Missing the Mark

Living a life of Truth is only possible if you didn't know the Truth to begin with. Just as the championship archer started by missing the target, both you and I have missed the Truthful 'mark' in our actions and inactions. We both are good in nature and we want to be ever drawn to the Truths of our existence. However, we get it wrong many times. Just as the just man sins seven times a day we too sin. We miss Truth.

Fortunately for us, He who Is, God and creator of all Truths knew long in advance that we were going to be missing the mark - a whole lot. Such is it he sent us Christ, his 'Son', in that Christ being our reconciler would change our sinful (missing-the-mark) ways and become more accurate. Even the championship archer had to practice a lot before he hit the target every time he drew the bowstring. So must we practice.

God isn't in the business of condemning us for our missing the mark. Quite the opposite. He loves us. As such, He doesn't give up on us if we miss the mark through sin and fail to do the Correct thing. In fact, He sticks with us even though we miss the mark many many times, day in and day out. Although He forgives us of our misses, He really wants us to improve. This is just like the archer who must have some value out of practicing lest he waste his efforts -- perhaps thinking it best to take up another hobby?

God is not the creator of our sins, he only disposes of it. We create sin. God can not create falseness, but He gives us the opportunity to. This is our human nature, we are fallen: we desire explore alternative paths to Him, perhaps finding Truth in things we know are morally questionable. Let it be said here my friend that this is wrong. There is one God, one reconciler of Truth - Jesus Christ and only one path and one set of Truths. All other paths, though attractive, do not lead to Him but away. Even the archer knows that he could hit various other things in his range: the tree, the bush, the river, the house -- but only one set of actions leads toward hitting the mark.

Let us contemplate deeply what this means to us. Are we to become the championship archer that God calls us to be -- or will we simply give up the bow, or shoot elsewhere but the target? Living a life of Truth is very hard, but commendable. Will you be willing to find, listen, and follow the Truth and share them with others? or will you avoid Truth and think that you can live your life without them and have everything turn out ok?

So many people today my friend are so lost, they have no sense of direction and they think that everything is messed up hopelessy beyond repair. Nay, I say they are simply not caring too much about God and His Truths for us. If you remove Him from your life and make him a second (or lower) priority -- nothing good will become of it. Only He has the Truths, only He makes them, only He gives them to you and I. If a lost people start working on Truth, I assure you they would be cured of all ailments for God's Truths are what makes all of us, including the self, happy and healthy. For He knows us, and He loves us beyond any of our imaginations could perceive. He wants us to be drawn to him on the hard path of a life of Truth.

The Truths of Suffering

In today's modern world, we are all taught that suffering is bad and that you should do as much as you can to avoid suffering at all. You may be told to gave 'fun' all the time, do what makes you 'feel good', and that it is unfortunate if you ever have to suffer!

I say to you that there are greater Truths behind suffering than what meets the eye. Some of the people who live their lives close to God suffered immensely. If you think about it, why would they want to live a life of pain? They all seemed to want that life too. What could ever compel them to want that? I sometimes follow with the thought that they must have some psychological dysfunction to be wanting such morbid things!

Consider the fact for a moment that suffering might have value to it. If you suffer a lot now, you get a lot more reward later. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger? If that's True, then suffering should be desired at some level. If you wanted to be closer to God, closer to Him, you have to defy what is considered by many, 'common sense'.

For, life is full of pain, suffering, doubt and worry. We will make mistakes, we will fall. We will hurt others, whether we want to or not. We will not know any better, and we will be tempted to do what is wrong for us, and we will give in. We will die. Its about time that you and I come to the conclusion that this is inevitable. So instead of letting this get us down, we must these as Truths. They can't be changed or denied -- everyone goes through them -- they are real Truths.

I say, learn to embrace these sufferings as part of living a Life of Truth. Seek out minor ones and train yourself to feel pain so that way when the real trials come, you have already prepared yourself. Give up your suffering to God and then one day, you'll die and then you will be with Him forever, where no suffering will ever take place.

Christ the Reconciler

Its about time I wrote to you about Christ. For if you are to really live a Life of Truth, you need a guide. You need a reconciler. You need Christ.

My friend, God is infinite in His divine majesty. His thoughts, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and Being is beyond comprehension of our half-ape like minds. He is so grand, full of glory, and grace. And when He asks us to live a Life of Truth, he sets on us a hard task: to be like Him!

Friend, how could we ever have a hope of being like God in his infinite capacity to love? Fortunately for us, He knew we would need some help. He sent us guides.

I've already introduced the Bible as being infallible, a book of Truths. This is a guide. Much like the Cliff's study notes, the Bible teaches us what God is really like -- in the printed word. Its a very resourceful book; a living testament of Truth. Its words don't change, but the interpretations of the passages evolve and blossom. We can find ways to God by reading sacred scripture.

But a book, by itself, wasn't all God had intended for a guide. No -- He wanted us to have something more real. Something physical, something that we could relate to, something easy for us to understand, something to compare ourselves against and ask, "I act a certain way, is this how God would act?"

I found this image that truly illustrates what I mean. You and I on the left are people who seek Him. God is on the right. Between us is a way in which we can reconcile our actions, His name is Christ. Christ is the reconciler. Being God's son, he knows God's Truths much better than either you or I. So, if you reconcile your actions with Christ's actions, that's as good as you can do if you with to reconcile yourself with God. He's a bridge. Compare your life to His, frequently. If you are like Christ, you are like God. If you are not like Christ, you are not like God.

This is our Christ, he forgives us as a matter of reconciling us. He looks at your actions and if they don't follow what God wants, he lets you ask for his forgiveness and then He reconciles you. Its time for an example.

If you stole a candy bar, and then later realized this is not what Christ wants you to do, you could seek forgiveness through reconcilement. You could say, "I know what I did isn't what you want God because Christ wouldn't do this. Forgive me. I want another chance to do differently next time. I want to change my actions to be more like Christ's actions so that I am more like you."

That, my friend, is a great act of humility and love. To admit that you don't know Truths, and you are helpless without a guide to ever find and know God. You humble yourself by admitting you need help in reconciling your actions. The response: you're forgiven for your wrong deeds and Christ will teach you to perform correct deeds.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the whole world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 2 Cor 5:17-19

And so I introduce Christ to you. In a Life of Truth, he is our ever loving reconciler. We follow him by changing our actions to become more like his actions in great hope and faith that He is leading us to God, leading us to Truth.

Living a Life of Truth

God is Truth and being infinite in power and knowledge, He knows truly what is best for both you and I. So if he makes a Truth, and out of his infinite goodness he creates you, he has the expectation that you will follow it -- in the very least out of gratitude for being created.

How sad is it that today there so many people who don't even know God or His Truths? They walk about their lives collecting money and physical items, and think that all their is to their lives is to drive around, eat food, watch television, plant trees, build homes and die. For all they think is what they can see and what they can hear. Already, I have told you the Truth already that there is more beyond your five senses!

This world is full of these such people. What goal would these people have in life? Will they take their money or physical items to the grave in a U-Haul? Will they be able to comfort themselves on their death beds when they have spent a life ignoring God and all that He could be for them? God is something to live for, not a pile of money. Even the physicians of this country know at an alarming rate of 80 to 3 that those who are spiritual recover faster -- these patients simply have more to live for. Would you rather live for Him or for your car? Tangible items can never outlast Him.

Worry not, friend. God does indeed love you and perhaps I am being too harsh on you. Forgive me. But God's love is, like Him, infinite and his mercy is also infinite too. You could live almost all your life away from Him and then at the very end recant it all, beg for forgiveness, and then all would be well for you. To think that there is nothing you can do that would make you permanently detached from Him is a quality you must come to embrace. You could disobey His Truths time and time again, and you could still be redeemed and still find your way to Him. He simply loves you that much. Perhaps these are some of the greatest Truths of all time:

God's love is infinite.
God loves you.
God will forgive you.
God wants to forgive you.
God wants to heal you.

If you remember none other, remember these one for you might need to recall it in a dire situation where you face imminent death. They will help you recant the things that you feel you did wrong, and properly prepare you to ask God for His forgiveness.

Pray for people who do not know the messages that I share with you. They need help more than you do, for you continue to read where they do not. I pray for you that you change your life to follow Him. That is my only purpose here. So share this site with those that you know, and don't fear what the reaction might be. God wants as many people to follow Him as possible and to listen to Him. Know you are doing His work by leading them in the right direction!