anything, or so we say. How are you too busy for prayer? Do you drive to work? Pray in the car. Do you walk to work? Pray as you're walking. Do you take public transportation? Pray in the subway/bus/taxi. There is ALWAYS time for prayer. 

There is nothing that you could be working on that is more important than talking to the Creator of the Universe. Nothing. (while on that, go to icr.org if you don't believe the SCIENCE of God creating the Universe)

I'm covering a multitude of areas. I'm sorry if I'm a bit scatter-brained. Please pray for this country. Pray for a revival. Pray for God's hand in our country. Pray for God to reveal Himself to us. Pray for God to take control of the country. Pray like you've never prayed about anything. We are going down fast. But there is nowhere that is too far for God to reach. darkness is having a blast. I think it's time to shut them up and remind them Who is in charge. And remind them of their eternal destination.

If you love God, you will follow His commands. You are empowered by the Holy Spirit if you have given your life to Christ. There is no force on, above, or below this earth that could ever be more powerful. If I die doing the work of the Lord, it's not a loss. God is amazing. Find Him. Pray with Him. Pray for His anointing. Pray for His power to be revealed to this country. Pray for revival. 

2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

Heart Broken

It's so easy to focus on all the molehills around us and consider them mountains. To see the trials and troubles that we face and consider them to be more than they are. To us, they may be huge, until we look into what is going on around us on a larger scale.

Recently, not too far from where we live, a boy was reported missing. There was a massive search for this toddler. Apparently,  he had been known to wander on his own. The step-mother even claimed to have stuff stolen from her house to make it seem that someone broke in and took him.

His body was found in the laundry room. In a trash bag. Under clothing. His body showed bruising and even damage to his liver and kidney. Reading through the report on all that happened to this little boy, it breaks my heart. It broke my heart. There had been previous accounts of child neglect and abuse in this case. They were filed and documented, but nothing happened. This little boy was abused and nothing happened. That nothing led to his death. He was killed because no one did anything, even when the abuse was reported and documented as abuse. A little boy. Younger than my own two boys.

There is evil in this world and it is evident. This isn't the only little boy that is being beaten by people who are supposed to protect him. There are little girls and boys being beaten by people who are supposed to protect them. There are little girls and boys having people do horrid things.

Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by what's going on in the world. It's like, I wish I could save all the innocence from what is happening.

Father, I pray for those who are struggling. I pray for the children. I pray you will go to them and give them comfort and peace. I pray for those who are already with you. I pray that they are comforted and loved. I know they are. I thank you for this earth. I thank you for my time on it. Please use me to help others. I pray your will is done.

What's wrong with society

As I look at the news and see how the US is turning against Christians, it brings up many thoughts. First off, the book The Illuminati by Larry Burkett is closer than we think. It shows what could easily happen to the US if we continue down this path for even a few more years.

Secondly, my main point, the US is producing a society of cream puffs.

We have kids failing in school, so what do we do? Give them tutoring? No. Give them extra hours at school to work on it? No. FAIL them? No. What do we do? Slowly, oh so slowly, dumb down the system. Give them tests that they have to study for. Essentially prepare them for standardized tests so the school can get funding. Really? How is this education?

Other evidence? How about not offending ANYONE by ANYTHING. If anything you do or say can be construed as offensive in any way, then it cannot be said or done or worn or anything. I have been told, in high school, that I couldn't wear a hoodie again (it was from my brother's military training, the unit he was in. It was called "Death Dealers."), because people in the school might be offended. If I wore that to high school today, I'd probably be thrown out. I was wearing it to support my brother, but it might be offensive.

That being said, Christians are under persecution for the same thing. Our beliefs are viewed as offensive, so we are starting to get shut out and told to shut up. We don't even have to say anything to be offending those weak cream puffs. People are written hate letters for putting up Christmas lights. People are having their Christmas lights torn off their houses because they are celebrating Christmas. Someone refuses to back down from what the BIBLE says and he's thrown off his TV show? AND YET we are told we cannot judge another religion for their extremists who use their religion as an excuse to murder?! We can't go on living our peaceful lives, but we have to show respect for people who destroy other lives because they are "extremists"?!

CHRISTIANS, WAKE UP!! When did Christ ever say that we are to never offend anyone because of Him? When did He say that we were to not discuss a Christian life because we don't want to offend anyone? Have any of you read anywhere in the Bible where Christ stopped speaking, or apologized, for possibly being offensive? If you find that, please let me know. I will recant what I am saying. Christ said we would be persecuted because of Him. And, by the way things are going in this country, that's coming quickly. We have slowly accepted it and allowed it and it's going to overtake us. We have allowed the evil one to tell us that because we are not perfect, we cannot speak out. We have allowed him to creep in and tell us we have to tolerate, so we must not offend. Even many churches have watered down THE MESSAGE as to not offend.

Christ was offensive. He offended all the religious leaders of the day. He didn't just sit back and decide to not say something because someone might be offended by it. If you refuse to be offensive, then maybe you should rethink the life you claim to live. Will Christ see you and say, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"?  (Matthew 7:23)

Our God is a God of love. The reason it's okay to be offensive is because it might bring people Home to God. By being submissive to the powers of the world and refusing to offend we are allowing souls to go to hell. WE are the responsible parties. And, if we just allow this to happen, how are we any better than those who claim this way of life to be wrong?

Luke 13:23-28
Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

By not being offensive, we are essentially telling God that we don't care. We are telling Christ that His Sacrifice was only good enough for us, but not for anyone it might offend. People, this is a discussion about ETERNAL souls! I don't care if they don't believe their souls will continue, because it will. When I hear someone say that they are an atheist, it saddens me. Not believing in God doesn't make Him go away. Their souls will continue, as will yours. Will you be offensive and live your life boldly, and outwardly for Christ? Or will you shy away and show Christ that His suffering and death are meaningless to you? We will all die. We will all be judged by The Judge. Will we be ashamed because we didn't act? Or will we show that we cared enough? The choice is yours.

It's Been A While

I know that I, Josiah, have a tendency to be offensive, and this will be no different.

I recently read an article about someone who was going to boycott Halloween because of the candy. She had family members who developed type 2 diabetes in their lives and didn’t want her children to be ingesting large amounts of candy due to the holiday. I have a few problems with that theory, and they will be mentioned within this paper.

Boycotting a holiday because of you not wanting your children to ingest a large quantity of candy is ridiculous. Growing up, we would often do something Halloween related and we wouldn’t have the candy daily. The parent is in control in regards to his/her children, so the amount of candy a child ingests is completely up to you, not the child. You can do one piece a day, or every other day, or once a week.

Boycotting due to unhealthy eating should require you to also boycott: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Birthdays, any holiday/event that includes ingesting a large amount of food or any candy/cake.

While we are on the unhealthy eating topic, one should also boycott: Fast food (McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, etc.), Carbonated beverages (Regular - lots of sugar/high fructose corn syrup; Diet usually has aspartame/Sucralose), Red meat (often has a high amount of fat, and is okay in moderate use…as in once a week or less), Fish (often contains mercury), Any meat that has steroids, dairy (studies have shown calcium deficiencies are actually due to larger consumptions of milk), alcohol (except, perhaps, ONE SMALL glass of red wine a day), processed foods, most frozen foods, anything with preservatives in it, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, OTC drugs as well as prescription drugs,  etc.

To spin off that, let’s continue with other products that should be avoided: Shampoo/Conditioner (as long as they say for external use only they aren’t good for you. Because, no matter what, some of it will be absorbed through your skin), Lotions, hair driers, gels, soap (though benefits outweigh risks on that one), sanitizer, facial cleansers/lotions, shave cream/aftershave, etc.

One thing that needs to also be taken into consideration when talking about type 2 diabetes is lack of exercise. Diet and exercise are effective methods of preventing type 2 diabetes. That being said, one should also boycott: escalators, moving sidewalks, elevators, watching TV without walking on treadmill or stationary bike, driving when the distance is close enough to walk or ride a bike…etc.

This list could easily go on, but it would take me all day to write and would be too boring to read (may be too late for that one). It just irritates me that someone would blame all of their family’s type 2 diabetes on sugar and deprive the possibility of one holiday due to it. My children love halloween, and we monitor how much candy they are allowed to eat. 

There are many factors involved in type 2 diabetes. The two main ones I found? Diet AND exercise. Which means, you need to eat healthy AND make sure you get exercise. Walking to the fridge for a refill doesn’t count. One needs to get their heart rate up for at least 30 minutes daily. If you can’t leave your house, there are plenty of things to do at home to workout. The dreaded jumping jacks, pushups, sit ups/crunches, apps that give you a workout to do, etc.

This may seem that I’m ranting over something that doesn’t matter, but it does. Why in America are we so afraid to offend anyone that we blame anything negative on something that is out of our control? 

I’m fat! 

-Society: It’s not your fault. It’s in your genes; It’s not your fault, it’s McDonald’s for making their food so good that you supersize everything.

My child is fat!

-Society: It’s not the parents’ fault for feeding your children unhealthy food or having them sit in front of the TV all day, it’s sugar. It’s McDonald’s…

I have a beer gut!

-Society: It’s not your fault. It’s in your genes (Yes, researchers found a “fat ab gene” that they blame for the beer gut)

I don’t have rippling muscles - I don’t work out enough (my action). I don’t have a six pack - I don’t exercise my abs daily, just every other day (my action). My triglycerides were high - I didn’t eat enough fresh fruit and veggies (my fault). I don’t do enough cardio (my fault)…

How about people start taking responsibilities for their actions? Why don’t people accept the blame for their choices? Is that really too much to ask? 

Had to Vent Regarding "Intelligence"

Throughout my life thus far, I have traveled all over the US and the world. One thing that I have discovered is that there tend to be three main types of people (as always, there are variations and those who don't fall in these categories). There are those who are intelligent; those who think they are intelligent; and those who know they are not intelligent.

Within those three categories, I get along best with the first and third. A few years ago, I worked with a woman who would be considered by the world to be unintelligent. She knew she didn't have what the world considers to be intelligence and was okay with it. When she came across phrases or words that she wasn't sure what they meant, she would ask. The words and phrases were usually ministry based (I was going to seminary), so I usually knew the answers.

The second category tends to drive me crazy. When I am in a setting where I hear, constantly, about how someone "has brains," yet constantly misuses simple grammar, it tends to bring question about said "brains." I am not saying that I'm the smartest person in the world, not even close, but I don't go around announcing how brilliant I am because I have a degree and half of a masters (which I will finish when I get back from training). :) Even though I may be proud of the fact that I have worked toward my education, it's not something I'm going to use as a claim for my intelligence (or "brains").

I tend to wonder if people in this category are the ones that I see broadcasting their ignorance. When you use hard curse words to add "color" to your sentences, it proves the point that you aren't that bright. The English language has so many options of words that those filler words broadcast that you aren't a bright individual. Don't get me wrong, I understand when someone is angry those words may come out and be used in that setting. It happens. But when those words are used once a sentence (or more), it's showing how unintelligent you really are.

What's even more tragic, is people are using social media to broadcast their lack of intelligence. I can't even go through the news feed on Facebook without running across someone using extreme profanity, as well as horrific spelling errors.

Are we, as a nation, dumbing down our society? What use is it to make everyone feel good about themselves? In the real world, outside the US, someone wins and someone loses. There's no trophy for losing. There are no pats on the back for trying. I get so frustrated that we decide that people need to get trophies for merely participating in an event. Really? When I was a kid, you got a trophy if you were within the top three positions--First, Second or Third.

As I move forward with my life, if I am given a trophy, or award, for merely participating and not being in the top three, I will immediately give it back, or burn it or throw it away.

The Life.

I want to live to die. Not too long ago, I had a revelation in regards to life. No matter what we do, how many facelifts, botox, makeup, age-defying stuff, working out, eating right, etc., we're gonna die. Death is inevitable. What am I doing with my time on earth? If I measure my actions to eternity and what it will mean then, what really matters?

It's so easy to get caught up in the daily routines. Work, family, children, school, sports, music, acting, etc. The moment when I am confronted to sin, tempted, my action then is what matters. God gives me the power to walk away, so what do I do when I'm tempted? If I take the moment to think of eternal consequence (good or bad), I think that it would be easier to walk away. Considering that we aren't tempted with things that are of no interest to us, it's never truly easy to just walk away. Sometimes it's easy to just entertain the idea for a moment, but you need to run.

The moments in life when it's been the hardest for me is when I decide that I won't act on the temptation, I'll just think about the "what ifs" and then I won't be sinning. How long can one play with fire before getting burned. But if you grab water and douse that flame and walk away you won't get burned. The power of Christ can put out any flame the adversary brings to you.

There was a time in my life when my wife and I were having a rough time in our marriage. When I was at work, I would constantly be bombarded with things that we said in arguments and bringing up arguments that had never happened. I would often entertain these thoughts and when I saw her, I would be angry from all these events (I'd say that at least half of them were from arguments that never occurred, other than in my mind). This would cause more friction and we'd be worse off than we were before.

There came a point when I was sick of this and needed to get away from it. I would say out loud, if I was working by myself, "Lord Jesus take captive my thoughts," whenever these thoughts would bombard me. After having to do this nearly incessantly for a few days, they weakened. I didn't crumble to those thoughts like I had before. The power of Christ's name can bring the enemy to his knees.

The adversary would then bring up more temptations and whatnot, but if I continued to pray to Christ for help and pray daily, He would give the power to overcome. In His Name is power. God spoke the Universe into existence. There really is more power in the Word and in verbal language than we tend to give credit for.

Advise my dad would often give me is this: If you are doing the right thing, you will be under attack. If you aren't a challenge to the adversary, why would he waste time attacking you. Not saying that the luke-warm have perfect lives, they are merely easy targets. The real strength will be used attacking the righteous. If Christ is in our lives, we have more strength than we tend to believe. We can change the world if we truly wanted to.

I know my calling and I'm moving toward it. I'm not going to allow myself to be turned to the left or right away from what God wants me to do.

Lord Jesus, I pray that You will give me the strength to not stray from Your direction in my life. Please fill me with Your Presence and guide my thoughts and words throughout today. Thank You for Your sacrifice. Please help me to live for eternity. I pray for Your continued direction and guidance. I love You, Lord.