Control

The last stanza of Invictus by William Earnst Hensley (1885) reads:

             It matters not how strait the gate,
            How charged with punishments the scroll,
            I am the master of my fate:
            I am the captain of my soul

Sounds impressive.  Sounds courageous.  Sounds determined.  Sounds like something my younger self would have bought back in the day when I said things like, "Come hail or high-water, I'm going to..."  Yep, I was large and in charge until the realities of life and the truth of Scripture began to sink in.

Things began to happen over which I had little to no control.  From little things like a tire blowing out on a dark and rainy night traveling through a bad part of a large city to big things like the untimely death of my first wife from cancer, not to mention Tandie's courageous battle with the beast.  My plans and my provisions are at best only provisional plans.

The truth of Scripture reflected in the reality of life is, "… you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.'  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that" (Js 4:13-15"

We don't get to choose where or when or to whom we are born, and those things set the pace for our lives.  We don't get to control the environment in which we live or the choices of others who impact our lives so.  We are not in control of the markets or the weather or the geo-political climate in which we live.  We often have a hard time changing our minds, let alone the will of others.

We do have a certain degree of freedom and we are allowed to make a number of choices - choices limited by our mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and/or our financial health.  There are so many factors over which we have limited to zero control that to think we are masters and captains of our outcomes is simply laughable.  

What we are truly in charge of and have freedom in is our response to circumstances and that response will help to propel us along life's pathway.  Responding favorably to the education provided for us in our youth, opens doors of academic opportunities later in life.  Refusing to respond well to the challenges of your occupation can close doors later on. 

And, most importantly, responding to the invitation of Jesus Christ with grateful humility leads to an eternal destiny in heaven.  Responding negatively leads to a different destiny altogether.  We don't simply choose our destiny, we respond to the times and circumstances afforded us, which will determine our future.  "Come unto Me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest" (Mt 11:28).  Our destiny is not self-determined.  It is based on a response to His offer of grace.  Jus' Say'n.

                     

Just

In John 5:30, Jesus said, "My judgment is just..."  Well of course it is, one might say, because he is the divine Son of God.  One might say that, but Jesus did not say that.  He did not say his words were just because he simply couldn't help being right or because his divine nature gave him such an advantage that poor judgment was simply out of the question.

To the contrary, the Bible said that Jesus was "tempted in every way, just as we are" (Heb 4:15), which means he sometimes wanted to do otherwise than he actually did.  There were times when his want to and his did do were at odds.  He wasn't simply a divine being sailing smoothly through this life without struggle, "rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Phil 2:7).

Jesus had to face the challenges and desire of this world just as you and I in order that he could "leave an example that you [and I] should follow" (1 Pet 2:21).  His judgment was not arrived at in a vacuum of divinity but rather was hammered out in the challenges of humanity.  His judgment was just not because he was other than us but because his motivation was other than himself.  Specifically, Jesus said, "My judgment is just for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me" (Jn 5:30).

We see this dynamic in play as Jesus prayed in the garden shortly before going to the cross: "Abba Father...take this cup from me.  Yet, not what I will, but what you will" (Mk 14:36).  His judgment is just because his motivation for making a judgment was advancing the Father's will instead of self-promotion.

This being true, the path for you and I to make just and good judgments is to first set aside our personal desires and to seek out the Father's will.  And, rather than just speculate on what God might want or do, I believe we ought to turn to prayer and the pages of the Bible asking, "What did God say?"

You may feel like retaliation but what did God say?  You may want to take something that doesn't belong to you but what did God say?  You may not want to pay your taxes but what did God say?  Do you see how this works?  Simple huh?  Not necessarily easy because our humanity gets in the way and because we may not be certain of what God actually said about a given instance.  But the path to just judgment is a simple one: Seek out God's will above our own.  Jus' Say'n.

Turning Back

One of the simple truths of college is that there are always more freshman enrollment than there are senior graduations.  Somewhere along the line, many simply turn back from their pursuit.  The turning point?  When things get real.  Right about the time they discover it won't all be fun and games, that there is a need to dig in and do the hard work of research, study and lab work, that there are standards, which must be met - right about there many start looking for an exit door.

While, in truth, more like 25% than the 50% failure we so often hear of marriage failures, there are still far too many who begin marriage with the "happily ever after" mentality that runs into the wall of relationship realities found in the struggle of two becoming one, of monthly bills, of raising children, of housekeeping, yard mowing, and so on that causes them to start trying to pick the lock in wedlock.

The challenges of real world endeavors can have a very chilling effect on the dreams of the initiates who finally get around to facing them.  When I was in the Air Force, during the Viet Nam Era, there were a lot of young men who were being treated in our mental health clinic for what was labeled as "Acute Reaction to Adult Life."  Translation: Life just got real and it did not match up with their fantasy.

When I was at Harding University, a freshman came into Dr Jerry Jone's office to say he was dropping out of college and joining the Marines because he was tired of being told what to do all the time.  I have a suspicion that young man had another reality check when he encountered his DI in basic training.

Christians are not immune, even the early disciple who were traveling with Jesus reached the this turning point: "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him" (Jn 6:66). As Jesus began to talk about the realities of discipleship, disciples started applying the brakes and turn back to whence they came.

You will be tempted as well to turn back from your marriage, your job, your education, your fitness plan, your whatever it is that gets real, even your faith.  Which is why Jesus warns us to "count the cost" (Lk 14:25-33).   Discipleship does get real but so does the turning back.  You need to count the costs and weigh them against the rewards of faith and the penalties of unbelief.  Jus' Say'n.

Being Perfect

One of our favorite excuses for choosing to do the wrong thing or failing to do the right thing is, "Well, nobody's perfect!"  That universal acknowledgement that all of us in fact do, "fall short of the glory of God (standard of perfection)" (Rom 3:23) creates the punchline for one of my favorite quips: "People who think they are perfect are very annoying to those of us who actually are."

Of course, I don't believe I'm perfect, nor does anyone who has even an ounce of true self-reflection: "Anyone who claims to have no sin has deceived himself (otherwise stated "does not know himself very well") (1 Jn 1:8).  That we are not, and this life are not gong to be, perfect is a universally accepted truth.

And yet (hang on, here comes a sharp turn), the Bible issues an imperative, seemingly staking a claim to just the opposite: "Be perfect, therefore as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Mt 5:48).  Really?  Really!  No kidding?  Not even!  But how...?  I know, right?  It does seem 180 from what we are sure to be true and what the Bible teaches elsewhere.  What can this mean?  Glad you asked.

There is a word in the biblical text that we tend to overlook when Matthew 5:48 is read: "therefore."  It is clearly there and we read it but we often do not acknowledge its grammatical weight in the imperative by considering what the "therefore" is there for.  It points to an antecedent that modifies its meaning.

In particular, the "therefore" in Matthew 5:48 points back to the fact that we are called,  like our Father does, to "love your enemies" (v. 44).  That is the modifier in this passage.  We are not expected to be morally perfect but we are expected to rise to the high calling of loving even those who hate and/or mistreat us.  In this we are to aim for the bullseye and keep shooting for it daily.  We are to settle for nothing less.

Is it difficult?  Yes.  Will it take tremendous effort?  Yes.  Can we really rise to that level?  Yes.  We can love people who mistreat us.  Parents, am I right?  Haven't you been mistreated by your children at times and still found it possible to love them?  Ever have a good friend who drew a line in the sand against you but you still found it possible to love them?  Yes, we do have the God-given ability to love people who are in adversarial positions.

We may not be able to live or work with our enemies.  We may not even be able to like our enemies.  But, we can love our enemies and pray for them.  And, in order to be sons and daughters (in the image) of our Father, we need to be perfect (fully functional) in loving as a top priority regardless.  Jus' Say'n.

The Fountain

For thousands of years tales of a fountain of youth have been recounted around the world in writings Herodotus (5th century BC), the Alexander Romance (3rd century AD), the stories of Presser John (11th/12th centuries AD) and even among the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean (16th century AD).  The legend reached a high-water mark when it became attached to Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who was said to have been searching for it in what is now Florida in the 16th century AD.

Today, if you go to the 11 Magnolia Ave, St Augustine, Florida, you will arrive at Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, where you can drink from the legendary fountain.  However, from what I can tell of the grey, white and blue hairs that flock to Florida after retirement, it doesn't work very well.  But hey, give it a shot if you like.  I'm going to pass.

Not to be detoured by a lack of an actual fountain of youth, Americans have turned to the alternatives of spa treatments, tummy tucks, face lifts, elixirs produced in labs and promoted on late night TV - all to turn back a clock that in reality won't even slow down, let alone back up.  As the Bible says, "...people are destined to die..." (Heb 9:27).  Physical death is our destiny, there is no flex here.

However, that doesn't mean there isn't a fountain where life is restored and, in fact, everlastingly so.  As Jesus told the woman at the well, "Whoever drinks the water I hive them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I have them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (Jn 4:14).  There is a fountain but it is not to be found in St Augustine, Florida, but rather inside of you, if you accept the water of life Jesus offers.

This fountain is not found in a physical spring rushing with the water of this world but instead in the spiritual relationship with the living God.  "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (Jn 17:3).  And when we come to know God through faith in Jesus Christ, "as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them" (Jn 7:38).  The fountain of life exist.  Why not drink from it?  Jus' Ask'n.

Snow Day

Here we are on a weekday, sitting before the fire in our pajamas.  No hurries, no worries just relaxing with a cup of coffee and time to ourselves.  How is this possible in our fast-paced, two-income society that a preretirement couple can just take time to simply enjoy a quiet pleasure like this?  Two words: SNOW DAY!!!

That's right.  And, for my California friends, a snow day occurs when the temperature drops below freezing and the rain transforms into this wet, white flaky substance we call snow that makes the roadways slippery and dangerous.  So, people stay home for the day.  Just so you know.

And, since work is taken off the table, we are having a "Three-R Day" of Reading, Relaxing and Round-to-it (getting around to a couple of things we wanted to get to all week long).  Our (child-free, pet-free) home is quiet and peaceful.  We are just lazily approaching a day where we do not plan to step a foot outside.  Wow!  How great is that?

Why is it so great?  Why is doing virtually nothing compared to a normal weekday so great when we Americans clamor for something to do and stay on the go working, playing, shopping, meeting, etc. day after day?  Because we do keep up a breakneck pace while we inwardly seek a little peace and rest but don't have permission.

Our jobs don't let us, of course.  Our kids keep us running.  Our responsibilities drive us.  So many factors are in play but the most important reason is that we have come to believe it is unproductive and down right un-American to simply rest.  We just can't seem to allow ourselves time for true "re-creation."  In fact, we come back from our vacations more tired than when we are at work.

Here's the problem - we've bought into a devilish narrative that denies us rest when, from the beginning, God himself "rested from his work" (Gen 2:2).  And, he instructed us, "For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest" (Ex 31:15).

We were designed needing and have an inward desire for times of rest.  We need times to, as my Dad use to tell me, "cool our jets."  This American ideal of constant movement is not truly productive.  It is , in fact, counter-productive as it denies us the need of regeneration or recreation - a time of rest to repair the wear and tear of activity.  Our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health requires times like this.

Thank God for snow days but perhaps it would be better if we glorified God by making time for Sabbath rest on a regular basis.  Jus' Say'n.

Peace

In John 14:27, Jesus said, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  So, how does this work?  How is the peace Jesus offers differ from the world's?

Peace in the world means to be free of strife.  The struggle is over, the conflict is resolved, the tension is dissipated.  Peace, from a worldly perspective, has to do with activity.  It means that which wears on the flesh and troubles the heart is resolved.  There is nothing to fear for there is no longer any threat or battle ongoing.

Jesus, on the other hand, does not promise a life free of struggle, conflict or tension.  Quite the opposite, His Word insures that "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim 3:12).  Obviously then, the peace Jesus leaves with us does not have to do with what is going on around us or even to us, it has to do with what is going on within us.

When Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be trouble, trust in God and trust also in me" (Jn 14:1), two things are affirmed: 1) There would be things happening to trouble us and 2) there would be power for internal peace in the midst of the trouble.  We would have trouble but God would be there along side of us.  That is His peace, a peace that exists smack dab in middle of trouble.

The basis of His Peace is not the absence of the struggle but the presence of the Savior.  As written in the Book of Hebrews, "So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid" (13:6).  While the storms of life may rage around us, the Spirit of Christ resides within us affording us "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding" (Phil 4:7).  Jus' Say'n.

Community

"In the beginning there was the Word and the Word was with God..." (Jn 1:1).  "And God said, 'Let us make man in our image'"(Gen 1:26).  What is clear from these passages is that the One God exists in community.  And when he made man, "in his image," he said, "it is not good for man to be alone" (Gen 2:18).  Man too was to exist in community - we are designed for it.

Mankind has always existed in communities, only community hasn't always looked the same.  In America, our communities began in very rural settings, revolving around the family farm where children were born and tended to stay with the land.  Multiple generations could be found on one property, even in one house (kind of like the old TV series "The Waltons").

As the Industrial Revolution took hold, people moved into cities and their neighborhoods became their communities.  The shopped in the local store, kids went to the same school and families attended the same church.  Houses were designed with front porches close to the street, where neighbor's could stop by and chat in the cool of the evening.  Fences were built low to allow neighbors to talk as they worked in the back yard.  Neighbor's knew each other intimately.

Today, houses are built back from the street and the front porch has given way to the back deck, where people sit behind tall fences, built to insulate them from their neighbors.  We live in a time where we can walk into our garage, pull out in the morning and pull back in after work without ever having to see or talk to our neighbors.  People today are hard pressed to even name their neighbors, let alone have intimate knowledge of them.

Community today has moved to the market place, to where we work.  There we form friendships, there we have intimate knowledge of one another, there we share a portion of our lives.  For children, it is primarily in their schools, their market place.  Christians find community in the Church.  There they have friends they can depend on and call on in times of need.  And, they have close friends who they spend time with outside the four walls of the church building.

We have another community for many, which exists in cyberspace,  Face Book is the new town square and many spend hours daily communicating with "friends," many of whom they never actually see.  Some of those relationships develop to physical time and space, and some even get married to their cyber-friend, in real time and space.  It's a brave new world Ollie.

What this means to those interested in sharing their faith is that their neighborhood is no longer the most fertile field.  You are more likely to have the kind of relationship that allows for such an intimate talk as faith away from where you actually live.  Where you work, go to school or even do business offer much more opportunity than the subdivision where you live.

In the modern community, we still can follow the ancient command, "Go into all the world and teach everyone" (Mk 16:15).  I like to paraphrase this verse: "As you are going, wherever you are going, share your faith along the way."  Times have changed, community has changed but our need to exist in and share in community have not.  Jus' Say'n.

Theology By Circumstance

When something bad happens in our lives, it is common for people to ask, "Why me, God?  What did I do to deserve this?"  We wonder what terrible thing could we be guilty of to be punished in such a manner as this.  Not as common are those who ask, "Why am I so blessed?"  People are more likely to assume they should be blessed, but some have the humility to think they are not worthy.  In either case, they are stepping into muddy waters indeed.

When we start basing our theology (understanding of God) by our circumstances, we put ourselves in the position of judging both God's involvement and his intentions.  And, we are not in a position to judge either for “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa 55:9).

Jesus' early followers failed at this point as well: "His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind" (Jn 9:2)?  They were trying to work out their theology by circumstance but they were completely off base. "Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (v. 3).

Jesus corrected their thinking but still did not tell them how or why or what God had in mind specifically.  In turn, we can know that "in all things God works to the good of those that love the Lord" (Rom  8:28) but that doesn't mean we will understand precisely the what or how or why.

The point is, rather than attempt to work out your theology in conjunction with your circumstances, we ought to work through our circumstances in conjunction with our theology.  In other words: "Live by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7).  Rest in God's promises instead of wrest with your circumstances.

The theology of God is found in His Word not in our circumstances.  We live in a fallen world of death and decay from which God has offered redemption of the highest cost and quality: "For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn 3:16).  That is the theology of God - he loves you!  Jus' Say'n.

Yes or No

Turning away from Christianity, for so many people, is based on the presence of hypocrites in the church.  They see and know Christians who claim to be Christ Follwers but live like the devil.  They watch them head off to church on Sunday morning after seeing them in a bar Saturday night.  They hear them talk about grace but experience their judgmental spirit.  They listen to them talk about the fullness of life but see their empty personal lives.

The "done with church" are convinced there are hypocrites in the church - Christians by name only who say one thing and do another.  And, they are right; there are hypocrites in the church.  There are also hypocrites in hospitals - doctors and nurses that aren't really there for the patient's greatest good but simply for a paycheck.  But do you refuse to go to a hospital just because they are there?  Not!

Why?  You keep going to medical clinics, emergency rooms and hospitals because you believe, despite the hypocrites on staff, there is healing there, there is recovery there, there is help there.  The same is true of the church.  Despite the hypocrites in attendance, if the words of Jesus are taught there, then healing and help and hope is there.

Resident hypocrites are not a good reason for staying away from the church.  The reason for gathering with Christians or not ought to be based on whether you can accept this claim: "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6).  That statement is either true or it is false, he is either the only way or not the way, he is either the truth or not true, he is the life or not life at all.

Basically, Jesus is either Lord, Lunatic or Liar.  He either is the Son of God or he is not.  Is he or is he not - Yes or No?  If he is the Son of God, then we gather with other believers, despite the hypocrites in attendance, in order to hear his words proclaimed, to worship with other believers, to fellowship with other Jesus Followers.  The question isn't about hypocrites in the church, they are there wherever you go, the question is: Do I believe Jesus is who he claims to be - yes or no?  Jus' Say'n.

Fear? Afraid not!

IRF (Islamic Radical Fundamentalists), I just made that up to add another acronym to the pile used to describe these nut jobs. And IRF sounds a lot like IRS, another radical terrorist group seeking to destroy Americans (sorry, couldn't resist).

Back on track, IRF works a bit like the devil, who "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (I pet 5:8).  A lion doesn't announce himself to his prey until he is ready to strike.   He crouches in the tall grass, inching up toward his target, pounces and roars as he strikes.

If we suddenly lions were on the prowl in your neck of the woods, you would likely put off that walk in the woods, your morning jog might be moved indoors and that picnic in the park might be parked. You might well begin to live in fear. That is what the terriosts want as a part of our ultimate demise - fear first, destruction to follow.

But here's the deal, as children of God, we are indestructible. Oh, they can kill us but they cannot destroy us for this world is not our home, we were only passing through anyway. As Jesus said, “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more" (Lk 12:4).

We do not need to be afraid of anything, least of all these SS (Satan's Soldiers) troops who can do no more than push us to the head of the line going home. In this world, we may lose our lives, lose our jobs, lose our retirement, lose our friends but we need not fear "because fear has to do with punishment" 1 Jn 4:18b) whereas, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear" (1Jn 4:18a).

When we trust in a loving God, who is "able to save completely" (Heb 7:25), is there any reason to fear?  Afraid not!  Jus' Say'n!

State of The Union

"The state of the Union is strong!"  At least according to our President.  But when I look at the disunity of our society, it is hard to imagine how our Union could be strong.  The "melting pot" of American Unity seems clearly to have been replaced with separate bowls of Black Americans, Latio Americans, Asian Americans, White Amerians, et. al., each with their disparate expectations and ideologies.  It seems more true to say that the state of the disunity is strong and the division seems to be growing stronger.

Lest we as Christians feel too smug, the state of our union fares no better.  It could be easily argued that it is far worse.  Paul left Titus in Crete to "put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town" (Titus 1:5), not to establish dozens of competing churches.  The intent was to have one church, under one eldership, meeting in multiple homes in each city.

Long before the end of the first century, however, the union began to break down as Christians began to clamor, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ" (1 Cor 1:12).  Over the centuries, this division has resulted in thousands of different Christian groups, each certain the alone have the "real" truth.

Today, while there is some efforts made to reach across denominational lines, the distrust and the disunity continue as evidenced by the fact that a city like Hot Springs, AR of less than 40,000 can have more than 150 churches at a time when nearly 75% of the citizens don't even attend church.  Of course, the disunity may help to explain why so many don't.

Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (Jn 13:35).  Wouldn't it stand true that they will equally know we are not Christians if we don't love each other?  While we tend to think that disunity is a product of a lack of knowledge - "If only they could see the truth like we do..."

But, I believe that the disunity and the disfavor of the church is due to a lack of love, for "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:2).  Yeah, it's like that.  Jus' Say'n.

Before Winter

As I was coming to the end of my reading from 2 Timothy this morning, I came to a rather simple request that would seem to be of little theological significance: "Do your best to get here before winter" (4:21).  However, when you consider the back drop, it carries great meaning.

Paul was in prison as he penned this letter (cf. "my chains" 1:16) and he desperately needed two things before winter: "his cloak and his scrolls" (4:13).  And, if Timothy did not get there before winter, the shipping lanes would close and no passage possible until spring.  Surviving the long, cold winter in prison without his cloak for bodily warmth and his scrolls for spiritual energy would be difficult indeed.  There was no guarantee Paul would be alive by spring.

The point being made is Paul was asking Timothy to come before it was too late: Come before winter.  This is similar to Jesus' imperative in John 9:4, "Night is coming when no man can work."  There is a deadline for everything, a time expiration under which we must operate, which, when missed, it is simply too late.

Preparing you children for life must be accomplished while they are young and still mailable.  Preparing for an adequate retirement must begin long before retirement does.  You have to buy life insurance before you need it just as you must pack your parachute before the plane starts falling from the sky.  You must fix the roof before the storm comes.  You must fortify your faith before the worst of life hits you.  You must come to Jesus before he comes for you.  You must do your best to come before winter. Jus' Say'n.

Faith Sight

Although attributed to the Russian Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, the quote, "I looked and looked and looked but I didn't see God," apparently originated in a speech by Nikita Khrushchev at the plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU in which he said in support of the state's anti-religion campaign, "Gagarin flew into space, but didn't see any god there."  Actually, Gagarin himself was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Can you believe a politician would lie and the media would support the ideology instead of investigating thoroughly and accurately reporting what happened?  That could never happen in America, could it?  Ah, well, I digress.

Whether it was Nikita or Yuri who made the statement, whatever the precise words might have been, the truth is that if Yuri's eyes were truly open, he would have seen God in every mile of the journey around the moon: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Ps 19:1).

How so?  In the same way love is seen in a woman preparing a special meal for her husband or a man taking his wife's down to fill it with gas for her or a child picking wild flowers for his mom.  Love is one of those things we are certain of without ever actually seeing it, much like faith: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Heb 11:1).

We see the evidence of love in what others say and especially what they do, and we feel Love's presence, but we never actually see love.  We can know God is by what he says and does, and we can feel his presence.  The awesome expanse of wonderfully synchronized universe down to the incredible design of the human eye proclaim the power and presence of a Great Designer and Conductor of the cosmos.  His written Word, handed down from the apostles is a letter written to His children proclaiming his great love for us.

And, for those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, thereby filled with His Spirit, we have felt His presence and have witnessed the personal change in our lives.  No, we cannot see God with the eyes of the flesh but the spirit within has a faith sight that most assuredly can see God in this world yesterday, today and tomorrow. Jus' Say'n.

Surprises

Life is filled with surprises.  People will say and do things to you that you never expected - both good and bad.  A career change becomes necessary just when you felt you were settled into your current path.  Your CPA tells you that a nice tax return is due when you had braced for a tax due report.  An unwelcome medical test result comes back when you thought you for sure you were in the clear.  You are offered a job you always dreamed of but never thought you had a chance of securing.

Whether welcome or dreaded, the surprise is coming.  And, it may come at just the right time or the worst possible moment.  What you can absolutely count on is that it is coming.  Something else you can count on is that God will be there when the surprise comes, only He won't be surprised.  He won't be taken back, He won't be unprepared and He won't be unable to deal with it,   Unbounded by time, God is already there.  Unlimited in power, He is able to channel the surprise to your greatest good.

Paul assures us, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom 8:28).  This promise is the basis for him saying, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation (Phil 4:12), a secret revealed isn't the following verse, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength" (v. 13).

Surprises, good or bad, can throw us off..  The stress level of having too much or too little isn't much different. Losing a job or winning a lottery can both bring a family to ruin.  It is particularly the surprise that makes the difference, it is the readiness.  And, if one has a firm faith in God's power to prepare, provide and protect, he will have the readiness to not only accept but to be content in any and every circumstance, knowing God is near.

I'm not saying we ought not be concerned with or make preparations for the future.  What I am saying is that we ought not live in fear of it.  Rather, we ought to live in expectation of God's goodness and his greatness regardless of the circumstances in which we are surrounded.  Life will have surprises, but God is more than surprising, God is Sovereign.  Jus' Say'n.

Your Hope

Reading from 1 Peter this morning, I came across the familiar passage, which instructs us to "be prepared to give a reason to anyone who asks for the hope that is within you" (3:15).  I have long followed that path for sharing my faith, for people who are asking tend to be listening.  However, it is important to note that sharing your hope is not all the passage asks of us - there is more to this passage.

Let's look at it in its entirety: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (3:15).  Do you see the other two components that serve as bookends to sharing our hope?

First, it is essential in sharing our hope that hope has the sure foundation in which our "hearts revere Christ as Lord."  Just hoping to be saved or being careful to do religious stuff is not a solid foundation for true hope, holding Christ supreme in our heart is.  Our hope is built on our commitment to Christ, whose grace redeems us, not on our personal performance or goodness.

Secondly, hope that is founded in grace must be shared in a grace-filled way, not in an arrogant or hostile way.  Rather than "pinning someone's ears to the wall," we must share "with gentleness and respect."  We cannot share a hope in Christ that is devoid of the Spirit of Christ, who is love incarnate.

So, be prepared to give the reason for the hope within you based on your commitment to Christ with the gentle and respectful Spirit of Christ within you.  Jus' Say'n.

It's Back

My wife's cancer is back.  It's back in the upper part of the lower right lobe.  So what do we do?  We keep on living.  We do not let cancer define us.  We do not live in fear.  For while the cancer is back, God has never left.  Just as He promised, "I will never leave you as orphans" (Jn 14:18), He never has.

When the cancer was first discovered, the prognosis was not good: 26% chance of living 2 years.  We hoped against hope for 5 years, asking God to bless us so.  In May, we celebrate our 5th anniversary.  God is bringing us to the fulfillment of that dream, and I believe more.

The return of the cancer is not welcomed.  As Tandie put it to her doctor, "I'm too busy for this.  This is a very inconvenient time."  She is pursuing a dream of completing a degree in accounting and has been working for UALR tutoring other students.  She has been asked to head up their Ted Talks program.  She has too much on her plate to be served up another dish of cancer.

However, the cancer is on her plate and it must be digested.  But, it does not need to be the whole meal.  She intends to pursue her dream and I intend to support her as she continues to knock her GPA out of the park all the way to her walking across the stage in cap and gown.

Do we know we have that much time?  No, for we "do not know what will happen tomorrow" (Js 4:14).  But we do know that we have today, and while it is today, we intend to serve God, love each other, minister to those in need and enjoy life to the full as God intends (cf. Jn 10:10).

We're not fearless, giants of faith.  We have shed tears and we have concerns but we do trust in God and we want to live in the shadow of the cross, not in the shadow of doubt and fear.  God is with us and we will be OK regardless of what the future has in store.  And, by the way, we don't live in the future, we live today.  And today we are doing well.

So while the cancer is back, it is not in the driver's seat, God is  and He is giving us opportunity to continue living life today and having hope for tomorrow.  We do have to make some adjustments and Tandie will have to get reacquainted with her doctors, but we choose life not death while it is today.  Tomorrow, for all of us is uncertain, but today we know we are living in God's care.  Jus' Say'n.

Finally

Reading through the Book of. Philippians this morning, I came to a word that got my attention in a way that caused me to pause and take a closer look.  The word was "finally" (4:8).  Finally is one of those words that suggests coming to the point of things, it is a word that is meant to tie together or put the capstone on whatever has be said previously.  It is a word that should cause us to take stock.

In a book beginning with the premise that "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion' (1:6), a final note is rung signaling how the completion of that work would be accomplished: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things" (4:8).

The key is to look for the good and focus on those things are are noble and pure and right.  While the bad cannot be ignored, it must be faced squarely and dealt with, the good is to be our focus.  Identifying the rock in your shoe and getting it out is important, but don't keep on thinking about the rock, focus on the purpose of the journey and the good along the way.

In our personal lives, in our corporate lives, in our community lives, we will have to face and deal with difficult and unsavory things.  But, we cannot allow those things to define who we are or what God has called us to.  There is so much good, so much beauty, so much to be embraced along the way.  And, it is in finding and focusing on the good that gives life meaning, allowing the good work began in each of us to be completed.

This principle of finding the good upon which to focus was presented by Jesus in the Sermon On The Mount when he said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt 6:22-23).

At the end of the day, it is finding and embracing the good that matters.  Identify the bad, face it squarely and deal with it, but do not let your focus be there or you will be consumed.  Instead, go on to find the good and focus there, giving life to the good you have found: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you" (Phil 4:9).  Jus' Say'n.

Wholesome Talk

Wholesome is not a word you hear much anymore apart from advertisers trying to hawk a particular item of food: "Try our sugar-coated chocolate bits with marshmallows fortified with wholesome vitamins" or "complete your breakfast of our zero-food value product with the wholesome goodness of milk (which has had all the enzymes processed out by pasteurization).

Wholesome is injected into the marketing strategy to get us to believe that their processed, nutrient free but tasty product is actually good for us because they have added laboratory-created vitamins or poured milk over it.  And, sometimes the sugar-coated concoction is actually more nutritious that the cardboard box it comes in - but not often.

Before the sexual revolution, wholesome used to be a word used to describe how one should live.  As a people we aspired to have wholesome values, a wholesome lifestyle and wholesome thoughts.  In today's world of gender-blending, homogenous marriages, pornography and casual sexuality; to speak of a wholesome lifestyle is to be prejudiced and bigoted.  It is not politically correct to regard one life choice as wholesome compared to others.  Therefore, wholesomeness becomes lost as a lifestyle concept.

Would you be surprised to hear that I disagree with societal morays?  Would you be surprised to hear me say that wholesome is still a valid concept, that it is the path to being made whole?  A path, by the way, that is established by our Maker and not subject to the whims of mankind?

This is the true nature of wholesome: That which contributes to the wholeness of individuals and societies.  I read through the Book of Ephesians this morning and was struck again by these Spirit-filled words of Paul, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (4:29).

Our words, like our deeds, will either work toward building up or tearing down.  We will either aide in the wholeness of another or we will help to cause a fracturing of their spirit.  Kind words, caring words, honest words, healing words, God-honoring words - these are the wholesome words we are to offer to individuals and inject into our cultural conversation.

You know how we tell children who are grunting or whining to "use your words?"  Well, the Bible tells us to use our words also, to intentionally use words that are beneficial and work toward blessing others: Wholesome.  So tell me, what's the good word you're sharing, or are you?  Jus' Ask'n.