NO BETTER OR WORSE

I'm no better or worse than anyone else. I recently saw this as I was doing a little soul searching. Of course, I've always said I'm no better than anyone, but in reality, I saw how I actually did think I was better than others. God showed me this, and now I realize I'm no better than anyone else. I'm a sinner like everyone. I'm no better than the worst sinner. I've simply been saved by God's love and mercy and grace. That's what has made the difference, if there is any difference in my life, compared to others.

I was sick recently. Really sick. A case of food poisoning. I am still learning new lessons in life, even though I've been around for quite a while now. I learned that you shouldn't eat rotting hamburger, especially if it's from Mexico. I don't trust food that's processed in Mexico. I took the receipt back to the store and told them what happened, and the manager gave me my money back. He said the hamburger they put in packages themselves is not from Mexico, but processed by them. I live in Arizona. So anyway, you're never too old to learn.

As I was sick all night, I had time to think about things. I think we are so busy these days, that we rarely take time to stop and think. I know I don't do it very often. By think, I mean search our hearts, meditate, pray, and commune with God. Things that believers in times past, devoted much time to. So I looked at myself and saw a few things about myself that needed fixing. I believe I got sick for a reason. The reason was I needed to change a couple things in my life.

Though I'm old and alone, I still have trouble with lust. Have had all my life. And I've been divorced and living alone for over ten years now. Lust has been the cause of most of the pain in my life, rather than pleasure. You think I'd have learned something from that fact. Still, I feel the lack of a female in my life as a burden sometimes. I know my brother who's married wishes he were me, and I wish I were married. Why can't we be content just being who we are?

I know that the sin of this life is lust. In Heaven it says we will not marry, but will be like the Angels. In other words, we will never know lust again once we are living in the New Jerusalem. I also saw that I was judging others. This is what I mean when I say God showed me I still thought myself better than others. It is a freedom to have a pure mind. It is a freedom to have a mind free from pride. I know now I have no goodness on my own. I am dust, and all I have comes from God. I have no more right to judge others, or condemn, or criticize. I can still see that others have faults, but so do I. I have a beam in my eye, so I cannot judge the speck in my brother's eye. Instead, I must only look for ways to help others and love them. God will judge the sin. He will take vengeance on the wickedness of others. I cannot look down on others because I think them inferior to me. I must treat others as Jesus has treated me.

We are on a journey. I am not perfect yet. I can only hope I continue to grow. I think I will use this blog just to post my random thoughts or quotes from my book or just to record my observations. I don't care if anyone else sees it or not, but if someone stumbles upon something that can help them, that would be God. None of us naturally want God in our life. Isaiah said we are all sheep turned to our own way. I know that before I met Jesus, I had no interest in the things of God. I wanted to do my own thing.

We are living in the last hour, the last few remaining moments of mankind ruling upon the earth. Soon Christ will reign, and we will reign with him in the Eternal and Everlasting Empire of the Elect. We are chosen. We are the Kings. We are the Rulers. We are the Victors in this universe, for all time to come. We are the Family God created to be with Him forever. I know that many will not listen to the truth. They will not listen and therefore they will go down to destruction. This refusal to listen to God is the reason why the world is crumbling and headed for destruction. I long to see God's Kingdom. I pray it comes quickly. There will be no more sickness or sin then. Everything will be made right. Until then I must be content with progress, not perfection. It is Jesus who teaches me what is best for me. I am simply trying to follow His direction.