Gifted people see things from a different angle than most people. They become frustrated when they try to help and no one will listen. I imagine our history of inventors were thought to be crazy, yet we have electricity powering our homes, our work places, our cars, our hospitals, our schools, and almost anything else you can think of. In the present day there are all kinds of things being invented and added to the usage of society. “A Better Way” is not always received. The resistance to trying something different and new is still rejected on all levels. Improving and going higher than you have before would it not take testing “A Better Way“? Jesus was looked upon by many people as trying to change their Bible of the Old Testament and presenting his own personal “A Better Way“, but it was the opposite he was making the Old Testament whole and complete.

What stops us and prevents us from being better and not settling for less in life? Why are there some limits on things that are good? Most children are told they can be anything they want to be. As we become older and lived a little while a different reality hits us in the face resisting our dreams. We get up daily to things visible and seemingly invisible resisting the desire of testing “A Better Way“.

A new way of doing something is contrary to what most have developed as a traditional way of doing things. These types of traditions carries with them the “my way or the highway” attitude. There are two kinds of traditions that one is visible and the other is invisible. Tradition is defined as customs or beliefs passed on from generation to generation. I know you have immediately thought of the customs or beliefs you have run into or may have run into you. Does passing on something make it 100% true? There are some people who are so closed-minded that air cannot get in like the walking dead and on the other side some people are so open-minded their brains are falling out. A good balance of the two is a worthy goal. Having the ability to be strong-minded on guaranteed things and open-minded to things that could improve is a rare thing in today’s society. Even the guaranteed should have no fear of being faced with questions.

The quickest way to uncover or reveal the invisible traditions in people is simply found out by questions. Traditional ways can be inward on an individual or can be imposed outward on others. Over the years you have put your faith into something and found out later it was not what you thought it was. Questions will expose what is hidden underneath most things. If something is truly sound and appears to be traditional then questions will not harm it because it is sound through and through. If someone presents something that they claim is “A Better Way” there should be no fear of looking into it. If fear and doubt pops up inside of you because of questions then it is a signal to you to re-examine what you are counting as a sound traditional way of doing things. It will only make you better and set you on a path of “A Better Way“.

My life is full of memories from childhood to adulthood of asking questions and seeing the same facial reaction over and over. The face of shock “I don’t know” the answer, but I will proceed forward with an answer that will attempt to keep me with the appearance of “I do know“. The face of anger “that’s the way it has always been” and “the way it will always be“. The face of honesty “I don’t know” and the body language of “I’m not going to find out because I am going to go on with life doing things the same old way that I have always done“. The face of authority “it is this way because I said so” with the body language of “I don’t care to even attempt to find out or change“. Are you satisfied with these answers or do you want to keep pressing and find “A Better Way“?

I have seen people falling into the same old traps and pot holes in their road of life whether it is drugs, alcohol, religions, and relationships. Outwardly we may be stuck with some of this world’s physical traditions in place, but we are not imprisoned with our inward spiritual places. In the younger years all people go through that “I know everything” and “you can’t tell me anything I don’t already know“. A person who is growing past the loops or circles of traps, pot holes, and mistakes is a person who is finding “A Better Way” to face their next day. The older a person gets the deeper the levels they can reach by listening to the possible “A Better Way” of doing things or thinking about things. Are you tired of going round and round with some things in your life? Have you reached out to there has to be “A Better Way“? Do you want truth?

There was a small town with only a few people in it. They lived their lives daily doing as any other small town would do to live and survive. The small town was a special place. A powerful King took a look at this small town with the desire of taking it by force. The powerful king brought in his armies surrounding the small town. The powerful king built huge walls of fortifications against the small town. I can see from within this town in every direction on the outside of town these walls of protection for the soldiers and no way of escape. The picture of doom looms in their mind. A powerful rich king with all the resources a small town could not compete with and a bad ending in sight. The mystery to the story is a poor man in the small town stepped forth with “A Better Way” for the town to survive. The mystery is this poor man’s idea full of wisdom protecting the women, children and the entire small town saved them all from the powerful king with all his armies, walls of fortifications is not revealed. His idea of saving the small town is unknown, yet the people of that town owe him their lives and their families lives. His words saved them. The sad part of the story is the poor man whose idea of “A Better Way” saved them was forgotten and even despised. His words were no longer heard after saving the town (Ecc. 9:14-16). “A Better Way” suggested to any of us would be wise on our part to look into it with an open mind and a serious conclusion. We may find ourselves inside a loop or circle ever-growing, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth as was predicted in these last days (2 Tim 3:7). I find myself wanting to hear completely the surface of the words and past the surface of the words. I want to see the surface of things and past the surface of things. Would you like to be whole?

We encounter people every day that we pass judgment upon or at least categorize them inside our minds. Smart, average, and simple are just a few kind words used to categorize people. I know we all have heard different terms identifying people’s intelligence. No matter what category you may fit in true intelligence comes from not repeating the same mistake over and over like the loop or circle mentioned earlier, but learning “A Better Way“. God in the beginning showed Adam and Eve “A Better Way” to live their lives avoiding death, hell, and the grave, but they listened to the devil of his version of a “A Better Way“, which brought death, hell, and the grave into power over all the earth. They chose to listen to a creation over the Creator. I wonder what would have happened if Eve and Adam had waited until their next visit with God and asked Him a question that might of unraveled the devil’s lie? Could they have asked the devil more questions for solid proof of his statements? Did it work for him going against God? Questions asked of God come back solid and sound. Questions asked of a double minded person comes back unstable and holes of doubt. Have you ever got that feeling when someone got through speaking that easiness of their words were part truth and part pacifying fill-ins?

There was a man who was very intelligent. He caught onto things fast. He had a thorough education of knowledge of the scriptures of the Bible. He was a man who encounter the teachings of John the Baptist “A Better Way” of understanding the scriptures of the coming Savior of our sins and water baptism in repentance. He taught where ever he went with great enthusiasm and great accuracy of Jesus being the Messiah just like John the Baptist. This man must have taken John the Baptist words and compared them to the Bible and found what he was saying to be true. He went to churches in that day and spoke boldly the teachings of John the Baptist for the coming Messiah Jesus. One day a crowd had gathered as usual to listen to this man present “A Better Way” (a fulfilling way) of the scriptures and a husband and wife were in the crowd that heard him speaking. The husband and wife made their living at making tents. They were not know for their learning and knowledge of the scriptures, but as tent-makers.

The husband and wife invited the well-educated man to their home. They presented “A Better Way” of the scriptures to him. This educated man’s knowledge of the scriptures was not wasted for the connection scripturally was more fulfilled to what John the Baptist was preaching, which caused him to start preaching Jesus name water baptism for the removal of sins. I see a man who took what the husband and wife had to say and searched the scriptures for proof before accepting this “A Better Way“. He must have found what they had said was solid and sound (Acts 19). What they had told him was so solid and sound that when he taught now in the churches he was able to refute anyone in public proving that Jesus was the Messiah. I see a man now with a solidness about him inside and out, balanced with “A Better Way“, the truth, and a new life glowing in completeness.

What would happen if he had treated the husband and wife, the tent makers, like the poor man of wisdom was treated after saving the small town? If he had treated their words like the poor man forgetting them, despising them, and no longer listening to them he may have forfeited the saving of his soul. Jesus said about people when it comes to hearing some of us are like the wayside of a road that whatever is said is taken away, some of us are like the stony area where we get happy over the spoken words, but never let them get deep down inside of us and it is lost with just a little heated trouble, some of us are so worldly-minded that the words spoken are received, but our love of the world rises up and chokes out the words in our life, and some of us are open enough to search, prove, and conclude the spoken words allowing them to go deep into our lives with the outward fruits (Mtt. 13) like this educated man listening to the tent makers. He had no fear of statements or questions put to the scriptures because his faith was solid and sound in the word of God. Wow, to be solid inside and out is a beautiful sight to see.

Apostle Paul traveling found some disciples. He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Not in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but in Jesus name). When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19).  These disciples (just like other religions) heard Paul’s questioning words setting into motion inside themselves a study of those words getting them approved by God’s word maintaining themselves in an unashamed status correctly handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). This questioning by Apostle Paul of what may have come across as “A Better Way“, a more perfect way, or a more accurate way did not mean all that they presently had been a total waste of time or loss. All that they did possess has been added in total completeness in the Lord Jesus Christ. Their faith was not replaced or destroyed, but fulfilled in totality. Their perception and understanding saw the absolute truth with total acceptance and obedience. They had been baptized before with a water baptism of repentance under John the Baptist teachings because it too was right in the word of God. Now, the completeness of water baptism was finalized in Jesus name applying the blood of forgiveness along with their repentance. Isn’t this beautiful? These people were not afraid of questions and what the conclusion of truth may reveal. After their water baptism in Jesus name Paul walks over to them, places his hand upon them, prays for them, and they received the Holy Spirit of God the same way the 11 apostles and other disciples of Jesus did in Acts 2 a long time ago. How do we know it was like them back then? “Is this not only for the apostles“, you may ask? It is clear this is a continuing thing that can occur even today because this is all a promise of God to happen to us our children and their children – all generations to come (Acts 2:39). This is part of completeness of being born again of water and of spirit (Jn 3:5). How do we know it is the same as the apostles? As Paul had his hand upon them praying they began to speak in another language that they had not been trained in the flesh to speak the praises of God and prophetic words. They totally surrendered to God and allowed Him to burst forth like rivers of living water (Jn. 7:38). Now, the fellowship begins in spirit and in truth with the power of God visiting you anytime and anywhere.

If Apostle Paul were to ask you these questions how would you answer him? Would his questions be allowed in your home, church, society? Would you let him place his hand upon you, pray for you, and be willing to open up to the in-filling of God’s Spirit with the sign to you and anyone around that bursting forth of rivers of living water speaking in a language God gives you? Did you know you can you have this happen to you right now? God is not restricted to church places only or He would not be an everywhere God. He will come to you right now in your home, in your car,… All I did was started praying to God, speaking my heart surrendering all of myself to Him in worship, praise, and the desire to be filled with His Spirit patiently waiting as they did back then and not giving up. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He doesn’t change nor does His way for us to be born again change. Are you saved like these disciples Apostle Paul asked these questions? I am born again exactly as the those disciples Apostle Paul asked those questions. If Apostle Paul were to speak with me he would find out I have been baptized in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Spirit. Then I would expect him to teach, encourage, and admonish me for doing more work everyday for the Lord for the day and the hour is short.

Apostle Paul/God’s Word is asking you, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  Your answer:

Apostle Paul/God’s Word is asking you, “Then what baptism did you receive?”                                  Your answer:

Are you going to be baptized in water in Jesus name and pray to receive the Holy Spirit Your decision:

If you have no one to baptize you in water you can take yourself to a place where you can go under water completely, look towards heaven, and say, Lord I repent and baptize myself in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of my sins and I know I will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit because it is a promise from You who changes not (Acts 2:38,39). Start praying and worshiping expecting to receive His Holy Spirit. Later, if you find someone who lines themselves up with the apostles Acts 2:38 there is nothing wrong letting them baptize you in Jesus name. It will not take away what you have done.

May your spirit get a hold of God’s Spirit and fly free in fellowship every day. As these bodies grow old our spirit within can be renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16) never growing old, but maturing into eternal life with God our Father.