When in dark seek the Light, Jesus

As I write this I am sitting in the dark, the only light is from my IPad and the Alarm clock on the dresser. Outside it is raining, cold, and just as dark as it is here in my bedroom. At this moment I am not concerned about the darkness like I use to be for I have Light that guides and comforts me. This has not always been the case; in years past I was in darkness even in the light of day, I was in spiritual darkness, the worst kind.

This period of darkness lasted years until just recently when I chose to turn back to the Lord. Notice I said "turn back to the Lord" for I was lucky enough to hear about Jesus at a young age. I believe that it was that exposure to the Word of God and his Love that kept me going and protected me when I was drowning in darkness, a darkness I chose to bring on myself. You see when I left home I gained freedom that I had not known before and though my parents taught me well I still let that freedom go to my head. Yes, I joined the Navy out of high school and learned military discipline but I still had freedom to do things I could not do before. I guess many faced this before and like myself lost sight of the future and Christ and fell for the pursuit of "having a good time". I started drinking, picking up women, and just partying when I could. (No drugs) 

One thing I did not do was pay attention to the Lord and in so doing I let my life get Dark, terribly dark to the point I could not see the future even if I wanted to see it. All this took a toll on me mentally and physically, it also cost me my first marriage not to mention time with my children. An ugly time, but the Lord and fate brought me to another going through a dark period, my wife Diana. Now the Light did not click on immediately after meeting Diana, we both walked awhile in the dark together and eventually helped each other get back to the Light a little at a time.

Now I am no longer in the dark for I have looked back to the Light, and If I start to lose sight of Christ again I have a beacon next to me to guide me back.

Now this is not an in depth Testement or anything else, it is just a brief word about what the Word of God can do and how the Light of the Lord can lift the darkness and spare you from eternal night no matter who you are. So if you need to overcome the cold lonely darkness I suggest you look to Jesus As he is the Light, go to his word and read the Gospel or have someone explain it to you. The darkness might not lift at once but you will see the Light even if it seems to be the light of a distant candle, follow that light to God's eternal day.

Here is why Jesus is the Light and Life, it is summed up in my favorite verse "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life " John 3:16 

God Bless

Telling people to "Go to hell" is a sure way to get you there faster. By "there" I don't mean heaven.

We all get angry sometimes. We all say things we do not mean in the heat of the moment. We say ugly things and use colorful language that if our mother was to hear would make them shake her head in disgust. This is not a good thing to say the least but many times we do something worse, we condemn a person for eternity. Well, we do not condemn, but by our words we try to do so. I have been guilty of this like many of you. What did I do? I told someone to "go to hell" in a moment of anger. Not a good thing to do. Why is it not good?

First when you tell someone to go to hell you are taking on the mantle of the final judge, a mantle no one is worthy to wear. We are bypassing the Lord's authority so to speak. (Lucky for us that we do not have the power to condemn others to hell or we all would be there already!) 

Second we are saying we want the person we say it to to be separated from their loved ones and God for all eternity. Would you want that? I know I would not. Imagine eternal suffering in the pit without comfort, without love, an eternal thirst never to be quenched by the living water.

Third, we are saying, at least at that moment, that we do not offer mercy, we only offer hate. ( hate is baggage that cannot be brought into Heaven so leave it behind) Now how can we accept the Lord's forgiveness if we do not offer it to others?

I know it is just a saying to many but it reflects the bitterness within and shows where one's heart is at that moment, a dark pit. If you were to keep that feeling, that desire of condemnation you heart will remain there waiting for your soul to join it at the final judgement. Don't reserve a place in hell, don't tell people to go there. If someone angers you beyond yourself look to the Lord, wish that person a good day, and remove yourself from the situation as best you can.

Lastly, I want to apologize and ask forgiveness of anyone I may have told to "go to hell", I pray you forgive me, and when the time comes, that we all meet with peace in Heaven. God Bless.

When confessing to the Lord inquiring minds do not need to know.

One of the things I have learned since I was a child was to ask the Lord for forgiveness for sins I have committed and strength to not repeat those sins. I confess my sins to the Lord and ask forgiveness of Christ Jesus to this day. Now, did you say to yourself "I wonder what sins he committed?" You probably did and that is a natural reaction but not exactly correct, and here is why. Unless what I did involved you then it pretty much does not concern you, it is between me and the Lord. I mean does you knowing what sin someone did have an effect on you? No. The why do you need to know? It is that darn curiousity thing and today's tabloid type culture. I am not saying you are a bad person just that it really does not concern you if your not involved. Here I am talking God's laws and not man's law though a few overlap like killing, stealing, and such. Now if you are a criminal some people would need to know what you did for employment and safety reasons.

I am not a Catholic and I will not address their procedure for confession, in that case the person hearing the confession is acting as a go between for God and the confessor and is bound not to repeat what they heard. I am talking confession to God, to the Lord and no one else to ask forgiveness. Confession need not be a tabloid affair, it should be a child asking forgiveness from their Father for a wrong committed. I do say when you confess and ask forgiveness from God be sincere and committed to mending your ways.

Lastly, I want to say that if you harm another then do confess it to that person or persons and ask forgiveness along with asking the Lord.

Remember also, that you need to be like the Lord in forgiving of others. Do not carry a grudge and do not retaliate by broadcasting the incident. If you have trouble with this then turn to the Lord and ask guidance.

God Bless.