The Imaginations of Men, The Destruction of Men

Where does all this destruction come from? Humans, like God have been imbued with the ability to create. We are sentient like He is and need our imaginations, something that animal kind pretty much does not have. Man is also imbued with the ability to destroy. That too, requires imagination. I do not mean, consume, all animals do that and men have become better and better at that. So much so that in some cases it has become the driving force in people's lives. Also, on a side note this force (consumerism) can be a religion of sorts and men have this force provoked in them to manipulate them to do things that they might not have otherwise done. Anyway, where does all this destruction come from? Ariana knows. Yep, she's four and she knows. We go to the library on Daddy Day. This is what Ariana calls my Sabbath. While I am resting and in between the occasional mopping up of some project that nags at my mind and time spent seeking God, we go to the Library. I fully know by the way, that I should be spending more time on the seeking God part. Anyway, we were playing at the library at the Lego (TM) table and a young boy, maybe age eight or so, joined us. Ariana was making a house with a pool. I was making her name in letters and a maze. The boy made a man laying in a pool of blood and a figure representing his murderer. It seemed odd. After a few minutes he had also constructed a tree he informed us was the murder weapon. He informed us that the murderer had pushed the tree down on the man killing him. When he first constructed the victim and the pool of blood Ariana told him that a pool of blood was a scary thing and he simply said, "yeah." and that with a smile on his face and a sort of sinister kid chuckle. When he completed the murderer and the tree she asked him why the man would do that. She said, why would he push the tree down on the man and kill him? The boys answer was interesting but Ariana's assessment of his answer was interesting as well. I'll tell you about it after a brief message from our sponsor... God loves us and sent His son Jesus to die for us. He crushed Jesus as an atoning sacrifice to pay for the sins of men. God, could not/would not in His infinite righteousness and justice ignore sin so He made a way for it to be paid for. He came in the flesh, because yes God is God the Son as well as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and yet He is one God. And He came and died so that we could be found innocent if we will accept and follow. Trade your life so far for that life that God intends and on into eternity with Him. It's not only grace that you don't deserve but also a Good Deal. Back to the story So, the little boy says, "I don't know," indicating he doesn't know why the murdered would push the tree down on the other guy and leave him in a piled of blood. That makes sense. He wouldn't know and at the same time he's the one who brought it up... I commented that it was a little strange. And in a moment of wisdom beyond her years Ariana said, "He should know cause it came from his imagination." She looked at me and said, "He's the one who made it that way from his imagination because that's where people do that kind of stuff." I don't know that she understood the ramifications of what she said. Still, she was right. She was right and the fact is that the same imagination that allows a young boy to come up with a murder scene can accept that destruction is within in its ability to devise. Also, and on a much more pleasant note, that same imagination can imagine that there is a God who loves and rewards those who seek Him. In an instant of appeal to that "unknown" God ask for His presence and receive the salvation offered. Thank God we are a people with abilities far beyond that which stands right before us but Lord let us use that incredible ability to dream of ways to make the world a better place, ways to advance God's purposes of Love and Peace here on earth. In the mean time the enemy will continue to warp and pervert in us the powers we have been entrusted with us. Until we desire God above all thru His son Jesus there is no redeeming back from the darkness of ignorance the greatness that is our imagination. God bless, P. Dan Pastor Missionary Author

Strategy for Overcoming Evil Summary (Life Station)

Life Station Strategy Outline Overcoming Evil by Meeting Actual needs Meeting Perceived Needs Evangelism in Toledo Overcoming Evil by Meeting Actual Needs As an act of Love, the Life Station will meet actual needs in the area of food, clothing, Bible Training, Financial lay counseling, employment research/training, evangelism, Life Coaching, and Prayer support. The Life Station will assess the needs of persons requesting help from the Life Station and will network partners and volunteers to meet these actual needs. The life Station will seek to overcome evil in the areas of poverty, hunger, ignorance, isolation, and Spiritual Warfare. Overcoming Evil by Meeting Perceived Needs We recognize that needs may be presented that are not actual needs and may not be able to be confirmed. It is our intention to meet these “perceived needs” whenever confirmation is not possible and resources persist. In this fashion we hope to gain an audience for the gospel as might be the case with the meeting of actual needs. We know that persons presenting needs that may not be confirmed are doing so because they have actual needs even if these actual needs may not be confirmed and so we will be overcoming evil in meeting their perceived needs even if we are not able in the time we have with them to assess and meet their actual needs. Overcoming Evil with evangelism: Spreading the good news of Jesus Christ is the primary way in which God’s people may overcome evil. Ignorance of the truths of the gospel makes it difficult for persons to respond to these truths. How will they believe if they do not hear? The Life Station will make every effort to distribute, preach, teach, and emphasize the word of God especially the unifying theme of salvation through Jesus Christ. Life Station ministry must be thought of as a diverse set of ministries originating in love. These love-based ministries will be the ongoing, everyday efforts of God’s people to overcome Evil in Toledo. They are listed and detailed on the pages that follow. They may change from time to time or the methods used will change from time to time but the focus will remain the same.   facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Buy ThinkAgain

Excusing Bad Behavior

This morning my mind turns to considering the natural defenses a man has for putting forth his own way as the correct way. We do what we should not or fail to do what we should and then by way of seeking comfort devise a variety of schemes to cover the elephant in the room which is that we have sin from which we should repent. Defenses Excuses We excuse ourself by saying that there is some reasonable excuse for our behavior. This may well be the most common defense. We say that we would not have done it if not for a certain circumstance. The defense is plentifully available because in fact, it is true that we can not control our circumstances with any degree of accuracy. We can remove certain elements and make changes in an attempt to control our circumstances but many things still happen that are completely outside our control. Blame So, it makes sense then to hang the blame for an action which we are the author of on our circumstances. We say, I can not do what I am supposed to do because I am sick or I only did that because I was tired. I do those things because that was the way I was raised. Revenge This defense becomes even more potent when we use it to justify a specific action toward a person that has visibly wronged us or someone we know in some way. This can be essentially revenge or just a little bit of "justice." We say, " I wouldn't have done that if he hadn't done that other thing..." Ignorance is no excuse. We say, I didn't know. Ignorance is no excuse for ignorant behavior but it's a defense we use. We expect that our transgression will be overlooked because we were not properly informed. In fact, this is little more than placing blame somewhere else because we are saying that it is someone else's job to make sure we knew. Deflecting Sometimes we deflect onto someone elses faults. That is, not as an excuse but just as a focal point. Like a skilled magician we misdirect our own attention or, we think, the attention of those we care about by pointing to someone else's character flaws or weaknesses, their "bad actions" that are supposedly far worse or at least more urgent than our own. Seeing Flaws The list goes on. We defend our actions in our minds eye in an attempt to feel something less than flawed. Herein lies the problem. We are flawed. We are created in the image of God and still able to some extent to create and as opportunity presents to destroy. When we sin or do wrong of any kind it is an easy out to point at the cracks in someone else's image. It's true. Everyone has them. Their presence in every image of God, put forward by every person is hte reason God says not to judge. If you are busy seeing the flaws in the image you will not be able to enjoy the image. Worse, you will be very ready to defend your own flaws instead of dealing with them. Paid Christ died to pay for those flaws. No furhter excuse is needed or viable. That being said, when we placed our trust in Him we gave up the right to use these defenses. We agreed to address those flaws or rather to leave them behind to the best of our ability and when they reer up again we should not defend ourself in our mind's eye but apply our mind to overcome our character weakness. Repentance We should repent and turn back to God but instead most people, wanting to feel like they are ok, defend themselves and by so doing trap themselves in their own web of flaws. This is bondage and as long as we are willing to accept our flaws and not join Christ in working against them we are not free. Then you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free and whom the son sets free, he is free indeed. Free to be okay while recognizing our own failures and still pressing forward to the calling of God. If one died for all then all died and you are not that person any more and it's perfectly okay to see when that person is surfacing again and deny those desires, not defending that person but recognizing the enemy's attempt to resurrect that person. It's too easy. Don't you see? It's too easy to justify our wrong choices because it's so easy to see other people's flaws. Believe that you are better than that. In Christ, believe that you are made knew, believe that when you do those things now, which will grow fewer and farther between if you are engaged with Christ growing to be a better follower, believe that when you do those things now it is sin in you, not you that does them and that you need to once and for all put them away. No excuses, no defenses for why it was okay. It wasn't. If it's wrong it's wrong regardless. With God it is possible to once and for all put away that behavior that have been defending but you have to stop helping the enemy and start following the savior. Daniel Stevenson, Pastor New Heights Fellowship Director Life station newheightsfellowshipchurch.org facebook.com/newheightstoledo facebook.com/lifestationtoledo Continue the discussion. Buy Think Again in paperback here or on your Kindle.