A Guide for Agnostics and Atheists on How to get the LORD's Attention in Your Life
Greetings friends.
So today I thought it might be good to discuss how one can have better success in establishing a relationship with the LORD of all Creation. Yes, that's right - the big boss guy who exists beyond the world we are living in and who has at one time entered into the world to save us all through His sacrifice. Yes, I'm speaking of Jesus Christ.
This will probably be a bigger journal entry. The reason for it is that I would like to try and give those who have no faith in a higher power or weak faith all the tips and tools necessary to building and strengthening their faith. These are all things that have worked very well for me, and I feel it would be terribly selfish of me to not share them with anyone who is willing to give having a relationship with the LORD a try, but just has not had much success in their efforts. I am His servant - so part of my duties is to try and help others in how they can get that relationship going. It's not just a matter of saying "I'm ready to believe, let's have a dialogue, or a sign of your existence." - but rather having a relationship with the LORD and His Son our savior Lord Jesus Christ is something that may take a long time and a decent amount of hard work. It's not something you can usually master in weeks or months, or even years. I've been working on my walk for about five to six years and I am still learning as I go. This is a life-long commitment. This is your new job. Your primary job. It should always come first before your workplace job where you make money. That job is just to get you by in life in a material fashion. Your primary job - that of the LORD's servant is to dutifully serve Him in all your thoughts and actions, each and every day of your life. You are always 'on the clock' as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
First - let me clear something up. You may at times notice I use the term LORD and at other times, Lord, or Lord Jesus Christ. I use the term LORD to refer to the LORD of all Creation, the Father. Jesus Christ I refer to as my Lord, or Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Lord /and/ savior. I do my best to follow His teachings and do as He instructed in His life, along with having read and doing my best to follow along with what the gospel - the Holy Bible states. So if you see me use terms like LORD, Lord, or Lord Jesus Christ - the two latter being the same, it will give you an idea of what is going on there. There is also the Holy Spirit - who we received as a guide after our Lord Jesus departed. The Holy Spirit can act as that voice inside you that gently whispers 'Should I really do this?' or "Could I have handled that better? Next time I will do better..."
Being a servant of, and having a relationship with the LORD means a number of things. One of the most important things to remember is putting others before yourself. You have to get used to being in a servant role to the best of your abilities. Whether through charity or serving others directly - this helps the servant of the Lord to develop humility and to not see themselves as above others. This is extremely important in protecting you from the sin of pride. It could be something as simple as helping an elderly person reach for something at the market, or to allow them to go ahead of you in line as long as there is no one else behind you. Or perhaps you might see someone who you feel you might be able to share the gospel with and bring them their salvation. As I said - being a servant of the LORD is a full time job. You absolutely must treat yourself as an employee of His. This is one of the reasons why I write these journals. I realize that I could spend all my free time focused on myself, but this is not what a good servant would do. A good servant finds the time to help others in whatever ways the LORD has gifted him the ability to do so, and I feel that my Lord Jesus has given me a unique way of perceiving and understanding situations that I hope I can impart upon others through the written word. Even as I write these journals my body often aches from pain in my arms that I cannot seem to rid myself of. Doctors seem to be unable to find any causes, so I treat the pain as spiritual trials and just do my best to continue on as a good servant through the discomfort. It is what Paul the apostle did as well. In the bible we learn that Paul suffered some sort of affliction that he prayed for the LORD to heal or remove and was met with the response that His grace was sufficient enough. So, for whatever the reason - it was necessary for Paul to endure this pain, this torment, whatever it was - to help keep him in a mental mindset spiritually where the LORD could work with him.
'7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore,[a] so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble[b] me-so that I would not become arrogant.[c] 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But[d] he said to me, “My grace is enough[e] for you, for my[f] power is made perfect[g] in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly[h] about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in[i] me.' - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
So perhaps this pain I experience on a daily basis is just the spiritual thorn in my side that is required to put me where the LORD can work with me in the best manner. Perhaps it is possible that I would become too caught up in the material world of fleeting possessions and pleasures if I did not have this pain to constantly keep me praying to the Lord for strength to carry on each day.
Before I delve further into certain acts and sacrifices you can make to get the LORD's attention - I feel it is very important to elaborate further on the subject of pain and suffering. As a Christian servant, you will have to become familiar with these things. We are promised trials and tribulations. Bible verses such as the following should give you an understanding that becoming a servant of Christ will often mean life is going to be more difficult, not easier.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. - 1 Peter 4:12
Understandably, a lot of people upon trying to become a Christian believe that finally agreeing to accept Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross means that life will get easier. No, far from it my friends. Remember, the LORD sees and knows all. He sees into your heart to see just how serious you are about becoming His servant. He will test you. He will test you again, and again, and again - except now that you have committed to being His servant, His ambassador - He will expect you to fully understand that you may face more immediate discipline and consequences when you screw up badly enough versus before when you were living as a pagan - that is, when you lived without thinking about the LORD, or having a higher power over you. Look, we can see that we are warned right here in the gospel that the LORD expects us to take being a Christian seriously:
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. -Luke 12:48
What this verse is saying is that to those who are oblivious and naive to Jesus Christ, the LORD, the bible, sin - the LORD may not be /as strict/ in punishing them every single time they sin. Don't be mistaken - the ungodly still reap the consequences of their actions - but just as a father who truly loves his child will discipline that child as severely as necessary to instill good behavior and morals - so too will our heavenly Father expect us to start picking up on the proper cues, the "do's and do not's" of being a good Christian. Don't be at all surprised if, after committing yourself to be in the Lord Christ's service - that you should suddenly find that your car needs major repairs, or a sudden bug infestation in your house is made known to you, and so forth, if you still continue to indulge in certain actions considered to be sin in the eyes of the LORD.
The LORD can discipline you in a variety of creative ways. From bedbugs to bee-stings. If you want to be His servant and be considered worthy enough of His time and have Him start to communicate with you - you had better be serious about submitting in all ways to His rules! Punishment can range from slight to severe. It can be anything from the LORD choosing to not really "reveal Himself" however He wishes in your life (ie: you just don't feel that you are getting His attention, or that He is speaking to you) to more 'in your face' disciplinary measures such as in the picture above. I feel that the more in your face punishments are probably reserved for when you screw up badly enough with a sin or bad behavior that He feels it is warranted. Situations where you just feel as if the LORD is not in your daily life, you can't hear, see, or experience Him - this is, in my humble opinion - more of a situation where you are just not "doing enough" to get His attention to where He will come and interact with you. So if you are getting silence on the other end - you will just have to do more, and do harder!
I can sense some of my atheist/agnostic readers wishing to ask me "Rainbow - are you telling me that something as random as a bee infestation outside my house might mean the LORD is wroth(angry) about something I did? That this isn't just some case of bad luck where a wandering bee colony came and settled on my house out of all the others nearby? My friend, that is EXACTLY what I am telling you. You need to change how you think and how you perceive, living in this reality. That is what it means to have FAITH. You start seeing situations with your spiritual eye, and not just with your physical eyes. You start to see and discern deeper meanings in certain situations. Remember, this is the LORD's creation. You don't think He can make some bug-a-boos hang out on your porch if He wants to punish you? The Egyptians would like to speak to you about a wave of plagues that included biting flies and devastating locusts. Yes, the LORD of all creation has power to use creepy crawlies to get your attention. I won't say that every single case where a bug is in your house means you did something wrong, no - that is silly. There is still some random variables in this creation to keep us guessing. Having the ability to see certain events with spiritual eyes however can have a way of changing how you perceive reality and is part of 'experiencing the LORD' IMHO. Certain things that happen will just feel like there is something more there that you can pick up on that others will miss.
However, now that you're expecting a bug infestation as punishment if you should perform badly as a Christian servant, ..guess what? Now the LORD will probably discipline you instead with your car getting broken into overnight, or maybe a REALLY pushy door to door salesman, or waves of salesmen that just won't give you peace and quiet. I think that the LORD likes to keep us guessing. He prefers not to be outfoxed or outsmarted (and how could we? All wisdom and intelligence we have is only because it is His will that we should excel to that degree). So really, the best thing you can do as a Christian is to not irritate your Master, Lord, and Savior who sacrificed for you by still indulging in sin and bad behavior. Of course part of the whole Christian walk is that you WILL screw up - but we are expected to hopefully over time - learn from our mistakes so that the next situation or test we go into we will see that test coming before it is smacking us in the face. The LORD wishes and hopes we learn from our mistakes so that when He tests us again we will remember our past oopsies and not be so likely to indulge in our old, sinful ways.
And trust me. He will test you again. And again. I have a healthy respect and fear for the LORD's tests. I try to be good because I do not wanted to get spanked by the LORD of all creation - and neither should you.
For the sake of brevity, I will try to run through a list of things one can do to strengthen their relationship with the LORD. All of these things are important and will serve you _well_ if you abide by them.
1.) Repent of your past sins and ask the LORD and Lord Jesus Christ to show you the way to the straight and narrow path. Tell Him that you accept His sacrifice so you can be forgiven for your sins. Pray and tell Him you are ready for a new chapter in your life and you are willing to take seriously the path of being a servant of Christ and His child. Ask Him to show you in a way that you will understand how you should proceed, what you should do. Keep in mind it may take time to receive an answer, and it may be done in subtle ways. A strange visitor, a book left in your path, or opportunities might start to occur where you can help others, etc... Be watchful and be mindful of every little thing that happens after this point.
2.) Read the Holy Bible. Also known as 'The Sword of Righteousness' to Christians. We do not fight with our fists but rather we fight a spiritual battle against cosmic powers of darkness and if you are not familiar with your "sword", the enemy will make short work of you. By enemy I mean devils, demons, fallen angels. Yes, they are real. Yes, they are around you at any given time. They just don't have bodies. Well, demons don't. Devils/fallen angels might have the power to show up seemingly in a human body to test you, but demons usually try to tempt or possess the bodies of the already living. Also known in modern vernacular as 'aliens' or ETs. They're just daemons guys, the alien thing is just one of their secret disguises to mess with (mainly nonbelievers) you. There are lots of first hand reports of people who have said aliens usually leave you alone pretty quick when you start praying to Jesus Christ for protection.
3.) Go to church religiously. Every week, and then some, if you can. Yes. This is why it is important to find a church with people you feel you can have a good time with. We are told in the gospel to be a body of believers and to find comfort and strength with each other. We're not supposed to really go it alone because sheep do much better as a flock as opposed to being all alone. Try to find a church that does not go into all the woke/CRT/some sins or lifestyles are okay thing. Some churches are false teachers and will lead you to your destruction. Stick with a church that preaches directly from the Holy Bible and treats it all as straight from the LORD. This will help you to stay protected because you will be reading and brushing up on various parts of the bible on a weekly basis. Also, I highly advise also attending a weekly bible study if you are able to. There are online groups as well if meeting in person is a bit hard for you during the week. As for which denomination of church to go with - I honestly don't know a lot about the various factions. My church is a non-denominational church - we just read from the bible each week and apply it to our lives and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior.
4.) Get baptized! Now that you are attending a church - ask if they are willing to baptize you! Our Lord did it - so as servants so should we! It is basically to show just how serious we are about being His servant. The whole baptizing process has much symbolism to it. You are dying and being reborn again just as Christ was put into the tomb and rose again. You are doing this to show your loyalty to Jesus Christ and to allow the 'old you' - the one who chased sin and the world - to die off so that the new creation, the new you can rise up and live for the Lord Jesus Christ.
5.) Love everyone. Wait, everyone? Even people that I hate? Yes, that's right! Our Master commands us to show love to everyone - even our enemies. See the following bible verse:
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36
We as Christians were forgiven by our LORD through Christ Jesus even when we were wicked in our sins, so too should we be merciful and forgiving to those who would be seen as 'enemies' by us. Whether they are cruel to you with their tongue, or if they lay a hand on you, or mistreat you - do not have intentions of returning these acts in kind. I am not saying to not defend yourself or try to get out of a fight if you are physically attacked - but don't be that big brave bad going around ready for someone to pick a fight with you. In a fight, your goal is to extricate yourself from the fight and get to safety as quickly as you can. If people call you names and insult you, return such behavior with love and forgiveness - by doing this you mirror the spirit and the character of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We return good behavior when wicked behavior is levied against us. By doing this, you also release yourself from the bitterness, the anger, and the resentment that you would have held on to if you had held those grudges against others. This is why it is so important to show love unconditionally. See every other person as the LORD's child, and a sibling of yours. If they are older than you, see them as you would your mother or father. If they are younger, see them as you would your younger brother, or sister.
6.) Stop eating meat. This is something I did way early on in service to the LORD and, I think, because I just had started to feel really bad about eating animals. I mean, think about it - you are basically eating the flesh of another (once living) animal. It seems such a normal thing to do to so many because we were all raised from a very young age being taught by those who raised us that there is absolutely nothing wrong about eating flesh. Why do I suggest this? There are multiple reasons - one of which is that I believe the act of eating flesh is actually satanic and it does something to alter our vibration - basically the way we feel and perceive reality. The more base, carnal, sinful things you do in life - the lower your vibration(for lack of a better word) - you will attract demons in your life much more when you do things that keep you in a low vibration. Eating meat, watching violent media or movies or porn. Using foul language all the time. Even just having bitter or resentful thoughts about others - all these things keep you in a lower state. As to why eating meat contributes to this - animals are terribly mistreated in factory farms. They are physically abused and live a horrible life all so we can have flesh as part of our diet when it is entirely unnecessary to eat meat. I haven't eaten meat for roughly 5-7 years and I'm doing just fine. There is also much literature and speculation online that suggest that not only is a diet with meat in it much less healthy then a non-meat diet, but that it may have been introduced as part of a punishment towards humanity.
Anyone who is familiar with the Holy Bible will know that earlier generations of humans were living much, much longer than humans live today. Methuselah, for example - Noah's grandfather, lived to be around the age of 969 years or so. It seems given what the gospel states, that humans were told they could begin to eat meat at some point right after the flood of Noah's time, and we know the flood took place because of incredible amounts of sin and wickedness that was taking place in the LORD's creation. Lets look at an excerpt from https://bibleask.org/why-did-god-force-man-to-eat-meat-after-the-flood-couldnt-he-have-jus-re-created-vegetation-as-he-did-when-he-created-the-earth/
'After the flood, God allowed humans to eat the meat of clean animals (Genesis 9:3). This was because the flood had made this a necessity. With the temporary shortage of all plant life during the Flood and the running of the food supplies that were taken into the ark, there was a clear need that God met by allowing men to eat the flesh of animals.
Why didn’t God provide food supplies for humans instead of allowing them to eat meat?
It could be that God wanted to shorten the lives of humans by allowing them to eat meats. People before the flood lived over 900 years due to their Eden diet but after the flood and eating meat, the age of men dropped quickly and drastically to around hundred years. God probably wanted to restrict the life span of evil doers to limit their wickedness and influence. Thus, the short life would serve only as a limited time enough for men to make eternal decisions either for God or against Him.'
So although this step might seem daunting or unbelievable to some individuals - I highly advise trying to do it. You will have a healthier life and you will not be contributing to the terrible abuse that takes place against animals so people can eat flesh. I never even really considered or thought about it much - that I was eating "flesh" because we live in a world where everything is so sanitized and by the time it gets to where we can purchase it - everything is neatly packaged in little containers for us to take home and cook up. We never really have to see or experience the abuse or terrible treatment these animals endure. Also - in the bible, the LORD forbids the eating or consumption of the blood of animals:
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats. 24 The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. 25 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which a food offering may be[a] presented to the Lord must be cut off from their people. 26 And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. 27 Anyone who eats blood must be cut off from their people.’” Leviticus 7:22-27
This is where the whole vampire legend stems from. Because 'the life is in the blood'. It is an abomination to consume the blood or life force of other living beings. There are ways of preparation in Judaism and Islam (kosher, halal) that account for and make these items safe for its members to eat - but really, why not make a grand sacrifice to the LORD and eschew eating animals altogether as a gift to the LORD and to the animals? Perhaps you will be recognized for this sacrifice in Heaven.
7.)No idolatry. Anything that gets between you and the LORD is an idol. For furries, maybe it's making sure you hit upwards of 4-5 conventions each year instead of just 1 or 2, and giving a good amount to charity instead of attending so many more conventions or art commissions. You must remember as the Lord's servant that you must try to put a good amount of effort into remembering your primary reason for being here in this life - to serve the LORD and to serve His children. Yes, you can still do fun things, attend furry conventions, commission art. Just don't let these things or other things in your life become an idol. If you obsess over anything - it should be obsession over serving the Lord Jesus Christ. When you have little bits of free time or resources, then you can treat yourself. But if weeks, or months go by and you look back and don't really have 'good fruit' to show for your walk as a servant of Christ - you are probably not going to get the LORD's attention in your life. At least, not as much as you could if you devoted yourself to Him more.
8.) Pray daily. Pray when you wake up. Pray before each meal, in public or private. Pray before you go to bed. Pray if you see someone has been hurt in an ambulance driving past you. As servants of Christ we are told to pray and pray continuously. Prayer can actually alter the outcome of situations but your heart has to be in it and it can never be about making the LORD your personal vending machine. It's ok to ask for help in situations you feel you need His help in - but remember He will not necessarily always give us what we want, but rather what we need in life. And make sure you try to pray for others much more than you do yourself.
9.) Obey your parents. This is geared more towards younger furries who are still living with parents or a parent or guardian - but it can apply to grown adults who still live with and look after their elderly family members. The command by the LORD to 'obey your mother and father' in the ten commandments is the first commandment that comes with a promise - "So that you may live a long life." We don't get to choose who our mom or dad is - it just is. As obedient children of the LORD we must also be obedient children to our parents - whether we are young or old. How can we serve the LORD with love if we are not willing to serve our parents with love as well. For some people this may be a hard thing to do. Nobody is without sin or flaws in this life - and this includes our parents. Some of us may have had an easier and more love-filled relationship with our parents and some may have had to deal with abuse. Remember that your parents, like you - were born into a sin filled world with a sinful nature of their own. To be christ-like is to show love, mercy, and forgiveness to your parents even if you have not had a perfect relationship with them or other family.
10.) Charity. Self explanatory - see my earlier entry on charity and tithing. This one is important! "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24
11.) Stop sinning. Ok, so none of us can really just ...stop sinning 100% - it's why Jesus Christ our savior had to come onto the scene to save us. But really - the LORD knows your heart and will know whether or not you are taking your walk seriously. This is something all repentant sinners should be doing - but to furries specifically, I urge the following:
Stop looking at (furry) porn.
Stop engaging in ERP (Erotic roleplay)
Stop lusting after humans AND/OR animals.
Stop masturbating.
The last one kind of goes along with the other three - but indulging in any of the above will show that you are not serious about being a repentant Christian. If anyone has it in their mind to say "But wait, aren't we forgiven for all past, present, and future sins by what Jesus Christ did?" - Yes, yes you are - but this is NOT a license to go on sinning. See the following bible verse:
"1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7for he who has died is freed from sin.
8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Romans 6:1-14
What the apostle Paul is saying here is that - just because we are forgiven of our sins does not mean we should have a carefree attitude about whether or not we go on sinning. We are born again creatures - we have said farewell to the fleshly nature and live now in the spirit, seeking to be a slave to our Lord Jesus Christ rather than a slave to our old sinful inclinations.
So, my furry (and non furry) friends - I highlight the porn/lust/ERP/masturbation specifically because furry has a big problem with these areas. As mentioned in my other journal on lust, furry has big sin problems with furry-ized porn art, or roleplay of an adult nature between furries. There is also the sin issue among a segment of furry who has sexual interest in animals themselves. The zoo community, or whatever the hidden slang or symbols are - I say to you that if you involve yourself with these areas you cannot have a relationship with the LORD.
You must let go of your old sinful nature - you must let that part of you die off. The you that is left is the born again you who operates in the spirit, not the flesh. Doing all the above things mentioned in this journal will help those who are not sure where to begin in starting their walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
This may seem like asking for a lot to someone who is used to living their life as an atheist or agnostic. I promise you, the life you live if you choose to allow pride to rule your heart and refuse to humble yourself - if you choose to be a slave to sin rather than a slave to He who gave everything for us even while we were wicked in our sins - then you will live a life of confusion, sadness and a sort of emptiness that you will try to fill with various material goods or pursuits, or even the right person. None of these will be an adequate substitute however, for the feeling you get when the LORD actually starts interacting with you in this life and grants you wisdom and knowledge that you know comes not from you, but from Him who suffered unjustly for us all.
So today I thought it might be good to discuss how one can have better success in establishing a relationship with the LORD of all Creation. Yes, that's right - the big boss guy who exists beyond the world we are living in and who has at one time entered into the world to save us all through His sacrifice. Yes, I'm speaking of Jesus Christ.
This will probably be a bigger journal entry. The reason for it is that I would like to try and give those who have no faith in a higher power or weak faith all the tips and tools necessary to building and strengthening their faith. These are all things that have worked very well for me, and I feel it would be terribly selfish of me to not share them with anyone who is willing to give having a relationship with the LORD a try, but just has not had much success in their efforts. I am His servant - so part of my duties is to try and help others in how they can get that relationship going. It's not just a matter of saying "I'm ready to believe, let's have a dialogue, or a sign of your existence." - but rather having a relationship with the LORD and His Son our savior Lord Jesus Christ is something that may take a long time and a decent amount of hard work. It's not something you can usually master in weeks or months, or even years. I've been working on my walk for about five to six years and I am still learning as I go. This is a life-long commitment. This is your new job. Your primary job. It should always come first before your workplace job where you make money. That job is just to get you by in life in a material fashion. Your primary job - that of the LORD's servant is to dutifully serve Him in all your thoughts and actions, each and every day of your life. You are always 'on the clock' as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
First - let me clear something up. You may at times notice I use the term LORD and at other times, Lord, or Lord Jesus Christ. I use the term LORD to refer to the LORD of all Creation, the Father. Jesus Christ I refer to as my Lord, or Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Lord /and/ savior. I do my best to follow His teachings and do as He instructed in His life, along with having read and doing my best to follow along with what the gospel - the Holy Bible states. So if you see me use terms like LORD, Lord, or Lord Jesus Christ - the two latter being the same, it will give you an idea of what is going on there. There is also the Holy Spirit - who we received as a guide after our Lord Jesus departed. The Holy Spirit can act as that voice inside you that gently whispers 'Should I really do this?' or "Could I have handled that better? Next time I will do better..."
Being a servant of, and having a relationship with the LORD means a number of things. One of the most important things to remember is putting others before yourself. You have to get used to being in a servant role to the best of your abilities. Whether through charity or serving others directly - this helps the servant of the Lord to develop humility and to not see themselves as above others. This is extremely important in protecting you from the sin of pride. It could be something as simple as helping an elderly person reach for something at the market, or to allow them to go ahead of you in line as long as there is no one else behind you. Or perhaps you might see someone who you feel you might be able to share the gospel with and bring them their salvation. As I said - being a servant of the LORD is a full time job. You absolutely must treat yourself as an employee of His. This is one of the reasons why I write these journals. I realize that I could spend all my free time focused on myself, but this is not what a good servant would do. A good servant finds the time to help others in whatever ways the LORD has gifted him the ability to do so, and I feel that my Lord Jesus has given me a unique way of perceiving and understanding situations that I hope I can impart upon others through the written word. Even as I write these journals my body often aches from pain in my arms that I cannot seem to rid myself of. Doctors seem to be unable to find any causes, so I treat the pain as spiritual trials and just do my best to continue on as a good servant through the discomfort. It is what Paul the apostle did as well. In the bible we learn that Paul suffered some sort of affliction that he prayed for the LORD to heal or remove and was met with the response that His grace was sufficient enough. So, for whatever the reason - it was necessary for Paul to endure this pain, this torment, whatever it was - to help keep him in a mental mindset spiritually where the LORD could work with him.
'7 even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore,[a] so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble[b] me-so that I would not become arrogant.[c] 8 I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. 9 But[d] he said to me, “My grace is enough[e] for you, for my[f] power is made perfect[g] in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly[h] about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in[i] me.' - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
So perhaps this pain I experience on a daily basis is just the spiritual thorn in my side that is required to put me where the LORD can work with me in the best manner. Perhaps it is possible that I would become too caught up in the material world of fleeting possessions and pleasures if I did not have this pain to constantly keep me praying to the Lord for strength to carry on each day.
Before I delve further into certain acts and sacrifices you can make to get the LORD's attention - I feel it is very important to elaborate further on the subject of pain and suffering. As a Christian servant, you will have to become familiar with these things. We are promised trials and tribulations. Bible verses such as the following should give you an understanding that becoming a servant of Christ will often mean life is going to be more difficult, not easier.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. - 1 Peter 4:12
Understandably, a lot of people upon trying to become a Christian believe that finally agreeing to accept Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross means that life will get easier. No, far from it my friends. Remember, the LORD sees and knows all. He sees into your heart to see just how serious you are about becoming His servant. He will test you. He will test you again, and again, and again - except now that you have committed to being His servant, His ambassador - He will expect you to fully understand that you may face more immediate discipline and consequences when you screw up badly enough versus before when you were living as a pagan - that is, when you lived without thinking about the LORD, or having a higher power over you. Look, we can see that we are warned right here in the gospel that the LORD expects us to take being a Christian seriously:
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. -Luke 12:48
What this verse is saying is that to those who are oblivious and naive to Jesus Christ, the LORD, the bible, sin - the LORD may not be /as strict/ in punishing them every single time they sin. Don't be mistaken - the ungodly still reap the consequences of their actions - but just as a father who truly loves his child will discipline that child as severely as necessary to instill good behavior and morals - so too will our heavenly Father expect us to start picking up on the proper cues, the "do's and do not's" of being a good Christian. Don't be at all surprised if, after committing yourself to be in the Lord Christ's service - that you should suddenly find that your car needs major repairs, or a sudden bug infestation in your house is made known to you, and so forth, if you still continue to indulge in certain actions considered to be sin in the eyes of the LORD.
The LORD can discipline you in a variety of creative ways. From bedbugs to bee-stings. If you want to be His servant and be considered worthy enough of His time and have Him start to communicate with you - you had better be serious about submitting in all ways to His rules! Punishment can range from slight to severe. It can be anything from the LORD choosing to not really "reveal Himself" however He wishes in your life (ie: you just don't feel that you are getting His attention, or that He is speaking to you) to more 'in your face' disciplinary measures such as in the picture above. I feel that the more in your face punishments are probably reserved for when you screw up badly enough with a sin or bad behavior that He feels it is warranted. Situations where you just feel as if the LORD is not in your daily life, you can't hear, see, or experience Him - this is, in my humble opinion - more of a situation where you are just not "doing enough" to get His attention to where He will come and interact with you. So if you are getting silence on the other end - you will just have to do more, and do harder!
I can sense some of my atheist/agnostic readers wishing to ask me "Rainbow - are you telling me that something as random as a bee infestation outside my house might mean the LORD is wroth(angry) about something I did? That this isn't just some case of bad luck where a wandering bee colony came and settled on my house out of all the others nearby? My friend, that is EXACTLY what I am telling you. You need to change how you think and how you perceive, living in this reality. That is what it means to have FAITH. You start seeing situations with your spiritual eye, and not just with your physical eyes. You start to see and discern deeper meanings in certain situations. Remember, this is the LORD's creation. You don't think He can make some bug-a-boos hang out on your porch if He wants to punish you? The Egyptians would like to speak to you about a wave of plagues that included biting flies and devastating locusts. Yes, the LORD of all creation has power to use creepy crawlies to get your attention. I won't say that every single case where a bug is in your house means you did something wrong, no - that is silly. There is still some random variables in this creation to keep us guessing. Having the ability to see certain events with spiritual eyes however can have a way of changing how you perceive reality and is part of 'experiencing the LORD' IMHO. Certain things that happen will just feel like there is something more there that you can pick up on that others will miss.
However, now that you're expecting a bug infestation as punishment if you should perform badly as a Christian servant, ..guess what? Now the LORD will probably discipline you instead with your car getting broken into overnight, or maybe a REALLY pushy door to door salesman, or waves of salesmen that just won't give you peace and quiet. I think that the LORD likes to keep us guessing. He prefers not to be outfoxed or outsmarted (and how could we? All wisdom and intelligence we have is only because it is His will that we should excel to that degree). So really, the best thing you can do as a Christian is to not irritate your Master, Lord, and Savior who sacrificed for you by still indulging in sin and bad behavior. Of course part of the whole Christian walk is that you WILL screw up - but we are expected to hopefully over time - learn from our mistakes so that the next situation or test we go into we will see that test coming before it is smacking us in the face. The LORD wishes and hopes we learn from our mistakes so that when He tests us again we will remember our past oopsies and not be so likely to indulge in our old, sinful ways.
And trust me. He will test you again. And again. I have a healthy respect and fear for the LORD's tests. I try to be good because I do not wanted to get spanked by the LORD of all creation - and neither should you.
For the sake of brevity, I will try to run through a list of things one can do to strengthen their relationship with the LORD. All of these things are important and will serve you _well_ if you abide by them.
1.) Repent of your past sins and ask the LORD and Lord Jesus Christ to show you the way to the straight and narrow path. Tell Him that you accept His sacrifice so you can be forgiven for your sins. Pray and tell Him you are ready for a new chapter in your life and you are willing to take seriously the path of being a servant of Christ and His child. Ask Him to show you in a way that you will understand how you should proceed, what you should do. Keep in mind it may take time to receive an answer, and it may be done in subtle ways. A strange visitor, a book left in your path, or opportunities might start to occur where you can help others, etc... Be watchful and be mindful of every little thing that happens after this point.
2.) Read the Holy Bible. Also known as 'The Sword of Righteousness' to Christians. We do not fight with our fists but rather we fight a spiritual battle against cosmic powers of darkness and if you are not familiar with your "sword", the enemy will make short work of you. By enemy I mean devils, demons, fallen angels. Yes, they are real. Yes, they are around you at any given time. They just don't have bodies. Well, demons don't. Devils/fallen angels might have the power to show up seemingly in a human body to test you, but demons usually try to tempt or possess the bodies of the already living. Also known in modern vernacular as 'aliens' or ETs. They're just daemons guys, the alien thing is just one of their secret disguises to mess with (mainly nonbelievers) you. There are lots of first hand reports of people who have said aliens usually leave you alone pretty quick when you start praying to Jesus Christ for protection.
3.) Go to church religiously. Every week, and then some, if you can. Yes. This is why it is important to find a church with people you feel you can have a good time with. We are told in the gospel to be a body of believers and to find comfort and strength with each other. We're not supposed to really go it alone because sheep do much better as a flock as opposed to being all alone. Try to find a church that does not go into all the woke/CRT/some sins or lifestyles are okay thing. Some churches are false teachers and will lead you to your destruction. Stick with a church that preaches directly from the Holy Bible and treats it all as straight from the LORD. This will help you to stay protected because you will be reading and brushing up on various parts of the bible on a weekly basis. Also, I highly advise also attending a weekly bible study if you are able to. There are online groups as well if meeting in person is a bit hard for you during the week. As for which denomination of church to go with - I honestly don't know a lot about the various factions. My church is a non-denominational church - we just read from the bible each week and apply it to our lives and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior.
4.) Get baptized! Now that you are attending a church - ask if they are willing to baptize you! Our Lord did it - so as servants so should we! It is basically to show just how serious we are about being His servant. The whole baptizing process has much symbolism to it. You are dying and being reborn again just as Christ was put into the tomb and rose again. You are doing this to show your loyalty to Jesus Christ and to allow the 'old you' - the one who chased sin and the world - to die off so that the new creation, the new you can rise up and live for the Lord Jesus Christ.
5.) Love everyone. Wait, everyone? Even people that I hate? Yes, that's right! Our Master commands us to show love to everyone - even our enemies. See the following bible verse:
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36
We as Christians were forgiven by our LORD through Christ Jesus even when we were wicked in our sins, so too should we be merciful and forgiving to those who would be seen as 'enemies' by us. Whether they are cruel to you with their tongue, or if they lay a hand on you, or mistreat you - do not have intentions of returning these acts in kind. I am not saying to not defend yourself or try to get out of a fight if you are physically attacked - but don't be that big brave bad going around ready for someone to pick a fight with you. In a fight, your goal is to extricate yourself from the fight and get to safety as quickly as you can. If people call you names and insult you, return such behavior with love and forgiveness - by doing this you mirror the spirit and the character of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We return good behavior when wicked behavior is levied against us. By doing this, you also release yourself from the bitterness, the anger, and the resentment that you would have held on to if you had held those grudges against others. This is why it is so important to show love unconditionally. See every other person as the LORD's child, and a sibling of yours. If they are older than you, see them as you would your mother or father. If they are younger, see them as you would your younger brother, or sister.
6.) Stop eating meat. This is something I did way early on in service to the LORD and, I think, because I just had started to feel really bad about eating animals. I mean, think about it - you are basically eating the flesh of another (once living) animal. It seems such a normal thing to do to so many because we were all raised from a very young age being taught by those who raised us that there is absolutely nothing wrong about eating flesh. Why do I suggest this? There are multiple reasons - one of which is that I believe the act of eating flesh is actually satanic and it does something to alter our vibration - basically the way we feel and perceive reality. The more base, carnal, sinful things you do in life - the lower your vibration(for lack of a better word) - you will attract demons in your life much more when you do things that keep you in a low vibration. Eating meat, watching violent media or movies or porn. Using foul language all the time. Even just having bitter or resentful thoughts about others - all these things keep you in a lower state. As to why eating meat contributes to this - animals are terribly mistreated in factory farms. They are physically abused and live a horrible life all so we can have flesh as part of our diet when it is entirely unnecessary to eat meat. I haven't eaten meat for roughly 5-7 years and I'm doing just fine. There is also much literature and speculation online that suggest that not only is a diet with meat in it much less healthy then a non-meat diet, but that it may have been introduced as part of a punishment towards humanity.
Anyone who is familiar with the Holy Bible will know that earlier generations of humans were living much, much longer than humans live today. Methuselah, for example - Noah's grandfather, lived to be around the age of 969 years or so. It seems given what the gospel states, that humans were told they could begin to eat meat at some point right after the flood of Noah's time, and we know the flood took place because of incredible amounts of sin and wickedness that was taking place in the LORD's creation. Lets look at an excerpt from https://bibleask.org/why-did-god-force-man-to-eat-meat-after-the-flood-couldnt-he-have-jus-re-created-vegetation-as-he-did-when-he-created-the-earth/
'After the flood, God allowed humans to eat the meat of clean animals (Genesis 9:3). This was because the flood had made this a necessity. With the temporary shortage of all plant life during the Flood and the running of the food supplies that were taken into the ark, there was a clear need that God met by allowing men to eat the flesh of animals.
Why didn’t God provide food supplies for humans instead of allowing them to eat meat?
It could be that God wanted to shorten the lives of humans by allowing them to eat meats. People before the flood lived over 900 years due to their Eden diet but after the flood and eating meat, the age of men dropped quickly and drastically to around hundred years. God probably wanted to restrict the life span of evil doers to limit their wickedness and influence. Thus, the short life would serve only as a limited time enough for men to make eternal decisions either for God or against Him.'
So although this step might seem daunting or unbelievable to some individuals - I highly advise trying to do it. You will have a healthier life and you will not be contributing to the terrible abuse that takes place against animals so people can eat flesh. I never even really considered or thought about it much - that I was eating "flesh" because we live in a world where everything is so sanitized and by the time it gets to where we can purchase it - everything is neatly packaged in little containers for us to take home and cook up. We never really have to see or experience the abuse or terrible treatment these animals endure. Also - in the bible, the LORD forbids the eating or consumption of the blood of animals:
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats. 24 The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. 25 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which a food offering may be[a] presented to the Lord must be cut off from their people. 26 And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. 27 Anyone who eats blood must be cut off from their people.’” Leviticus 7:22-27
This is where the whole vampire legend stems from. Because 'the life is in the blood'. It is an abomination to consume the blood or life force of other living beings. There are ways of preparation in Judaism and Islam (kosher, halal) that account for and make these items safe for its members to eat - but really, why not make a grand sacrifice to the LORD and eschew eating animals altogether as a gift to the LORD and to the animals? Perhaps you will be recognized for this sacrifice in Heaven.
7.)No idolatry. Anything that gets between you and the LORD is an idol. For furries, maybe it's making sure you hit upwards of 4-5 conventions each year instead of just 1 or 2, and giving a good amount to charity instead of attending so many more conventions or art commissions. You must remember as the Lord's servant that you must try to put a good amount of effort into remembering your primary reason for being here in this life - to serve the LORD and to serve His children. Yes, you can still do fun things, attend furry conventions, commission art. Just don't let these things or other things in your life become an idol. If you obsess over anything - it should be obsession over serving the Lord Jesus Christ. When you have little bits of free time or resources, then you can treat yourself. But if weeks, or months go by and you look back and don't really have 'good fruit' to show for your walk as a servant of Christ - you are probably not going to get the LORD's attention in your life. At least, not as much as you could if you devoted yourself to Him more.
8.) Pray daily. Pray when you wake up. Pray before each meal, in public or private. Pray before you go to bed. Pray if you see someone has been hurt in an ambulance driving past you. As servants of Christ we are told to pray and pray continuously. Prayer can actually alter the outcome of situations but your heart has to be in it and it can never be about making the LORD your personal vending machine. It's ok to ask for help in situations you feel you need His help in - but remember He will not necessarily always give us what we want, but rather what we need in life. And make sure you try to pray for others much more than you do yourself.
9.) Obey your parents. This is geared more towards younger furries who are still living with parents or a parent or guardian - but it can apply to grown adults who still live with and look after their elderly family members. The command by the LORD to 'obey your mother and father' in the ten commandments is the first commandment that comes with a promise - "So that you may live a long life." We don't get to choose who our mom or dad is - it just is. As obedient children of the LORD we must also be obedient children to our parents - whether we are young or old. How can we serve the LORD with love if we are not willing to serve our parents with love as well. For some people this may be a hard thing to do. Nobody is without sin or flaws in this life - and this includes our parents. Some of us may have had an easier and more love-filled relationship with our parents and some may have had to deal with abuse. Remember that your parents, like you - were born into a sin filled world with a sinful nature of their own. To be christ-like is to show love, mercy, and forgiveness to your parents even if you have not had a perfect relationship with them or other family.
10.) Charity. Self explanatory - see my earlier entry on charity and tithing. This one is important! "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24
11.) Stop sinning. Ok, so none of us can really just ...stop sinning 100% - it's why Jesus Christ our savior had to come onto the scene to save us. But really - the LORD knows your heart and will know whether or not you are taking your walk seriously. This is something all repentant sinners should be doing - but to furries specifically, I urge the following:
Stop looking at (furry) porn.
Stop engaging in ERP (Erotic roleplay)
Stop lusting after humans AND/OR animals.
Stop masturbating.
The last one kind of goes along with the other three - but indulging in any of the above will show that you are not serious about being a repentant Christian. If anyone has it in their mind to say "But wait, aren't we forgiven for all past, present, and future sins by what Jesus Christ did?" - Yes, yes you are - but this is NOT a license to go on sinning. See the following bible verse:
"1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7for he who has died is freed from sin.
8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Romans 6:1-14
What the apostle Paul is saying here is that - just because we are forgiven of our sins does not mean we should have a carefree attitude about whether or not we go on sinning. We are born again creatures - we have said farewell to the fleshly nature and live now in the spirit, seeking to be a slave to our Lord Jesus Christ rather than a slave to our old sinful inclinations.
So, my furry (and non furry) friends - I highlight the porn/lust/ERP/masturbation specifically because furry has a big problem with these areas. As mentioned in my other journal on lust, furry has big sin problems with furry-ized porn art, or roleplay of an adult nature between furries. There is also the sin issue among a segment of furry who has sexual interest in animals themselves. The zoo community, or whatever the hidden slang or symbols are - I say to you that if you involve yourself with these areas you cannot have a relationship with the LORD.
You must let go of your old sinful nature - you must let that part of you die off. The you that is left is the born again you who operates in the spirit, not the flesh. Doing all the above things mentioned in this journal will help those who are not sure where to begin in starting their walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
This may seem like asking for a lot to someone who is used to living their life as an atheist or agnostic. I promise you, the life you live if you choose to allow pride to rule your heart and refuse to humble yourself - if you choose to be a slave to sin rather than a slave to He who gave everything for us even while we were wicked in our sins - then you will live a life of confusion, sadness and a sort of emptiness that you will try to fill with various material goods or pursuits, or even the right person. None of these will be an adequate substitute however, for the feeling you get when the LORD actually starts interacting with you in this life and grants you wisdom and knowledge that you know comes not from you, but from Him who suffered unjustly for us all.