Is Jesus really the only way to heaven?

Is Jesus really the only way to heaven?  How would I know?  What would convince me?  What about the other explanations out there?  There are a ton of explanations out there for how to get to heaven, and what that means to us.

This is something that humankind has thought about, argued for, and fought over since before we even were able to write.  From the polytheism of the Ancient Egyptians to the monotheism of the Israelites, to the whatever you want from the New Age movement, to the "There is no God" non-theism of secular thinking.  We are always asking the question of, "Where will we go in the future when we die?"  Whether we think we are going to float over a river in the afterlife and have to "pay the boatman" or just cease to exist, we all believe something.

Wait, we all believe something?  Yes, we do.  But what if I say that, "I don't believe that there is a god, or that I am not sure?  I don't believe in anything then, right?"  No.  The belief itself may not be a strong one, but whatever we would say is the answer is still a belief.  Even if it is, "I don't know." And belief is something that we have faith in–and faith, in the end, is our own choice.  We may have good reason to believe something, but at the end of the day, we still have to make a choice.  Even if the choice is to be unsure and "not choose" an answer.

So, what do I believe? I believe that Jesus was real and that what he taught was true.  Which then means that I believe in the scripture that presents Him, the Bible.  Which means then that I believe the whole Bible is true.  Which then means that I believe that God created the "everything" and that I follow Him.  Which also means that I believe Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and came back to life, so that He could send us His Holy Spirit and that we could be with him in heaven.

But, is Jesus the only way to heaven?

Jesus, himself, had said that he is the only way to heaven.  "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.'" (John 14:6 NCV)*  Which I have heard many people state that if we believe Jesus is a trustworthy person, then we cannot just brush past what he said here.  I know that there are people out there who might say otherwise, but if I believe in Jesus, then I need to accept what He told us.  And others in the Bible agreed.  I found that the apostle Peter in Acts 4:12 says, "Jesus is the only One who can save people. No one else in the world is able to save us."  (NCV)*  The apostle John has written many books of the Bible, including the above quote (John 14:6).

So that is what I believe, but do I have any stories confirming my beliefs?  Yes, I do!  There have been many times in my life that I have felt God's hand upon me and my family.  There have been times where my family didn't have enough money to pay for food to eat or to keep the electricity on.  Yet, just at the right time, some Christian had brought us hope and just enough to get by with.  There have been multiple times where I truly believe that God saved me from death.  I also have seen Him working in my children as they have been learning about faith and Jesus.

So what does that really mean?  What am I saying when I believe in Jesus?  The truth is that believing in Jesus is more than just saying a prayer and thinking, "Okay, got that one taken care of!"  Believing in Jesus is actually developing a relationship with God.  Through prayer, reading scripture, celebrating with a group of fellow Christians, and doing works in response to the love I've experienced from God.  Does confessing my sin to Jesus and indicating a reliance on Him save me?  Instantaneously!  But also, I need to continue that relationship with Him.  Just like getting married means that I have a wife.  Just talking to her once per day or per week, (or longer...) and sharing my needs without listening to her just leads to a crappy self-centered relationship.  Who would want to live long-term with someone like that?  The same applies to our relationship with God.

This is not an "either-or" situation.  It is a "both-and" situation.  I need to pray for God's grace through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; AND declare my love for God through my actions in response to His love for me.

So, what do you believe and why?

Just remember that this coming Sunday is Easter... :-) 

*Scriptures found in a similar post, https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-only-way.html

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

The Usual Suspects (1995) is a movie where the people who watched it, enjoyed it much more than the critics who rated it.  It's a whodunit that eventually reveals itself to be something different.  But the key line from this movie is "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Now putting the movie itself aside, this quote totally reminds me of C.S. Lewis and a book he wrote titled The Screwtape Letters.  This book is a series of letters sent from an "Uncle devil" to his nephew and gives him tips on how to lure people away from God.  At one point he said something very similar to his nephew, "Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves."  And he talks about the difference between now and other times lamenting the difference.

So what about me?  Do I believe there is "the devil" out there?  Do I believe in a force that opposes God and works against him?  Do I believe in demons and spirits that can infest a person, possess, or oppress them?  In short, yes I do.

Do I think that the devil is a red fleshed character with a tail and horns that laughs at and screws with people from a fiery hole somewhere?  Not really.  But I have experienced his workings in people as I have prayed for them.  I have felt his oppression in my own life.  I have experienced troubles and pains during times when God is working well in the area around me.  I have been distracted and caught up in meaningless squabbles during times when my focus needed to be with God.  I have prayed for others to be released from possession and oppression in the name of Jesus Christ and watched as they were freed.  I, myself, have been prayed for to receive protection from God.

So what do I do about it?  I trust in the Lord that His power is more magnificent and powerful and eternal than those who oppose Him.  I trust the Bible when it says that despite the current "battle" and where it is headed, God has already won the war.  I know that if I need protection I have brothers and sisters in Christ that can and do pray for me.  But I do not ignore the presence of those things that can pull me away from God.

'Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen. '  (James 5:16 NCV)

 'I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.'  (Philippians 4:13 NCV)

'“I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.”'  (John 16:33 NCV)

So, what about you?  What do you believe and why is that?  I have shared my experience but I would love to hear yours!  For or against, I believe we all have something to say.

"Show me the money!"

"SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!" -- Jerry Maguire

How many people remember this movie?  The above picture is from a phone conversation he had between himself and Rod Tidwell.  (Click the link above to see the movie clip)  Here he is asking Rod to stay his client, where eventually Rod asks him to say "Show me the money" and has him repeat it until he is shouting it in his office--with co-workers watching his bizarre antics.  What I have asked myself is how much money would it take to get me to do something like that?  First, answer the question for yourself...

For me, I think that the lower limit would be about $20.  What was yours?  Jerry was facing losing part of his income if Rod left his firm and went to someone else for contracts and public representation.  I'm not surprised he did all of that--though it is quite a humorous scene. 😁

Putting aside Jerry and all of his issues, I then asked myself, "What does God think of all of this money stuff we have in our lives?"  I mean that I just filed my taxes and needed all of the required paperwork in order to do that.  Recently, my wife and I opened savings account for our kids and that took a looooooong time.  Every month we go over our budget and make sure that we didn't overspend it.  Two summers ago we bought our first house.  And all of these things are part of how we spend the money that we've earned--and to avoid going into debt.

Years ago, my wife and I decided to get together and learn how to handle debt and money according to how God would want us to do that.  I know that I had wracked up almost $7k on a credit card, and wanted to be out of that way of acting.  My wife wanted us to be on the same page for what we spent and creating a budget.  We found an amazing program called "Financial Peace University" that was hosted by Dave Ramsey.  Before a couple years had passed we had eliminated all of our debt except student loans and were starting to build a legacy.

“We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.”  ― Dave Ramsey

This quote reminds me of the Bible verse Psalms 22:7 "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."  People we love don't really care about the things we own.  If I have a solid roof over my head, food to eat, and some money to tithe then I have enough.  But far too often we get to a place where we worry about having the "next" or the "better" thing.  *Cough!* iPhones?

“Act your wage.” ― Dave Ramsey 

What does this mean?  Have I been trained to buy more than I have money for, to go the extra mile (with debt), and compete with my neighbors?  Yes.  People working for financial solution businesses out there are trying to make money.  This brings to mind the idea of "contentment" with where I am and what I have.  1 Timothy 6:6 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." and the following verses talk about how those who aren't content and allow money drive their wagon and fall into ruin and death.  Being content means knowing what I can and what I can not spend my money on, and what I need to have in place in order to spend anything--and be perfectly okay with that.

“Pray like it all depends on God, but work like it all depends on you.” ― Dave Ramsey

What makes this plan work for me is understanding two things: 1) Everything I have comes from God, and He gives me the strength and ability to do them 2) I have to go and do my best because participation in the relationship is key.  I don't just want to get by, I want to leave something for my grandkids to enjoy!  Proverbs 12:22 says, "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous."

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved. HELEN KELLER” ― Quoted by Dave Ramsey 

This last quote contains important information for me personally: money management is part of my character, and that "character things" are often difficult and filled with issues. I have yet to encounter something that caused me to grow that didn't involve trouble.  Either I take a view that is not "normal" or there is some other obstacle in my way.  But!  Continuing to pursue God's way always has paid out dividends in the end, though there are often times when I cannot see the way.

All of the above quotes and information on handling money come from Financial Peace University and the website www.daveramsey.com

I said no, but they said yes 100 times... 🎎 🖌

I love this video. It inspires jokes and cracks at home about things that we don't want to do or things that our kids are whining about doing.  I found this first in a Facebook post, which I followed to its place on YouTube.  Today I found this article about it.  Basically, though, the video is her explaining the "Why?" question by blaming it on her doll.  Very cute!

The funny part of the situation is that we all do this ourselves.  Our issues may not be an improper use of nail polish.  But we are all good at making excuses for them and ignoring the consequences.  I did a little search to find out how often certain things happen to be discussed in the Bible.

What?	Times?
Kill	1083
Money	249
Sex	212
Sabbath	134
Other Gods	84
Drunk	70
Lying	70
Greed	21
Stealing	13
Covet	11

But my question now is, how often do I think of these things?  How often do I encounter them in my own life?  Do I really think about really killing people?  Or fear being killed?  Rarely, if ever.  But I am reminded of the scripture found in Matthew 5:21-22, where it talks about how anger harbored towards someone, is the same as murder.  I have frequently been angry at other people.  Or what about other things?  Do I worry about or am concerned about money?  Yes!  I may not go out thinking about how I could rob banks, but I find myself jealous of some of the things that others have.  All the things on the above list I have to say at one time or another I was guilty of to some degree.  

I hate lists of things I am not supposed to do.  So I have redefined them in my mind:

• Kill = Support and encourage life and growth which God has designed (i.e., everything!)
• Money = Be good with what God has given me and treat it like I am just a caretaker.  When I see a need, then I get the opportunity to go and meet it if I  am able to.
• Sex = Honor the gifts God has given to others, guard what he has given me and leave the gifts of others alone.
• Sabbath = Honor God with rest.  Even He rested after creating everything.  I need to follow His lead and do the same.
• Other Gods = God is first and foremost in our world.  He created everything, including me!  And He loves me.  Looking elsewhere for inspiration, love, and hope would be like me plugging my laptop into a pile of dirt and expect it to work.

I could go on, but you see that I needed to re-understand what God has for me.  The point for me is to not walk around saying "no" to everything.   But see God's handiwork and learn what He says yes to.  If I look around the world around me I can say that God has said "yes" in so many different ways and so many different places that He overshadows what else might be trying to attract my attention.  I just need to choose to listen.

Why did I get sick???

I just came back to work after being sick this last weekend.  It was not fun.  I was fairly tired all the time, and queasy, and just wanted to wrap up in warm blankets and go to sleep.  Today I'm still a little sick, but I am trying my best to power through and be productive.  I don't feel good.

So I asked myself this question, "Why would a loving God let me be sick?"  Isn't that a question that we all have from time to time? Often if someone we know is sick--especially when they are REALLY sick.  I am reminded of the Bible verse that says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Phil 4:13)."  So if this is true, why can't I get better?  Or, in my mind, better now rather than later.  Even if I have others pray for me (see James 5:16) I don't always get better in the way I visualize.  So why does God let me be sick?

I have read through the Bible several times over these last many years that I have been in a relationship with Jesus.  I have read many different places where God has allowed people to be sick.  Some were sick because of their choices.  Some were sick because God wanted to glorify Himself through healing them.  Some were sick because it kept them humble.  Some we just don't know why they were sick.

Often we cannot tell why we were sick at a certain time or in a certain place.  I was very sick several

My family and I at the Run of Hope, a
5k designed to raise money to fight brain
cancer in kids.

years ago.  I was diagnosed with cancer.  There are several ways that I am still recovering from that sickness.  And its a burden because the kind of cancer I have does not get "fixed," it just "goes to sleep" and will reappear sometime in the future.  Why did God let me go through that?  Why did that pain and suffering also need to be inflicted on my wife and kids?  For a significant amount of time, it changed how my family interacted and created several things that have been very difficult for me to accept and some that were extremely frustrating for me.

So why?  I still don't know today.  I have heard and spoke with several people who have had cancer, or knew someone close who struggled with cancer.  It may have been related to poor choices I had made in my past.  It may be something God gave me to really humble myself and accept the help of other people in my life--something I desperately needed to learn at the time.  I also ask myself quite often, "Why did I survive this very difficult form of cancer and others fail?"  The truth is that I don't know.  It could be any, or all of, or none of the possibilities listed above.

There is a piece of Scripture that gives me some peace in my heart:

"7 So that I would not become too proud of the wonderful things that were shown to me, a painful physical problem[b] was given to me. This problem was a messenger from Satan, sent to beat me and keep me from being too proud. 8 I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can live in me. 10 For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong."  2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NCV)

Paul was a servant of the Lord that did many mighty deeds through the power Christ gave him, and he still became ill and God wouldn't heal him of that affliction.  Despite all the churches he started, despite all the prayers he prayed and people he healed, God did not heal him.  The encouraging line in this passage is "When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you." I have come to value the times where I struggle and need to rely on the strength of God to make it through.  I won't say that they were fun times.  But they were times of growth for me, and a pattern of faith I can show other people.

So will I ever know the answer to why was I sick?  Probably not.  Am I okay with that?  Yes, because my God's power is made perfect in my weaknesses.

Are we truly free, or are we not?

Freedom!
When I hear this word I get an image in my mind from the movie Braveheart, where William Wallace is encouraging his side and yells, "Freedom!!!"  Where in my own life do I have a desire for freedom?  And what is freedom?

Freedom is: noun

1. the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint: "He won his freedom after a retrial."
2. exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3. the power to determine action without restraint
4. political or national independence.
5. personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery: "a slave who bought his freedom."

There are times when I feel like there is an enemy and that I am the target of all his attacks.  Whether or not that is true, I long for this feeling of freedom.  But what do I want freedom from?

I want freedom from:

• Pain/suffering
  
• Slavery
• Addiction
• Oppression
• Sexuality
• Cruelty
• Boredom
• Politics
• Self
• Others
• Emotions
• Technology
• The "MAN"
• Religion
• Body/Image
• Gossip/Criticism
• Government
• Too much to do
• Etc...

What am I really asking to be saved from?  What do I really want to be free of?  It seems complicated at first but the truth for me is that I want the freedom to do what I want when and where I want to do it.  But the truth is that we are never truly free.  My actions have consequences.  There is a cost for the things I choose to do, because with every "yes" there are a bunch of "no"s. Sometimes, when I am crying for "freedom," I am asking for there to not be consequences for my actions.  

So what?  There are situations that people these days still desperately need freedom from.  Are they crying needlessly?  No.  There are things that we can do to help them (and ourselves) from oppression.  Important things.  Things that we need to do.  But the greatest source of true freedom that I have ever found is Jesus Christ.  He loves me (and you too) and has worked to free me from the ultimate consequence: death, eternal death.  You see, our lack of freedom in the world ultimately stems from harms derived from a person's sins.  It could be our own sin or that of someone else.  Sin is where we "miss the mark," much like missing the target when shooting an arrow from a bow.  It could cause unintentional pain, or it could have done that because I wanted it to.  But it harms people, it harms me, and it harms Jesus as he took the consequences for it himself.

I don't really know how to explain how that works.  But I have faith that it is true. However, what does that have to do with what I said earlier?  There are ultimately two sides, led by two great sources.  Your choices will determine which one rules your life.  I have found that God's ways are always the best--even when it doesn't make sense in the right now.  The other source is calling me to try to please myself, try to put myself first in everything.  That doesn't seem to be bad, right?  But if I am the center of my own universe the other people in the world are just there to please me.  Does it work though if I am doing that, you are doing that, and we all seek our own selves first?  What that does is lead to envy, strife, hate, anger, fear, and aloneness as you sink further and further away from other people.

"5 Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do. 6 If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. 7 When people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, they are against God, because they refuse to obey God’s law and really are not even able to obey God’s law. 8 Those people who are ruled by their sinful selves cannot please God.
9 But you are not ruled by your sinful selves. You are ruled by the Spirit, if that Spirit of God really lives in you. But the person who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. 10 Your body will always be dead because of sin. But if Christ is in you, then the Spirit gives you life, because Christ made you right with God."  

Romans 8:5-10 (NIV)

For me, my life was headed towards death.  I thought that I was going to be okay because I had said the prayer where I told God I was a sinner and needed Him in my life.  But my actions were stating that I didn't truly believe that.  So instead I continued my sin and tried to lead others to God.  If I had continued my sin I truly would have died and created a bigger hole in the lives of my family than I already had.  I found out that I truly needed a relationship with other Christians and a real relationship with Jesus. Like when I had first prayed that prayer.  I was hopeless. Stuck.  What I needed was freedom and could only get that from Jesus.  I needed to shift who I was putting in the center of my universe.  No more me.  It needed to be Jesus.  I have been glad since then because since I have found a relationship with Jesus I have never been closer to Him than I am right now. Am I perfect?  No.  Do I still sin?  Yes.  Am I finding a difference in my life?  Absolutely, and the Holy Spirit is working on who I am as I learn to be more open and intimate with Him.  Freedom?  Yes, most definitely!  From what I thought I wanted?  No.  But freedom from sin and a relationship with someone greater than I could ever imagine is what I have gained.

Peace!

 I remember waaaaaaaay back to my days in school.  Specifically, elementary school.  What I remember is that they told us to use the sign on the right side of this blog to be quiet.  They told us it meant we needed to be quiet.  If we weren't quiet they would come up and be more forceful and less polite as they asked us to be quiet.  Seemed at odds with what the sign meant even more years back.  In fact, when I was younger, seeing those pictures I wondered why they were always telling people to be quiet.  When I was older I found out that it was actually the peace sign that you could take with you.  Wow, huh?

Peace, what does it mean to you?  I know that over the years it has meant different things.  To someone in the time of Edgar Allen Poe, it meant to be calm and quiet.  To those in the 60's, it was part of a movement which wanted the wars to stop and people to be nice to one another (hence the hand and circle signs).  To us, it means different things even today.  So, what does "peace" mean to you?

My own definition of peace has changed over the years.  It started as being a boring time where I wasn't supposed to do anything or to speak.  Later I thought of it as some sort of hippy nonsense that didn't mean anything in today's world.  When I was older and working I wanted "peace" to fall over those gathered with me and so that they'd quiet down.  Most recently I have had a fundamental shift as to its meaning in my life.

For me now, peace is not something that I can make or give.  It is a certainty that God has a great love for me and that he has things planned out, all I need to do is trust Him the best that I can.  Peace is a calming, overwhelming sense of security, regardless of what is going on or happening.  Peace is knowing that whatever I face, God wins (and through my relationship with Him so do I).  It is awesome to experience that kind of peace.  It is something that no person, city, government, or country can truly provide.  It is only available through God and your relationship with Him.  I have thought that peace was just an emotion or an action to complete. I am glad that it comes from God through Jesus' self-sacrifice empowered by the Holy Spirit.  God keep me in your peace.

Philippians 4:6-7
 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

How do I become better?

 We all want to be better than we are today.  Deep down there is always something that we can pick out of who we are and want to be better there.  We want this so much that slogans like:

"Training to be better...Just read Scripture!"

How to be "Good, better, best..."

"I'm better than before..."  Etc....

Tend to prick our brains and we at least are interested.  But! Are we seeking to be "Better Christians" Or have a better relationship with Christ"?

Question: Why do you want to be better?  So you can feel better about yourself, or so you can experience life more fully?  Is there guilt or shame tied to this question for you? Are you in competition with someone?  Do you feel lost and don't know who you are?  You feel that you are set free by the grace of God and want to be better because of that?  Why do you want to be better?

I know that we all want to be better than we are.  I also know (from personal experience) that we want to be better for a variety of reasons--often all at the same time!  I know that I want to be better because I am afraid of losing what is important to me.  I want to be better because it may end strife and difficult conversations between myself and others.  I want to be better than "that guy" because I feel competitive.  I want to be better because I want good things to give to my loved ones.  I want to be better because Jesus has made me clean of my sins and I want to live up to that.

Who doesn't want that?

But my motivation changes how and why I seek to be made better.

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

Here are what some of the terms used in that scripture mean:

• Teach: show or explain to (someone) how to do something.
• Rebuke: sharp, stern disapproval; reproof; reprimand.
• Correct: 1) (adj) free from error; in accordance with fact or truth. 2) (verb) put right (an error or fault).
• Training: the action of teaching a person or animal a particular skill or type of behavior.

Each of those terms is about change.  Basically, it means that God has inspired Scripture to change us.  But who is it supposed to change? Strangers?  Sinners?  Wayward people?  No.  Scripture was not inspired by God so that we can stand on a street corner yelling at people to change their lives over to Jesus.  It is intended to change us, the believer.  We can and should use scripture to help us as we talk with other people about our faith.  But it is intended to be read and used by us so that we know some things about God.  It tells who God is.  It shows us what God wants us to do.  It teaches us how God has acted toward humanity in the past.  It was created to develop a relationship with Him. All the things listed above are intended for those who already love Him.

So when we read Scripture, we are reading what God has written to us.  Sometimes like a love note, sometimes like a history, always an explanation for us to pray with and think over and learn to apply to ourselves.  When I wonder what I need to be doing, I know that one thing I need to do is go read the Bible.

Want to become better with me?

Which way to go?

A few months ago I was asked about what I felt called to do in my life.  For some reason, this question stumped me upon hearing it.  I didn't have an automatic answer.  There was no, "I am already doing it."  Nor was there an, "I wish I was doing this..."  I sat there and said, "Huh?" instead.  How does one really answer this question without becoming glib in reply?

While thinking about this I remembered a story that a speaker told once during one of his talks.  He stated that we all have two dogs inside us.  We keep them and are responsible for feeding them and giving them time to exercise.  He labeled them the Black Dog and the White Dog. (You can use whatever designation you wish for this in your own life...)  He told us that how we feed them is through the things that we choose to do in our lives.  When we choose positive things we feed the White Dog.  When we choose negative things we feed the Black Dog.   He used this story to tell us about the choices that we make in our lives.  We choose who to feed.

Which dog to feed?  White or Black?  They don't like each other and will fight to get us to choose
things that would feed them and starve the other. You see you can only feed one at a time and the other starves.  Over time the strongest, most well-fed dog will tell the choices we make in our lives.

But how can I tell which dog I am feeding?  How can I tell which actions feed the White or Black dog?  I know that personally, I tend to seek to choose things that please myself.  I will do positive things in my life but ultimately I choose the ones that make me happy.  Which I have found leads me down into a spiral of death.  Because at first, I choose things that are fairly good. But then after time, the degree of good vs. bad in my choices becomes more and more about me and less about others in my life.  It is a spiral down away from other people and from God.

So how do I know what to choose?

17This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is good for you
and leads you along the paths you should follow. (Isaiah 48:17 NCV)

You see I have found that the quality of my relationship with Jesus does affect the choices that I make.  The one place that I have found to be an undeniable source of good choices to make is the Bible.  But even here I still mess up.  So, in the end, I have only to trust in God to lead me.   Without Him, I consistently choose things that aren't the best.  But God loves me enough to choose the best things.  These can be painful at times, but they help me grow!  Just like an athlete practices, breaking down their muscles as they go (1 Cor 9:25), so too do we break things as we go and God turns them into blessings in ways that only he knows how to.  How amazing!

So, which dog are you going to feed in your life?  And how will you know the best choices to make?  Feed the dog that God loves and move out of your love for Him.