You can see that Buddy wasn’t feeling cooperative when I asked him to pose with a lightbulb. Since he’s totally dependent on me for his welfare, you’d think he could do this little favor for me.
Nope.
Why is Jesus the only path to eternal life and heaven (John 14:6)?
An easily understood metaphor is to see everyone as a lightbulb.
Lightbulbs exist but are not fully functional until they’re connected to an electrical power source.
They can be in boxes, on a self, and even screwed into a light socket…
But as long as the electrical switch is turned off, or the fuse in the electrical box isn’t functioning properly, then the bulb won’t shine with light.
There’s no power to come to life!
The potential to come to life is present in the bulb, but it needs electricity to shine.
Likewise, every person needs to be plugged into the power of the Holy Spirit to operate properly spiritually.
A person may appear to be plugged into that spiritual socket, attending church or expressing “spirituality” by following some other teacher than Jesus, but there’s no spiritual life flowing through their soul, resurrecting their dead spirit.
After Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s authority over their lives, every person has been born spiritually dead.
And the Holy Spirit is only sent to indwell a person after they accept Jesus as their Savior, Who died for their sins and was resurrected bodily to give them life.
This spiritual electricity, the Holy Spirit, is free!
You don’t have to pay a power company to provide this spiritual electricity.
But we are all totally dependent on God to give us spiritual rebirth.
You gotta ask for it.
Jesus said:
“If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”—Luke 11:13
Don’t be a dead bulb. Ask Jesus into your life.
And if you’ve already become born again, trust that your heavenly power source, the Holy Spirit, will help you shine.
After our first Silky terrier, Buster, died, my life was devoid of a pet dog for 1.5 years. He passed away while lying next to me on my bed. I wept till I could cry no more, although his incipient death from kidney failure was not unexpected.
But my life felt empty without a furry welcome of rejoicing when I entered my house. As many say, “A house without a dog is not a home.”
Buddy isn’t my whole life—Jesus is.
But Buddy makes my life whole.
Just as the Holy Spirit of God awakens my dead spirit and fills that emptiness in my soul, Buddy fills an empty place in my life.
When I didn’t believe that Jesus is God Who was manifested in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), Christians tried to explain the gospel to me, but they made it too complex. As a result, after being saved, I’ve often considered how to make the truth easier for nonbelievers to grasp.
Here is one summary of “What Life Is All About”:
Choosing the god you will spend eternity with after you take your last breath.
There is enough heaven on earth to reveal that a powerful and creative God exists Who loves beauty and variety.
And enough hell to reveal that there is an evil force in the universe who delights in death, destruction, horror and trouble.
The Apostle Paul explained his mission given to him by the resurrected Jesus when he stood before King Agrippa as a prisoner making a defense for his freedom:
To open the blind eyes of nonbelievers by declaring the truth about who Jesus is, “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.”—Acts 26:18
Every day every single person makes a choice: Choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and spend eternity with Him.
Or choose to reject Jesus as your God and remain spiritually dead, in bondage to Satan’s will—and spend eternity in Hell with the enemy of your soul.
Psalm 139:16 declares that we have an appointed day to die when God creates us. Of course, we don’t know the exact timing, even when seriously ill. Only God knows.
I’m hoping, dear reader, you’ve made the right choice and will go to Heaven, spending eternity with the Lord Who loves you and loved ones who are awaiting your arrival…
Including your fur pals.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
I’m hoping that my blog posts are helpful, either helping Christians clarify the gospel in their own minds, or will help someone give their life to the Lord. If just one person comes to the Lord because a reader has been able to lead someone to Christ because of my blog, or a reader gives their life to Jesus, then these years of posting have not been fruitless.
Or if it’s encouraged my fellow saints to hang in there.
Love you all.
Dawn
***
So, dear reader, have you chosen Heaven as your eternal destination? If you haven’t given your life to Christ yet, don’t believe Satan’s lies that you’ll lose your freedom if you do. The devil wants you to remain enslaved to his will and purposes for this world.
But with Jesus:
“If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”—John 8:36
You may not feel like you’re in bondage, but when you are alone and quiet, you likely sense an emptiness in your soul. It’s because you’re incomplete until the Spirit of Christ resurrects your spirit and frees you from slavery to the world, the flesh, and the devil (James 3:15).
Are you willing to choose to spend eternity with Jesus as your Lord and God? You don’t need to clean up your act first, as it’s impossible to meet His standard of perfect behavior. You need to humble yourself by admitting your need for His life and guidance, a willingness to admit that you’re a sinner. If you’re willing, please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I want to go to heaven. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and grant me resurrection life. I want to live for You. Please teach me how much You love me. And please replace the lies I’m believing with the truth. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. The biblical scriptures are soul food.
Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. Please ask Jesus to lead you to the right place.
If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two Christian ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled or fall into legalism if you don’t know the Bible fairly well.
Buddy and I love the Pacific Ocean beach. After walking along the marvelous boardwalk at Longbeach, Washington, Buddy and I found rest, lying in the cool sand amongst the beachgrass, allowing the salty breeze to flow over us.
We live in frightening times. The West is increasingly self-destructing, the citizenry no longer appreciative of their Christian heritage: individual rights, property rights, animal rights, archeological preservation, women’s rights, the abolition of slavery, conservation; and marvelous cathedrals, symphonies, and paintings, etc. Led by ungodly intellectuals and other elites, who don’t acknowledge that their talent and intelligence are gifts from the Almighty Creator, the accomplishments of Western Civilization are increasingly disdained, ignored or denigrated.
People who reject Jesus usually believe that people are basically good, yet reject the positive attributes of Western Society and focus only on the negative.
Basically, many elites believe Western Culture should be dismantled, burned to the ground, in favor of erecting a new society…
Made in their own image, divorced from the West’s Christian roots.
If you’ve read this far, you likely identify with the king of the ancient, united kingdom of Israel, King David, who prayed the following to the Lord:
“Give heed to me and answer me…Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked;…My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
“Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.”—Psalm 55:2-5
Over three thousand years ago King David also felt overwhelmed by the evil of his day. Which goes to demonstrate that technology may change and customs, but not human nature.
I often feel exactly as David did in response to the wicked times he lived in:
“I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
“‘Behold, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness.
“‘I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.’”—Psalm 55:6-8
I don’t know about you, but I often wish I could run away with Buddy to some quiet cabin in the wilderness, nestled amongst pine and fir trees, far away from evil people. Buddy could race after squirrels and I could sit on a checkered blanket, eating a tuna fish sandwich while listening to, and watching, a burbling brook meander by.
But then I’m reminded of several things:
One: I often fight evil within myself. I’ve had to pray many times not to hate the people trying to destroy my country, my faith, and my family. Not to despise those who are increasingly pushing our nation toward tyranny and denying the existence of their Creator.
I can flee to the wilderness, but am still bringing evil with me. There’s days some people would love to flee from me, too!
Two: “Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”—Jesus, Matthew 6:9-10
We all have an advantage that King David didn’t have: the prophecies in the Book of Daniel, in the Book of Revelation, and other Biblical prophecies after his time.
I have to remind myself that God has a plan to bring human history to a close. Jesus is coming (possibly in our lifetimes) to claim this world, purchased with His blood, as His own and end the reign of evil.
As Jesus taught, it’s His will, not mine. Although I live in troubled times, Jesus did forewarn in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 that scary times will come. I need to accept it’s His plan in play, not mine.
Three: There is a place to run to when I’m scared. I’m never alone nor unprotected.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
“Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea…
“The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.
“The Lord of Hosts is with us…”—Psalm 46:1-2, 6-7
Yes, there is good cause today to be fearful and angry.
But God has a plan.
And we can find refuge through coming to Him, admitting our fears and seeking His comfort, a comfort this deteriorating world cannot give.
Hang in there, my friend. Jesus knows every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30). He’s in control.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Jesus is our rock and our fortress, “a very present help in trouble.” But if you don’t acknowledge God exists, loves you, and is the King, then your confidence is in feeble, changing people or your own ability to control the events of your life.
That you have ultimate control is only an illusion. The recent pandemic proved that most of life is beyond our control.
But nothing is beyond the power of The Almighty God Who is unlimited in power, knowledge and presence (omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent).
Jesus promises to answer prayer. But only for His children Who accept that He died for their sins and was raised bodily from the grave to give eternal life to those who acknowledge Him as Lord and God.
If you don’t know Jesus, the only prayer you can be confident He’ll answer is a prayer of repentance, asking Jesus into your heart as Your Lord and God.
God us gracious and does answer prayers at times for those who don’t know Him, in order to show His love and care. But you cannot have any confidence that He will listen, only a hope.
Why not ask Jesus into your life to bring you comfort and peace?
“My peace I give to you…”—Jesus, John 14:27
Peace is a gift from God to those who ask for it.
No earning. No grunting it out.
Just asking.
Won’t you invite God into your life right now?
I’m so glad that I did, years ago.
If you’re willing, please repeat the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m tired of feeling afraid. You are God Almighty, in control of the universe and Creator of all life. Please forgive my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I acknowledge He died for my sins and rose bodily from the dead, proving that He is God. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please teach me how much You love me. Thank you for answering my prayer. In the name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your spiritual food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. The Bible is your soul food.
Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).
There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well. Ask God to guide you as you read and seek godly information.
We train our pets so that they can interact with us and others, both human and animal, in a civilized fashion. Because Buddy was abused for three years before being rescued by his foster mother, I was reluctant to discipline him because he was so fearful.
He’s a little monster now in some ways, but generally is a good boy. He’s small enough that I can quickly pick him up if I sense trouble brewing.
The book of Proverbs has a warning that many Christians do not seem to be heeding:
“Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”—Proverbs 25:26
We want to obey Christ and not judge, because we want others to come to know that God loves them and to encourage them to be saved.
But Christianity has always been about balance.
Jesus also commanded:
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”—John 7:24
In the Old Testament, God cautions the prophet Samuel:
“Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature…for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”—1 Samuel 16:7
So what does this really mean?
We cannot judge a person’s motives, because we cannot see their heart. Even Martin Luther in his pamphlet “Christian Liberty” warned that bad people can do good deeds. Only God examines the soul.
But that doesn’t mean that we cannot judge a behavior as right or wrong.
As the title to this blog post states, there has always been a mix of good and bad people in this world. If not for good people standing up against evil, bad people would prevail and do great harm. It’s not loving others to allow them to become victims of evil.
So besides a fear of disobeying God and wrongly judging others, what might cause a person to permit the dirt of sin to pollute our world (Proverbs 25:26)?
Five things, I believe, which God hates or warns against.
1. Cowardice: “But for the cowardly…their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”—Revelation 21:8
2. Unbelief, uncertainty that God is with a person to help them prevail against evil: “For by You I can run upon a troop; by my God I can leap over a wall…He trains my arms for battle.”—2 Samuel 22:30, 35
3. A false belief that Satan and evil is more powerful than good: “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades will NOT overpower it.”—Jesus, Matthew 16:18
And:
“Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor the onslaught of the wicked WHEN it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”—Proverbs 4:25-26
4. Naivety: “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them,”—Proverbs 1:32
5. Passivity: “And the complacency of fools will destroy them.”—Proverbs 1:32
To summarize: cowardice, unbelief, underestimating God’s power, naivety, and passivity can cause good people to run from responsibility to stand against evil.
I’m not guiltless. But I don’t want to die a coward, letting my country go down the drain or see people hurt, enslaved or murdered because I wasn’t willing to speak out and “stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11).”
So are you standing against evil?
Or running away?
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Without the power and presence of God working in your life and heart, it’s difficult to muster up the courage to fight evil or just withstand the pressure to conform, even when you know something is wrong and you shouldn’t be participating or giving tacit approval through silence.
But no power is more mighty than God’s.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it.”—Psalm 24:1
In Psalm 2 God mocks at the nations which don’t want Him nor His Messiah, Jesus, ruling over them. He is in control of history, nations, time and people. Nothing escapes His notice.
God is kind and works in people’s lives, even those who refuse His love nor acknowledge His existence.
But if you want eternal life and assurance that He hears your prayers (Matthew 7:7-11), please surrender your life to Him, acknowledging Him as Your Lord and God.
Please repeat the following prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive all my sins. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Save me from your wrath on Judgment Day because Jesus died for my sins. I give my life to You. Be my God, Father, Savior and Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6). Thank you for hearing my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.
Also, please join a Bible-believing church or Bible Study and get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these three ministries: http://www.LTW.org, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless and thanks for reading my blog. May Buddy and Then meet you in heaven one day.
As you now know, Buddy once lived a life of abuse till a Silky Terrier breeder rescued and fostered him. I’m forever grateful that she connected me with for my goofy pal.
The Christian church has been doing a poor job, in my opinion, in explaining to people why they must follow Jesus or need to repent of their sin. Of how to connect with their rescuer.
Church to nonbeliever: “You need to repent of your sin.”
Nonbeliever: “Why? My life’s going just fine.”
Church: “You need to get right with God.”
Nonbeliever: “I’m a good person. Life’s good.”
People need to know that they’re not right with God because they were born spiritually dead and live under Satan’s rule and control.
“For He (God) rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom there is redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”—Apostle Paul, Colossians 1:13-14
I’ve used this analogy before, but it illustrates the human condition very well.
The human race resembles the passengers on the Titanic. As a result of the first couple rejecting God’s authority in the Garden of Eden, the ship of the world has hit an iceberg and is sinking into the icy waters of sin. Jesus came into the world to pilot a lifeboat, searching for survivors. But most people, tragically, refuse to accept His hand, offering to pull them out of the water. Instead, they swim away, preferring to perish amongst the ice floes.
People declare that life sucks and then you die. That’s because everybody lives on the devil’s turf. Satan is the “god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).” The devil is described by Jesus as “the thief (who) comes only to steal and kill and destroy”, but that Jesus “came that they (people) may have life, and have it abundantly.”—Jesus, John 10:10
During your lifetime you are given the opportunity to choose to continue under Satan’s rule and authority, or accept Jesus’ rescue out of this world system. If you die, never accepting Jesus as your God, then you will spend eternity with the god of your choice, Satan. It’s totally your decision.
Jesus promises: “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”—Revelation 3:20
As Pastor Andrew Farley states, Jesus knocks on the door of your heart but doesn’t bust it down. You have the choice to open the door to Him or not.
I truly believe life would be even more awful if God didn’t restrain the devil’s power. Jesus steps into this world with gifts of love and beauty, to demonstrate there’s a different way to live, a better kingdom, a rescue raft out of darkness.
Blooming flowers, mighty oaks and mountains, rushing waves and sweetly singing birds, majestic lions and purring kittens, faithful dogs and stained glass windows, acts of kindness—are all gifts from the Creator reminding us there is a better world coming one day, a world unspoiled by evil and the demonic. And begging, “Choose Me.”
The Church: “You’re spiritually dead. Jesus offers you eternal life if you’re willing to repent of your sins and declare Him your Lord and God.”
Nonbeliever: “I’m dead? No wonder I feel empty inside!”
The Church: “Accept the life of the Holy Spirit and enter God’s kingdom of light. You can do nothing to earn God’s gift of eternal fellowship, except humble yourself to receive it for free.”
Nonbeliever: “Free? You mean I don’t have to earn God’s love or clean up my act first?”
Church: “No. Jesus lived a perfect life for you to die for your sins. As God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), He could accomplish this. He’ll work to improve your character once you invite Him into your heart through the power of the Holy Spirit working within you.”
Nonbeliever: “What a deal! Get me out of this icy water of Satan’s kingdom!”
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Buddy realizes that his new life with me is far superior to his previous life with an abuser. When you choose to remain in the kingdom of darkness, you are permitting Satan to mistreat you.
The world is full of disappointment, disease, death, broken dreams and heartache because Satan and his demonic followers are continually at work to influence people into destroying themselves and others.
But Jesus offers a better way to live, guided by the Holy Spirit. He is going to return one day to end Satan’s rule. God’s children will live in His beautiful kingdom free from sin, death and sorrow as He had originally intended. Satan and his demons will no longer dwell in earth or in heaven; we’ll be free from his evil terrors forever.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”—Apostle John, Revelation 21:4
All you have to do is open the door to your heart and He’ll give you spiritual life by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what being “born again” is: Your soul becomes alive.
If you’re ready to take Jesus’ hand and allow Him to pull you out of the icy darkness of sin, please repeat the following:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m tired of Satan as my god. I accept Jesus as my God, the Lord, and my Savior. Please forgive my sin. Give me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please rule in my life and heart. In the name of Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re a born again child of God. Just as your body needs daily food to be healthy, your soul needs daily food—soul food—which is God’s word. Please start reading the Bible daily. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand. Also, ask the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding; this is critical.
And please attend a Bible believing church or Bible study and get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these three ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.InTouch.org, http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way), and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you. May Buddy and I see you in heaven one day.
Buddy has total freedom—within boundaries. He’s permitted to go anywhere in his home where it’s safe, which means he’s not allowed in the cupboards under the kitchen and bathroom sinks where cleaning agents are kept. The only time he’s restricted is when we leave the safety of our condo, because he, being car stupid, could easily come to harm if I am not vigilant.
Communism, Fascism and Socialism have two things in common: a disdain for religion (except to worship the state and its leaders) and a lack of respect for the individual. They are totalitarian, collectivist philosophies: the individual is disposable to protect the group and its elitist rulers.
God is a lover of freedom and the individual.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”—Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 3:17
We are made in God’s image. Yet He allows us the freedom to choose to serve Him or not. When a nation rejects Jesus, the people are rejecting freedom and His love and protection.
Western nations have traditionally had the most freedom and liberty because of their foundations based in Biblical principles and belief in Jesus Christ.
Additionally, besides political freedom that respects the rights of individuals to develop their potential, Jesus offers freedom from the bondage of sin, of behaviors destructive to ourselves and others.
The more people in a society who are born again and ruled by laws based upon Biblical principals, the more liberty that society will cherish and promote.
Please don’t listen to the devil: a society that loves Jesus loves liberty.
A society that rejects Jesus is in bondage to sin and the tyranny of Satan.
“All those who hate me love death (Proverbs 8:36b).”
God bless you.
Love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Jesus saves. Saves you from lies, self-destruction and the power of the devil. Do you want true freedom? You’ll only find it in Jesus, because only He is the source of spiritual life.
If you’re ready to accept the authority of God in your life, experiencing a personal love relationship with Him, please repeat the following prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins on the Cross. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and help me understand how much You love me. I give my life to You. Help me because I need You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you are born again. You either just experienced the presence of God coming into your spirit or you will gradually come to an awareness of His presence.
Being born again means that you are now whole, the way humans were meant to be: body, soul and the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are all born incomplete till Jesus personally enters our lives.
Just as your body needs to be fed daily, so your soul needs soul food: the Bible, also called the Word of God. Please begin reading this great book daily. I recommend starting with the book of Matthew in the New Testament as it’s easy to understand and interesting. Even a few verses is better than none at all.
And please join a Bible-based church or Bible study to grow in the knowledge of God and to develop godly friendships. If that’s not possible right now, these are my three favorite ministries, which also have apps if that’s what you prefer: www. BasicGospel.net, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.LTW.org.
God bless you. Buddy and I look forward to seeing you in heaven one day.
Meditations About God and Buddy 