GOD? WHICH ONE?

   The word "God" is subjective.  "God" to some people is not necessarily the same "God" of all people. 
   For example, the "God" of Hinduism is not the same "God" of Buddhism.
   Because religions are inventions from the imaginations of men, the "Gods" of all religions are also inventions from the imaginations of men.
   "Gods" of religions are all different, however, and there is not one "God" that is the "God" of all "Gods" since all of them are gods of imagination.
   If we ask people if they believe in God and they say yes, perhaps we should ask, "Which one?", or, "What is his name?", or "Tell me about him."
   To believe in God of the Bible, people must believe in the Bible.  But if people do not believe in the Bible, neither will they believe in God of the Bible.  So then, which "God" do they believe outside of the Bible?
   Moreover, if people in Christian churches or Christian religions do not believe in the Bible, neither will they believe in God of the Bible.  So then, which "God" do they believe?  At the same time, why should they believe in Christ when Christ is written in the same Bible that they have chosen to reject?
   If the Bible is divided in Christianity, is God also divided?  And what about Christ?  Do we divide Him with a part for Protestants, with a part for Catholics, and with a part for Mormons?
   Pontius Pilate said, "What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?"  (Matthew 27: 22)
   The question we should ask at this time is:  Which Jesus do people want Him to be?  Which Jesus do people want to believe?  Should Jesus be the same Jesus for Protestants, Catholics, and Mormons?
   Keep in mind:  without the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the New Testament of the Bible would have never been written.  What are we going to do about that?  Do we rip the New Testament out of the Bible?  If we disregard the New Testament, because it is in the Bible, are we saying that the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus never happened?
   Perhaps we should ask, is it possible, just possible, that people have their faith in Protestantism, Catholicism, and Mormonism instead of having their faith in Christ?  If this is true, then what do they need the Bible for?  If they remove the Bible, can they still have Protestantism, Catholicism, and Mormonism because their faith is not in Christ?  Of course.  If they do not believe the Bible now, why do they need it?
   In two thousand years, have people successfully converted Christ to religions?  Instead of people believing in Christ by simple faith, have people deceived people to believe they must first believe in a religion to get to God?  If so, then they must answer the same question of Pontius Pilate:  What will they do with Jesus, which is called Christ?
  The Bible is very clear:
      "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."  (1st Timothy 2: 5)
   Do you believe that?

THE AMAZING POWER OF TRUTH

   Jesus said,
       "If ye continue in my word, ye are my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free."  (John 8: 31-32)
   How, then, shall we become disciples of Christ?  "If ye continue in my word,"  according to the Lord. 
   If we do not continue in the words of the Lord, then it is impossible  to become disciples of Christ:  at which time it will also be impossible  to know the truth and to be set free.
   I am learning that not everybody is interested in knowing truth for the simple reason that they want to believe that they cannot be wrong. Because they do not want to be wrong, they find the truth to be bothersome, from which they will turn away and continue to believe in their own words, or they will continue to believe in the words of others:  for the words of the Lord have no value in their lives.
   Judas Iscariot went to church with Jesus for more than three years, then traded his soul for a bag of money.  Because he valued the money more than his soul, he ceased to be a disciple of Christ because he refused to "continue in my word"  as Jesus had said.  Obviously, Judas was not set free because Judas had no interest in truth.
   How many people, like Judas Iscariot, cling to a bag that has more value to them than own souls?  That is of more value to them than the value of Christ?
   How many people, like Judas Iscariot, go to church with Jesus?  Yet, how many of them never read, never study, and never believe in the Bible?  How many of them are not disciples of Christ because they will not "continue in my word"?  And how many of them will not "know the truth" and be set free?   How many of them cling to a bag whose content is of more value than their own souls?
   How many people, like Judas Iscariot, just go to church, but have no intention of following Christ?  For if they believed in the Lord, they would speak for the Lord; but because they never speak for Christ, this indicates that their hearts are in the content of the bag.  There is something in the bag that they refuse let go.  There is something in the bag that they cling to.  What is in the bag?  Only they can answer this question.
   Jesus also said,
      "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  (Mark 8: 36-37)
   The words of Christ are truth; and the words of this world are the words of this world and nothing more.  The words of this world have no eternal value; but the words of Christ will last forever.
  

THE AMAZING POWER OF WORDS

   Writing is speaking words on paper.
   Not only that, but your invisible voice travels with your words to a written format, and, as people read your written words, they will also hear your voice speaking to them the words you have written on paper.
   Your words, therefore, have power.  Your written words are the same as the spoken words that come out of your mouth.
   Obviously, if you are not able to come to see me to talk to me, then talk to me by writing a letter to me in your own words.  And if I am unable to come to you to give you my answer, then I can write a letter to you in my own words and that is same as me being in your presence.
   For example, you do not need to be in my presence to speak to me.  You can speak to me in your written words which is the same as speaking to me in my presence.
   This truth could not be more clear than the written words of the Bible, for these are the words of God, spoken from the heart of God to the writers who have been chosen to write for Him.  For the writers of the Bible do not speak about themselves; they are God's journalists. 
   Therefore, when you read the words of the Bible, and listen carefully, you will hear the voice of God speaking those words to you.
   When you read the words of Jesus speaking in the New Testament, you will hear the voice of the Lord speaking those words to you.
   When I receive a letter from a friend, I hear my friend's voice speaking to me.
   When I receive a letter from my sister, I hear my sister's voice speaking to me.
   When I receive a note from my wife, I hear my wife's voice speaking to me.
   In your own words, no matter if you speak or if you write, you have the power to build people up as well as the power to tear people down because your words will go forth and accomplish the intent of your heart.
   Your words have power.  Be careful how you use them. 
   In closing, when you read the words of the Bible that is the same as hearing those words spoken from the mouth of God in heaven, which is the same as the Lord being in your presence and face to face. 
   The amazing power of words:  only God could think of this because this is beyond the power of human thinking.
     

PRAYER

   "Be still, and know that I am God:  I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."  (Psalm 46: 10)
   Prayer is the pipeline, or the communication channel, to God; and the best way to communicate with God is to find a quiet place, be still, and stop talking.  Now is the time to listen. 
   Since I have been writing the 7th Highway, for example, I have always sought God for each and every story that I have written.  In so doing, I will tell you that it is God who taught me the difference between God and religion.  I did not learn this by myself.  And I will also tell you that it is God who has taught me about the power of human imagination.  I did not learn this by myself. 
   As a result, the door of the 7th Highway swings on two hinges:  1) the separation of God and religion, and (2) the power of human imagination.  For these are the two topics that I have written about the most for five and a half years. 
   When I began writing the 7th Highway, I was not looking for this to happen.  All I knew at that time was that I wanted to write about God, about Christ, and about the Bible.  And all of this knowledge that God has shared with me began when I began to pray:  when I chose to remain silent and let God do the talking.
   God's ways are silent ways, and God's ways are amazing ways. 
   If people, therefore, will submit their minds to God in silence, they will experience the amazing ways of God.
   Today, this is all I can tell you about prayer.  But if you are serious about God, then seek Him in prayer.  Be silent, listen, and when you ask in the name of Jesus, be prepared to experience some amazing things to happen in your life. 
   This is your life, my friend, and nobody knows you better than God. 

A CLONE OF RELIGION

   The human brain is born without knowledge.
   Who began to fill your brain with knowledge?
   Who, for example, began to fill your brain with the knowledge of religion?
   How do you feel about having this decision made for you and to know that their religion is your religion---built in your brain by others and without your permission?
   How does it feel to be a clone of religion?
   Do not be deceived:  for the knowledge of religion is not the same as the knowledge of God.
   The knowledge of God begins with God, but the knowledge of religion begins with man.
      "In the beginning,
          God created the heaven and the earth."  (Genesis 1: 1)
   In the beginning, God did not create religion because religion was created out of the imaginations of men.
  

SPORTS & RELIGION

   Professional sports is all about money.  The games, the wins, and the championships do not matter, for these are illusions  they use to get fans hooked to get their money.
   Religion also uses illusions  to get people hooked to get their money.
   Sports teams and religions are rich and stay rich because of the power of illusion:  none of it is real, but it looks real in the eyes of the fans and in the eyes of the congregations of religion.  They believe it is real and therefore they keep giving their money.  They have been deceived and they have been tricked.
   But if the money of professional sports and religions disappeared, the teams and the religions would collapse and fall because they operate under the power of money. 
   The only difference, however, between professional sports teams and religion is found in the fact that religion gets their souls.
      "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ."  (Colossians 2: 8)

WILL A MAN ROB GOD?

   Is Jesus Christ real in your life, or is He no more than an image of your imagination?
   We must admit that Santa Claus and Easter Bunny have great power. 
   Created in the 20th century, these two animated characters have accomplished everything they were invented and sent forth to do:   to rob Christ of His glory---
         To rob Christ of the glory of His birth
             as well as to rob Christ of the glory of His resurrection.
   In the minds of little children, adults have done an excellent job of teaching them to believe in Santa Claus and Easter Bunny---while ignoring the teaching of Christ.
   To be honest,
       Do you know more about Santa Claus than you know about Christ?
       Do you know more about Easter Bunny than you know about Christ?
   If this is true (and if you will be honest) would it be fair to say that Christ is a stranger to you?  That He is a stranger because you have never met Him?  Because you have never met Him you have no desire to know Him better?  Because Christ is not real to you, is this why you have never told your children about Him?  After all, what would you tell your children about a stranger?
  Is it also possible that the same people who taught you about Santa Claus and Easter Bunny are the same people who taught you about Christ?  And because Santa Claus and Easter are images in your imagination, would it be fair to say that Christ is also no more than an image in your imagination?
      "Will a man rob God?"  (Malachi 3: 8)
   To answer the question, yes, a man will rob God.
   As long as people devote their attention and affection to Santa Claus and Easter Bunny, instead of Christ, they will not devote their attention and affection to Christ, for Christ, to them, is an image and not real.  For in their minds they see three images:  Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Christ.
   In so doing, they will rob Christ of the glory of His birth as well as rob Christ of the glory of His resurrection.