Gifts of God

These days I am truly in a season where I am actively and intentionally pursuing God and His will for my life and my family moment by moment. I would like to share a revelation that came to mind one day recently. Please accept the following reflections as my continued meditation on the idea. I encourage you to take your own thoughts and feelings before the Lord as you seek His will for your own life.

Everything in life is a gift of God. Philosophically speaking, in our finite minds, we can attribute them to these three means, though truly His plans are too great for us to understand:

1) God bestows mercy on us through His grace.
2) God develops strength in us through difficult circumstances.
3) God grants free will to us by allowing the choice to walk with Him or apart from Him. 

Whatever the situation or experience, I believe everything can be counted as a gift from God in one of these three ways.

If you will allow me the following analogies, we can see even in the simplest of earthly human gifts that there is complexity. Some gifts we might superficially see as pure pleasure, such as a box of chocolates; and other gifts we might see as a long term serious commitment, maybe even burdensome, such as a college scholarship. However, they both have another perspective - even the pleasure of chocolate can become a burden if you consider the potential for a stomach ache or added weight from calories. And then the burden of college can turn into pleasure through a life of satisfaction and fulfillment from education and contributing to society.

God offers His gifts of joy and suffering in our lives, and His gift of free will enables us to embrace the joy or pain and accept that God will give it purpose for our good and His glory. How we approach our joy and pain makes all the difference! When we choose to see every situation as a gift, it allows us to live in freedom to trust God, and releases us from the chains of fear and uncertainty.

In my own life I continually see God's grace even in the smallest areas on a daily basis, and it brings me great joy. I have also experienced very difficult days when God offers the opportunity to grow stronger, and that can involve great suffering. God's plan is beyond my understanding, and still I can see it working all things together for us when we choose to trust Him. God's plan is perfect and unchanging and will always bring Him glory; how we respond to His plan determines whether we will be able to experience the goodness He has prepared for us.

Our walk with the Lord in this life is an ongoing journey. Will you take a step closer to Him today?

Photo by Sushobhan Badhai on Unsplash

Love is...

Have you ever experienced true unending love? A loyal relationship that does not depend on your appearance, your attitude, your faithfulness or what you have to give, and instead being treasured forever simply because you exist. 

I believe God has this kind of love for His creation. He delights in the awesomeness of each unique piece of the universe, and desires to connect with and care for everything, from the smallest particle to the largest planet.

Vocabulary and communication are kind of a hobbies for me. Case in point, how much time I am spending here now to edit and attempt to choose every perfect word to be perfectly understood. Really, my linguistic passion is the reason I ever spend time writing on this blog. 

The use of the word "love" in our contemporary era disturbs me. It seems our vocabulary about love has become simplified and as a result our communication has become distorted. An author who spent a portion of his life as an atheist did an in-depth philosophical writing on the various forms of ideas that we call "love" and described them based on ancient Greek vocabulary. The book is called The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis.

If you will indulge me for a moment, I would like to take the concepts from Lewis and incorporate my own examples. What are some words you could use in place of "love" that might be more accurate...enjoy, appreciate, respect, cherish, admire, sacrifice?

Need - I love my paycheck because it lets me buy groceries.

Pleasure - I love this outfit because it makes me feel attractive.

• Affection - (storgē, Greek: στοργή) - I love visiting my family because we know each other so well.
• Companionship - (philia, Greek: φιλία) - I love playing soccer with friends because we have fun.
• Romance - (erōs, Greek: ἔρως) - I love dancing with my spouse because I feel special.
• Charity - (agápē, Greek: ἀγάπη) - I love volunteering at the shelter because I can invest in other people's needs.

Another part of communication is through symbols, and I am also disturbed by the way the rainbow has been used recently in a way that separates people, something that points us to individual perspectives instead of reminding us of the wonder of the universe. I believe God provided the rainbow as an ongoing message that He remembers His people and His promises. It is for all people everywhere to find peace and joy.

May we all be mindful of how our choice of words and the tone that we use has an impact on ourselves and others. May we learn to communicate in ways that can bring us unity, because we need each other.

Photo by Todd Cravens on Unsplash

Beyond a shadow of a doubt...

"I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I can say unequivocally...the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt."

- Sir Lionel Luckhoo (Kingstone, 2019, "101 Questions", Volume 3) https://kingstonecomics.com/collections/apologetics/products/101-questions-volume-3

Guinness World Records

Most successful lawyer

Sir Lionel Luckhoo (b. 2 Mar 1914), senior partner of Luckhoo and Luckhoo of Georgetown, Guyana, succeeded in getting 245 successive murder-charge acquittals between 1940 and 1985.

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-successful-lawyer (03/28/2021)

Sir Luckhoo was born March 2, 1914 and died December 12, 1997.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Luckhoo (03/28/2021)

Attorney Lionel Luckhoo had his own law firm in Guyana and is listed in Guinness Book of World Records as never having lost a criminal case in the courts of London. Author, journalist and broadcaster, with academic training at Oxford University, he is recognized in international circles as statesman and ambassador (the only one ever to represent two countries simultaneously as ambassador; honored four times by the Queen of England, with two degrees of knighthood. President of Guyana’s Olympic Committee, four times mayor of Georgetown, and head of four trade unions.

http://www.thelawmaster.com/blog/?p=1217 (03/28/2021)

First hand recording of Sir Lionel Luckhoo giving a testimony:

http://paludavia.com/usual/Sir-Lionel-Luckhoo.mp3 (03/28/2021)

The recording above was taken in August 1983 at a meeting of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International in Chattanooga, Tennessee:

https://www.vulcanhammer.org/2007/07/12/sir-lionel-luckhoos-testimony/ (03/28/2021)

This page is a work in progress, and so in continuing to study the life and words of Sir Luckhoo, here are some additional resources:

https://en.google-info.org/3733792/1/lionel-luckhoo.html

http://www.myrelationshipwithjesus.com/sir_lionel_luckhoo.html

https://fgbt.org/Testimonies/sir-lionel-a-luckhoo.html

http://livingconnections.com/lionel-luckhoo/

https://theemmauswalk.tripod.com/sirlionelluckhoo.html

http://www.fullgospelbusinessmensfellowshipamerica.com/www.fullgospelbusinessmensfellowshipamerica.com.pdf

http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n81097329/

Please feel free to share any findings you may have in the comments. Thank you!

Source of Hope

We are approaching Easter which is both a very reverent and very exciting day for followers of Jesus. It is a time when we honor His crucifixion and celebrate His resurrection. Jesus shares a message that is good news for all people. Will you listen to His message? Will you accept His offer?

Jesus was present in the beginning when we were created, He came to earth to minister to our world, and He is now waiting for us in Heaven. Jesus did not introduce something new, but fulfilled what God had planned.

We don't have to worry about our spiritual "pre-existing conditions", because Jesus will take them all. He offers to share His Holy Spirit with us as a comfort and guide in this earthly life. He offers to stand before God's judgement on our behalf after this earthly life. He does not force these gifts upon us, it is an optional offer that we must intentionally accept to receive the benefits.

Jesus can be our wonderful ambassador, and He does not expect anything from us, only to accept His gift. There is no prerequisite. We do not have to change anything to accept His offer; instead, as His followers He will help us grow in His goodness.

We were created by God to be His friends. We often make choices that compromise our friendship with God. Jesus, as the Son of God, came to help restore that friendship.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, may you take a few moments this season to listen to this message of Jesus.

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Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life."

John 14:1-6
Read more here

Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 

“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world."

John 12:44-47
Read more here

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

John 6:28-29
Read more here

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them...

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:1 & 17
Read more here

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Matthew 22:35-40
Read more here

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Resources:

TALC – Talk About Loving Christ Nonprofit (letstalc.org)

Learn the Bible for Free Online | BibleProject™

Jesus Film Project | Jesus Film Project

The Skit Guys - Christian Skits, Video and Scripts for the Church

Best Christian Videos For Youth Ministry | YouthVids

Micah's Super Vlog | Welcome

24-7 Prayer International (24-7prayer.com)

Find Peace with God - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

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Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

Messy Rescue

I don't claim to have all the answers, but my deep faith leads me to lots of solid conclusions about life. This is something I was thinking about this morning and wanted to share...

Not all those who follow Jesus find their pathway through a church building. Some people even miss out on Jesus because they don't understand he is so much bigger than that. Jesus did teach and worship in his church, but he certainly did not confine is teaching and worship to a building. He gives us an example of how to get the most out of this earthly life, and he gives us a doorway into how we can get the most out of the next life, too.

Jesus came to rescue us. Do you ever need to be rescued? Maybe you don't even realize it sometimes. 

When a person is unconscious on the ground from a heart-attack, they are not capable of asking for help, and very well may not even be aware they need help. You don't shake them and say, "Why did you do this? Get up and go to the hospital!" Instead, you intervene on their behalf, calling the ambulance for help to reach them where they are, and revive them. 

This metaphor can help us understand what Jesus does. He shows up in our lives when we cannot help ourselves, and we may not even know we need him. He reaches out to revive us. He teaches peace to the anxious, generosity to the selfish, gentleness to the rough, wisdom to the ignorant, humility to the proud, and ultimately, he teaches us that God loves us and wants us in his family. We can learn from him by being alert for his Holy Spirit. Sometimes we learn things over-night and sometimes we learn more over time.

We can also take a lesson from this metaphor in how to share Jesus' love. Do we just call people in, to come find us where we are waiting nice and cozy, or do we go out to the world to rescue those who are suffering?

Rescues can get messy. Detective John McClane and Sergeant Al Powell in Die Hard didn't accomplish their rescue without a mess. So it is in our spiritual walk, we encounter many unexpected situations and we have the option to sit cozy or go to the rescue.

I want to be the kind of Jesus follower who shows up in the messy rescue.

Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash

Like the wind...

We all have stories to tell. This is my story for the moment... 

I am enjoying a lovely September morning on my back patio. A few minutes ago I was sipping from my mug (I just like hot water, sometimes - I am a tea drinker, not a coffee drinker), and observing the creation around me. It is peaceful this morning - early sun, slight breeze, noisy backyard creatures moving about everywhere. It is appropriately reflective of our current Bible study in BSF, "Beginnings, a study of Genesis."

A thought came to me as I was taking it all in to help me start my day with a "full cup" in my spirit. It was not something new, but still something soothing I wanted to share. The Holy Spirit among us is often like the wind. You never really see the thing itself, but you can easily see the impact it has on everything it touches. A rustling in the trees, like a stirring of something great and nameless in our soul. A refreshing breeze on our face, like a bit of encouragement just when it is needed most. And occasionally, an unusual and powerful gale that can completely knock us over, unexpectedly providing a totally new perspective on something that needs change.

The work of the Holy Spirit often goes unnoticed and unappreciated, and it is always working to share God's truth. Sometimes acting in comfort and sometimes acting in guidance. Will you pause today to notice?

Photo by Matt on Unsplash

Getting the good stuff out

Have you ever had a spray bottle that just would not work? Sometimes maybe it just dribbles tiny drops, or even doesn't come out at all. You know the liquid inside is helpful, but you just can't get it out! It's so frustrating, because you can't accomplish the productive and beneficial job you are trying to do!

I'm sure God feels that way about us sometimes. When we choose to follow Him, His Holy Spirit fills us with lots of good stuff that we are often stubborn about letting come out to share with others.

May we live our lives daily in a way that is glorifying to God, and may we remember that an important part of that is letting God get the good stuff out so that it can encourage the people around us! Love and prayers as you go on your journey with God~

Christmas is a Fact

I am so thankful for this season of the year! A time which is literally consumed by physical darkness in some parts of the world due to the shorter days is brightened by the holidays. I am thankful for the generous spirit this season brings out in people by giving gifts to those we love and those in need.

Celebrating Christmas brings joy to many people. It also brings sorrow to many people. The contrasts of loneliness, broken relationships and living in a constant state of lack is emphasized in comparison to the happiness expected by the holidays.

In my life, whether during the holidays or any other day of the year, Christmas is not really a holiday, Christmas is a fact. Though our family certainly enjoys the pleasures of the tree and lights and pretty presents, that is not Christmas. Christmas is knowing that God came to earth to suffer among His creation, teach them how to live together and offer them gracious reconciliation.

The joys of the holidays are wonderful ways to celebrate this knowledge, if you feel like celebrating. If your spirit is not in the mood to celebrate, the fact of the season does not change. God created you and loves you. He loves you so much that in an effort to work out the brokenness in our earthly lives once and for all He gave up part of Himself. Now He is waiting for each of us to accept His invitation into a life of peace and abundance on this earth, something that does not even make sense to us most of the time, but it is very real! An even greater piece of the invitation includes life after death in His presence where there is never any sorrow or hurt again, only joy and love and light.

Today as you experience Christmas, in joy or sorrow, may you respond in some way to the invitation that God has issued. It is the gift that we recognize this time each year of the birth of His Son who would eventually offer the ultimate gift in His death, victory over evil and new life! He is now preparing the party in Heaven where He longs for us to join Him some day!

Praise God that our true well being is not dependent on everything out of our control that happens around us! Praise God that we do have a choice we can control for our peace in this life, and life after this, by simply accepting His invitation today, and following Him one day at a time!

Praying that you find peace in Christ today and every day!

"For God so love the world that He sent is only Son so whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Truth in any Language

God wants everyone to know the good news that anyone may be reconciled with Him through Christ!

"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.'" 

Mark 16: 15

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language." 

Acts 2:4-6

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” 

Matthew 7:24-27

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." 

Ephesians 6:10-18

http://www.freebiblenow.org/

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/

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Who really cares?

This is another post that was drafted back in 2012 and never got posted. The concluding statement is still one that really resonates with me, so I thought it would be worth sharing, even two years late.

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Everyone finally has the answer they have been waiting for a long time; whether you got the answer you wanted or not is another matter. Our next President has been chosen (though it is still not official for a few more weeks according to the process of the electoral college).

Over the past hours since the polls closed and the final popular vote was reported I have continued to observe dissension among candidate supporters. There is a lot of slander flying around, and it gives me even greater appreciation for the polite dialogue I find. Disagreement is healthy and appropriate, slander is damaging and unproductive. It leads me to the question, "Who really cares?" Do you?

The battle seems to be very narrow in scope (though one would think that there would be more than one issue at stake with an election). There are two primary positions in this battle: 1) those who believe people are entitled to a minimum lifestyle, despite individual circumstances, and see it as the role of government to secure that minimum lifestyle; 2) those who believe that people should receive only what they have personally attained, despite individual circumstances, and do not see it as the role of government to secure a minimum lifestyle. My perspective is that there is a grand flaw in both of these arguments.

You have been in need of something at one time or another, whether past or present. Who really cared? Who cared for you? Shame on us if we pass along the individual opportunity of caring for our neighbor to an agency or institution. Shame on us if we forget how graciously we have been treated and deny grace to others.

Politics, anyone?

This is a post I actually drafted a few years ago and never got around to posting it. As I was reading it just now, all the convictions still ring true, so I thought it was still worth sharing, though some of the political events have now passed.

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I have strong convictions. I am not timid about expressing them when it seems appropriate. I find intellectual discussion stimulating. However, I have gotten very weary of the abuse that is flying around on this election year. It seems to stop just short of physical - for that at least I am thankful.

Many people seem to believe the political arena is an appropriate place for all kinds of abuse on those who disagree with them - verbal, emotional, psychological. I am not sure whether the atmosphere is worse this year, or I am just more aware of it; either way, I am frustrated and disappointed with what I read and hear most of the time.

So much of it boils down to two comments, "you're stupid," or "you're mean." A lot of people seem to be talking and few people seem to be listening.

Please! Give me something I can actually dig into with my brain and not my emotions. Give me something I can study, research and discuss. Be willing to engage counter point arguments. It is comparable to a game of tennis - just because I hit the ball at you does not mean I am trying to attack you with it, it just means I am trying to keep up my side of the interaction.

There are those who I am proud to say I enjoy engaging in discussion on matters of politics, spirituality and philosophy, among other intense subjects, and it is not because we always agree. It is because we are able to have conversations that involve facts, and even feelings, without mistreating one another. The ball flies beautiful back and forth, like a beautiful game of tennis; and each opponent is probably in a little better shape from the mental exercise.

I do believe there is true right and wrong. I strive wholeheartedly to seek after what is right, and that is not easy. I also believe there is a lot of deception which means there are persuasive arguments for things I believe are wrong. I believe I do have a responsibility to share my thoughts and convictions to encourage those who agree with me and cause others to who disagree to investigate their position. It also forces me to investigate my own position. Just as important, I also believe I have a responsibility to demonstrate peace, patience, kindness and self-control at all times, whether you agree with me or not. I believe that if you mistreat someone in the process of attempting to persuade them, it is a lost cause, regardless of the principles you are defending.

I can only control myself, and hope to influence my children. But I will not give up peacefully and sincerely voicing the principles that I believe will improve the lives of my family, community and the world.

How do you fill your pantry?

I get a bit of a thrill each week as I do meal planning for my family. Actually, the biggest thrill comes from what I do not plan!

Do you ever feel excitement as you anticipate a gift? Maybe approaching a holiday or birthday? That is the feeling I get each week as I anticipate how I will feed my family!

I do my grocery shopping once a week, and I am pretty strict about not making any extra trips to the store. As you know, there are seven days in a week, and generally three meals a day - that is a total of 21 meals.

When I shop I buy enough to make four meals for dinner during the coming week, oatmeal for breakfast and a few snacks like veggies or popcorn. We also order out for pizza on Sundays so I don't have to cook. That is a total of five meals (12 if you count breakfast) that I have planned for an entire week of 21 meals! I do not buy food dedicated for lunch, and I leave two days of dinner unplanned and unpurchased.

For me, this is a way to allow God to quite literally fill my pantry! Believe it or not, my family never goes hungry! They may not have exactly what they want to eat, but I am always able to put food in their bellies! And I also have very little wasted at the end of the week!

For lunch we sometimes have leftovers from the night before, or we pull together a meal of odds and ends of fruits, veggies and eggs that haven't been used. For dinner on the two nights I leave unplanned, I get to browse my pantry and get creative, pulling together meals of anything that hasn't been used yet that week, or redefining leftovers into a completely new meal! I really enjoy getting creative in the kitchen...sometimes it goes better than others!

These provisions to feed my family are a genuine gift from God, it is not something I prepare for or provide for myself! He provides the means for me to buy food in the first place, and then He takes my meager choices and enlarges them to demonstrate His love and power in my life!

God desires for us to depend on Him and to give us good gifts! He desires for us to turn to Him daily for our strength to face each new day! Are you allowing God to fill your pantry, or the other gaps in your life? I challenge you to give it a try, it can truly be an exciting way to live!

Are you ready for Christmas?

'Tis the season when everyone is asking my son, "Are you ready for Santa to come?" I don't mind, we enjoy the festivities. However, we have a much more significant reason for celebrating, and now I pose this question to you on the eve of Christmas Eve, "Are you ready for Jesus to come?" I am so glad He did!

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given..."
Isaiah 9:6

That first Christmas may have been much like the holiday you are experiencing right now! Consider all the hustle and bustle of activity as the family prepares to travel a long distance by uncomfortable means. Consider the cramped accommodations put upon them unexpectedly upon their arrival. Consider the financial burden of new government taxes while bringing a child into the world. Consider the appearance of uninvited guests who are less than presentable. Consider the anger and jealousy among the leaders stimulated by the announcement of His birth. Sounds like it could be the plot of a modern holiday movie!

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."
Luke 2:7

Drama was no stranger in the events of Jesus' birth, and I imagine you feel a lot of that same drama in your own holiday. But in the midst of all the distractions, remember the Jesus gives a peace that cannot be taken away and cannot be explained. You can only discover it by trying it, and you can try it by simply believing and confessing. That peace should be the highlight of our experiences during this season!

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9

Following Jesus Christ is a lifelong journey! If you have begun that journey already, I pray that you will continue to give up to Christ moment by moment, day by day. If you have never begun that journey, I pray you will soon give up to Christ and allow Him to lead you moment by moment, day by day.

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
Galatians 5:22-23

We celebrate in many ways - decorating, giving, receiving, eating, singing - to name a few, but there is only one reason and that is to remember that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ because He loves us more that we can ever understand!

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16

Merry Christmas to you! And may the light of Jesus Christ overflow in and around you! Happy birthday, Jesus!

Celebrating Easter

Last Christmas our family celebrated Advent, and for the whole month of December we spent time daily focusing on the birth of Christ as the holiday approached. We enjoyed the experience so much I have created a similar calendar of activities and scriptures to use this month to help us celebrate Easter.

This is based on a 28 day calendar for Easter (four weeks leading up to the holiday). There are four memory verses, one for each week. There are 28 daily scripture readings that I would encourage you to read as a family, we do ours at dinner. There are 16 spring themed mandalas (you will need to repeat 12 of them) that you can color and use to decorate a Cross or hang on an Easter tree, along with a full color page for Easter Sunday.

I pray that this season you would take time to ponder the question about what you believe about Jesus, what His life means as part of our world history and what His redemption can mean for your life both now and eternally.

Click here to view the Easter document

Miracle of Life

Today as I was out running errands I passed a church marquee that read, "You can't be good enough to get into Heaven, you must be born again!"

My mind began circling around the idea of being "born again" into Heaven and this thought occurred to me, people have no problem understanding the fact that you have to be born first to live on this Earth. You don't ever introduce yourself to a new friend and ask, "So, how do you believe you got to this Earth?" We don't ponder various theories of how people arrive here on Earth. Even the biggest sceptic doesn't walk around saying, "There are many ways you can get to Earth, there is no one true way." They don't say it because they would sound crazy...everyone knows there is only one way to get to Earth. You are conceived by a man and a woman, you are nurtured in a womb and ultimately you are delivered from that womb.

Let's think about the word "delivered" for a moment. When we think about being delivered it usually means we are escaping something painful or seeking something more meaningful. We talk about people in history being delivered out of captivity. Now think about being delivered into Heaven - you leave behind the suffering of being separated from God and you enter into the most meaningful relationship you will ever experience, a personal relationship with God!

Why is it so hard to understand that there is only one way to get to Heaven? And that the path to Heaven involves being born? You are born onto the Earth, why couldn't you be born into Heaven?

Our spirit is conceived by God, and during our life here on Earth He is nurturing us in hopes that one day our spirit will be delivered into His kingdom. I have never seen a documentary on the birth of the spirit, but that birth is just as miraculous as being born of the flesh! Ask anyone who has ever been delivered from sin and separation from God! Like our lives are forever changed by being born of the flesh when we leave our mother's womb, once we are born of the spirit we are never the same again! The difference in a person's life after they are born again is not forced upon them, the changes are as natural as the changes an infant experiences as they learn to breath and cry. Have you experienced the awesome wonder of being born of the spirit?

Stewardship, pass it on...

I just calculated that if my kids start working at age 15 and invest $35 each week until age 65 (at 6% return) they could retire on $500k. If they make the same contribution starting at age 35, the total would drop to $136k. Or, if they contribute that same amount starting at age 5, the total goes up to $918k! This is just an example of the impact money management can have over a lifetime.

Money management is an important skill at many levels... individuals, marriages, families, communities, corporations and governments. Teaching this skill is one of the most significant ways we can help our kids improve their future.

Even now I give my preschooler a bit of change each week and he has five banks where he divides the money - share, tax, retire, save, spend.

Good management of our resources, whether money, belongings, food, water, fuel, etc., is not only a practical concept, it is also a spiritual one. We are called by God from the beginning of creation to use with care and consciousness the resources we have been given. It does not happen by accident, but with intentional management.

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Genesis 2:15

Management on a more personal level is called stewardship, and it is an important piece of developing a full character of integrity. Even above being stewards of our resources, we are stewards of our souls and the souls of those around us. What does that mean? I believe it involves seeking spiritual truth, sharing what we discover, treating others with respect and being an example of virtue.

"'You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,' declares the Lord."

Jeremiah 29:13

"The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"

Galatians 5:22-23

Imagine that the numbers I mentioned earlier are not dollars but lives of people. How many could you impact if you start intentionally investing today?

Stewardship is a lifestyle, it demonstrates self-respect, respect for the resources we have been given and respect for those before us, around us and after us. May we strive as individuals to be good stewards with our lives, and may we motivate others who are watching.

What do you believe about Jesus Christ?

How can anyone get anything enjoyable or useful out of a gift if all they do is examine it from the outside? (1)

Metaphorically speaking, many people think the idea of Jesus is a pretty package, yet choose to leave it sitting all wrapped up under the tree and never open it.  They don't really have anything bad to say about Jesus, but neither do they accept His gift of reconciliation.

There is a very thoughtful argument refuting the idea that Jesus was just good, personally I think it is a thrilling concept! Jesus Christ cannot be called good without being called God - there are three possible choices here. 1) He WAS indeed who He said He was, the Son of God and our Redeemer; 2) He was LYING His pants off (which would eliminate the option of being "good"); or 3) He was simply CRAZY and didn't know what He was talking about (again, not the profile of someone you could classify as "good"). (8)

The past few years for me have held many spiritual discussions on a variety of meaningful topics. Some of these have been dialogues with other people and some merely monologues with myself. But no other topic is as relevant to our human spirituality as the discussion about Jesus.

Recently the teachings at our church have been centered around the overwhelming evidence there is in support of Bible based beliefs. (2) And if you prefer evidence provided by a more objective source, I also recently saw a convincing program produced by a national television network and hosted by an internationally renowned journalist. (3)

As I consider the fundamentals of those beliefs, especially concerning eternity, I begin to feel a tremendous burden for those who have missed the message, whether by intentionally dismissing it or by accident through ignorance or neglect.

Here is the nutshell version I like to use:
There is one God, and there are three types of relationship we have with Him. (4)
God the Father, Yahweh, created us and watches over us - He also gives us free will to do what we choose, and will ultimately judge us for our choices. The most important choice being whether we accept His gift of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. (5)
God the Son, Jesus Christ, came to show us how to live and forgive us of our sins - He left behind his royal place in Heaven to get down and dirty here on Earth, His life was the prime example we have for how to live in obedience to God the Father and in love and service to one another. Even more, He took our place in Hell even defeating the powers of Hell for our sake. He ultimately offers us reconciliation with God the Father, and He now is preparing a place for us in Heaven if we choose to accept His gift of reconciliation. (6)
God the Spirit, Holy Spirit, comes to live in our hearts and minds to comfort and guide us if we accept the gift of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. (7)

Your decision about Jesus Christ influences your relationship with God, your life here on Earth and ultimately your experience for eternity. To be reconciled with God the Father you must accept His gift of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. To receive the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit you must accept the gift of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. It would seem as if all of spirituality hinges on that question, what do you believe about Jesus Christ? Of course, only God is God, only He knows the hearts of people, but He has provided us with a message of reconciliation that we should not ignore and we should not keep to ourselves.

I challenge you today to make a decision about Jesus Christ - what do you believe, is He Lord, liar or lunatic? (9) Now go talk to somebody about your decision...let's keep the conversation going!

Notes:
(1) Of course, you also need to be able to tell the difference between a true gift and a prank simply disguised as a gift. (1 John 4:1-21)
(2) http://www.kineticchurch.com/teaching/ (pending, February 2013)
(3) "Back to the Beginning", ABC News, Christiane Amanpour
(4) Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 4:4-6
(5) Genesis 1:26, Psalm 91:11, Deuteronomy 30:19, Revelation 20:12-15
(6) John 3:16
(7) John 14:26
(8) Concept from Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis (arguement known as the trilemma)
(9) Josh McDowell

Celebrating Advent

Christmas is a time of year that stands apart. There is often a mixture of emotions as the holiday approaches. As a community of faith we celebrate to honor the birth of Christ who is the Son of God and came from Heaven to Earth to show us how to live and forgive us of our sins. However, there are many distractions that have been created to take commercial advantage of the season.

This document (link below) contains materials and instructions to create a home-made Advent calendar. It also includes a description of what Advent means and guidelines on how to celebrate with your family or community. My hope is that this will help you learn more about and focus more on Christ this holiday. No matter your circumstances this season, Christ offers hope!

Merry Christmas!

Click here to open document

 

Escaping Wrath

I just finished reading chapter 47 from the book The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper (each chapter is two pages). The book discusses "fifty reasons why Jesus came to die." I was moved by what I read just now and wanted to share some of my thoughts.

Chapter title: "Christ suffered and died... to rescue us from final judgement."

Most of the time I prefer to consider how Christ influences my life here and now, after all, that is where I am. I understand - and certainly do not take for granted - that He also influences my eternity, and I am humbly and fully grateful for that. Sometimes though I think people beat the "Heaven or Hell?!" evangelical strategy into the ground. Jesus isn't only about what happens after we die, He is also concerned about right now! However, this piece really put a burden on my heart for you to understand exactly what is at stake for eternity regarding your decision about Christ, because this Earth will either be the closest to Heaven or the closest to Hell that you will ever experience. Here on Earth we are not obligated to obey God, but we do have the option - having that option makes a pretty big difference.

Imagine the most hopeless, most tormented, most pain you have ever endured. Even in the middle of the suffering, there is still knowledge that someday you might get through it, you might get over it and find peace and joy again. Or at least now and then some small thing will bring a smile back to your face. That is hopelessness on Earth. It hurts, but there is still hope.

Now imagine those feelings, but instead there is never any escape...no temporary relief, no future relief, no hope. That is Hell, because we are forever separated from God.


"...when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power." 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9


Next, imagine the most peace, most joy, most love you have ever encountered. There may be an occasional down moment that distracts you from your uplifting experience, or you may anticipate a time around the corner where it might slip away, but you quickly return to your cloud. That is peace on Earth. It is wonderful, but we know that it might end.

Now imagine those feelings, but instead there are no interruptions, no distractions, no end to the happiness. That is Heaven, because we are forever in the presence of God.

"God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:3-4

Our lives here on Earth give us glimpses of both Heaven and Hell. I can say that I experience enough hopelessness in this life to know that I want to stay well clear of it for eternity! And I am grateful to God both for the good plans He has for me now, and for the never ending joy He has in store for me!

I urge you to seek more on your own! God promises that we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart! (Jeremiah 29:13)

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.' Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.'" Romans 10:9-13

Source of Strength

This summer has been very challenging for me. There has been a lot of traveling and multiple family medical concerns, among other unexpected circumstances. But I don't believe it is the circumstances that have really been my challenge...I don't feel like I have been adequately plugged into my source of strength. It has felt like an uphill battle just trying to keep my attitude in check, or chasing away fear and worry.

This evening as I was browsing some old emails, I came across the following passage that I wrote several years ago, along with the accompanying scriptures below, and it seems to be very applicable for me right now:

"As I was driving to work this morning I was pondering all the different things I am trying to support these days. They all seem important, some more than others. Work, house, husband, son, parents, sisters, friends, church, and each of those has their own subcategories of projects and responsibilities. Under normal circumstances, this might not sound overwhelming, but as soon as you throw in a few kinks, everything becomes exaggerated and life takes on more momentum than we can handle. It is difficult to maintain the drive to serve them all. When I take the time to slow down just for a minute and refocus, I am reminded that I really only have to serve One, and it is refreshing. Nothing else is more important than my relationship with Christ. If that relationship is healthy and strong, all the other pieces are well taken care of in His hands."

"But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD." 

Joshua 24:15
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Jos&c=24&t... 

"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Matthew 6:24
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Mat&c=6&t=... 

And here is an excerpt from a book I highly recommend called What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn Christenson that is also very applicable (pg 23):

"One day my husband walked out of the sanctuary of our church and encountered our custodian fairly dripping with perspiration. He was a giant of a Christian, but was gradually losing his ability to think and work effectively because of hardening of the arteries. As my husband saw him struggling with the vacuum cleaner he looked down and there lying on the floor was the plug. The dear man had vacuumed the whole auditorium and didn't have the plug in the outlet!

Isn't that what happens to many of us? We work, we pull, we struggle, and we plan until we're utterly exhausted, but we have forgotten to plug into the source of power. And that source of power is prayer - the 'effective fervent prayer' of a righteous person that avails much."

Another verse that has convicted me lately is this:

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=26&t=NLTP&x=14&y=10 

I know that I must dedicate myself day by day, even moment by moment, to putting Christ first in my life. That is the choice I make! I know my problem these past few months is that I have had my eyes on my trials instead of keeping my eyes on my Savior.  I will put my life, my joys and struggles, into the hands of Christ, because He is willing, and able, and He cares for me!