The Days Of The Lord        On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  The exchanges of gifts on Christmas morning, which are expressions of love, are symbolic references to God giving the gift of a savior.  On Good Friday we acknowledge the Savior’s death.  On Easter we celebrate His resurrection, which is another gift to mankind.  It is all symbolic -- the birth, the life, the death of Jesus, and His subsequent resurrection.  These days of the Lord are days of worship.  On these days we give honor and praise to God.  The events in Jesus’ life represented by Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter not only remind us of our salvation, but they also give proof to the fact that upon death we shall not fade away.  Rather we shall go on and experience wondrous things as we slip out of the ties that bind us to this earth and drift upward into the arms of our Father.      As we go through life, we come across numerous Christian denominations.  Many have similar yet differing dogmas.  Several groups of Christians praise the church they attend, and condemn several of the others.  None of these groups of Christians have become enlightened enough to realize that you cannot find God in a church building, for He does not dwell in a building.  You cannot build a house for Him out of stone, mortar and wood.  You have to build a place for Him within your heart, for that is His true dwelling place.      Of the various Christian denominations, some are steadfast in their core of beliefs, while others are changing their standard beliefs for either more liberal or more rigid doctrines.  Change always brings about controversy, and controversy begets more dispute.  Often God gets lost in all of this hullabaloo.  The church organization is needed by Christians to give support and guidance while they are on a quest to know God.  The actual church organization or building is transitory.  You will not be going into heaven as a Lutheran or a Methodist or a Baptist.  You will be going into Heaven as a believer of God, of Jesus, and the love and salvation that God has offered.  In other words, you will go into heaven as a Christian.  People do not understand that God is Spirit and love, and the only way you can truly worship Him is in spirit, overflowing with love.      So develop a love for your fellowman.  Bring understanding and forgiveness into your soul for your neighbor, and then build a tabernacle and an altar for God in your heart, for stone, mortar and wood are worldly things, which crumble with time, but the innermost chambers of your heart last forever.      ~ ~  Simon West        April, 2002

~*  Searching*~*        An outbreak of truth searching has been occurring in the realm of Christianity these past few years.  People have been coming to the conclusion that the religious beliefs they have lived with all their lives might be false.  Looking for a sense of spiritual security, numerous church members are drifting from one denomination to another.  Mormons are leaving their church by the hundreds.  Catholics are looking for something better.  People are church hopping, trying to find a spirit of truth and peace.  Instead this all-out effort to find God is generating anger, frustration, loneliness, despair, and at times a fleeting joy.         You cannot find God this way.  Be still and know that He is God.  Before deciding where you should rest, denominationally speaking, you need to become more familiar with God.  You must come to realize that He is a personal God.  He is specifically interested in you, and He cares for you immeasurably.  Seek for God within you first, for there you will find His kingdom.  Every kindness - every good deed - every expression of love - every act of forgiveness proclaims God in your heart.  The love of God progressively grows within you.         As you develop and expand your relationship with God, you may want to continue your current church associations.  Fellowship with other Christians is beneficial in several ways.  You do not need to worry about specific doctrines at this time.  Develop your own relationship with God, and in His own time He will lead you to the place you need to be, and where you can feel at home.      ~ ~  Simon West    April,2002

* Without Hope *              For without hope, what are we?  Without hope, what can we accomplish?  God, throughout His Words to us (which have been compiled into a work called the Holy Bible) tells us to have hope.         Psalm 119, verse 116 says, “Sustain me according to thy word that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.”  There is far more to obedience to God than just the ten commandments.  For without faith, hope and charity there is no ring to our spirit.  There is a clanking in our soul, as if we had put chains upon our heart, which have dragged us down into the darkness of this world.         In Proverb 13, verse 12 it says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”  We cannot live without hope.  We cannot grow in the spirit without hope.  And without hope we cannot trust in Jesus.  Romans 8, verse 24 says this to us, “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?”  It is apparent that we cannot grow in the spirit of God without faith, hope and charity.  We cannot accept the salvation Jesus offers unless we have hope, for it is in our hope where desire for God is sewn.         Faith nurtures the seed of hope, and love nourishes the fruit of our hope.  To walk in the ways of the Lord, we must have faith, hope and love.  We must have faith that God will keep all of His words, and with hope we hope for His salvation.  It is with love that we accept His offering of love.  Without faith, hope and charity, we cannot know God's heart.  But if we have faith, hope and charity, then we shall have all the promises of God fulfilled in our lives.         ~ ~  Simon A. West             ©  15 December, Two Thousand

The Christian Way      I am a Christian, but am I really?  Do I believe in Jesus?  Do I follow the teachings of Jesus?  Do I only need to accept Jesus as my Savior to be saved?      Well, you certainly can not earn your salvation.  But how many really accept the salvation of Jesus?  And how many just say they do?  Remember, repentance means not doing it again.  No one is perfect; we all fail.  But if we keep making the same mistakes over and over again, then we can not claim we have repented.  I do not believe we are capable of repenting on our own.  We must have the conviction of the Holy Spirit.      Can one be a saved Christian and gossip about one's neighbors at the same time?  If I have read Proverbs correctly, I do not believe you can.  Can you not have compassion for your neighbor and still be a righteous Christian?  =  The answer to this question is no.      You can have everything in the world, but if you do not have the love which comes with Jesus’ gift of salvation, then you are hollow.  Can you forgive your enemies?  God has commanded you to forgive your enemies.  Pray for those who have done you wrong.  This is not only good spiritual advice, it is good psychological advice as well.  Praying for your enemies contributes to peace in the world.  Hating your enemy adds to the violence in the world.     Start your day with praise for your Heavenly Father and then pray for your enemies.  Ask God to give you the grace to forgive them.  Then pray for the needs of others.  In doing this you will be seeking the kingdom of heaven, and then the blessings of God will fall upon you, for you have followed God's command and sought His glory above all else -- including your own desires.      ~ ~  Simon A. West             ©  5 November, Two Thousand

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This page last modified May, 2002