This Blog Has Moved!

I am moving this blog, along with my Little Rv on the Hillside Blog. You can find this blog here: Abi's Thoughts on God

Area Closed: By Whose Authority?

Hmmm...the sign says "Area Closed". Well, by whose authority is it closed? Why can't we go out there? Who makes the rules anyway??? Shouldn't I be able to do what I want? Shouldn't I be able to go out there if I want to?

The picture is of a place called "Natural Bridges" on the California Coast. Notice the plural in the name..."bridges". If you go here, you can see a picture of two natural bridges. Yet, notice the description they give:

This beach, with its famous natural bridge, is an excellent vantage point for viewing shore birds, migrating whales, and seals and otters playing offshore.

Do you see the singular "bridge"? You see, the constant pounding of the waves that helped to shape the bridges...also destroys them. In other words, it is not really all that safe to be out on top. It all depends on how thin that "bridge" of rock is getting. The thinner it gets, the more unstable it becomes and the less safe it is to walk across it!

Check out this picture of it now. There is only one bridge left. There was only one bridge left in the photo at the top of this post.

There are rules to keep us safe. This sign was posted by the authority of the California State Parks. What about life, though, as a whole? Who makes the rules for that? Who has the authority to say what is right and what is wrong...what is safe and what is not?

As a society we make determinations of right and wrong and we make rules for safety reasons. On a simple level, there are laws telling us not to run red lights. On a more serious level, there are laws against murder. Some of those seem to be quite obvious. I mean, everyone knows you should not run red lights and you should not murder people, right?

Well, apparently not. Red lights are run all the time, sometimes with very serious consequences. People are murdered all the time. Clearly, there are some who believe they have a right to do what they want...period! They apparently do not see that there is anything wrong with running red lights or murder.

Does what is right and wrong change over time? When I was a young girl in school you knew that cheating was wrong. Cheaters were looked down upon. There was an article written in 2002 called: Survey: Many Students Say Cheating's OK. Follow the link to see the article.

So, who has the real authority to determine what is right and what is wrong? People keep changing the "rules". So, if the rules keep changing...why follow rules at all? What if my idea of what is right and wrong differs with yours? What rules, or maybe it should be "whose" rules, should we follow?

There is one ultimate authority...the One who made this whole universe. He designed it. He created it. He knows what works best. He has the authority to make the rules. He wants to protect us from the harm we can do to ourselves and to others, so He makes rules for us to follow.

This universe started off perfect and with only one rule really. But the first guy, Adam, well...he blew it for all of us. He brought imperfection to this perfect universe and we have all been paying the price ever since. We see it in sickness and death. We see it in major storms, like hurricanes and tsunamis. We see it in earthquakes. Even worse, we see it in the wickedness of people's hearts.

While there is nothing we can really do about the storms of nature and earthquakes, there is something we can do about man's inhumanity to man. God provided the answer to that...His Son. He sent His Son so that hearts could be changed...so that we could reconnect with our Creator...spirit to spirit.

I am not talking about people who SAY they love God...and then do evil. I am talking about people with a true heart connection with Him. People who truly are connected with their Creator won't intentionally hurt or use others. They will work to make this world a better place...with love and compassion for others. They will listen to, and obey, God's voice as He directs them in how to really make a positive difference in this world. You may not know who they are because they may not "broadcast" their beliefs/connection with their words, but you sure will know them by their actions.

Laws won't do it. Government sure won't do it. Man without God won't do it. One person at a time, one heart at a time, we can make a difference in this world, with God's help.

Whose has authority to make the rules? God does! What happens when we break the rules? Well, look around you! The evidence is there. Let's make sure our hearts are in tune with the Creator and His Son. Let's make sure that we are doing what we can to make a positive difference in the world and in the lives of those around us. Let's encourage one another to be God's people...in the truest sense!

How Solid Is Your Foundation?

When you are building something...it does not matter what it is...if you don't have a solid foundation to build upon, whatever you are building will eventually crumble.

Of course, the most obvious first thing we think of are the buildings we live and work in...the places where we spend the most time. We want to know that we are safe in those places.

When my husband and I moved here, we were looking at houses to buy. I had dreams of an old farmhouse or an old "Victorian" era house. Well, we saw some very interesting houses. Many of them had real character and promise, even though they needed a bit of working on. Several times we got a bit excited.

Then Dave would check the foundations and our hearts would sink. How sad to see these houses that had such promise with crumbling foundations. We knew that it would not make any difference what we did with them...how nice we made them look. Eventually, they would just fall.

Some of the houses we looked at already showed signs of weak foundations. We saw fireplaces leaning in and away from the outer walls. We saw floors that were bowed or slanted. We were amazed at what all we saw. I am not simply talking about houses that are out of square, as many of the older houses are. I am talking about houses that are in bad shape due to bad foundations and houses that were headed in that direction due to bad foundations.

We felt sad and wondered how many people in the area were actually living in houses that were literally falling apart around them. We also wondered how many people even knew about it.

Repairing a foundation can be costly. Even more so is trying to replace one. In some instances, the damage to the house may already be so extensive that a bulldozer is really the only option. Bulldoze it and start over with something totally new.

As concerned as we are about the foundations of the places where our physical bodies dwell, there is another foundation that is even more important. The foundations of where our spirits dwell. This life is not all there is. There is a life beyond this one. What do we know about it? How can we know about it? Our spirits are eternal. What happens after physical death? What are we building our spiritual lives upon?

If it is that critical that we get our physical foundations strong and true, how much more critical it is that we get our spiritual foundations strong and true! There are people who do not realize that the houses they are living in are going to someday collapse around them due to a poor foundation. There are also many people who are in for a nasty surprise spiritually because they are not paying attention to the foundation for their spiritual life!

Some may think they are not "spiritual" people. However, we all are, whether we realize it or not. We are all designed by our Creator to worship Him. If we don't worship Him, we will end up worshiping something else, but we WILL worship for we are designed to worship! We may worship money, or career, or notoriety, or people, or love, or ____(fill in the blank). We WILL worship something or someone!

So, what are you building your spiritual foundation upon? Is it built upon the solid foundation of the Creator and His true word as found in the bible? Is it being built upon His Son Yeshua/Jesus, who is also known as the "Word"?

Just as there are many people who sincerely (yet erroneously) believe that the foundation of their home is fine, there are also many people who sincerely (yet erroneously) believe that their spiritual foundation is fine. Both kinds of people are in for a horrible suprise in the end...IF they don't check their foundation and do what is needed to fix it...or even replace it.

For some, all that is required is some repair work. Some of us have strayed from living as Yahweh God has called us and designed us to live. We just need to get back into having a stronger understanding of who He is and who we are. We need to strengthen our heart connection with Him. We need to repent (go in the opposite direction) in the areas where we have strayed from Him and His truth.

Some of us need a LOT of changing! We need to replace the foundation altogether because it is so weak and so wrong. Our spiritual lives are a mess because the foundation is so bad. We need major overhauls. We need to get really serious with our Creator and make sure that we are not fooling ourselves as to where we really stand with Him.

The sad thing is, we may be totally blind to the real condition of our spiritual lives. Paul wrote in 2Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?

Yeshua/Jesus said in Mat 7:22-23 Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'

Those are sobering words! We can think we have it right...and yet don't! That whole chapter in Matthew is a very interesting one. It gives a story Yeshua told about how important the right foundation is. I encourage everyone to read it.

I also encourage everyone to really think about your spiritual life. You do have one. What is it founded on? Is it founded upon some philosophy of man? Or upon some "religious" book? Or is it founded upon the words of the One who created you? Yeshua is the only One who said that He was going to die (and how) and that He was going to raise from the dead...and then did it!

The antiquity of the writings in the bible have been proven over and over. Yeshua fulfills so many prophecies in that book. To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, the evidence is there about who Yeshua/Jesus really is.

In addition, we have His own words. He should know better than anyone who He really is. It is written in John 14:6 Yeshua said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me."

Did you get that? He is the ONLY way to the heavenly Abba/Father...the ONLY way. He leaves no doubt about there not being any other way besides Him. None!

It is also important to note what is said in this passage:
Mat 16:15-17 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

He is clearly identified here as being the Son of the living God. He is not merely a good teacher or prophet. A good teacher or true prophet will only speak the truth. Yeshua is either who He said He is...the Son of the living God and only way to the Father...or He is a liar or a lunatic or deceived. There are no other options.

Abba, please open people's eyes and hearts to see the truth and to receive You and Your Son. Help them to build a spiritual foundation that is strong and true. Help us all to stay strong in You and to always make sure that we are in the faith. Amen and amen!

In Our "Daddy's" Arms!

I know many people who struggle with the idea of God being our "Father"...and with good reason! Their own fathers did not treat them like a loving and protective father should. They suffered abuses of various kinds from the man called "father". Many lived in fear of him. His arms were not loving ones, so the image of "father" is not a pleasant one.

It can be very hard to overcome the images associated with that word. Some get around it by calling God by His other names. Some will call Him "Daddy", or "Papa". Some, like me, tend to call Him "Abba". That is the Hebrew equivalent for "Daddy". Typically, it is a very endearing term for a Hebrew child to use.

When Yeshua/Jesus (who was Hebrew) told us to pray to our heavenly Father in Matthew 6, He would have used the word He had for "Father/Daddy", which was "Abba". I know several besides myself who like to use "Abba" when referring to our heavenly Father.

Whatever we call Him, we need to get past the realities of the failings of the earthly men who bore the title "father" for us...however undeservedly. We need to see that our heavenly Abba is nothing like they were/are. He is perfect. He loves us perfectly. His discipline is in love as He wants what is best for us to help us to grow and mature in Him.

I like what one friend from long ago told me. When asked if he struggled with the idea of God being a "Father" since his own earthly father was so bad, he said he did not! In fact, he said that he appreciates his heavenly Father all the more because he had such a bad earthly father to contrast Him with. He looks upon God as being the Father he never had in this life.

What a way to look at it! Instead of letting his earthly father sour his viewpoint of his heavenly "Dad", he allowed the evil of his earthly father to give him a greater appreciation for his heavenly "Dad". I wish that everyone could do that. We all need a heavenly "Dad"...even those of us whose earthly ones were "good" Dads.

Abba, please help those who struggle with seeing You as a loving Daddy be able to see You for who You really are. Help them to be able to emotionally and spiritually snuggle in Your arms and sit upon Your lap, just as the child of a good earthly Daddy can. I know that my heart connection with You is such a blessing to me. I wish that all could experience that...and more! Please break down the barriers that come between people and You so that they can truly know Your incredible love for them. Amen and amen!

The Sunsets of Our Lives!

We are all approaching the sunsets of our lives. For some, it will come when we are very young. For most, when we are very old. We may get there full of vim and vigor. Or, we may get there bowed down by ill health.

However we get there...and whenever we get there...we WILL get there!

What is on the other side of that sunset? Do you know? Are you sure? Are you willing to risk your eternal life on it?

There is only One who really knows what is on the other side...the One who made both this side and that. He tells us in His Word what awaits us on the other side.

There are only two options really. Which option is yours? Do you know where you are headed? Are you sure?

Yahweh God says in His word that there will be many who think they are headed one way on the other side of sunset, only to discover they are actually going the other way.

The only way to know for sure which direction you are headed in is to read what the Creator has said about it in His written Word...the Bible. We must pay attention to what His Son, Yeshua/Jesus...the living Word...said about it. All else is simply the ideas of mere humans.

I know that there are many who say that there are many ways to God...but that is not what Yahweh God said. His Son Yeshua said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me."

It is not about religion. It is not about "Christianity" or what some people mistakenly think "Christianity" is. It is about what Yeshua said about Himself and about His Abba/Father.

Before you head into the sunset...a sunset that could really come at any moment...I hope that you have checked it out for yourself.

I have put my trust in Yeshua. If I am wrong, I lose nothing. But if I am right, then anyone who rejects Yeshua will lose everything. According to Yeshua, refusing to accept is the same as rejection. It is a conscious choice we all must make.

I am not talking about the YeshuaJesus that some people "think" He is...I am talking about the true Yeshua of the Bible. I hope you check Him out without delay.