Jumping Off Rooftops

I sometimes find myself wondering what’s next. What’s next? Seasons change for everyone, and so, mine has recently changed as well… hence, the thought.

Several years ago, this type of change would have turned me perhaps bitter at life, disgruntled, upset, lost or the likes. Through a series of events in life, directions I believe God has led me to, people that have come in and out of my life, and even the unexplainable, it didn’t turn out that way for me, thank God. Simply a new chapter in life.

Sometimes life deals us some cards that we aren’t sure what to do with. Sometimes we aren’t sure what direction to go, and it’s scary. It paralyzes us. It immobilizes us. The longer we think about which direction to step, the scarier it gets and the harder it gets to make that decision. We’ve thought about it too long.

I’m reminded of when I was a kid… Me and a friend used to play at his grandmothers house throughout the year. She had a lower hanging roof off the back of the house, with a nice large tree only feet from it.
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The WARRIOR
A short story by Jason K Powers
October, 2009
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You look out across the desert plain… a desert that is nothing but the dry cracked ground.  No piles of sand in sight.  No vegetation.  No critters scurrying around. 
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Nothing. 
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Only the vast plains and the winding cracks in the ground as far as you can see. 
Off in the distance, where the ground meets the sky… the horizon… you see what looks like a wall that runs as far east as one can see, and as far west and the eye can see.  It’s a wall that appears to move and shift, as the patterns roll within itself.  It seems to be made of smoke, and fire, and dust blowing.  A storm of sorts.  A wall so thick, you figure it could go for miles beyond its front lines.  A wall so tall and so wide, that you dare not go closer.  The dark black clouds mix with the wind and sand.  You can hear a faint rumble of the thunder and roaring wind that comes from the wall.  Lightning flickers and fire licks a glowing amber from within.  A whole other world lies beyond its barrier.  It’s a wall that speaks of fear.  No… it doesn’t speak… it roars…
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The Trials, Part 2

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Let’s look at one story…  The Persecuted…

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar has ordered a decree that all people must bow down and worship a golden statue that he has built.  Whoever does not will be cast in to the furnace of blazing fire.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to do this, in spite of King Nebuchadnezzar’s command to worship a god.  The King vows to kill them if they do not obey him, giving them a second chance…

Daniel 3:15-28 (HCSB/(JKP edit)) says, “Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the (music), fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire–and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”  (16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.  (17) If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king.”

But notice what else they say…
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The Trials, Part 1

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

As a Christian, Trials will come

2 Timothy 3:12 (HCSB) says, “In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (emphasis mine).

Also, in James 1:2-3 (HCSB) it says, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

So now, just because we have become Christians, does this mean that life will get easy now?  No more hardships, trials, bad things happening?  No!  Bad things happen.  Bad things happen to good people and bad people alike.  Bad things even happen to the best of people.

In India in 2008, over 50,000 Christians were displace, and lost their homes for the sole purpose that they were Christians!
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What’s the point?
What is the meaning, the purpose, the point in this crazy, crazy world of ours? 

Ah, such a big question. 

Before we get there, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Let’s back up for a moment…

What’s wrong with this world… this crazy, crazy, messed up world? 
Tell me… What would make this world a better place?  What would make our lives better? 
Would this world be a better place if we had more control over things?  Less control?  I don’t mean a domineering control such as the likes of Hitler, Stalin, and so on…  I mean control over our daily life… control over what happens to us.
Would this world be a better place if we had more freedom in life?  Less freedom?  I’m not talking about anarchy, or totalitarianism.  I’m talking about freedom in our choices, our life, our morals, and so on.
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When it Rains, It Pours

Do you ever wonder why many times when struggles come in life, things tend to get thrown at you all at once? One bad thing happens, and then another thing gets thrown on you, and another and another. I’ve had times like this before, and many times, the thought comes in to my mind… “When it rains, it pours.” We’ve all heard it before… some of us use it regularly.
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I’ve seen this topic creep up more and more over the past couple of year.  The Prosperity Gospel. I’ve heard it preached here and there, I’ve seen big debates over it between people, I’ve seen it mislead some Christians, and I’ve seen major stumbling blocks arise for the non-Christian who see’s this happening.

Prosperity Gospel… also known as Prosperity Theology, Prosperity Doctrine, and even the Word of Faith movement.  Other common terms for this are: Health and Wealth, Dialing for Dollars, and so on.
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