Chris Bunton

Monday, September 11, 2023

Lessons From Eden

Lessons From Eden

A Lesson on God's Character and Spiritual Truth

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” These words begin the Holy Bible and the book of Genesis. There are so many lessons that can be gleaned from the book of creation, but here is a taste of its life giving truth. (Gen.1:1-Gen. 3:24)

1. God is God. He is the Creator and Lord. He knows what’s best. He is not surprised by anything. Everything that comes to us must pass through His hands, good or bad. It all comes by Him. Seek Him to learn why. Pray to Him, ask for Truth and Wisdom. Trust Him and wait for Him to teach you. (Gen. 1:1, John 14:26, Jam. 1:5, Rom. 8:28, Job 1:1-22, 2:1-13, Luke 22:31-32, Prov. 3:5-8)

2. God loves us. He provided for all our needs, and wants a relationship with us. We know this because we desire to seek spiritual things. We seek the divine and justice, in a world where there is none. He calls us. He draws us to Himself. (Gen 1:26-31, Gen. 2:18-25, Gen. 3:8-9, John 3:16, John 6:44)

3. God created us to have a purpose, each of us. We have work to do that God has given us. That work will involve serving others in some way, protecting, taking care of, healing, providing, leading, comforting, helping, and that extends to the environment around us. He places us where we are, and is willing to guide us further if we seek Him, and start working where we are in faith. (Gen. 2:15)

4. God wants our needs met. He provided healthy food, water, and bodies. In the Garden, He gave us peace, love, fruitful procreation and companionship. This is God’s ultimate will for us. Anything other than this is something God does not desire but is the result of this fallen world, our enemy, or choices we’ve made; or a combination of many things. Seek Him. (Gen. 1:27-31, Gen. 2:18, Matt. 6:25-34)

5. God wants us to rule; Not only the world, but our lives through Him; to stand up and fight for good; and to oppose evil. We are to protect the creation with love, and have victorious lives; all of this is done through His guidance. (Gen. 1:28-31, Gen. 2:15, Prov. 3:5-8, Phil. 4:13, Rom. 8:31-39, 1 John 4:4)

6. God gave us freewill, because He loves us and wants us to freely love Him. But, we are fallen, and the Plague of Sin has rushed upon us. It infects us, so that we are filthy and follow evil ways. We are totally corrupted, and are headed for death and eternal separation because of this plague upon us and the choices we have made. (Gen. 1:26-31, Gen.2:15-17, Gen. 3:1-24, Rom. 1:1-32, Rom. 2:9-26, Rev. 20:11-15)

7. God seeks us. He draws us to Himself to be cleansed of the Plague of Sin, and to have a relationship with Him that heals us on all levels. We can choose to listen and turn to Him or turn away. The door is open through Jesus Christ, whose blood washes away the Plague of Sin, and His resurrection brings new life. (Gen. 3:8-9, Gen 3:21, John 6:44, 1 Pet. 2:18-25, Rev. 3:20-22, Eph. 1:3-14, Col. 1:9-20, Rom. 10:9-10)

Just ask God. Seek Him.

-----

Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ His newest book is called "The Future is Coming" and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Buy a cup of Coffee

Support the work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Are You a Hypocrite?

Are You a Hypocrite?

A Word on Hypocrisy

Calling someone a hypocrite, or saying "Don't judge me", are the sword and shield, which people use to defend their actions. So, let us look at hypocrisy and figure out what is going on.
     First, If a person feels the need to use these terms such as “You’re a hypocrite or don’t judge me”   They should stop for a minute and ask themselves. Who is it that is judging me? Is it the person outside? Or is there something deep inside of me, which makes me feel like what I am doing is wrong, so I must blame others? Which is it? Why is it there?
     Second, we are all hypocrites to some degree. We often tell our children not to do things that we ourselves have done in the past or currently do. We tell children not to cuss, even when they have heard us cuss. We do it because we do not want little Johnnie to yell something bad at Grandma’s house. We do it because we do not want to hurt Grandma. We are hypocrites.
     Is it wise to say, “Sure Johnnie, you can go out and drink and drive with your high school buddies. After all, I did it, and I really wouldn’t wanna be a hypocrite.” Then, little Johnnie becomes a drunk and dies in a car wreck 10 years later, because you allowed it, without saying a word.   But, at least you kept your integrity, I guess. Sure Johnnie might do it anyway, but at least you tried to stop him. Parenting in this manner, by letting kids do anything they want to do so we can avoid hypocrisy, would be insane.
   Third, why does hypocrisy always surround moral issues? If we were at a picnic and I told you that someone poisoned the water cooler and I drank from it and got sick. You would call me a hero for protecting you and your family. However, if I told you that being a drunk ruined my life and the lives of many people around me. You would call me a hypocrite and say, “don’t judge!!” Is it me who is judging you or is it something inside of you, poking at your heart?
     Why are generalizations allowed in hypocrisy? If I say that Jesus died to save us from Hell, and we should turn to Him, confessing Him as Lord, asking Him to save us and work in our lives. I am called a hypocrite because I am a Christian. Not because of anything, I have taught personally, but just because I am a Christian. Are all Christian’s hypocrites?
     A hypocrite is someone who tells people to do things they do not do themselves. Therefore, searching for some other bad thing another person does, in order to make you feel better, does not make the other person a hypocrite. It makes them a sinner like you and me. They are only a hypocrite if it is the same thing you are doing; and if they tell you that you should not do it. For example: a thief telling someone not to steal would be a hypocrite. But, dredging up the fact that your sister cheats on her husband, when she says you’re a drunk, doesn’t make her a hypocrite. It makes her a sinner like you.
     Finally, the hypocrisy of the speaker does not change the truth of the message. If a man is terribly over weight and he points at you with a chicken leg he is eating, and tells you… “You better watch what you eat and eat healthy. Don’t eat too much and make sure you exercise” Is he a hypocrite? Yes! However, his message is true nonetheless.
     God can use many methods to bring a warning or message into our lives. He once used a donkey to tell a prophet he was wrong. We must listen to the message and not look at the messenger. God will often use the foolish things to confound the wise. (1 Cor. 1:25-31) He might use a homeless man to open the eyes of a lawyer. But, what if the lawyer refused to listen, because the man was homeless?
      Calling someone a hypocrite or saying “Don’t Judge Me” is a defense mechanism that Satan has given humans, in order to keep you from escaping his control of your life. It’s quite an ancient phrase and was even used in Sodom against Lot, when he asked the people not to rape the travelers. (Gen. 19:7-9) Ask Jesus to save you and help you. Even saved people can have demonic influences in their lives. Learn to recognize the difference between the demonic and the Holy Spirit. You would be very surprised to learn how many believers listen to a Spirit of Fear, or some other entity and not the Holy Spirit. Ask the Lord to help.
     Am I saying that we should obey everything that people tell us to do in our lives? No. But, evaluate the message. Do not just discard it because of who the messenger is; because it is very easy to find fault with every messenger. If you cannot find fault with the messenger, then Satan will place many other excuses into your mind or my mind that will work just fine to help us avoid listening and evaluating.
     I am Chris Bunton and I am a hypocrite. I ask God to forgive me, save me and help me to overcome. Now, how about you?

------

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Buy a cup of Coffee

Support the work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Photo by the Author, The Ceiling of The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

Friday, August 25, 2023

Walking on Water

A Word on Faith by Chris Bunton

When we have trouble in our lives we often pray to God. But, sometimes we do not see anything happening. We expect a bolt from the blue, or a miracle, but God mostly works through His creation.

So we relax and have faith in God, and His goodness, His love, and His promises. But, we often already know what we need to do about the situation. We might not know exactly, but we know enough. We might have been given just a hint or enough information from God, to take a step in faith.

We might be sick. But, we know enough to realize that we should change some health habits in our lives. Perhaps start eating better or walking a little. We know we should stop doing that thing we do, or stop going to that place we go. We know enough to take a little step, then another step, and we pray more.

Maybe we are fighting with someone, and we know what caused it and what we must do to solve it. Just take a step. Then, another, and another. You prayed, now take that step you know to take. Trust God.

I’m not saying you should jump off a cliff. But, you could drive up there. You could buy a map, and find out where the cliffs are. You could take a step. Then, another and another, pray and keep having faith.

You might feel crippled, but called to walk. Take a step. Pick up your mat and walk. You already know enough. God has given you faith and enough information to take a step. Just do it. You prayed and prayed and prayed, but have you believed He answered and is waiting on you to trust Him and take a step?

You might be called to do the impossible, like walk on water. So, take a step. Test it. Look into it. Then, take another step, and have faith that He is there. Then, take another step, and another, trusting Him, until eventually you look, and you are walking on water.

Don’t stop trusting. Don’t worry about the wind, it’s nothing but air. Keep stepping and having faith. He is there.