Free Will & Determinism

My last message was in regards to "making a choice", a theme that was presented much throughout the movie Trilogy of the Matrix.  I'd like to go over today a brief comparison in regards to Determinism vs Free Will.

For those that may nto know the difference - Determinism, in simple terms determinism is regarded as the cause and the effect.  IN clearer terms - for every action there is a reaction - this is determinism.

VS.

Free will - which of course means we all have a choice to do something.  We can chose to do something, or we can chose to not do something.

Now - generally people get into debates in regards to Determinism and Free Will and many will say that Free Will cannot win this debate.  These great philosophical topics may very well be both true and possible in their proper contexts, but my beliefs are they actually go hand in hand with one another.

Why?  None other - the Bible proves that they go hand in hand.

Now - let's use a touchy yet rather simple topic to explain this.

- Murder -

If someone were to murder someone close to you, someone who is dear to you, in essence someone who means the world to you, what would you do?

Essentially it would seem apparent and determined that if this happened - you would under natural human instincts go and kill that person or want to see justice served.

In Christianity - you have the Old Testament which teaches "an eye for an eye" - but in the New Testament Jesus said "love your enemies".

So it would seem - people have a choice.  We can choose to do the "eye for an eye" thing - or we can choose to love the person who killed our loved one.

With this in mind, it would seem the probability of this choice is based on a belief and thus one would say our choice has been pre-determined.  Essentially our choice was pre-determined for us because of our religion or belief.

Now, do we not have the choice to do something regardless of our belief system?  Do I not have a choice to believe in the God of the bible or to deny the God of the Bible?  Is this not Free-Will?  Do we not have a choice to kill someone or not kill someone even if we believe in God?  More simple yet - do we have a choice to sin or not to sin regardless of our beliefs?

Ultimately - this gets into the topic of Calvinism...where people are pre-destined to go to Heaven.  The flip side to that is, if people are pre-destined to go to Heaven, then there are people pre-destined to go to Hell.  Now if people are pre-destined to go to Hell, what kind of loving God is that?  Should we not have a choice?

The thing is, we do have a choice.  We're presented with options to go to Heaven or to go to Hell.  This is a choice.  Now from that question, depending on one's answer it would seem that all other choices are predetermined based on that initial choice, but ultimately there was still a choice.

Now the question would become - do you believe in Free-Will or Determinism or do you believe these two things go hand in hand?

Make a choice

Over the last week, I invested in what I think is a great trilogy – if it can still be called a trilogy- and for those who don't know yet, I'm referring to the Matrix. Now today I'm not going to totally focus on that as there is much to discuss on this movie series, but today I'm going to discuss one thing that was a constant theme throughout that movie series.

- Make a choice -

How often throughout that movie was Neo to make a choice to get the ultimate freedom for everyone throughout that entire series. Please note – that it wasn't just Neo making the choice, Picture Morpheus making a choice to go after Agent Smith so that they could get Neo out of the Matrix or picture Trinity going back into the Matrix to help Neo get through that door.

Regardless of anything – everyone was making choices.

Now – what I love about a lot of movies is they actually portray a story of what's happening in real life – but only if we can catch it.

Today, all around the globe, we're seeing countries wanting to lock down on Internet security so that they can keep an eye on sexual predators, but what they're failing to mention is how it will also violate all our privacy laws and rights.

Now we as people have a choice. We can allow these things to pass because people say “well the government has always been like that” - and with that mentality it would seem we don't have a choice. The problem with that is, we have a choice.

The choice is we can go along with it, or we can voice our concerns.

Now, I know I generally speak or bring up biblical topics – or bring up biblical references supporting claims...Now – I'm pretty sure Jesus said something about we're the salt of the earth(Matthew 5). Now, definitely we're to preserve the earth, in the same way that Jesus would. Jesus died for our freedom. Now, we presently have that freedom, but if we don't soon voice our concerns we soon won't have a freedom to be able to do such things.

Now – are we allowed to voice our concerns to God? Absolutely.

Matthew 15:26-28 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. [27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. [28] Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Eventhough Jesus had said what He did, the woman voiced a concern, a plea; and through the reasoning Jesus did as the woman asked.

Now, it's your choice...we can voice our concerns to our Governments or we can stay with the status quo...

What choice will you make?

Free your mind

The last couple of days I've almost been at a mind-block for what to write as far as a blog goes.  Where to start, what to write about, I've found myself really at what I would call that mind-block.

My reminder now comes as I spoke to someone last night.  This person was asking me "so what's new" - when I started answering nothing really, and before you knew it, I thought "when's the last person I really spoke to this person?" AND wow?!  So much was new in my life since I previously spoke to that person.  So many things have come to pass, that it's almost mind boggling that how can one focus on specific thing?

So when the question comes up "what's new?" - generally the answer becomes "nothing really" or "not much" and other similar responses.

Now - when we keep ourselves busy like this or have so much time there are a few things that come to mind...first off:

Matthew 11:28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

If we do not unload all our labours and burdens to get rest - we end up like a woman in another biblical story.

Luke 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

So - many things Martha is doing - never unloading the things she is doing and rather than go to Jesus to seek that rest, she questions why others don't help her.  How does Jesus respond?

Luke 10:41-42 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

It would seem clear that Mary too was burdened, heavy laden and was seeking rest.  Jesus said to Martha that what Mary is doing is good.

So the question becomes - how often do we seek that rest, to unload all the many things that are going on in our minds, that we can move forward with a clear mind? 

God wants us to have a clear mind that nothing will stop us from living in the free way that we may be the light of the world.

So - the question is...do you have a clear mind?

The God Matrix

So last night on my way home, I stopped in at Future Shop, and I bought myself the box set of the Matrix movies.  I had never seen the Animatrix, and I thought due to the bad weather here is an opportunity to watch a movie that is supposed to be the "prequel" to the Matrix movie and I found the Matrix movie to be a Trilogy that has a different Christ/God story.

So, here I was watching the Animatrix and I'm hearing things like "then man created machine in his likeness" and then I heard "on the next day Man created light", and then I see a scene where man darkens the sky and there was no more light.  Sound like the story of Creation in Genesis in a slightly twisted manner?

I continued on with the story and all I saw was the story continue on and on and on; and the story that was being portrayed is the story of man.

In reality and I once heard a man Alan Hirsch say - "God created man in his own image, and then man returned the favour".  Ultimately this is the story of "The Matrix".

We live in a World where people think "this isn't what God would want for us" - so the question then becomes:  What would God want for us?  Now, we should be careful when we think things like this because are we not judging God when we do such things?  Can we be so great as God's creation that we know what God wants more than God knows what He wants?

I'm not saying it's not possible for one to not know what God wants - I'm saying I don't believe it's possible to know what God wants more than what God knows.  This is like saying "I know that my friend John wants me to do this" - when in reality John doesn't want anyone to do that.

Now - the Matrix seems to be similar to one of those things.  The humans thought they knew what was best for themselves - but in the process it wasn't what was best for the machines.

We as humans think we know what is best for one another.  The Government too is at fault for such a thing.  The Government thinks it knows what's best for its people, when in reality they too are people and I doubt they know what's best for themselves.  I almost see the Matrix Trilogy as a parallel to the Government and the people.






Now - this leaves us with another question to ponder....

What is best for people?

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A New Day...

Over the last week, I've been going through times of panic/anxiety, and to describe what has been causing it, I've always been falling just short.

As sin has been trying to creep its way back in my life - I'm not saying I never sin, but specific acts of sin rather - are creeping back into my life, last night I finally realized my cause of anxiety.

 - FEAR -

Fear comes from a lack of faith, lack of faith is caused by a lack of love, and oh man...I'll try to stop sounding like Yoda here.

Anyways, this past week I have been feeling so disconnected from God.  I can't say I've been feeling horrible or anything about this - but it did start causing me to ask a lot of questions. 

Why would God allow this?
Why does God......

Finally, it dawned on me - it's not always God.  It's a choice - I have a choice to obey or to disobey.

Last night I did something that I don't recall having done in a long time.  I literally prayed myself to sleep.

Throughout the prayer - probably one of my most powerful prayers in a long time - I continued seeking God, His Grace, His Love, His comfort, most importantly, would reveal to me Jesus, and that He would stamp Eternity on my eyeballs.

Now - I prayed myself to sleep....I woke up this morning...and I felt something new within me.  It seemed almost as if I was given a new chance, a new opportunity.

As I was on the bus, looking at my Cell Phone listening to some Gospel Music I looked at my Twitter and saw a tweet from Mark Driscoll:


The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning... – Lam. 3:22-23



Praise the LORD! :)

Story of God - Part II

Last week, I started part one of a blog Series I will continue through over the next little while called “Story of God”. I last left off about how excited I was prior to the last gathering and how much more excited I was after the gathering.

How do I feel about our latest gathering that took place last night?

Definitely I was excited to go to it. After? Well, if you haven't read some of my previous blogs – I've been going through a time where I'm suffering from Anxiety. Even just trying to get to this meeting I almost felt an anxiety attack coming along, but once I was there in the moment, all my anxiety had left.

We started talking about the story of Cain and Abel, and later moving forward to the story of Noah and the Flood. Yes, these stories on their own, I can see potential that could cause my anxiety to get worse, but it's the hidden things in the stories that helped me calm down and my anxiety to really disappear.

Looking at different stories – the Fall of Adam and Eve, Cain murdering his brother Abel, and the great Flood – all have similarities within them, they also have their differences, but when you look past the differences you start to see the similarities.

The main similarity: God's unending love for humans – which may not seem like at, but when you dig deeper in the story you see that God is disciplining the humans for choices that we as humans have made.

Ultimately, we have a choice – to do what is good, or to do what is evil. My question would become “what is evil?” - but I'm sure that is awaiting us in a future story.

So, in my mind was the Story of God gathering a success? Most definitely!

Am I looking forward to the next gathering? You bet!

Revealing the Thief

Here I am today with a moment to think back last night as I was able to help out a friend with a computer problem.

The situation itself I found kind of weird - just out of the blue - I received a text message asking if I could help with a possible virus on a computer.  My first thought was definitely I can help.  It was my later thoughts that I was thinking - how does this person know I know about computers and potentially know how to fix virus problems?

Anyways, as I got on the computer I noticed it was one of those viruses that is a very powerful and dangerous virus.  I'm 100% sure that this virus disguised itself as a "you're computer has been detected with over 100 viruses, please click here to resolve" pop-up.

Now - why do I bring this up?  It's simple.

This is exactly what the enemy does.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:

How does the enemy do this?

Matthew 7:15 ¶Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The enemy comes in disguising himself as something good, but is really something bad.  The epiphany/revelation I was able to have by helping a friend of mine fix their computer is something I will always remember and be forever thankful.

In closing - beware of the enemy, the theif who comes to steal, and kill and destroy...

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The enemy may have gone to do such things, but I was sent to give that computer life, that my friend might be able to use it.

What would Jesus Do?

Yesterday in my post, I stated I was going to watch the movie "What would Jesus do?" featuring John Schneider.  For those that don't know John Schneider, he is probably most re-known for his character of Bo Duke in the TV Series the Dukes of Hazzard.

Anyways, the Movie "What Would Jesus Do" AKA WWJD, reminds me so much of a teaching that's been ongoing at the Church at which I'm attending.  I attend the Journey Ottawa Church, and the message that's been so ongoing since attending there is going out and living in mission; but our mission should be done in a special way, and that way is the way that Jesus would do mission.

The Movie WWJD, was truly an amazing movie.  Now the details may have taken place over the span of a few weeks or a few months, but it was amazing to see a town transformed by people simply living out the Gospel and that is living just as Jesus would.

Now I don't doubt that a city the size of Ottawa can be transformed, I know it will be transformed.  I am realistic in the sense that knowing there are many more people in this city then there were in the movie so to transform a city of this size will take more time.

Now, just what would Jesus do that others seem to forget?  Jesus loved us first.  If we go out and portray that same love, we will transform not only this city, but we will transform the world.

Next time you're about to say no to someone, or do something, just ask yourself:  what would Jesus do?

Lack of LOVE = anxiety

Today in Ontario(Canada) it's Family Day. Before I sit back and watch the movie “What would Jesus do” featuring John Schneider...I feel the need to write in regards to things that have been ongoing in my mind.

Considering that Saturday I spent the evening at the Hospital due to the fact I was having an anxiety attack, I was blessed to hear a message delivered at church from my brother in Christ, Andrew, which I think was just so amazing!

It's always one thing to hear why the world is the way it is – we generally look at the negative. Andrew did such an amazing job and the problems in the world by delivering a message from the negative.

Why does one person suffer from anxiety? Well we can look at all the negatives in the life, or we can look at the simpleness on what is lacking in one's life – LOVE!

When's the last time someone gave five minutes of their time to listen to what was going on in your life? When's the last time someone invited you out for dinner? When's the last time someone offered you themselves without asking for anything in return?

My problem? Well I generally go around helping everyone, giving up my time to help them, but in the process I never take a moment for God. I forget to take that rest, and due to the fact I'm not doing that, I'm lacking love. I lack love because I don't receive that love from others – now I shouldn't be looking for love from others, but should just continue to turn to God to seek for that love.

Story of God - Part 1

How to start such a blog? 

Rather, what is the "Story of God"?

Yes, last night I had an amazing time with some friends and some people who at this time are just acquaintances.  I hope that over the next few months that these acquaintances will become more than that and they too will become friends but moreso people I can consider family.

Prior to meeting up for this gathering - I was pretty excited for what was to come out of this.

Anyways, we went through the first part of the Story of God.  How to describe it?  Well as we started off and as it finished all I can say is AMAZING!

Yes, amazing.

Going through a story and hearing other people talk about God's story, but also bringing forth stories from their own lives.  The stories in their own lives actually portray God's story.

When the story was over, it may have been a bit late, but it seemed everyone was in a rush to get home.

I got home, fell asleep, and woke up to the alarm clock going off. 

My thoughts?  I'm even more excited for the next time we meet up to continue the Story of God.

Does real love exist?

Today I've been seeing many themes and topics of love coming up.  I find this almost ironic seeing as yesterday was supposed to be the "love day" of the year - AKA Valentine's Day.

Although topics of love are coming up - it would seem that people are questioning if real love exists.

My first thoughts are - how can someone have just had a "special" day with their "special someone" and now be questioning if real love exists?

This to me would lead to one of two things 

1. this person doesn't know what love is 
2. there "special someone" doesn't know what love is and today this person is lacking

So it would seem to me - we're questioning if real love exists.  The greater question is, what is love?

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Now - based on these verses, if God is love and your special someone does not know God, how can this person possibly love you?  Furthermore, if God is love and you do not know God, how can you love someone else?

Now, knowing this, is it possible that real love exists?

The "special" day for that "special someone"

It's that special day of year again.  The second biggest commercialized day of the year - next to Christmas.  The day where we get to treat our "special someone" a little more special than the other 363 days of the year.  I say 363 because usually there is an anniversary date as well, and well that day is more "special" also - but this is geared towards Valentine's day.

So its a day where you can go out to dinner with your special someone, and you'll definitely be paying more because it's Valentine's day so due to supply and demand, restaurants can charge you more than they normally would and many of them do.

Just hearing something like that reminds me of how Jesus was with the money changers and the people selling the sacrifices in the Temple.  Jesus cleared out those money changers so quick and the animal sacrifices also that it caused a big stink within the Temple and people started seeking to kill him.

Why did Jesus do this?  Because the money changers were charging more than they should've been.  The people selling the animal sacrifices were charging more than they should've been.  Now - on this big commercialized day, restaurants do the same thing and are charging you more than they should be.

My point is - why make a big fuss about one day of the year to treat your "special someone" in a special way - when you have 365 days of the year to treat them special.

Question to ponder on...would you rather your special someone treat you more special one day of the year, or would you rather your special someone treat you special every day of the year?

People are starving...in more ways than one.

Today, I came across the above picture on Facebook, and I really had to stop and think about this.

How can it be that we live in a world and society where people are dying left, right and centre, yet when a big CELEB name comes up and dies - it's all over the headlines and all over the news and well it's just everywhere.  But my big concern is, how can this be?

No, don't get me wrong perhaps it is a loss to the world that a great musician has passed away; BUT - yes I love saying BUT - how do we know that these children who are passing away left right and centre wouldn't do greater things than Whitney Houston or other Celebrities if they were just given the chance.

Now - why aren't starving people around the world given an opportunity to step up?

Now - we can look at the negative of these starving people, or we can look in the mirror.

People generally don't want to look at those starving children.  Why?  Because you're looking at yourself in the mirror when you look at those children.

Those children are one die going to die of hunger because they weren't provided any nutrients or any food.

 KJV: Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Now - there are many people in the world who are going to die without knowing God or without knowing Jesus Christ.

Now - the reason TV channels show funerals for people such as Whitney Houston or Michael Jackson and many other celebrities is because people reminisce about these things.  Now - if they started showing children starving throughout the world on every channel for about a week straight - one of two things would happen.  People would be so saddened and moved by this that they would start donating money - OR - people would just stop watching TV and start doing other things to not have to watch such a thing.

Just as these children will die without physical food - many people will die without knowing the Word of God.

So the question again today is, do you know God?  Do you know the words that God spoke in the beginning?  Do you know the words that Jesus spoke?

God bless you,

Do you know Him?

Do you know Him?

One thing I'd like to continue on from my last blog "God is....God" - and well that is with the simple question, do you know Him?

Many people say they know God.  They furthermore confess being a Christian.  Yet they believe Eternal life starts when we die and go to Heaven.

Ok - so Christians confess they know God, and they believe Jesus is the Word and we know that the Word is God(John 1:1).  So the question would now become - do you know Jesus?

Jesus is found saying:
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

So, what is Eternal life?  Eternal life is:  that we may know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom the one true God has sent.

Jesus said this.  God said this.  Now - where does the thought that eternal life starts when we die and go to Heaven?

So the question again is:  do you know God?

God is....God

My relationship is personal....

So, today here I was waiting for the bus and I thought started thinking back and forth about God and relationships being personal.

Now granted, the relationship I have with God is a personal relationship.  I will share intimate details about my life that I wouldn’t just share with anyone.  Just like a married person is intimate with their spouse and doesn’t share those intimate details with everyone.

Why bring this up?  Where am I going with this?

I find it ironic that you talk to someone who clearly doesn’t know God – and their excuse for not wanting to talk about God or their faith is because they believe that their relationship with God is personal.  I don’t disagree, again it is personal.

Just like I have a personal relationship with God – a married person has a intimate relationship with their spouse.  Well I can still ask that person about their spouse, and they share with me certain details about who the person is.

I’m not asking someone to share their intimate relationship with God to the whole world – but can you share who God is with me?