God is not Dead

"Gods Not Dead"

After watching the movie mentioned, it triggered the need for a response and an open sharing of a story that has taken place. What also needs to happen is an understanding, because I think many people have been hurt by the false understandings of why things happen in this world.

So to kick this off, my story begins back when I was a kid and I was raised in the church along with my three brothers as well. My parents did the best they could and that they knew how to raise their children. What was happening at school was tormenting by my classmates, bullied endlessly and one instance having a tray full of bananas dumped on my food. This would continue to the end of my high school days. Let me say one thing here, do not tell your kid to turn the other cheek unless you understand what that means because letting them get walked on through their younger years will do nothing for them. In high school there was only a couple people in my grade that I counted as friends and guess what they this Facebook of mine.

When I was 19, I swore an oath to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, to defend it from all enemies foreign and domestic. If necessary give up my life, but when I got to my unit something happened that I did not expect. I found a group of guys who like me had taken this oath, but I also found that they didn't care about who I was or where I came from. They appreciated me for me, there was no pretenses in our friendships. This uncommon bond would later be solidified through war and all that ugliness; with blood, sweat, and tears. With the death of one of the most liked soldiers in our platoon and the wounding of three soldiers myself included. These men became my brothers and now when I'm able to see them it lifts me up!

Through these challenges and experiences something happened especially after I was wounded. The questions came and I'm no closer to the answer now as I was back then, but what I can tell you that I've been saved and we all have been spared.

Some people may read this and wonder why a person like me had to go through some absolutely shitty experiences and multiple near death experiences. Well that answer is two fold: 1) War is hell plain and simple, no hiding that or trying to sugar coat it and 2) Because the depravity of the world or simply we live in a fallen world(I'll explain this later on by what I mean).

So let's rewind a couple thousand years according to the Bible where in my belief this is where it all started. The book of Genesis explains the very essence of how we were created by a divine creator and we were made in his image, in his image he created them male and female.

So here we now in this world, with all this death, destruction, violence, war, a place where millions suffer daily. And this is where it gets tricky because a lot of people wonder if there is a God then why is their so much death in this world. This is because we live in a world that is fallen, a world that wasn't intended for this, but after Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil everything changed.   You see God had commanded them not to eat of this tree, but yet they did and the consequences is our current state. Then throughout the Old Testament you see God pouring out his wrath over all creation, he even at one pointed lamented in saying that He wished he never created us right before he flooded the earth completely sparing all, but eight people.

So fast forward to the New Testament and we something amazing happen, the coming of the Messiah. Jesus Christ who is the Son of God, fully man and fully God meaning he was born of a natural birth, but his conception and life were vastly different. You see his mother Marry was visited by an angel and through that interaction with the Angel of The Lord she received word that she would bare a child and he was to be called Emmanuel or God with Us.

This was even foretold in the Old Testament that there would be a savior, one that would live a perfect life, tempted in every way we are and will be. Till the very end of his life he went about teaching and healing those who were sick. So that begs the question then why is there all this sickness and death in the world. I'll get to that here. Fortunately for us, there was a master plan behind the ministry of Jesus, a plan that was hatched by the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit also known as the Trinity. Jesus, a man who was without sin, tempted in every way we would be was nailed to a cross and pierced in the side, along with a crown of thorns placed among his head. Where all sin, past, present, and future was placed on this one man.

Even before his betrayal Jesus went to pray to his father, take this cup from me if there is another way, he sweated drops of blood because he knew what was coming. In a moment he would be arrested and taken to be put on trial before the authorities of that era. The only reason with any legality for the arrest was he was claiming to be the King of the Jews. But even after the trail, the authorities relented as they found no fault with him, yet the people yelled, "Crucify him!" Around that time of the year it was customary for a prisoner to be set free and the authorities still gave them a chance, but still they yelled "crucify him." So we the read of the brutal torment Jesus went through before carrying his cross to the final place where he was to be crucified. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross, the soldiers along with the crowd mocked him by saying, "If you are the Son of God save yourself." But the reality is he was there for anything he or committed, but for what we have committed. This is why in those moments on the cross till his death, he was separated from the love of God and all Gods wrath poured out onto him so that we, his children would not have to know his wrath or be separated from his love.

Here's what I'm getting at with all of this, is I believe in one God and that is the God of the Bible. To me he's as real as everyone else on this earth, therefore I treat our relationship as such. I've witnessed to much in my life to not believe in God and experienced more which gives me faith and tells me that he's alive! So why do we have all these debates on if God exists or not? Why are so many people hating on Christianity as a religion or a way of living a life? Why are people who turning away from the faith faster then people coming to the faith?

First off let me say this, I do not have all the answers and I never will. In the movie Gods Not Dead, there is a situation where this young woman is finding out she has cancer, she's not sure if she's
going to live yet she goes to this concert where this Christian band is playing and does an impromptu interview with him, trying to understand their faith and believes. She's asking all these questions of the band which is the Newsboys, then one of the members asks her, "Why are you her? Are you hoping that this is all true?" In that moment she reveals to them that she has cancer and is dying. What happens in this is a pure truth, I believe people are looking for something to believe in, to put their faith in. Heck, her boyfriend in the movie leaves her once she reveals to him that she has cancer and is dying. He's cold and heartless, leaves her at the table in which this scene takes place. I'm not saying this is how people interact, but she's hoping that there is something else besides all her life and what she had planned for. We cannot control what happens and why, heck we can barely control when we go to the bathroom or when we eat. There is desire which I believe comes from our creator to find a purpose or some higher calling on life. Some of the best moments of my life have not living for myself, but giving to others who are need or being apart of something that is bigger then who I am.

For the one person who reads this that may or may not comment on this, with that tug on your heart if you will open to the idea that we are need of a savior and that is Jesus Christ our Lord. It's through him that we are made whole, that our sins have cleansed and we have been set. Acknowledge that he is your savior and accept him that he is such. Repent of the sins which you have committed and be filled with the Holy Spirit which is to our helper. He's God in us because he resides within us, guiding and teaching the ways of God. For his ways are higher then our ways, his thoughts are higher then our thoughts.

You see God is not dead, he's very much alive and desires a right relationship with each of his children and he knows each of our stories! Take care and God Bless!