Tag: #Jesus

Our Relationship with Christ: A Powerful Analysis

The relationship you have with Christ is like a moving conveyer belt. On one end of this belt, we have God, and the other…Satan.

This conveyer belt is constantly going in one of the two directions. It is never turned off. When we sin, this belt is flipped to Satan. Even when we aren’t “sinning” in a direct way, but our minds get too absorbed in other things, the belt slowly reverses back to the adversary. Each second of every day, we are going in one direction or the other. Almost all of our decisions we make in life will bring us closer or further from Christ.

There is no way to press stop on this conveyer belt. It is in constant movement in one of the two directions. Every imperfection that engulfs us is pulling us in the wrong direction. The goal is to minimize this flipping of the switch…to keep it going only one way: to Jesus the Christ.

The relationship that you develop with God is variable, always changing…never paused. Do not forget this friend. The decisions you make every hour of every day, in some way, impact your relationship with Christ.

Satan Knows You Well

Have you ever been so busy with work, school or other responsibilities, that a week races by…only to have you sitting in guilt at the separation that subtly occurred? If you’re really close to God, even having one full day go by without him crossing your mind sufficiently is enough to create chaos from within. Satan, many times, works quietly and precept upon precept…he doesn’t act in such a way that is extreme or chaotic.

For example, the chances that a man who is close to Christ will wake up one day, out of the blue, with the intention of cheating on his spouse is virtually nonexistent. Satan slowly worked on this man, first sourcing a single thought…. then one becomes two… maybe this man clicked a link online showing him pornography, or replied to a direct message that he knew was crossing a line. Maybe he was absorbing Satan into his subconsciousness when he went off to a bar…or allowed his emotions from an argument to win him over. Satan had this man’s destruction all planned out, watching him as he ruins his life.

Satan is either (debatably) extremely intelligent…or just dumb with thousands of years of experience. I’ve argued this idea in my mind countless times, which direction the arrow points in these two possibilities. I lean to the latter, as the simple fact he attempted (and still does) to engage against a perfect God is a projection of his radical ignorance, stupidity and low EQ (emotional quotient). Regardless, he knows you very well. He is hyper focused on your every move, tediously influencing you by tossing thoughts into your mind…and even initiating emotions to persuade. He is a master at this. He wants nothing more than to see you afraid, hopeless and discontent. He smiles and laughs at every sin you engage in. I repeat, when you do something that you know is against God, Satan is laughing at you.

Just ponder with me, all the horrific acts of violence and evil that’s occurred on planet earth. The nightmarish wars, from the Civil war to World War 2. The Bullying of the innocent. Domestic abuse and broken homes, filled with tears and broken minds. Drug addicts, who would rather die than seek intervention. The drowning insecurities that make young adults feel depressed and pointless. Consider That the same entity who promoted, smiled and laughed (and still does) at these things is the same entity who you side with daily when you sin.

The Anatomy of Sin

Every sin we commit is a reflection of our love for Christ.

The brutal truth is when we sin, we’re essentially cheating with the enemy, and doing it right in front of our savior’s face. Each time we sin, or backpedal the other way, we’re doing nothing unique from what Judas and Peter did. We are rejecting our savior for our own personal gain, pleasure and self-preservation. Did not Judas backstab our God for a little cash? Did not Peter reject he knew the almighty God because he was scared for his reputation and safety? At its core, our moments of sin are nothing less than creating a different path, one that walks opposite of the Savior.

This doesn’t mean we don’t love God because we sin. That would be a logical error…a false dilemma fallacy. Someone can love their peers and still make mistakes; those mistakes do not immediately equate to a rejection of their love for the person. What it does mean is that the relationship needs to improve, grow and mold into something stronger.

Sin isn’t a complicated thing to understand. Sin is anything that is not the will of God in your life. Christians seemingly look at Sin in a very specific manner, which is understandable. Do not lie, steal, slander, fornicate, do drugs, bully etc… But the reality is the mindset of “I didn’t fornicate this past year” isn’t an accurate representation of what sin is. instead of looking at sin as a checklist, consider observing it in your life as a direction, overall. The conveyer belt analogy pinpoints it well. Every “sin” that we committed is only parts to the overall movement to or from Christ.

We all sin, A LOT. Even the most spiritual believers sin daily. Satan has fine-tuned us for destruction, making sure to expound on every weakness we have. He attempts to stomp on the parts of us that are spiritually cracked and fragile. He knows how to manipulate your brain chemistry through thoughts and emotions. He uses this as a weapon against you.

You must Be aware of who you are, of the thoughts that are produced into your consciousness, of the weak spots your soul has. Become a master of awareness, of knowing when Satan is influencing your soul.

Conclusion

Ultimately, when we pass from this life, what many people consider valuable will be meaningless.

The moment we leave this life, in that very moment, your social media accounts will be worthless. The likes, follows and cute Dm’s will be nothing. in that moment, all the petty drama you were involved in will cease. The drug called “validation” will be puffed no more. All the overtime work you put in for more income will be worth as much as the same dirt you are buried in.

The only thing that will matter is how much you turned to Christ for your stresses, pains, fears and salvation. He will be all that matters..

-Jarom

GOD IS IGNORING YOU

The constant prayers you’ve sent off to God seemingly are missing his front door entirely or read with laughter.

For you there are no other options…as nothing is happening.

You never expected for life to be easy. You knew it was going to be difficult and chaotic. You expected to lose loved ones, fail tests and miss out on new job opportunities. You expected it to seem unfair and unequal. You knew that just because you’re a good person…bad things will continue to stalk you.

What you did not expect is getting ignored from The God you worship. This was not part of the plan. This is not what he said. He clearly informed you to come to him for your problems…that he can somehow make things better. You do not expect life to stop having issues, but you do expect God to assist you with guidance and direction.

At times your faith in him was seemingly invincible. It was passionate and courageous. The feeling of waking up in the morning with a God on your side was calming to your screaming thoughts.

“the good ol days” are all that remains of this…as that same faith has lost its foundation. Even when you pray for more faith…nothing happened. When you prayed for any miracle for help…nothing happened.

Nothing is happening.

It’s been months and months of heartfelt prayer with no response. You question God at this point. “Imaginary friend” recycles in your mind from your past experiences in life. “Maybe they’re right…” as the self-pity absorbs the little pride you cling to.

Jesus stood alone

When Jesus was walking with a group of followers that had gathered from his miracles, he began talking to them in regard to the purpose of his supernatural abilities. He wanted to make it clear that miracles had a specific motive…and it wasn’t to toss evidence to unbelievers.

It was received with shaking heads and faithless minds. The followers began to argue about these new teachings. The crowd began walking away, most likely annoyed or bored by Jesus. After the crowd left, only a few men were left standing: the apostles.

Jesus looks over at one of them, Peter, and asks a powerful question...”Will ye also go away?” to which Peter replied “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life”

I imagine that Jesus couldn’t help but smile, as the sarcasm from Peter was based off the presumption that he and the crew obviously knew Jesus was the Christ. How wholesome a situation…the apostles standing firm as the crowd walks away? To stand with Christ is peak beauty in this existence.

If you have enough faith to pray passionately, on a consistent basis for something, then your faith is sufficient to accept that he is in fact listening…but not acting in a way you can see. As each day passes with nothing to show for your time on your knees…you still are forced into the same response Peter gave. Where else are you to go? Can you just force yourself into atheism by choice? Can you reject God and go sin like he doesn’t exist anymore? Can you start believing in another God of some sort to get back at God?

The alternative responses to Peter’s are not things that happen overnight. They take time and effort to do. If you have faith built up in God, trying to forcibly reject him is unnatural and disorderly to your soul. You cannot choose to openly reject the same God you’ve had faith in all your life and not lose the spirit in the process. This radical loss from God is the medication to your soul…and if rejected will give withdrawals that never stop.

God knows that the beautiful worldview you’ve created with him cannot be clicked off like a remote control. You accept a creator, so now you must live your life accordingly. In these difficult times, our response is to live with the frustration, confusion and lacking evidence for a time. God knows what’s like to be a human, he himself was one…so he understands every tear that you shed. He knows why you’re upset, afraid and anxious. He knows you more than you know you.

The whole experience of feeling rejected by God is nothing new. In Psalms 22, we see a man crying to God above for help…with no response. “O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not…” are the words written on the feeling of frustration and rejection. Just like you, this individual was confused by his creator’s stoic position to his prayers, yet we can see that the idea of giving up or rejecting God was not even a consideration. The individual was going to push with nothing to put his faith in… stand strong even with no response. “My God my God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” are the opening words to this chapter…the same words repeated by Christ as he suffocated on the cross. While many scholars have different interpretations of why Jesus repeated these words, I believe that Jesus needed to experience a full rejection of God and push through to finish his mission on earth. Could Jesus have changed his situation while on the cross? Of course he could have. If, during this short period of loss from his father he decided to change his mind…. he easily could have done so. As he hung on a cross, trying to take in oxygen for his dying body, his father left him alone entirely for a short time which forced Jesus into the deepest depths of darkness. Considering Jesus was also human, he experienced confusion by this loss. It did not stop him, though. The savior continued with his mission and pushed through the deepest darkest moments in the history of mankind. If there ever was an example to all of us on what to do when it seems God has rejected us, or left us, this is the moment we need to remember.

Keep moving forward with Christ. You know he lives, so accept that this spiritual drought is necessary for something in the future. Like Peter said…what is the alternative? To openly reject your creator? To run to sin, which in return will punish your already frustrated soul? No. Stick close to God and his word…and God will arrive with blessings from heaven on his time.

-Jarom

Blind Faith (a short story)

You’re in a dark cave.

You’re alone.

You left your phone in the car…no light or messages can be sent.

You’ve been yelling for hours in hope of some sort of rescue…all that’s heard is echos that seemingly mock you in return.

After hours of walking slowly through the dark hole… you sit down in tears. Hope has been defeated.

Your mind and thoughts are on the people you’re never going to see again. All the memories you will miss. “If only” is the constant phrase running through your chaotic mind.

To toss more wood to your mental fire…your prayers seemingly have been unheard. Absolutely nothing has changed. Based off your estimation, it’s been at least a day of turmoil. This unknown final chapter in your book of life was introduced with deep bouts of prayer to your “God” above. Hours of prayer in the darkness was your go to move at first.

You come to the ultimate conclusion that if you had never prayed in this cave…you would be in the same situation. In fact, all the prayers you had in your life for direction seem meaningless to you, in the moment. The faith you built for years was pointless.

You cry harder than you’ve ever cried before. The last time you whelped this bad was decades ago.

After some time, you decide to get up and start walking in hopes of finding an entrance or hear another voice. You’ve yelled for so long you cannot get any noise to come out. Tears have dried up on your face.

As you slowly walk through the physical nightmare, you trip over a rock and hit the hard ground like an acorn to a car. The fall is dead weight. You are, at this point, numb to emotion. You’ve given up on yourself. God, the one whom you gave your all to in your existence…seems to follow suit.

You have been walking in a physical nightmare now for hours and hours…nothing.

Nothing is happening.

God forgot about you. He either isn’t real or doesn’t care. There is no in-between.

Your hope is gone. There is absolutely no reason to continue trying. It’s over. You ‘re starving, afraid and depressed.

It’s all over.

You find a soft spot of mud, or what seems to be mud…and lie in it.

“This will be my grave, right here” you whisper to your broken ego.

its over.

its all done.

You tried.

Your whole life of building up your career…a waste. Your relationships? worthless. Nothing mattered. It’s done.

You stare at the darkness. It’s so dark, when you close your eyes nothing changes. All you can hear is the drips of liquid hitting the rocks around you. Oddly, you feel slightly relaxed for the first time. The adrenaline is wearing off. Exhaustion has somewhat of a calming effect to your hurt conscious.

As you lie alone in the cave…You suddenly feel a unique feeling of peace. It’s a beautiful feeling of comfort…of hope. The irony of feeling comfort in such a horrific time makes you giggle.

The feeling forces hope back into your hopeless mind.

It could be what you used to call “God”…but you’re certain it’s just another brain chemical. Regardless, this comfort gives you a potent boost to keep going. To move forward.

To put one foot in front of the other. To stay alive…just a little bit longer.

You stand up like a toddler learning to walk. You’re exhausted and drained.

One foot softly is put in front of the other and you slowly push forward. Pushing through the sadness and anger.

You walk… with zero evidence of getting out. All you have left is a sprinkle of hope that came from within.

You have, at this point in your chaos, blind faith with no results or evidence to lean on. Nothing to see…nothing to hear. Just walking in the dark once again. For whatever reason, you feel it’s worth the extra effort…and you don’t understand why. So, you just keep on walking.

Another hour of walking is your guess…then you’ll find your natural burial ground.

Then something happens.

You see a small speck of light far off in the distance. The distance away is monumental, making it look like a tiny star in the galaxy.

“hope”.

The drip of hope you had turns from a Prius to a Lamborghini. It skyrockets into certainty. Though far away, with numerous rocks and crevices ahead…that little speck of light is waiting for you.

You start walking to the itty-bitty light with new direction and motivation. As you walk…your eyes are hyper focused on it. That tiny dot is your entire future. Though small…it alone is all your hope, joy and peace. Your family…everything is on the other side of it. It is freedom and life.

The ultimate value of something so small comes across as ironic.

You trudge through foot deep water…at times going faster than you know you should. The fact you cannot see anything except the light makes it convenient to walk towards, at least.

Every so often your conscious becomes aware of the minuscule light growing bigger. With each passing step closer, the light fills out more and more.

Finally, after tediously walking through crevices and dirty water…you make it to the light. It had to at least been an hour of walking.

You stop.

The eyes that were blind the past day stares at the opening. You See trees and a cloudless blue sky. The siren from a paramedic is heard from miles away. Birds chip like they are cheering for you.

It turns out this is the same entrance you went in at…and your shiny blue car is parked. The anxiety that has been harassing you disappears as you run to the car.

“My phone!” you scream. “Nine missed calls?!” You’re too tired be anymore stressed…so you put the phone down and exhale.

The moment is absorbed slowly.

You made it. Pain and aches from the fall prick your peace. The nearest Emergency room should be the next destination, as frustrating as that sounds.

As your mind destresses…something clicks within you.

you step outside the car and fall to the ground in tears.

God, the one whom you rejected in what seemed to be your last moments…had to be there all along. The expectations you had in your mind were not his…but the end result was identical. If you would have died on the floor of that cave, given up then…the light would have never been seen.

You ponder why you walked from your burial ground earlier. Why would you robotically walk with blind faith?

Nothing was happening.

All you can ponder is the word “nothing” in your conscious. The feeling you had on the ground gave you a sprinkle of hope…but it took blind faith…and lots of it….to discover the blessing you wanted.

Without that blind faith, the final push…seemingly alone…you would not be here right now.

The scariest moment of your past journey was blindly walking without anything to see, feel or hear…but it was crucial to aligning your will with your creators will.

It was only then that your heartfelt prayers could be answered.

-Jarom

Jesus the Christ: The Greatest Over-empath of All Time

As Jesus walked the sea of Gallie, we can only question what he thought in his Godly mind. He must of, at times, looked out at the sea he created and smiled like Vincent van Goh did to his finished paintings. I have this potent thought, that the sun must have come down over the massive surrounding mountains across the sea, shinning down on a certain savior who put his feet in the sand of the shore.

Imagine with me, waking up in a world that you created. You look out your window and everything you see is nothing less than a product of your finished painting. Every bird you hear and bug you see is your product. This entire reality as you know it is your beautiful project.

Every single creature in the ocean was known by Jesus and not a micro atom was unknown to him. All the mysterious of the world, from “bigfoot” sightings to unknown creatures in our oceans was known in detail to Christ. He was the final truth of every mystery of the world, a world that scientist attempt to figure out to this day.

Jesus, the Christ was hated, mocked and was seen as the bottom of bottoms on earth to most individuals 2000 years ago. The roman guards had quit the time laughing at his frail body as he lie in anguish from the brutal kicks to his body. Saliva ran down his beaten face from being spit on. Some argue that the whip that was used to hit his back could have revealed his bones to some extent, considering that it was made to tear flesh. He was then forced to carry an extremely awkward and heavy cross, the same cross he would later suffocate on to his death.

Now imagine with me again, how through all this, he had an astronomical comprehension of human suffering. In Psalms the writer says “put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?“. Not a tear has occurred in all human history that is not immediately grabbed and put into his book. Or, in other words, not a tear has fallen that he himself hasn’t felt.

Jesus, the perfect psychologist

When someone is in need of a psychologist, they typically pay some money, spend some time and listen in on what someone in the field has to say. If someone is battling the pains of depression, anxiety or fears, then a professional can offer some valuable help. Some need this assistance, and the professionals can really fine tune an individual’s mental state.

The only issue with hiring a psychologist is that they never really know how you actually feel. If someone is battling PTSD, they can only go off what the victim tells them, attempting to recollect various theories from professional literature to help the one in need. They can definitely offer assistance, but ultimately the only individual who knows the experience of their specific PTSD, is that individual and no one else on the planet. The same can be said about any part of human experience, we all feel various levels of suffering that no one experiences but only us. While some could argue that we feel similar pains, the reality is our sufferings are very specific to us. Getting help from a professional for suffering, especially mental suffering, is like trying to describe to someone about a beautiful dream you had…it never will come close to doing justice.

Why is this? why does this issue arise? The simple answer is something called “empathy”. empathy is having a comprehension of someone. The interesting thing about this, is that we as humans will never actually experience full empathy for each other, because we are limited to our own conscious experience. It quite literally would require us to live the exact same experience as the one who suffers to actually have a fullness of empathy for them. We can only say “I know how you feel, I’ve been there” but the reality is we haven’t literally experienced the exact same pains that individual is feeling. We only empathize with them because we too have similar or same sicknesses or sufferings. Each and every person walking on the earth, right now, has their own individual mental and physical pain that only they know is true…only they experience. Each conscious experience is unique and independent. This can be seen as both beautiful and lonely, in an ironic way.

Jesus has a bold way of stiff-arming what would be “lonely” above. He, a God, felt our pains and sorrows. When you’re suffering, your specific conscious experience has been felt before. In a sense, your pains and sorrows have already been lived. Jesus knows exactly your suffering; in fact, he knows the suffering of the hundreds of billions of people who walk and have walked the earth also.

The only way a psychologist could truly help you is to first live your conscious experience, to actually know how you feel. To feel your experience based off your brain chemistry and levels of serotonin, dopamine, Gaba, endorphins and norepinephrine. The radical differences in these chemicals are impossible to know in someone without experience itself. Studying external behavior and reading professional literature is nothing compared to actually the experience itself.

There is not a doubt in my mind that Jesus felt our pains and sorrows literally. Being a God, he knew as much as you and I know, that our experience is individual to us. in fact, our “experience” is the only thing we have in this existence. We never really own anything unique to us, except our own experience. He knew that in order to truly help, he must feel the dreadful mental, physical and emotional sorrows of being human for each one of us. Think with me, for this moment, of all the horrible executions, accidents, robberies and wars that have occurred. Now dig deeper and know that every single experience every individual has had in those instances were felt by Jesus. All the extreme experiences of depression, drugs and alcohol addictions. All the sickening feelings of heartbreak that one has felt. All the difficult bouts of PTSD that service men/woman felt and feel. The horror of losing a loved one. The list is endless.

Your pains have been experienced already, and because of this, the savior has perfected empathy. He is the embodiment of charity and empathy. He made sure that no stone was left unturned before he left to his glorified state.

The next time you feel sad from watching the news, from wars or accidents…or even if now, you’re experience depression or mental anguish, never forget who has felt it all, and who is always on stand-by to help.

-Jarom

Dating Is Starving for Spirituality

The superficiality of society. The obsession with body. With looks. With money. with status. People are attached to everything except God.

Dating is at an all-time low. Women use their bodies in search of love. Men use their money to return the favor. How do we not see how ridiculous this is? Dating is transactional in modern times. The man and woman are both objects that trade resources. Dating apps have made female validation skyrocket to depths it’s never touched before. Instead of waiting at a bar, a woman needs to look no further than Tinder for loads of matches from thirsty men. This in return delusions the perceptions of the masses, stabbing dating dynamics viciously.

Men on the other hand seek sex like puppets. Lust laughs as they are pulled into whatever direction it desires. Besides their mental prisons, they seek money and status in whatever way possible…in hopes that they can get the most attractive woman to toss on their merry-go-round of girls.

What are we doing? Does anyone else understand how absurd this is? The divorce rate is fifty percent and has been for years. People are getting married less and less. Anxiety and depression have skyrocketed over the past decade and isn’t slowing down. Toxicity is trendy and Religion is on the decline. Radical feminism is sprinkled across the masses and masculine philosophies have been created to combat it. Tiktok is full of women mocking men for their height, income or looks. Men do the same, attacking women for their looks or status. We live in a society of projection and insecurity, and it shows. Validation is a short-lived drug that is gone the following day. Is this what we’ve become?

People are attached to physical body. Men need to be ripped and women need the perfect curves. Well folks, there you have it. We are obsessed with something that will grow old and wrinkly one day. We are obsessed with an inch of skin. We are obsessed with something that is only an injury away from looking “ugly.” We are obsessed with attracting each other through sex, thus creating a society of confused and lost singles. If you attract someone with your body, then you best believe they will leave you for that exact same reason.

If a man gets a woman because of his status or income, how does he feel knowing he is only one hardship away from losing her too? He loses his job; he loses his girl too. Is this what he wants? Does he not care that his character, personality and feelings are meaningless overall? He is nothing more than an ATM that smiles.

Society needs spirituality so deeply. Dating needs spirituality. Dating is thirsty for God. It is thirsty for some form of faith.

People should step back. Honestly look at what they are doing and what they hope for in a partner. Do we not want honest authenticity? Do we not seek honest love? Do you not want a man or woman who will stick by your through all suffering and trials?

Women and men have checklists that could fill pages to what they need in a partner. A woman needs a tall, attractive, rich man. A man needs a curvy beautiful woman with perfect smile. This is a monumental issue in society: Most people will be searching for something that won’t be found. We have expectations that are ridiculous. We have a society of individuals who think they are models because of social media. We are a society of ghosting because we’re weak and too lazy to show love through communication. This is dreadful for dating. Our minds are delusional.

And honestly, both sex’s need to tear off a couple pages from their list of “needs” in a partner. Your poor lists will be sitting until you’re old.

We need spiritual relationships to make a comeback. We need spiritual connections that create powerful couples that don’t justify bad behavior. We need more love, not bashing each other’s sex. We need couples who have eternal perspectives, not worldly perspectives that die with their riches.

The sad reality is so many couples will live and die never actually feeling love. Instead, their obsession with materials and superficiality will always be their God. Validation will be their God. Sex is their God. Money is their God.

The irony of all of this is many men and women who are single desire a “Godly” partner but they themselves are devilish in nature. Do they really believe that someone who is Godly looks back and finds a slither of attraction? You attract what you project. Even an atheist can admit that a Godly individual of the opposite sex is attractive. Conservative is attractive. Why? A conservative individual has discipline and purpose. They have value in their potential partners and are aware of it. They know their value and resist their desires for something greater.

Become what you hope for in a partner…and allow God to be the matchmaker, not tinder.

And He Said Unto Them “Why Are Ye So Fearful? How is it That Ye Have No Faith?”

Everyday our thoughts stick a thorn in our peace as we constantly obsess over matters that don’t even exist…except in our minds. We have deep bouts of anxiety about all the “what ifs” in the unknown future. We question our lives. We compare ourselves to others on social media…a losing battle that will never be won. Human beings are filled with fear, anxiety and insecurity. We all hold hands on suffering…emotionally, mentally and physically. Some will wake up tomorrow to hear dreadful news from their doctor. Others will go to sleep tonight in tears from being cheated on. Many lose loved ones…unexpectedly. Suffering is as normal a part of life as the air we breathe.

Many suffer from horrible addictions that feel impossible to overcome. Rather it be pornography or a sinister drug, our lives are always only one puff, drink or click away from a deep dark hole. It ruins so many…a prison that can bring even the strongest individuals down. Independent of any “sin”, even the most radical atheists can see the destruction of addiction. It is part of reality, no matter your worldview.

Individuals, every day, wake up fearing what “might” happen, afraid of their abilities to get something done or supporting their families. People are afraid. Society is a collection of millions of people who are afraid. No matter how confident someone is, how much money they have, fear is always whispering to their consciousness. The mask people wear is taken off when they are alone. It is laid away until the next social media post or public appearance. No matter what, that mask is never forgotten as they walk out the door.

2000 years ago, on the sea of Galilee, a few good men doubted a God. They were filled with deep bouts of anxiety and fear as their boat tossed in the dark ocean. The storm they were under was causing even the most faithful men to scream in horror to their leader, who was sleeping. They fearfully yelled “Master, carest thou not that we perish? “In other words, the master they were so deeply invested in became nothing more than another human, in this moment. All the beautiful things Jesus did prior was completely ignored. In this moment, they looked at God in the face and doubted him. They doubted all he had told them. They doubted Their missions and their leaders’ missions. They chose fear over faith. Their faith was non-existent as they anxiously yelled for help. Ultimately, their minds totally forgot about the spirit he had gave them…it didn’t exist in their minds as the waves clashed against their boat.

As many of us know, Jesus woke up and stopped the nightmare around them. The disciples watched in shock as the clouds faded into a beautiful sky. He questioned why they doubted…like a disappointed parent.

Many could easily look at this story and shake their heads at the disciples. What was wrong with them? To actually be with Jesus and still doubt? How is that even possible? In our minds we think about how amazing it would be to see Jesus, to feel his hugs and walk with him…as if we somehow would be different than they were. As if we would react so differently. My friends, we are no different and we prove this almost daily. You prove it daily. I prove it daily. We are like a bunch of terrified disciples questioning God all the time…fearing what might happen. We say we have faith…while simultaneously fearing the unknown. We fear when we act on Gods words…considering all the terrible possibilities that could happen if it falls through. We fear of embarrassment. Of slander. We fear of physical pain and death. We fear of being cheated on. Our insecurities claw on our consciousness, never giving many a break. We try to control things we have no control over…as if thinking something enough can change reality. The list goes on and on.

I ask myself, if I were on that same boat 2000 years ago, what would I have done? Would I have stood strong and patiently waited in the corner as my friends woke Jesus? To say this bluntly: No. I can confirm with confidence that I would have been right there with the disciples. I would have been afraid as the boat rocked under the lightning and thunder. I would have been afraid and dreadfully anxious. How do I know this? Because I doubt God at times. My faith is far from whole. Even when I think my faith is strong, I realize in a moment’s notice it’s fragile as glass from my chaotic mind.

How often do we hold on, both hands still gripping, afraid to let go? How often do we say we have both feet in with Christ, but we actually have one still out “just in case?”

How often are people fearful to attack their addictions because it feels impossible? How often do we fear embarrassment from society, for Christ? How often are people harassed by their insecurity, telling themselves they are worthless? How often do people choose pleasures over God, rejecting the knowledge of a perfect being? That somehow, he might not come through, maybe sex, drugs, status and money actually is happiness? Maybe God isn’t real, I’m just not experiencing life fully. How often does this happen? If we are so confident in Jesus, he must ask us…”how is it that ye have no faith?”

JESUS THE CHRIST: HE IS REAL

I know Christ is real. He lives. He is my savior, he is yours. He is an atheist’s savior, if they so choose to accept him. He is the savior to every individual who has ever lived, who lives now and who will live. A perfect God came down to earth 2000 year ago to suffer the greatest pain imaginable to people who hated him and still do. The same people who spit on him and handed him vinegar to drink were the same people he loved beyond human comprehension. He was charity in the flesh…and is now charity on a throne. I don’t care who you are, how stupid and disgusting you feel, he loves you like an obsessed parent. All the horror in mankind, the suffering that is far too radical for our minds to grasp, is fully comprehendible to Christ, having felt every moment of fear and pain in human existence. All the horrible accidents, mental illness, executions, domestic abuse, bouts of profound embarrassment and social destruction…not a tear has been shed in all human existence which Jesus the Christ didn’t experience himself.

It’s time. If you read this far, I’m your push to just do it. You know Christ is real…so now you can let go. You have to act now. Put both feet in with Christ. Roll all your dice. Lay all your cards out in front of you, without question. Put your arms out wide and fall back. Stop questioning. Stop looking back.

To a heartbroken Jarius, whose daughter had just passed away…our savior pronounced,

“Be not afraid, only believe.”

He then proceeded to raise his daughter from the dead. What beautiful miracles await you?

He lives-

Jarom

Yes, I Actually Do Love you: Logically Making Sense of Charity

No, believers aren’t helping you because “Jesus said so.” We do it because we actually love you.

As a former atheist (yes, I said it again) One thing my old team would say was nothing less than Christians are nothing more than a bunch of phonies. “I can help someone without needing a God to tell me.” Their logic is actually very correct. Imagine that someone came up to help you and brightened your day. You smile and give thanks to them as they are about to leave. Instead of receiving more beautiful energy, you hear back from them “to be honest the only reason that I’m helping you right now is because someone else told me to.” Immediately you’d feel a sense of profound unauthenticity. Who would want help from someone who doesn’t want to be there? While I will grant that any help can be accepted at times, if it’s done without honesty, it strangles the beauty in it entirely.

The reality is I actually had to deeply consider this as a newly converted Christian. I truly had to comprehend that if this is how it actually is, that’s an issue with me. Of course, we have the power of Christ in us, a force that numbs the innate cravings we have for good…but am I really just serving and loving because “Jesus said so?”

The easy answer to this

After some time, the reality of how this works stabbed deep into my ignorance. While I’m far from omnipotent, I do know the logic aligns perfectly with how this works.

God loves us and shows us his love all the time, but when it comes to service and charity, he doesn’t have to push us. It’s not that God gives us anything regarding our love for others, it’s that he removes the conscious wall in this existence so we can see others for how we actually see them.

Every human has dramatically profound love for every individual on earth…but most people never experience this feeling because they have the drunk goggles of the natural man on. When we follow Christ, he comes in and removes these drunk goggles from our mind so we can perceive others with 20/20 vision. It’s not that we are acting because of the bible or because “Jesus told me to”… but because we have perfect vision instead of blurry vision.

Imagine that you had a certain form of dementia that made you lack comprehension of the most important people in your life. All your memories and love for them vanished as they became nothing more than distant strangers. Now imagine that with new technology, science was able to fix this dementia issue in your brain so you can comprehend them the same way that you used to. Your mind would be correctly functioning again.

This is nothing less than what is happening to us on a worldwide scale when we allow God to fix our distorted view of others. He corrects our perception and allows us to see others the way we actually see them, not with the conscious distortion of the natural man. God doesn’t actually need to do anything other than this, because once he removes this, he knows we will act independently…based off our own profound love for everyone on earth.

-Jarom

The Dream

You wake up, distorted and confused. Bright light from the sun above shines into your squinted eyes as you look around for your location. You’re high above the ground on what looks like a beautiful mountain. The blue skies ignore any clouds as the sun takes full advantage to warm your skin.

You look over to see an individual sitting next to you…It’s Jesus. The one whom you’ve obsessively thought about so many lonely nights and drives to work. The one whom you trusted in your previous life without ever seeing.

He hugs you closely and firmly. You realize that you know him. He looks exactly like what you thought. Like a family member whom you go home to every day, there is nothing about him that is unrecognizable.


After the long hug, you attempt to stand up out of respect. Jesus responds to your movement quickly “I’m glad you’re here! It’s ok, I truly appreciate your love, but in this moment let’s just watch this beautiful sky together.” You immediately sit down like a nervous child to a parent. You can’t stop smiling. Not only do you see him, but you feel him. You’re in shock…but blissfully happy.

“Jesus! I honestly can’t even comprehend that you’re…here. I’m actually here with you. Finally.” Energetically Jesus responds “I know! I am beyond happy. I’m so fulfilled that you’re here, sitting next to me, in this moment. I’ve been cheering you on and paying attention to your growth with me.”

“Really? I never doubted you Jesus. Well…maybe a little, but only a few times in my past life. I apologize Jesus, I realized that my past life was entirely meant to be confusing in some ways and beautiful in other ways. You know me more than I know myself, sometimes I was my own worst enemy.”

you’re simultaneously pondering back on your life, on all the times you experienced in relation to Jesus. The number of questions on your mind is tremendous. You remember one monumental time when you really doubted Jesus. “Jesus, remember when I was going through that transition stage in my life? new city and I felt super alone?” Jesus smiling, replies ” Yes I know exactly what you’re referring to.”

During that time, everyone I trusted turned their back on me. I had no one. The few people I did fully trust turned around on me and walked away. It was during this time when I questioned if even God would leave me. Remember? I’m sure you know already”

“Yes I know exactly the seconds, hours and days you’re referring to. Every last sprinkle of trust you had in everyone was lost. The few people you actually did trust disappeared. It created deep subconscious issues for you, enough for you to even ask if God would do the same.”

“Yes Jesus! I’m so sorry, it was wrong. Jesus it really messed my mind up, I was truly not right in those days. It’s just that…you start to really question everything when such deep issues happen over and over again. I felt the only person I could look to was the reflection in the mirror and nothing else. It was a hell in itself you could say. I needed someone, but no one was there.”

“I know, quite literally, what you mean. There was a certain time when I was on earth too, and I felt similar to you. I walked the streets of Galilee and Jerusalem long before your time on earth, only to be ignored and looked at as someone who’s not right mentally. I had few I trusted in on earth and more than one turned their backs completely on me. It was difficult being on that cross alone, to feel the nails in my hands and feet. Even I had to question for a few seconds on that cross why I’m alone.”

“Wow. Jesus I cannot even begin to imagine your strength. You are my everything, my savior and light Jesus. I need you. So when you were on the cross and asked why you were forsaken, you truly felt that way?”

Smiling Jesus replies “yes. Even me, a God felt the icy cold feeling of being entirely alone. Of being looked at as evil. Of being weird and socially unacceptable. Yet, I never once doubted myself. I knew my goal and I was going to accomplish it. One more important note here, I also felt your pains and sorrows. In that garden on earth, I felt everyone’s heartaches, deaths and anxieties. Not a bad feeling goes by in your life that I also didn’t feel. When you look at that sad reflection, feeling so deeply alone, remember I did the same. I lived your life.”

“Jesus what do you mean? Lived my life? Like literally? But Jesus I have certain physical issues that were extremely unique to me. My mental health was at times far too difficult for most to understand.”

“Yes. I lived every second of your life. I was walking with you every day of your life, experiencing all you felt also. I know what you felt. This is not an act of faith on my end, it literally happened. There was not a grumpy morning, flat tire, anxious thought or depressed night that I did not feel with you. All your anger, resent and sadness was fully felt by me as I strolled along your life with you. You chose for us on earth, I was always on the receiving end of your decisions.”

“What? no way! Now I feel terrible! So many bad decisions you had to feel. I’m so sorry. I can’t even begin to pay you back. What have I done Jesus? I carried you through all of that. So, this means you did the same for every human who ever lived?”

“Yes. Every child who passed in poverty, victim of wars and accidents. Whatever horrible suffering you imagine in your mind, I lived that life with that individual. I was simply accepting the pain in their lives fully. “

“Jesus? I love you!” Tears stream down your eyes as your intellect is tossed into shambles trying to grasp the moment. “Why did you do this? Like…I know that you died for me and you are the worlds savior, but you didn’t actually have to feel our exact pains and sorrows Jesus.”

Jesus sits smiling, looking out to the beautiful landscape. “I did it simply because I love you. I knew that you would feel alone. You would feel the bitterness of losing all trust in others. You would feel abandoned and neglected from all creatures. That’s why I came in. I chose to feel all your pains, to be your emotional punching bag…without you ever knowing it. I chose to feel your heartbreaks and fears. I chose to feel your anxieties and feeling of worthlessness. I chose to feel your deepest bouts of depression and anger. You were never alone. What this means is all your successes and joys were also felt by me, which in return brought me lots of smiles.”

Jesus still smiling continues “This is not a job interview or your regular one on one discussion like you hate. This isn’t a talk with a psychiatrist or psychologist. This isn’t your doctor talking or one of your friends who eventually left your life. This is someone who experienced every tear that dropped down your face. There is nothing you can possibly tell me that I’ve not felt myself, there is nothing you could tell me that I already don’t know. What’s so beautiful about this, is that even though trillions of people have lived on earth, your specific life experience was mine to feel. I love you.”

You can’t help but reach in for another long hug, but right when you do your eyes open as you look up at the clock. 2am. Your room is pitch black and the moonlight shines quietly through the window. “It was just a dream, only a nice dream.” A synergetic mix of sadness and peace overwhelms you as you lie back on your pillow. “If only that were real. I’d do anything to make that a reality.”

As you lie back on your bed pondering the beautiful dream you had, you receive a notification on your phone. Sluggishly you reach over to your phone and squint at the texts. It’s a friend needing advice on some trials they are experiencing. Not a close friend, but more of someone you know. Nevertheless, they want your help. They let you know about fears for an upcoming test, one that you’ve already taken and passed.

You smile wide as tears form in your squinting eyes. Not only did you pass that test, but you also know how it feels to be scared to take it. You realize that comprehending their fears allows you to help in such a way no one else can.

-Jarom

“

Consider The Lilies

When is the last time you were without your phone for more than an hour? When is the last time you actually chose to stop and look at the stars, instead of running to social media or Netflix? When is the last time you ignored your obligations to observe a squirrel running around the trees?

We as humans tend to have this attractive expectation that we’ll live to be a hundred…to experience a long life. We see ourselves with grandchildren and great grandchildren, waiting for family thanksgivings and gatherings. Simultaneously, we also nod our heads when someone says, “live each day like it’s your last,” knowing that reality really doesn’t care about our hopes. We tend to mentally stiff-arm the idea that at any given moment we could pass from this existence. We all know this is true, but subconsciously get lost into the most meaningless things. ridiculous drama, resent, our next vacation, unnecessary validation…the list is long. The reality is, many People who passed away felt they would live decades and decades longer, but the grim reaper had different plans. People leave this existence every minute of every day. Not a day goes by without the grim reaper making his rounds.

People argue with their spouses or lovers as they depart for the day, only to never get to say they’re sorry. Bullies find themselves clowning their targets one last time, feeling the horrific bouts of guilt as they discover they won’t have a target anymore. Loved ones get left on read as work duties take priority, which in return ends the last chance of communication in this life. There will always be a last time for all of us. We will all send one last text message. We will all make one last phone call. One last hug. One last drive home. One last social media post.

When we do leave this life, reality doesn’t care if it’s an expectation or second’s notice. Reality is harsh and unfair. It’s unemotional and rude. It doesn’t care about your next holiday or travels. It doesn’t care about your goodbyes or hugs. It comes when it wants.

My invitation to anyone who reads this, is to truly comprehend how beautiful this existence is. Even if you’re currently suffering, rather it be mental, emotional or physical…always remember that you’re still here. You’re alive…breathing and conscious. You’re a part of this weird experience we call “life.” How incredible is that?

Take time out of your stressful lives to be at one with reality. Let go of your chaotic thoughts and mental expectations. Watch the trees…observe the sky. Walking to your car at night isn’t without a beautiful visual of the space above. The darkness, filled with bright dots called stars, shouldn’t go unnoticed. Don’t let that bug crawl past you outside… stop and watch it. They have a purpose to fulfill in their littles worlds just like you have one in yours.

Let go of all your thoughts. Find a way to be in the moment only. Let go of all your stresses, fears, anxieties, hopes, thoughts…just be at one with being “human,” always be aware of this beautiful existence.

consider the lilies-

-Jarom