Because this blog’s stated purpose is photography, I thought I would begin today by sharing some images of mine. They are of a few of God’s creatures.

On to our topic for today.

Worship is essential if you are a believer in the Christian God. Be careful however, who or what you worship.

I cannot imagine the Old Testament without Moses. He led God’s chosen people the Jews, through both hardship and glory. He is a very significant and well known part of the beginning.

Yet, I do not worship Moses.

In the New Testament, one of my favorite people is Paul. He went from a rounder up of Christians to be sent to the gallows in Rome, to one of God’s most important Apostles. One short vision of Christ on the road to Damascus turned him forever into a believer and spreader of the Word. He was tenacious and eventually, the powers that be, chopped his head off. The only way to stop him. I think the world of Paul.

I do not worship Paul.

Another favorite of mine is Peter. He was one of two Apostles to either turn on or deny Jesus. The other was Judas. Judas traded the identity of Christ for silver. He could not overcome what he had done, and he committed suicide.

Peter said he did not know Jesus. He later relented, and asked forgiveness from God. God granted him that absolution. I like Peter. He admitted his wrong doing and returned to God.

I do not worship Peter.

If you have been to this blog and read any of my religious writings before, then you might know how highly I feel about Mary.

She was not only Christ’s biological mother, specifically chosen by God the Father, she was one of those people who greeted Jesus after He rose from that tomb. She had faith. I love Mary.

Still, I do not worship Mary.

I worship God. The triune God (the Father, the Son, (the Holy Spirit) of the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less.

It is not my place to add or subtract from the Bible.

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The quotes below come from Martin Luther. I rarely use the words of this somewhat flawed religious leader of days past. I of course do not blame him for what his namesake the Lutheran Church as become in many cases, although I know there are a few groups of such churches that are Godly. His honesty however, concerning the church of that time was significant as he stayed with the true gospel. He rebelled against the “manmade changes” to the Gospel that were being pushed from Rome.

Quotes:

“We do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds, but by having been made righteous first, and we then we do righteous deeds“.

“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”

A truism from Luther.

This next one is important. Satan follows the church. Any Christian based church wherever they are. The battle will go on and only an accurate understanding of God’s Word will defeat him. Satan is never far away.

There are Godly churches, there are satanic churches, and there are many humanistic churches.

Do most Christians today, realize that Satan was an angel who left Heaven and took 1/3 of the other angels with him? He is currently labeled the god of this earth? That label is not flattering and it comes from God.

Do you believe that, or do you snicker when you see it? Is Satan merely an abstract version of evil, or is he literal? Your answer will say a lot about your true belief system.

Here is what I know. Some Christians or at least church goers, think that those Biblical points, are funny and unbelievable.

We do not pick and choose which parts of God’s message to us that we believe and which parts we snicker at. We cannot have it both ways or should I say every way that pleases us.

We cannot go to Heaven via our deeds. We were given the gift of Salvation by what Jesus did for us on the Cross. Good deeds, are however a part of being a Born Again Christian. The Judgment Seat of Christ, in Heaven, will in fact take account of the good deeds we have done. You may be rewarded.

Salvation cannot be earned, bought, purchased or realized, any other way than through Jesus, because we have the stench and stains of sin on us. Faith and acceptance of what our Savior did for us is what makes us tolerable and clean and able to live if you will, in Heaven. We are cleansed by the blood of Christ.

Don’t be entrapped or fooled by the world. While Satan, who is very real, is in fact currently the god of this world, his time will absolutely come to an end.

When I make a post like this and write the Bible related things that I write, how many of you who are religious and maybe even own a Bible, snicker at me? I mean, yah our pastor refers to the devil once or twice a year but you know, he has to do that because of what the Bible says. I don’t really need to believe it
do I?

Those decisions of course, are up to each of us. God has given us free will. Nobody is forced to understand or believe the Word of God. I think in the end, it is how and what we truly believe, that will deliver us to Heaven or to Hell.

Yes, a real Heaven and a real Hell. Maybe the Lake of Fire sounds more inviting. That by the way, is Biblical.

I am a sinner who deserves hell. I am eternally grateful for the forgiveness of those sins because of our Savior.

Every time I feel as though I am a good, sin free Christian, I soon after that sin and prove I am not as good as I thought I was. I spend a lot of time asking forgiveness from God. That is the plight of human beings. Thank God for Christ!

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Well now, another trip through the Bible with this guy who thinks he knows it all.

I not only do not know it all, I have not the years left to realize all that I have missed. I know this, every day that something new enters this old brain is another victory.

May God Bless you greatly,
Wayne