Chris' Christian Blog

March 11, 2022

"Prompt
Do you have a go to scripture(a) when you are feeling discouraged? Write about how you handle discouragement."

I seldom feel discouraged any more. When I do, I realize that life is going to have discouraging moments. It has its up and downs because we live in a fallen world. Even David had moments of discouragement as is shown by Psalms such as Psalm 22. The key with discouragement is to remember that it's only temporary. Anything on earth is temporary. God has it all under control. The scripture that usually comes to mind is Luke 18:1-8 known as both the Parable of the Unjust Judge and the Parable of the Persistent Widow. This parable teaches us that God will win in the end and we should never give up. Discouragement will come. Friends and family will make us angry or hurt our feelings. Death will come to family, friends, and us. All of these things are temporary.


Prompt: I was cruising the galaxy with Garfield and found this planet: Tim Chiu writes "The Almighty’s Grace - Sweetest Mercy (E)"

The Almighty’s Grace - Sweetest Mercy  (E) The passion for Christ and the unwavering holiness of prayer - a religious poem. #2253364 by Tim Chiu

write about this in your Blog entry today."

The one thing I never did understand about the Atheist is "why?" Why would one want to be an atheist? I never could place a finger on that. My faith gives me purpose and hope. I know I am nowhere near perfect. I sin on a daily basis. In spite of my sin Jesus is always at my side. How can He go anywhere? He is omnipresent meaning He is everywhere so if He goes away He is still there. There are times I do not feel His presence but by faith I know He is always there for my faith is not based on what I feel. It is based on the reality of an ever-present, ever-loving God who loved me enough to become a human being like me and die in my place. The thing is that while His physical manifestation in the Person of Jesus could be killed because that presence was human, the spiritual presence and the eternal soul could not be killed. So He resurrected the physical, guaranteeing me that I would also someday be resurrected. Then 50 days after His resurrection, He entered the souls of men and has dwelled in fellowship with believers ever since.

Can I prove conclusively that God even exists? No. I cannot prove that God exists. If I could do so there would be no room for faith because faith is the "Substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen," Hebrews 11:1.

Faith is also the only way man can please God, Hebrews 11:6 and Romans 10:13. If man could prove that God exists, man would lose the ability to be saved because those who seek God must believe He exists without proof of that existence. Physical, empirical proof would eliminate the need for faith. I believe because God has proven Himself in countless, intangible ways. I was a drug addict for 25 years, during which time I took countless lethal overdoses. In spite of those God kept me alive. I have survived numerous other things that should have killed me. The list of reasons to believe is endless just like God. The main reason I believe is because I choose to believe. To be honest with you, atheism has many convincing arguments. Logically and rationally it goes against reason to believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead or performed any miracles. So logically and rationally I too am an atheist. However, I choose not to follow logic but rather follow the irrational, hope and life filled belief that Jesus Christ is exactly who He says He is. He is my Creator who wants a relationship with me. By following that belief I have a perkiness that defies all explanation. Nothing gets me down for very long. The depression and drug addiction of yesterday are gone forever. Sure, I have bad days. My wife died on life-support after I was saved. God was there for me. He comforted me and I believe He grieved with me. Death was not part of the original plan. Death entered the picture when man rebelled against God and failed to trust God. Death is separation. In physical death it is separation of the soul or personality from the body. In spiritual death it is separation of the soul (personality) from God. Many walk in spiritual death even now. The Lake of Fire will be their end if they fail to repent. God is my fortress and my Living Hope. Back to my thesis statement, I do not know why anybody would want to be an atheist. It is a hopeless, pointless way to live. The logical, rational mind says that atheism makes sense and more than likely we are all going to die and become part of nature again. My heart on the other hand loves being a Christian. It gives me purpose and direction. Most of all, it gives me Hope and a relationship with my Creator. I choose to believe.