Jesus the Fall Guy

Easter is almost upon us and for many Christians--it's a day of rejoicing because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the dead, as He said He would.

"Then the angel spoke to the women, "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying." (The Bible Matthew 28:5)
While most of the western world recognizes that Jesus Christ died on Good Friday and rose on Easter Sunday over two thousand years ago, that constitutes much of the world's understanding. But Jesus' death and resurrection was more than that.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took human form and became man so that we could regain right standing with God once again (our right standing was lost when the first man, Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden). Since that time, the world has awaited a Savior in the person of Jesus Christ. During Jesus' three year ministry, He preached the Gospel or Good News and established a religion called Christianity which has radically changed the face of the planet--even today.

Jesus knew He was destined to die a horrible death, yet He accepted it as His fate because it was the only solution to the problem--the only way to appease His Father's wrath and divine sense of justice. Just as we expect a just sentence against any criminal act, God the Just Judge, exacts the same kind of justice. As humans (and sinners) we were incapable of standing rightly before God.  Only Jesus, His Son, was able to make all things right with Him. So, in a sense, Jesus was the Fall Guy. While He didn't deserve to die on the cross for anything He did, He took our accountability on His shoulders. He suffered so we wouldn't have to suffer and carried our cross so we wouldn't have to carry it ourselves. Jesus was the Fall Guy to the Nth degree.

During His ministry, Jesus often pointed to Himself as the way, the truth and the life because He was trying to lead all people back to the real truth--not the world's version of it.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (The Bible John 14:6)
Jesus also dared to challenge the political, religious establishment of His time. His straightforward and unorthodox ways got the attention of the religious leaders who saw Him as a serious threat--which opened the door to His betrayal by one of His disciples, His subsequent arrest and finally, His death on the cross.

Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday shows us that we too, like Him, can live forever. Easter is not just a celebration of Jesus' triumphant victory over death but the promise of eternal life (heaven) for anyone who can say in truth, "Jesus Christ is Lord".

Spiritually Speaking

In the days before I began my journey of faith, I was very much into the New Age Movement.  Once I discovered astrology, I poured myself into this new found discovery with everything I had and became something of an expert in "reading" friend's and family's horoscopes.  I was curiously drawn to anything supernatural and to the occult and even joined in following a popular local ghost hunter by the name of Glen Grant, who exposed me to the world of "mysteries beyond the grave" as he liked to put it. 

But all good things must come to an end and as I began my journey in search of truth, I discovered that many of the New Age teachings I had so completely immersed myself in were not  in line with God's teachings.  Even though I tried to convince myself otherwise, I knew that once I made the commitment to become a Christian, I had to give up anything that smacked of New Ageism.  I reluctantly threw out my collection of "spiritual books ", Feng Shui mirrors, healing stones and other mystical paraphernalia and tried hard not to look back.  Believe me, it wasn't easy.

In the beginning I found myself straying back to my old ways.  Once I found out what a person's astrological sign was, I couldn't resist giving them a quick "read", and took  pleasure in the astonished looks on their faces when I "got the reading right".  But even as a part of me held on to my estranged New Age beliefs, my thirst for truth and for God consumed me so much so that I eventually lost interest in the occult and my love for all things "mystical" took a back seat.

When I made the decision to search for the "ultimate truth" I didn't realize it would take me from a form of "spirituality" to "true spirituality".  Finding God in Christianity opened my eyes to the knowledge that all real power comes from God and God alone and that everything else is just a "copycat" version of it.

Many individuals, in their search for "truth" or "enlightenment" turn towards the occult and New Age practices, not really knowing or understanding where the power that it generates comes from.  While a lot of New Age teachings focus on the "power within" or the "power from above", it does not recognize God as the ultimate power source.  If God is not behind the healing or manifestations within the New Age practices, you have to ask yourself "who is"?

There is a real "power" however, that Jesus Christ His son manifested when he walked the earth, preaching the "Good News" or gospel to all peoples.  There is a parable or story where Jesus fed five thousand travelers who had come to hear Him preach on God's kingdom--from just five loaves of bread and two fish.  Jesus also healed the sick and raised the dead--an incredible feat even back then.  He did this, not by any means of His own, but under the power of the "Holy Spirit" or under the power of God.  And, two thousand years later, the Christian church today walks in that same kind of power when they follow in Jesus' footsteps and do all the things He commanded them to do.

God alone is our creator.  God alone is omnipresent (everywhere), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipotent (all powerful).  Everything else falls by the wayside and even His most amazing creation (human beings) "fall short of the glory of God".  When you begin your journey of truth, you will find God there and in Him you will find all that you have been searching for.

Faith Rocks
C Willson

Is That You God?

When was the last time you talked to God? I mean, really talked to Him-- not just asking for favors or giving Him a piece of your mind--but an honest to goodness one on one with the creator.

Sadly, most people, even those who profess to believe in God, rarely give Him the time of day. It seems our encounters with God are mostly in church on Sunday and then for the rest of the week, we put him back into a box until the next time we take Him out all over again.

Well, God actually wants more than that. God wants to really know you and for you to know Him, but for that to happen you've got to take a leap of faith and believe this is the truth. Religion sometimes makes God out to be this omnipotent, all powerful force that is so far removed from our lives that we wrongly assume He doesn't care about us at all. But God created man and woman in order to have a close relationship with them, the same way we experience close relationships with our family, friends and loved ones. God is no different. God doesn't need us, but He deeply desires to know each one of us in a one on one encounter.

And in order to know God, you've got to understand who He is. God is a Spirit and when He created the first man, Adam, He breathed life into him, making man in His own image and likeness.

"God is a Spirit." (John 4:24)

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him..."(Genesis 1:26-27)

That makes us a spirit as well and it is here, in our spirit, where God tries to communicate with us. For instance, you may be sitting at home thinking about nothing in particular, when a random thought comes over you to turn on the TV and there, surprisingly enough, is a Christian pastor preaching about God. Or maybe the name of a friend you haven't seen in a long time comes into your head, and you soon bump into this person, who has found Jesus and wants to share His findings with you.

Now, I'm not saying God is trying to take over your thought life, but He's definitely going to use every means available to reach you--through your dreams and inspirations, people you meet, Christian music, Christian books, the bible, nature, etc.  Until the day you leave this planet, God will never leave you alone. But don't depend on religion or anyone else to help find Him, just go after Him with all you've got.  The world offers fame, wealth, fortune--all fleeting illusions, but God is the real deal.  He has been there since the beginning of time and He will be there waiting for you, for that amazing moment when you suddenly realize He is the one you have always been searching for.

"No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will...separate us from the love of God." (Romans 8:39)

　

Faith Rocks

C Willson

　

God Encounter

If I were to ask the question, "Do you believe in God?" I think it's safe to say I'd get the backing of a few individuals. If however I asked those same people to prove to me that He's real--I would probably be left standing alone.

Well, you don't have to prove to me that God exists, because once I began to seek God with everything I had, I experienced a real, personal encounter with Him that you only just read about. But for most people, encountering God is not something they can easily relate to--possibly because they weren't raised with a concept of God or maybe had issues in their lives that left little room for God. But the reason I believe most people don't get God is because of religion. Religion, like all institutions, was created for a sole purpose--in this case, to bridge the gap between God and man. But religion can only go so far to make God real because religion is founded on man made ideologies or doctrines and at some point, will fall short in the long run.

As I stated earlier--in my quest for truth I was led to Christianity and once there, I found the ultimate truth I was looking for. And while religion offered me a place to belong and a place to come to know God, I felt there was more about God that I needed to know. So, even as I attended church and bible studies, I took it upon myself to seek God, to go after Him the way you might go after a dream job or that perfect relationship. And it was when I started to look for God anywhere and everywhere--through philosophical conversations with friends, surfing the web, reading anything I could get my hands on, listening to inspirational music, and even crying out to Him--that I finally found the real God I had been searching for. And the surprising thing I uncovered on this journey of discovery is that God wanted to be found and that He was always there, but that I had to first move out of the box that is religion in order to encounter Him in a heartfelt one on one relationship.

Now I know this all sounds very cliche, but just as you can only learn so much through book learning or head knowledge, you've got to discover and relate to God on a more personal level in order to really get Him. And religion, unfortunately cannot always give you that, because sometimes religion's focus on doctrine paints a distant picture of God, one that is far from the truth. The truth is that God not only wants a one on one relationship with you, but He also wants to be the one you come to when you have problems and He also wants to be the one to bless you so that you can know how much He really cares. But until then, God remains in the background, an omnipotent power that holds the world together, an unseen force that guides our lives-- all the while waiting for that moment of discovery when you come to the realization that He does exist and that He is more than religion has ever made Him out to be.

God has placed a deep desire in each of our hearts to want to know Him and it is when you take that first step to go after Him with your whole heart and soul that you will find Him waiting there for you.

　

Faith Rocks
C Willson**********************

　

　

Truth Matters

In today's world, everyone is searching for truth in everyday life--from choosing to believe whether the person you're in a relationship with is really telling the truth about themselves or just paying you lip service or if the breaking news story you just downloaded off the internet is the real deal or another hare brained hoax. There is so much out there that's passed off as truth it's no wonder we're in a state of confusion--and the news, the internet, and social media all support many of these outrageous claims--so what to do? If the issue of truth weren't such a serious matter, it could be easily brushed off but the truth is--truth matters, more than you will ever know. And the sad thing is that the very place where truth ought to exist--in religion,where man meets God--is not always the case.

The truth is that the world's major religions--Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism--all offer totally different and opposing views on God, which raises the question----how can you even find truth in religion?

Because of our makeup, we have something inside us that acts like a guidance system, keeping us on track. God, in His infinite wisdom gave us His son Jesus Christ to lead us back to Him and when Jesus died on the cross and returned to the Father, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (for those who are baptized) to continue His work. God has not only provided for His people in this way, He has also supplied us with tools to guide us through life. When we start listening to the inner voice of truth (our spirit) and begin following our senses (sixth sense), we are led out of the confusion of the world and into the truth.

So we are actually spirit beings encased in a body, but the world will have you believe that you are just a physical body--and all that matters are your life's accomplishments and achievements. But after time, most individuals discover there's more to it than that. And it is when we come into contact with the spirit part of ourselves (our true selves), that we start to connect with God, because God is a Spirit. Most people's perception of God is that He's out there in the cosmos, (He is), but from the moment we enter this world, He's also seeking every opportunity to connect with us Spirit to spirit so that we can come to know Him in a more intimate way.

Whether you accept this idea or not, it is the essence of who you are and why you're here. When you can begin to understand that you are God's ultimate creation and that He is trying to find ways to reach out to you, then you will begin to see your importance in the whole scope of things. But back to religion. Religion was designed by man to help lead man back to God, but sometimes religion mostly gets in the way. I'm not dissing the religious establishment, but I am putting it out there that you need to choose your religion wisely and that even then, you need to continue to listen to your inner voice (or spirit) in all things. There are many religions which profess the truth, but since they are all so different, they cannot all be true. In the end, only one religion can uphold the truth and for me that religion has proven to be christianity. Sadly, even within christianity, you may find false prophets or religious leaders with self serving interests, for the bible states..."For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will perform miracles and wonders in order to deceive even God's chosen people, if possible." (Mark 13:21-23)

It is not my intent to look down upon any religion, but to share with you what I believe to be the ultimate truth--that we are eternal beings destined for eternal life with our creator and that the world is just a resting stop on on our way there. But in order to realize that you have a final destination, you need to rely on the inner voice of your spirit that is always guiding you, leading you to truth. We are all destined for something greater than what the world has to offer--and it begins first by seeking the truth, discerning the truth and standing on the truth--because in the end--truth matters.

Faith Rocks
C Willson

God Connection

I was stopped at a red light, about a block from where I live, waiting for the green left turn arrow.  I'd waited at that light so often I could predict how many cars would make it and how many more wouldn't.  It was frustrating, to put it mildly.  As the green arrow lit up and the cars started their slow left turn maneuver, I thought I heard a voice inside me whisper, "you can do it.  You'll make the light."  I counted the four cars ahead of me, watching the driver's mechanical turns, and did what any normal person would do--I argued back. 
"No", I responded.  "I don't think I'm going to make it". 
"Yes, you will", the voice countered.
This went back and forth for a few seconds until I realized I had made it through the intersection without the arrow light turning red on me, as it usually did.  Go figure.
The next day, I was stopped again at that same intersection and, sure enough, that little voice in my head popped up again, "Just go. You'll make it".  Here we go again, I thought.  Who was the expert here?  I'd driven round that turn so many times, I could predict by the way the drivers' in front of me positioned themselves whether I'd make that left turn or not.  And here, this little voice was egging me on.  And it was right too.
Finally, about a week or so later, while stopped at that intersection, I said out loud, "who are you?".  This way, the "entity" would know I was talking to "it". 
No answer.
"Who are you"?
Silence.
Needless to say, after time, the little voice stopped speaking and I was left alone to fend for myself.  I couldn't help but wonder, what was that all about?  I've had conversations with myself, as most people do, but this was the first time, I got answers in return.  I needed to know more.

That first encounter got the ball rolling and made me more aware of that little voice inside of me, that little voice that resides within each and every person--man, woman and child.  I came to see it as God trying to communicate with me at a place where He knew He'd find me--behind the wheel of a car, because I was at my A game there, having little tolerance for other driver's inferior driving skills.  But God literally spoke to me in that first, initial encounter and opened my mind up to the possibility that the supreme being of this universe not only existed, but wanted to know me on a very personal level.  From that moment on, I started looking for God in other areas of my life and I slowly began to see that He was not just an abstract being or idea but a very real, tangible presence.  I began to recognize Him in the fleeting, seemingly unrelated impressions that would cross my mind and give me pause for thought.  I "heard" Him (not audibly but thoughtwise) in the little voice that would whisper information to me that gave me an added edge in my job, that would alert me to individuals who had otherwise ulterior motives, and felt His miraculous hand upon me when there were several near miss driving incidents which I couldn't explain away.

God is a spirit and we are made in His image (body, soul and spirit).  It is this part of our makeup (the spirit part) where we meet God face to face or hear His voice.  Most times our receptors (our hearts) are turned away from Him, but God is always turned towards us.  God uses all available means and resources to get our attention--through His Word (the bible), thoughts, impressions, dreams, people, nature, christian music, etc.  God never gives up on us, even though most people are not consciously aware of His existence.

I believe God was trying to get my attention that day, years ago, when I was poised at that intersection.  He knew where to find me and He knew that, once I discovered His "real" presence, I would start looking for Him.  Simply put, that's what it's all about.  God wants you, He goes after you and you spend the rest of your life trying to find Him over and over again.

Faith Rocks
C Willson

 

Welcome to my Faith Rocks blog.  My name is Cheryl Willson and I'd like to share with you my thoughts and observations on faith as I've come to see it.  You'll find this blog coming at you from an undeniably christian perspective with a little bit of spirituality thrown in for the mix.  Just for the record--I'm not here to preach religion or spirituality, but what I'd like to offer you instead is a slightly different perspective on how to operate in faith and more in your everyday life.  I hope you'll join with me as I share my take on faith and life and how the two are inexplicably intertwined in this amazing journey we are all called to live out.

 

If you didn't quite get it at the outset, I am a christian, though I prefer to call myself a follower of Jesus Christ.  For many years I was locked into THE BOX that was organized religion until the day I started listening to that inner voice inside of me.  When I started to follow the promptings of that voice, I was shocked to discover that, while it still led me to follow Jesus Christ, it was also taking me out of THE BOX and out of my comfort zone.  That was the start of my journey and where it all really begins.

 

People the world over are searching for that elusive something that will satisfy the inner pinings of their heart, that something they can't quite put their finger on, but that they know exists.  Some go after a successful career, accumulate material wealth or engage in superficial relationships, yet, even at the top of their game, many who experience these so called "successes" find themselves  disillusioned and unhappy at some point.

What all these people (and you and I) are looking for is to satisfy that deep rooted desire in our hearts for the one who made us, the one who created the world and everything in it, the one WHO IS and the only one who has all the answers to all the questions that ever were.  It is everyone's search for real truth and real meaning in life that first puts us on that path where we can begin to connect with that abstract entity we have been seeking after, namely GOD.  And, in a surprising twist, this God who created us mere humans wants nothing more than a one on one, face to face encounter with each and every person and will find each and every person at the place right where they are, right now.  If you have never accomplished anything great in your life, just by virtue of you being you, know that you were purchased at a great price and know that you are worth more than you could ever imagine.  But that's another story.

I hope this brief introduction has piqued your curiosity enough for you to want to linger a little and come back for more.  I believe God has placed within me a desire for truth in Him and a desire to share that knowledge with the world.  So, I hope I've given you food for thought--it is God's will to feed your inner man with the truth--the real truth.  Please check me out whenever you can--I look forward to meeting with you again soon.

Faith Rocks
C Willson