Graduation and Moving on in Life

Two days of school left for my oldest daughter Kyler and then Graduation! This is a big step in life for some people , for others it's just a stepping stone. For Kyler it's a huge step. The reason I say this is because, like a lot of us ( including myself!) our goal in high school was to just make it to the end and we really weren't sure what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives. Finally, the day has come when you make it to the end and.....Now what?! Confused and a little scared because it seems that most of your friends have "got it together" and they know what they want to do in life. You have a sense that you might be left behind somehow.
Well ,nothing could be further from the truth, Kyler. You're just starting out in life and so are your friends and class mates. You have plenty of time to decide what it is you would like to do and I know that you will figure it out. Just have faith in yourself and believe that you can accomplish what you set out to accomplish. No matter what obstacles come your way, you can overcome them. Look at what you've done with cheerleading over the past 13 years. Remember when you made your first cheerleading squad and you had to learn how to do a back hand spring. It wasn't easy for you but you stayed with it until you were able to do it. Why, because you believed that you could do it! You weren't afraid to try and you weren't afraid to succeed.
Even more God has a plan for your life Kyler. If you seek after him ( learn what He expects of you ) he will give you the desires of your heart as well as peace of mind and the confidence to achieve your desires.
Now approach your freshman year of college with a winners attitude, holding your head High and have faith that you will do well.
I love you Ky.
Dad

The Covenant of Abram

Well, I really didn't want to write about biblical topics when I started this blog but that's how it's starting out. I wanted to write my own existential philosophical views so that I could practice communicating them, it doesn't look like that's going to happen, at least not yet.
I chose the Covenant of Abram as a topic for two reasons. The first is because it came up in discussion in my house one evening when watching TV. We were watching a medical program and they showed a baby being circumcised. My youngest daughter thought that it was
"Gro-o'ss" and so I had to explain (or try to explain) where the idea came from. Not an easy task! The second reason is I wanted to know what the covenant meant to me as a Christian and why the Apostles came to the conclusion that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised.
The covenant between Abram and God starts in Genesis 15:5-6 Then He brought him outside and said "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him as righteousness. God also promised Abram a specific area of land that his descendants would inherit in Versus 7 through 21 but this is not the point. The point of this passage is in verse 6. Abram BELIEVED IN THE LORD and the Lord ACCOUNTED IT to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS. It wasn't what Abram did that brought him Righteousness but his faith in the Lord. Abram believed that God would fulfill
His promise given to Abram. And God said because you have faith in Me you are righteous before me. Grace through faith. This is what the Covenant means to me as a Christian. Jesus makes a promise (John 3:15-16) to those who believe in Him will have eternal life. Through our faith in Him he accounts to us Righteousness.
God Required a sign to show and to remind Abram (who has now become Abraham because of the covenant) and his descendants that a covenant has been made between God and Abraham. In Genesis 17:10-14 God Tells Abraham "you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." Circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant much like in marriage when Bride and Groom exchange rings to signify there covenant to each other. This was to be done to all Jewish males. It was apart of the law of the people of God. The sign of the old Covenant. Now we move to the New testament were there is a New covenant through Jesus. This creates a problem in the minds of converted church patriarchs who feel that the Gentiles need to be circumcised according to the law. Apostle Peter points out in Acts 15:6-11 that they have been saved through their faith in Jesus and have been given the Holy Spirit just as the Jews. It was no longer Profitable to have the outward sign of the old covenant because as Christians they, Jew and Gentiles alike, are no longer held to the law outwardly but have circumcision of the Heart as paul says in Romans 2:25-29.
As a Christian the sign of the covenant between Christ and me is baptism by water which signifies my commitment to Jesus and through him the washing of sins and resurection of new life through Him. Jesus says in the Gospels that if you love Me you will keep my comandments and that requires the circumcision of your heart.

Why the First Cause

The reason I named my blog "The First Cause" is because I believe in a First Cause. The world did not begin on its own. It was created and it is evident in nature and in the fact that I exist. The Bible says in Romans 1:20, For since the Creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, Being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. The "They " part would be you and I. We know that God exists. Our own conscience bares witness to Gods existence.

If We are honest with ourselves and our conscience you and I know that we are sinners. We have sinned against other people and ultimately against God. The Bible also says that All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23) and The wages of sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal life (Romans 6:23).

You can obtain that "Gift of Eternal Life" Through Jesus Christ the son of the Living God Who Died (on the Cross) in your place so that you can obtain forgiveness for your sins. By asking Jesus to come into your heart and confess your sins to Him He will answer your prayer. Just ask Him!!

In the Beginning

I'm alive!! My first entry in my first blog. I'll make this one short cause I'm not sure what I'm doing yet.
I also wanted to thank my sister Rachel for helping me get started.
Good bye!