The same or different?

Do you ever feel like the only thing that remains constant in your life is change? You are probably not alone in this impression because change is all around us. We are expected to change sometimes at the drop of a hat, while other change is gradual and kind of creeps up on us without us really noticing the change has been occurring. Change comes in all shapes and sizes - ranging from crazy, radical change to the subtle changes of age. Change is merely the process of making something that was one way to no longer have the same form. I have to ask a question here - if that 'something' was left alone, would it truly not change? Even things 'left alone' in life will change over time. There will always be influencing factors that lead to change of some sort - maybe not immediately perceptible to the naked eye, but there has been change nonetheless. What would the content of our life be like if Jesus was not an active part of the change we experience in our life? What would the course of our life include if we were 'left alone' to be influenced only by our own desires and actions?

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. (Philippians 3:12-14)

The form of our lives - that which manifests what we are, what we hold to be true, and what we count as important in life - it would definitely change. If there is anything that brings quality to our life, creates a good attitude in our minds, or involves us in activities that are honoring and upright, we receive that from God through Jesus. The "form" of our lives is directly impacted by the one we embrace - just as a "mold" gives a certain structure to the content of that which is placed within it - so Jesus gives us content that differs from what was previously occupying that 'mold' of our lives. If we embrace Christ, the change we experience to our "form" is that of being made into his image - we become the manifestation of who he is.

The nature of our lives - the combination of all the qualities that belong to a person that are revealed in the tendencies we exhibit in the conduct of our lives - it would change because Christ adds new qualities that are not really part of our sinful nature (like the quality of grace). We often refer to our "nature" as our temperament - our disposition to certain things in life - the way we act or respond. Many times, we might find that our temperament is defined by our nurturing - if nurtured well, we tend to conduct our lives with a reasonable sense of good judgment; if nurtured poorly, we might not develop the same sense of responsible conduct. Jesus can take the sum total of our nurture (how we have been raised and what has influenced us most in life) and our nature (our internal make-up including our talents, skills, and tendencies) and transform them into that which consistently produces conduct that is fitting of a child of God. Without that transformation, we often struggle with the temperament we have formed over the years.

The content of our lives - content gives us significance - it fills us up and gives us something we can share with others that they will actually desire. When we feel we have little to offer in a situation, we feel "insignificant" - we see ourselves as lacking what will lend to the situation at hand, therefore we see our contribution as "worthless". The content of our lives is made up of what we have experienced, how we have interpreted those experiences, what we have learned, and what we have "unlearned". That said, if we have allowed "content" that is not quite "right" or truthful into our lives, we have probably established patterns of behavior that keep us feeling like we are insignificant. One thing I want us to understand - in Christ, we are made new - there is a 'significance' poured into our lives, but there is also an awareness of the extreme significance of our lives because it is a life Christ values. The old content is replaced with new - we take on Christ, and we put off the old patterns of behavior, the old patterns of thought, the old failures of our past. 

 
The future course of our lives is not always clear to us when we are constantly in a state of flux or change - when we asked Christ into our lives, we opened the door for change. We actually invited change to occur - not once, but consistently - it is a process of movement, not immobility. We asked for the influences of our past to be diminished, and the influences of our present to be affected deeply by the hope that we find in Christ alone. We invited the Holy Spirit into permanent residence within us - to direct the future course of our lives. Paul reminds us that he is fully aware of his imperfections  - he doesn't have it all together. He recognizes that his past had many things that needed to be changed - but he could not change the past, he could only allow his future to be changed. We get all wigged out by our past - because it influences our present form, nature, and even the content of life. BUT...the past is DONE. We now must look toward the future. That is where change really takes hold. Transformation is a work of the present and the future - not the past. Press toward that which will make you whole - don't hold onto that which will diminish you any further. Just sayin!

Is that a little 'grace-bud' I see?

God's sacrifice of his one and only begotten Son did not give us immediate perfection in the sense that we suddenly begin to act and think differently as we say "yes" to him - but it is a beginning point whereby our actions are molded into those that reflect the "grace work" he began by his atoning sacrifice. Growth is incremental - the changing of how we think about our sin is a step-by-step process.  We embrace grace, step into his love, and allow him to show us that forgiveness.  He does the rest.  Isn't it time that we begin to view our sins the way God does?  Once on the alter, they are done away with!  

If you sin without knowing what you’re doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you’re doing, that’s a different story entirely. Merely hearing God’s law is a waste of your time if you don’t do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God. (Romans 2:12-13 MSG)

Sometimes we just don't do right and we know it almost instantly. At other times, we don't do right and we really don't realize we have done anything wrong - until we see the consequences of our actions begin to bear fruit! There are all kinds of sins, but one thing is for certain - there is only one way to deal with whatever those sins are! That way? Christ and Christ alone. The grace God gives is not 'interchangeable' with any other religious experience. The forgiveness of sins is not found in any amount of religious 'work'. Grace is a gift found nowhere other than at the foot of the cross - at the altar of atonement. 

It is a waste of our time, and God's, for us to merely hear his word and then choose to just ignore it. It is equally wasteful to receive his gift of grace and then just go about doing whatever it is we want to do because we are counting on that 'grace gift' to just undo all we do wrong. The gift of grace isn't given so we can keep on sinning. On the contrary - it is given so we can learn how to move away from sin and into right-living (righteousness). Grace isn't a 'thing' - it is a way of living, acting, responding, choosing, and even just 'being'.

At the altar of grace, our sins are dealt with (once and for all). Yet, we can still make wrong choices, right? As long as we are breathing in and out, there will be the opportunity to choose right and wrong. Grace offers us new choices - but we still do the choosing. We determine to walk into grace, or we choose to walk away from it time after time again. Grace is what helps us to 'adjust' our focus and undermine those wrong choices we are making in life. Grace is equally what pulls us back to the altar each time we slip and fall.

While we may not 'feel' grace-filled, and made new, the fact remains we are indeed both of these things. Why? Where Christ makes his dwelling, there can be no denying his presence fills that space with grace. Where grace abounds, new growth is possible. I observed a small plant springing forth in one of my beds the other day. I was weeding and almost plucked that thing up. Then it dawned on my that those leaves looked just a little bit like a squash plant. So, I determined to extend a little 'grace' to the plant to see what comes of it. It remains with an opportunity for growth because grace was extended. 

In our lives, there are times God sees that budding of new growth and then extends just a little more grace to help that growth reveal itself fully. What appears to be 'grace-buds' of new growth are given the 'extended grace' so that there begins to be a revelation of what will come of that 'bud' of new life given to us. Grace is all about the 'budding' of new life. It is the replacing of something old and not so good with something new, but not always fully developed yet. The development comes in time - time at the altar and time at his feet. Just sayin!

Here, God? There, God? Where, God?

I will the first to admit that I don't always heed the revelation I have at my disposal. I know the benefits of following some course of action, but choose something completely different. I don't always see the results I wanted, though. That change in plans didn't get the same results because it wasn't the best course of action for me to take in the first place. We all want to know what comes next in life, don't we? We'd rather have 'more information' at the start of a matter because if we were totally aware of the outcome ahead of time, we'd just launch right in. Sometimes we only get hints of what is to come - not an entire disclosure! When we only get hints, we are required to operate in some element of faith by taking that course. This is where we struggle - faith isn't our strongest course of action, but it is the necessary one!

If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. (Proverbs 29:18 MSG)

Revelation provides that something once otherwise or previously hidden from our perception becomes known - if even in the smallest way. It is common to say that we don't know what God is doing, but that we will just trust him with the outcome. While this sentiment is certainly commendable, we fail to admit just how much we are struggling with "not knowing" what God is doing and we are operating more on sentiment than on faith! We find ourselves stumbling around in the dark and hoping that we are going to come into a place of light sometime soon - maybe, just maybe, we will get a little more of the 'revelation pie' if we just head out in the direction ahead of us. This is not the way God wants to have us proceeding through life. He wants to give us opportunities for disclosure - times when he brings us into the knowledge of what he is about to do.

God brings revelation during times of specific communion - times of communication. For communication to be effective, it must be two-way. Much of our communication with God is simply one-way....we pray and expect him to listen, answer, and reveal - forgetting that God is looking for the opportunity to speak into our lives, as well. There are times when God may be asking us to do the listening, giving him an answer, and revealing to him things we are struggling with or trying to deal with in our own effort or power. God's hope is that true communication will occur - genuine exchange of the 'two-way' type. There is something powerful in "good" communication - it cements relationship, building strong foundations. When we are brought to a place where vision is created, there is an internal igniting of passion to pursue what we are now beginning to see just a little more clearly. A good leader will first create the vision around what he is desiring to accomplish, then will assist those around him to lay hold of that vision, its possibilities, and its challenges. Together, they tackle the challenges - through the innovation of the whole, there is an ability to overcome what challenges the one. I think we could all agree that God is a pretty awesome leader - if we'd just allow him to lead!

Without revelation (disclosure, communication, and inspiration), there is nothing to restrain us from taking one course of action over another. We are aimless and aimless people accomplish absolutely random things. There is no order to what is created - it is up to chance. Good may come out of this type of random effort, but it is certainly not as good as if we understood what we were doing, its purpose, and how it fits into a bigger plan. Attending to what God discloses is the key to purposeful action and movement in life. Our challenges are nothing to God! The storms of life are of little concern to him because he controls them all! Where there is revelation, there is the ability to navigate safely - nothing really offers immovable barriers when we are walking with God. God isn't asking for us to just pick through life's challenges a little step here or there, but dance through them - on his arm! Have you stopped long enough today to seek some revelation (disclosure, communication, and inspiration) from the one who knows where the next step you take really should be? Just askin!

Now, that's the 'real deal'

Today you will hear someone exclaim - that's the real deal - referring to something that is genuine, not fake, the real thing. Back in the day, Coca-Cola used "real-thing" to describe their soda. They were trying to establish that their 'cola' was the genuine cola - none comparing to the taste you'd find in opening a bottle of Coca-Cola. Let me just say, there is ONE "real deal" in this lifetime - it is Jesus. He is the "real thing" - the genuine article. He is not just another "thing" to be worshiped, but the only way into true and everlasting life - the 'real-deal' that connects us to God the Father. Try as some might, there is no 'counterfeit religion' that will do the same thing!

The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering life he brings into Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn't even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn't want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten. (John 1:9-13)

It is Jesus who brings us into light. Let me acknowledge that no one who has truly experienced light wants to willingly settle for darkness - there is something liberating about the light. Darkness has very little appeal after we have experienced the wonder of all light exposes - color, hue, form, etc. It is important to note that we don't somehow get into the light ourselves - he brings us into the light. The challenge of being blind is that we must trust another to guide us in our darkness - mom takes my arm in order to navigate a place she is uncertain about. A blind person must learn to place their faith in another - coming into step with the one who is "in the light" in order to move through the darkness. So it is with us - we need to trust in the one capable of bringing us into light - coming into step with him.

The world did not even notice him while he was here among them. It amazes me that the creator of the world, the one who sustains everything in this world, was actually in the world, right there living and breathing alongside human beings, and our fellow humans failed to notice him. Each of us has had a point when what has previously been a lack of focus for us suddenly comes into view and we wonder how long that object or solution has been right there in front of us. Most of our "revelation" of Christ in our lives is really just a discovery of what is already there. We just didn't notice it before - either because we were too busy, self-focused, or distracted.

If anyone wanted him, he made them comfortable to be their true selves around him. At best, we walk around trying to be what we think we should be. We have an "image" of what we want to achieve, how we want to be perceived by others, or what we present as the goals of our lives - something we put forward for all to see. No one knows us better than the one who created us. The 'real deal' himself is well-acquainted with the 'real deal' in us.  When take our car to the dealership, telling them it is making a certain noise, they are likely to know very well what to consider as the cause of that noise. Why? They made it!  Others mechanics not associated with the dealership may be "trained" to look for certain things - but at best, they can "guess" at the cause - they aren't as acquainted with the 'real deal' as the ones who actually make and sell those automobiles. The one who made the automobile "knows" - because he is the one that formed every part, placed every part into its particular use, etc. Jesus is the one who knows how we were formed - and he knows the purpose for each one of us. 

We are "God-begotten" - sure, we were all born the typical way - a sperm made its way into an egg and conception occurred. Most of us were born from a mother's womb, but today this 'connection process' between egg and sperm can occur in a test-tube in a laboratory. The fact still remains, the sperm and egg must come together and then the action of physical life begins - the 'real-deal' begins to take form. In a spiritual sense, the same must occur. The Spirit of God enters into our spirit, and spiritual life begins. We sometimes refer to this as the "new birth" experience. The "replication" of Christ's character begins to take place - until we are completely formed into his image, reflective of his character.

We become the "real deal" because we are inhabited by the "real deal"! What we once overlooked has become our very existence - every moment, every breath, every step. The absolutely amazing thing about this process of the "new birth" experience is that we come into a place where we are free to be exactly who we were created to be - our unique qualities on display for God's glory and at the ready for his use - the 'real-deal' is revealed. Just being real here!

He can't back that up!

I used to watch those old swash-buckler movies where they would sword fight. The musketeers would banish all the bad scoundrels from the land and people would celebrate from being under some oppressor. There are lots of oppressive forces just seeking to keep us under their rule or domain. We are warned to be on guard against those forces. To be on guard signifies the alertness of spirit and mind that immediately recognizes anything that is not truth and rejects it as such. We are surrounded on all sides by that which is untrue - there may be elements of truth, but at the core, that which presents itself as light may not always be light! Satan is a real enemy - but he is limited in his power over the child of God. He may be the tempter, the deceiver, and the accuser of man, but his power is limited by the fact that each child of God is protected by God himself.

We know that none of the God-begotten makes a practice of sin—fatal sin. The God-begotten are also the God-protected. The Evil One can't lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God; it's only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God's Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles. (I John 5:18-21)

As the tempter of the brethren, Satan works overtime to provide ample distractions that are designed to stimulate desires within us that will get us entwined in activities and pursuits that are not the best for us. Our heart has a way of betraying us - it exposes our real desires and areas where our determination to serve Jesus with obedience is less than fully committed to his authority. As the enemy of our soul sees those weak areas, he uses them for his advantage - to attempt to get us to love those things that are both outside of God's priorities for our life and outside of those things that bring honor to him. Seduction is simply being led away - there is something in front of us that appeals to that which is really at the heart of our being.

Satan is the number one authority on rebellion - but he does not have the market cornered! He has a lot of company in that "rebellious" ring! Every time we choose our own way, we are really choosing who will be in authority in our lives. That is the nature of rebellion - WE want authority! One thing to keep in mind - authority without the power or ability to back it up is really no authority at all. Satan is really without authority when it comes to the child of God. That is because his power has been destroyed by the cross. Sin is, and always has been, a question of which particular authority we will listen to - Self, Satan, or God. Whenever we choose any other authority than God, we are asking that flawed authority to back up that authority with some form of power. 

The power of Satan is limited by the hand of God. The power of self-desire is limited by the investment we make into elevating self over any other authority in our lives. At best, that "limiting" will-power or self-effort we have over self-desire is minimal. We need a more powerful authority in our lives - therefore, we need God's authority to rule. Satan works to deceive us. I think this is his greatest weapon in his arsenal. He has many lies. Have you ever noticed how effective he is in the use of those lies? He brings the exact lie that fits the exact circumstance or choice we find ourselves in. We are presented with three choices at every moment of decision in life - Satan only wants us to embrace the choices that don't align us with God's authority or power. We can choose to believe Satan's lie, our own self-deceiving desires that are not placed under God's authority, or the reliable authority of God. There is only one authority that is truly backed with the power to accomplish anything of value - God's.

As Satan came before God in heaven one day, God asked him what he'd been up to. Satan's immediate response was that he'd been out, going to and fro throughout the earth, taking in all the activities of man. God's next question may confuse you a little - he asks Satan if he'd considered the activities of one of his children, Job. Now, I don't know how that makes you feel - but for some, we'd wonder if God actually loved Job! In our minds, we'd think, "If you really loved Job, you'd never want Satan to consider him for one moment!" The question is telling in that Job immediately answers, "Yes, I have!" When you understand that Satan is not concerned with the activities of those that don't serve God, but that he is intently aware of the activities of those that do, you understand God's question! He knows Satan wants nothing more than to deceive, tempt and try his hardest to get Job to compromise his loyalty to God!

At best, Satan is nothing more than our accuser, one who attempts to bring deception, and the opportunities to tempt us into sin. At every opportunity, he is "considering" our actions - hoping to present us with one opportunity that will drive a wedge in between us and God. Little does he know that his authority has no backing! His power has been broken - we are "God-protected" beings! As such, we need fear no evil. No temptation presents itself without a way of escape. No deception is offered without the opposing truth of the Word to contradict its lies. At best, Satan offers "clever facsimiles" of the truth - we have the "original" to counter his facsimile! There is comfort and security in knowing that we have no need to fear one who possesses no power! We will do well to remember the truth that all of Satan's power is bound by the hand of God. He may tempt, bring accusation and offer deceiving alternatives to every truth we embrace from God, but his power is really not there to back up his efforts to dissuade the soul committed to the purposes of God! Just sayin!

What? Go Where? Now?

Ever feel like a stranger some place you are not all that familiar with? I know when I travel to another state, the highways and even how the streets are laid out are different from the ones around home, so I feel a little like a duck out of water. When I must drive those roadways, I rely a lot on my co-pilot and navigator - my BFF. She tells me to turn, merge, and where to get off (in a nice way!). We have missed exits, gone out of our way, and even been lost a few times, but we eventually get situated again. She is generous with me - giving me a little grief for missing the turn-off, but then nudging me with a little giggle that tells me it will be okay - she will help me find my way back onto the right course. I am so grateful I have someone in my life to help nudge me back on course when I get a little wayward, but I am most grateful for God's continual direction and oversight in my life. Not for one minute does he take his eyes off my course - and not one minute does he fail to keep me safe!

Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders. I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!— insatiable for your nourishing commands. And those who think they know so much, ignoring everything you tell them—let them have it! Don’t let them mock and humiliate me; I’ve been careful to do just what you said. While bad neighbors maliciously gossip about me, I’m absorbed in pondering your wise counsel. Yes, your sayings on life are what give me delight; I listen to them as to good neighbors! Psalm 119:18 MSG

While I'd like to say I have never taken my eyes off the road I am traveling with him, it would be unfair of me to say something so far from the truth. The times I have taken wrong turns are innumerable, and the times he has had to 're-navigate' my path so I'd get back on course with him have been numerous. Thank goodness his love never gives up and never runs out! I am one 'needy' gal when it comes to grace, but he is one faithful grace-extender! When we recognize we need a navigator to keep us on course, that is the moment we begin to listen a little closer to the directions given and we pay a little more attention to those instructions. We are 'on alert' because we don't want to take another wrong turn!

Being on alert is not a totally bad thing - but we all know it can be a little exhausting at times. The more we have to 'pay attention', the more we find ourselves 'using up' energy reserves we have stored up by 'intake' at some point in the past. We need renewal of those energy reserves - time alone with God to renew and regenerate. We need time in his Word. We also need the submission of our will to just rest once in a while when we think we should be 'doing', 'doing', 'doing'. The rest we take actually allows us to re-center. Yesterday, I was faced with a challenge in some data that was not doing what it was supposed to do when I put it into the report format I wanted it to be in. You know what helped me? A bit of lunch with my BFF, a few laughs, and a short walk to re-energize my body!

The times we think we have it all under control are probably the times we most need to relinquish control! The moment I stepped away from the problem at hand, there was a 'clearing of the mind' that occurred. This is sometimes the very thing we need to be open to see the problem from a different vantage point. To see things differently, we often need to stop seeing them as we have always seen them! The simple fix to the problem at hand was really not all that hard once I could re-focus on what was causing the problem. The course we take sometimes isn't all that complex - it just requires us to be opened up to see it from the perspective God has of that course!

When we choose to listen, believe, and really begin to take action in a different direction, the solutions to whatever has been problematic in our lives can often be 'fixed' quite quickly. As with my BFF's urging to take the next exit, make a u-turn and re-enter the highway to return to the exit I missed previously is quite clear. The choice to act upon that voice is another matter. I can just stubbornly go on in the wrong direction, or I can merge over, take the next exit and find the new course she is setting out. Life is full of choices - maybe the hardest is just to listen and rest in the answers we are receiving. Just sayin!

Oh, that's why!

Maybe we haven't really stopped to consider it, but God's decisions or actions don't always have to be popular or accepted by the masses to be 'right'. They just have to be 'on target' - consistent with his character, true to his Word, and always based on a bigger picture than we can appreciate with our finite view of life. Some of the time, God is blamed for things he didn't do - the results of our own actions and the consequences that we reap, for example. We somehow want to blame God because we are reaping something not very desirable at the moment, but if we are to be truthful here - he didn't determine the consequences - we did! This is all the more reason we need to consistently (and frequently) ask God to show us how to live and then to understand how those 'right actions' all add up to helping us live to the fullest.

You are right and you do right, God; your decisions are right on target. You rightly instruct us in how to live ever faithful to you. My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments. Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. I’m too young to be important, but I don’t forget what you tell me. Your righteousness is eternally right, your revelation is the only truth. Even though troubles came down on me hard, your commands always gave me delight. The way you tell me to live is always right; help me understand it so I can live to the fullest. Psalm 119:143 MSG

God's Word is a starting place for the discovery of right actions. Yes, the Bible contains some stories that serve as examples of some pretty 'wrong' actions, but there is benefit in realizing others have made similar mistakes to ours! It gives us assurance God values us even after we make 'big mistakes' in life. God's Word is filled with not only promises, but with warnings. The promises are often where we gravitate when we are looking for the Word to help us feel 'good' and 'loved'. The warnings are probably not as quickly referenced! We sometimes avoid the warnings because they make us a little uncomfortable - either because we have been considering some not so great course of action, or have already been pursuing it a while!

God doesn't 'make' us pursue a course of action - we choose to pursue it. While he is capable of 'making us' live right, he isn't going to go against what we are choosing to do. Yes, he will continue to present us with warnings about those choices or actions. Yes, he will continue to be faithful to his promises. Yes, he will send reminders of his love and grace. But...there comes a time for each of us where we 'choose' the path we will take. We can choose the right or the wrong - but it is never God pushing us down one or the other. It is us taking steps along with him down the right one, and us deciding to leave him at the crossroads by going it alone down the wrong one. Yet, even when going down the wrong one, he provides warnings and beckons us back with his promises.

We don't always understand 'right choices', do we? As a little girl, I learned there were ten commandments - you know the ones I mean, right? These stood as pretty 'big' commandments in the scheme of things and were to be 'kept' at all times. Take one of those commandments as an example - like the one that tells us not to steal. That seems like a pretty straight-forward one, doesn't it? The right choice is to work for what we need, but have our bellies ever been so hungry we have snatched a piece of fruit from a market? The choice to 'steal' at that moment was overridden by our hunger. So, we know our 'obedience' to that commandment may be 'conditioned' by what we are going through, right? Now, take the commandment to not covet our neighbor's wife, desire their house, field, servants, or livestock. How often does the struggle to not 'covet' or 'desire' something someone else have plague us? Sometimes pretty frequently!

The commandments weren't given to deny us things that are pleasurable. They were given to help us live within boundaries that keep us safe. If we steal, we can spend time in jail. If we desire what others have and then act upon those desires to get the same things, we may find ourselves in debt up to our gills and with no real way out from under it. The emotions behind stealing and coveting are pretty powerful and can influence our actions. We need to understand God isn't just 'restricting' us from 'good things' - he is showing us we can have 'good things', but by the means and in the ways he delights in revealing to us. The fruit we need for our bellies might be provided if we offer to trade a little of our time doing a task the storekeeper needs done (like sweeping his walkway, shoveling the snow from his path, etc.). The shelter we call our own could be a rental, maybe even shared with another, but if he directs that course, it will be 'just right' for our needs.

God is interested in showing us how to live right - but he also wants us to understand the 'why' behind each right choice. God's promises are great - but we need the balance of living within the boundaries he describes, as well. These both affect our choices - choices affect our actions - actions determine our outcomes or consequences. Understanding comes as we spend time with him and really get to know him. When we get to know God and what his true character is, we understand the choices he asks us to make in a much deeper way. Just sayin!

Slinging a little mud

Have you ever had a little mud slung your way? I don't mean the literal stuff, like when we were kids after a rain storm and some good puddles formed the best playgrounds of a lifetime. I mean the kind that comes your way in the form of words intended to belittle or berate you. The mud-slinging might come from a source you know well, or from sources you know very little about. Sometimes it comes from those with an obviously viscous intent, while others may sling it just a little bit unconsciously, not really realizing the impact of their words. Regardless of the source, it can be difficult to endure.

If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.  1 Peter 3:18 MSG

If with heart and soul you're living as you have been instructed in the Word of God and in those times when God speaks deeply into your heart, then you are doing well. You might not always make the right choices, but you take quick steps to rectify it when you don't - quickly acknowledging it, asking God's forgiveness, and seeking to learn from those missteps. This kind of living doesn't make you above attack - it might even make you a little bit more of a target than you might think. People don't understand those who make choices that are different from theirs at times. They have a hard time with consistency themselves, so they find fault with others that seem to 'have it all together'. 

The object of our lesson today is our conscience. God gave us this little 'built-in monitor' because he knew we'd face hard choices - choices that need some type of 'governor' to help guide the actions that follow. Conscience is subject to change, though. If we continually ignore it, we find the 'monitor' still exists, it just 'goes off' a little less over the course of time. That might mean we find ourselves in a place where our conscience would have once brought immediate conviction - helping us to determine the direction as 'wrong' for us to take - but now it becomes kind of common-place for us to pursue that direction without any feelings of remorse or regret.

Conscience must be maintained. It must be enlightened each and every day by spending even just a little bit of time alone with God and in his Word. These two simple actions go a long, long way toward maintaining the integrity of our conscience. In fact, these actions also help to develop a more 'acute' conscience - we become more aware of how certain actions lead to compromise or failure in our lives. The conscience is not the only 'monitor' over our lives - we also have the Holy Spirit of God resident within us. These 'dual-monitors' kind of work simultaneously - but where our conscience may fail us on occasion - the Holy Spirit of God will not!

We all want to make right choices. I don't think any of us has chosen to be rebellious because we just woke up one day and determined to go from being righteous to being totally rebellious. Rebellion starts with one choice. Once we ignore the conscience, even once, we set a new precedent in our minds and emotions. We might not like it, but that compromise alters the future choices we will make unless we take that compromise to God and ask for his help to 're-tune' the monitor of our conscience. To live above 'mud-slinging' is one thing - to be deserving of that mud-slinging is quite another!

Conscience may not get much attention from the pulpit these days, but if we are honest here, the conscience is that one thing which helps us to acknowledge our missteps. We find ourselves always making adjustments to our course because our conscience is somehow alerting us to the danger within the choices we are making. We don't want to rely upon it solely, but when we do so in combination with the help of the Holy Spirit, the clarity that comes when we spend time alone with God, and the power of God's Word getting into our lives, we find there is an integrity built into our lives that others just may not understand. That can make us an object of a little 'unfair' mud-slinging on occasion, but I'd rather have you sling mud and me not deserve it than to be so mired in the mud that I never notice you are slinging it in the first place! Just sayin!

He's got your back!

God's love is meteoric - a brilliant thing, appearing suddenly, swift in its path - but continual and on course in all respects. There is a sense of the spectacular in beholding his love. Nothing else compares to the magnificence we behold in God's love and grace. It is there exactly when we need it - no delay in his reaching out to us.  It is direct - meeting us exactly where we are. His loyalty is astronomic - enormous, exceedingly great. Loyalty is faithfulness. His faithfulness to us is greater than we can ever imagine - even in our unfaithfulness, he remains steadfastly faithful. His purpose is titanic - his aim for our lives is enormous in strength, power, and possibility. He does more than create us - he sustains us, he guards us, his back is never turned to accomplishing his purpose in us.
His verdicts are oceanic - his judgments are large, going beyond the surface of what can be seen to the inner recesses of a man's heart - looking not on what we display for all to see, but on what only he can truly see. His decisions are sure and they are all-encompassing - God never leaves out the details.

God's love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. (Psalm 36:5-6)

Yet, in God's "largeness", nothing ever gets lost! This is probably the one point in this passage that gives us the greatest hope - not one thing escapes his view, not one thing escapes his attention! We may feel like "no one is paying attention" to the chaos of our lives, but when we stop to consider the greatness of God, we become acutely aware that not even one hair on our head escapes his attention.
A man or woman who realizes these things about God's love, loyalty, purpose and judgment will be quick to run TO God - not from him. We run for the shelter of his wings - kept there in the midst of all that comes rushing in upon us. I daresay that we often run the opposite direction in our inability to really trust God with the outcomes of our lives. In so doing, we run INTO chaos, rather than escaping it.

Trust is a hard thing for many - but look at what this passage says about who it is that we are called to place our trust in. If we begin to consider God's greatness and his carefulness over our lives, we begin to sense that he is "trust-worthy". You may not be able to trust many around you in the throws of your life's present chaos, but he remains steadfast and fully worthy of your trust. Throw yourself into him and begin to enjoy the shelter of his wings. Enjoy the vastness of his greatness. Celebrate and revel in the goodness of his grace. Just sayin!

I can see clearly now!

Okay, don't get me wrong, but whenever I hear someone talk about their 'chakra', I get a little creeped out. I am not at all into, nor have I explored, the Eastern religions. The 'spinning wheel' of energy points just doesn't cut it for me. The fact is - my first and only spiritual energy source is God. I have other energy sources such as the food I eat and the sleep I manage to sneak in each night. There are lots and lots of religions out there that proclaim truth - promoting some type of 'wisdom' of the ages. The fact remains - there is but ONE truth, ONE true God, and ONE way into his presence. If I want more light or illumination in my life - I turn to the one who made it!

There's nothing better than being wise, knowing how to interpret the meaning of life. Wisdom puts light in the eyes, and gives gentleness to words and manners. (Ecclesiastes 8:1)

There are books upon books written about finding "meaning in life". Some are clearly just reporting ways we might improve our "self-image" or engage in positive "self-talk" that will bring some type of "meaning" into our life. The opportunities to consider what brings "meaning" into one's life vary as much as the quantity of books on the bookshelves of our "self help" sections of the local bookstore or library. There are lots of opportunities - but as our scripture points out - God's wisdom is the best.

Wisdom gives us perspective - it gives us a vantage point from which to view life in such a way that we make our choices for action based on the "view" we have attained. Let me break that down. If we view a troubling circumstance such as an unanticipated debt from the vantage point of fear, we will panic at the possibility of damaging our credit or not being able to pay it off. If we view that same unexpected debt from the vantage point of faith, we might ask for help from the one we owe the debt to structure manageable payments over a longer period of time in order that we might pay the debt without fear of losing our good credit standing.

A "vantage" point is simply that which gives us a view that we might call "the 10,000 foot view". In other words, we see things from a bigger perspective than just the thing immediately in front of us. We often hear this referred to as the "big picture" view of a situation. Our vantage point determines our perspective. If we allow wisdom to become the basis by which we make choices in life, we will have a better vantage point than if we live by impulse or "whatever feels good" mentality.

Wisdom puts light in the eyes. Wherever we direct our focus, we will find that object is reflected in our eyes. That is why the Word reminds us that the eyes are windows to our soul. If our focus is on Jesus, the eyes will reflect the possibilities of faith. If our focus is on self, the eyes often reflect the hopelessness of self-effort. Perspective is determined by our vantage point - at best, self will struggle to accomplish the same thing that faith can accomplish by simply trusting. Wisdom also gives gentleness to words. Words are often a solid indicator of our focus or perspective at the moment. Having a gentleness to our words is an outcome of having a right perspective in life. Harsh words, or words that focus on the problem instead of the possibilities, are often based on being "internally focused" in life. We only see things from our vantage point, not the vantage point of another - and certainly not the vantage point of Christ. Therefore, words are reflective of what is best for us, what elevates us, what makes us look or fell good. They are often far from gentle (kind and loving).  

Wisdom gives us gentle manners. Manners is just another way of referring to behavior. Wisdom affects our behavior. Our vantage point determines our choices - if we have a "big picture view", we often make different choices in life.

Wisdom is really all about perspective - where we place our hope, what it is that we trust in, and how we either embrace or reject input into our lives. If our perspective is in Christ, our vantage point will always give us the best insight that will ultimately produce/result in the best for our lives. If we think we have a "good" vantage point and then end up being overtaken by our enemy, we really did not have much of a "vantage" point in the first place! We need the benefit of a "solid vantage point" in life. There is no other vantage point better that we will find than when our focus is solidly on Christ. Just sayin!

More than worth it!

Do you ever have a problem with discontent - the desire for more, better, different? I think we all do at times because we are human. When the drive for 'more' or 'different' is the main focus of our lives, it may be a good thing when that desire is to see more of God's grace and love worked into our lives. When that drive is directed at what we can get for ourselves, how we can make ourselves stand out a little more, or what we can do to put others down so we stand out a little bit more, that drive may not be ideal.

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. 1 John 2:15-16 MSG

Wanting more is not uncommon - but wanting only what God wants for our lives is less prevalent. The desire to see God's good worked out in our lives is oftentimes opposed to what our flesh wants or desires. Our flesh wants ease, but seeing God's best in our lives may involve a little bit more effort on our part to pursue things that we don't always see as easy or pleasant. For example, God wants the best for our relationships. Whenever we are aware there is a riff in one of them, to take the effort to make things right again requires us to go beyond a place of ease sometimes - because conflict is hard!

While the flesh is still alive within us, there will be a drive to have or pursue things we really don't need, or that will do us some manner of harm if we attain them. Dissatisfaction is not always bad, but when it drives us to elevate the wants of our flesh above the needs of our spirit, it is wrong. If it drives us to find elevation of truth and the embrace of God's work within our lives, it is likely not a bad desire! Did you know we can become a slave to our wants? It is true - just try dieting! You want the carbs, but you know your need for them is far less than your desire!

The thing about discontent is there is both a good side and a bad side to that coin. The good side drives us to want only the things God wants for us. The opposite side of that coin is actually something that drives a wedge between us and God. We find discontent - the desire to get more and more for self - just makes us more discontent. The discontent just builds and builds until we begin to pursue more and more of what we believe will satisfy us, but we find no lasting contentment in whatever it is we attain.

To truly know contentment, we need to submit our needs to Christ and allow him to clarify when those needs are just a little more self-centered than they should be. When he exposes those needs as "self-directed" needs, perhaps we'd do well to allow him to replace those desires with a much more godly desire. The moment we acknowledge we have been a little too 'self-focused' is the very moment he is free to re-order our desires in such a way that our needs are really going to be toward the things that bring us deep and lasting satisfaction. When we pursue Christ above all else, we are assured of contentment. It may not be easy, but it is more than worth it! Just sayin!

Anew or Again?

"Do-overs" in life are rare. We 'do' something, get the results we didn't intend, then desire a 'do-over'. If we are fortunate to have an eraser on our pencil, we can erase the failed calculation from the paper, but remember - there will always be a hint of what was once written there. We are incapable of really erasing every aspect of the 'wrong' answer. In life, we are incapable of really erasing the past mistakes - although we may get a 'do-over'. It is only in God's hands that the slate is truly wiped clean. He is the one making the 'do-over' really more of a 'begin anew' instead of a 'begin again' kind of scenario!

Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be— you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean. Count yourself lucky—God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him. (Psalm 32:1-2)

What does a 'do-over' really hope to accomplish? Isn't it a change in the outcome? We hope to improve our outcomes by getting another chance to do it again. We can be very disappointed in life when we realize there are some choices we just have to live with the outcome we have achieved. Since my life has been less than perfect when it comes to the choices I have made, I am relieved to know that God is not a God who refuses to allow "do-overs"! There are times in life when we so desperately need to have a fresh start - we need the slate wiped clean - so that we might "begin anew". 

The goal of "beginning anew" is that we might see a different outcome - it isn't that we just begin again, because that suggests we will take some of the same steps we took the first time. A pastor friend often says, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." He's indeed a wise man! You cannot expect to repeat things you have failed in (just do-again) and see better outcomes if you always approach the failure with the same attitude, actions, or aptitude. Truth be told, we need a different attitude toward the situation, actions that are not as haphazard or misdirected, and the ability to make different choices where it counts.

With God's help, we can face life's "failures" with a different attitude. Those that have known me for a while have heard me say many times that attitude determines our altitude. It is an aeronautical saying meaning wherever the nose of the plane is facing determines the altitude the plane will assume. If the nose is level, the plane flies level. If the nose is pointed upward, it climbs to new heights. Conversely, pointing the nose downward brings the plane to new "lows" that may not be the safest flying conditions!

God comes alongside to help us embrace new actions (not just doing again) - not repeating the same actions that brought us to the place of failure the first time. To many who have "tried and tried again", this statement seems unbelievable and way too simplistic. Yet, it is true - we have a God who is quite aware of each step that brought us to this point of failure and he stands ready to help us be aware of those steps so that we don't repeat them again. We may not fully embrace his reminders to not "mis-step" along the way, but he is there, nonetheless. It is still a matter of us choosing to make the most of each "do-over" God gives by embracing the help he provides along the way to begin 'anew', not just 'again'.

Sometimes we have failures because we simply lack the aptitude to do what it is we have ventured into. There are times when we can "learn" the skill we need to succeed in that venture - there are others when we simply need to let it go - it wasn't the right venture to be on. If we are able to learn the skill, we usually see better outcomes the next time around. For example, burn the first piece of toast and you will likely not leave the toaster unattended the second time around. You need to develop an aptitude for making toast! If we simply believed that toast was supposed to be a black, charred wafer of wheat that we gag down with a little jam to cut the taste of charcoal, we'd never really learn to enjoy toast as it was meant to be enjoyed.

"Do-overs" are a gift from God. We simply have to ask for them - we call that repentance. In turn, he grants us the opportunities to "do-over" what brought us to the point of repentance in the first place. That does not mean that we "do-over" the same things - but that we learn from the experience, embrace the grace we are given to face similar challenges in the future, and then trust God that we will listen carefully to his "coaching" along the way. In turn, we are blessed. Perhaps you are in a place where you are longing for a "do-over" in your life. We all find ourselves there at one point or another. We need some adjustment in our attitude, crave to pursue new actions, or simply know that we need to learn from the experience we have just walked through. God stands ready to answer that prayer. He is the God of "do-overs"! He holds nothing against us when we hold nothing back from him! Just sayin!

A mind wasted?

Rene Descartes said, "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." How many times do we use our minds as they are intended to be used? I daresay that we probably 'daydream' a little too much at times, veg out on some meaningless TV program, or lull ourselves into blissful repose by counting sheep - all use our minds, but when pursued for way too long, we might not be using our minds as well as we should. The mind is meant to be active - at least a good part of our day - but in activity that is honoring to God. It is meant to consider, concentrate, calculate, and create. It is made to prompt action and stimulate appreciation. A mind focused on self all of the time is indeed wasted - it is indeed not what God intended.

Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored. (Romans 8:5-8 MSG)

The mind is used in a good many ways, but there isn't always room for thinking on the things of God. Sometimes our minds get so filled with other thought - shutting out thought of God's grace, his actions on our behalf, and his intense carefulness over our lives. We miss the moments to consider what he has done and continues to do in our lives - all because we get so focused on self. Self is indeed a formidable barrier to considering God - to worship. Worship is a form of 'purposeful thought' - to worship, one focuses their thoughts on the object of their worship. We can worship a good many things. I propose the things we think upon the most - focusing the attention of our minds upon most frequently - these are the things we worship the most. If that object of our attention is self, then our worship is really of all the things that build self up, keep self satisfied, and create a sense of well-being in self.

Self is really demanding - it wants to be satisfied the majority of the time. This is where we get the idea of being 'selfish' - wanting self to get what it wants regardless of the needs of those around us. The thought life focused on self is not easily persuaded toward different thought. It finds no need in thinking of others, or of the circumstances outside of one's own life. Why? Self demands the focus remain inward, refusing to allow the concentration to drift outward. When we are this absorbed in self, we ignore what is right there in front of us. We ignore the things that should trigger actions outside of ourselves. Actions that are directed toward the needs of others are not the object of our thoughts - at least not most of the time. Yes, the selfish thought life can be directed external to self on occasion, but it is not the most common use of one's thoughts!

If we find ourselves a little too 'inward' in our focus, it might just be time to ask God to help us explore the space in our thought life he created for the consideration of the needs of others and the enjoyment of those things he has provided in our lives. If we find we cannot easily do this, we only need ask for his help. He delights in being asked to reorder our focus - to help us be less selfish and more open to those around us. There is no true joy in only catering to self - only focusing on selfish demands. There is genuine joy and tremendous peace in realizing grace delivers us from a selfish mind intent on nothing more than the building up of self. Just sayin!  

You want this!

Companies do indeed invest big money into making sure that they are recognizable in the community they serve by the "brand" they have invested time, talent, and energies into creating. They flash their names and photos on billboards, run numerous commercials, wrap vehicles in their 'branding', and send out mailers advertising their product. All these efforts are aimed at one thing - getting us to notice their product and show an interest in it that rises above the interest we have for any other 'similar' product. It is kind of like what God said through Moses so many years ago - "Set yourselves apart..." God was telling us to be known by our "branding" - that which makes us uniquely different from those around us and makes people want what it is that we possess.

"Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, because I am God, your God. Do what I tell you; live the way I tell you. I am the God who makes you holy." (Leviticus 20:7-8)

In the advertising world, branding begins with having a quality product that others will want as there is no use in spending time and talent 'branding' something that is inferior or simply not useful to those who are your target 'users' of the product. If the product is shoddy, no matter how much you invest into "branding", it will be a waste of your efforts. The product must be top-notch - there is little use in investing big capital into branding something that is just not going to measure up. Branding involves being visible in the community - the idea is getting as many people to take notice, if even ever so slightly influencing their subconscious mind. The advertising gurus will probably assure us that the more your brand is exposed to the public, the better. Companies invest huge sums of monies and talent into getting their product before the public. Why? It cements the brand with an image. An image speaks more than a catchy advertising phrase. Why? People associate with what they see more than they do with what they hear. Branding involves a commitment to provide a product that the community REALLY needs. A market inundated with similar products that are not well-differentiated from other products finds that they will go for that product that requires the least investment on their part - especially if there is no difference appreciable.

From God's perspective, he is only creating quality products - our passage points out several characteristics that will ensure that our "product" passes the "quality" test. Doing what God tells us involves living as God tells us, so that we are ensured there will be a product that can neither be labeled as "shoddy", nor a waste of efforts. Obedience produces within us what all the efforts at self-improvement could not - life transformation. Nothing is more appealing to someone without hope than to see what having a solid basis for hope can produce. God also makes us visible to others - often while we are going through some 'life-change' in which he is moving in our lives to produce a consistent picture of his grace and restorative power. Our passage does not imply that we are to live on a commune and never associate with others. Being set apart does not mean that we get "weird". It carries the idea that we have something that makes us "unique" - we stand above the rest. There is clearly a place for association with others in the faith, but that should not be our only association. Others need to see Christ in us - that exposure to Christ may be the only exposure they may have.

Another important principle in branding a product is this idea of supply and demand. Where the demand is high, the assumption is that you are creating a product that someone really needs - a unique product that no one else offers, but that everyone needs. There are a lot of "religions" in the world - organized and informal. What sets a Christ-follower out as unique is the ability of being "holy" as God is holy. Holiness is evident in a life that is changed by the Spirit of God within. The ability to steer clear of the gossip chain, the tendency to shy away from coarse or off-color jokes, or the simplicity of making ethical choices because that is the way you have come to live - these seem simple enough, but they serve to set us apart from other "religions" in the world. It is more than doing good deeds for the sake of doing them - it is a matter of engaging in right conduct because that is what stems from the core of your inner man.

How do we live in such a way that others see something in us that makes them want what we have been given? We allow God to live in us - we allow him to make us holy (branding at its best!). Set apart lives are not "branded" in some weird way, but are uniquely beautiful and appealing to others who will want to be in relationship with the 'product' that has been produced. Others want what we have allowed to be worked out in our lives because they see a sense of hope for their own life. That is what God wants of us - to give the world hope. Hope is best understood when it is exemplified - there is a "product" people can connect with. Believe it or not, you are a "product" of God's grace. Let your life be displayed as set apart for his service, dedicated to his love, and uniquely touched by his grace. Others will be drawn to him through your example. Just sayin!

Repeat this

Bill Graham reminds us: "Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent." We find ourselves repeating these things all through life. None of us ever gets to the point we stop making mistakes - for all of us are capable of missteps. Yet, all of us are equally capable of avoiding them again because we learn from those mistakes. There are many things that 'prod us' into living wisely, growing well, so that we understand the value in being patient, or trudging headlong into something we should not overlook. Nothing 'prods' us more than the Word of God - put that Word into the mouth of a close friend who is looking out for our good and you have a double-edged sword!

The words of the wise prod us to live well. They're like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 12:11)

The words of the wise - oh, how hard it is to find those words at times. We are inundated with all kinds of "words" - surrounded on all sides with varying opinions, challenging propositions, and proposals of hope that somewhat stimulate us into a form of action. In the end, if we are faithful to turn back to the Word of God, not just listening to these opinions or propositions, we will find balance in what we are hearing. Wise words are those which give counsel, steadying our course, and redirecting us when our purpose may be a little self-centered or off-balance. They "prod" us to live well - to make wise choices. Words that stem from relationship with Christ are those which stimulate others and excite them into action. They are words that trigger or launch action - rousing us from our spiritual, emotional, or physical slumber. They are words spoken at the right time, in the right spirit, with the right intensity to get our attention. As such, they "prod" us - stirring us up and moving us into action.

Like nails hammered home - they hold our life together. Nothing provides stability or soundness in the midst of chaos as well as a well-appointed word from a godly man or woman with a listening ear and tender heart of the one intent on learning what God would have them share. Some messages we hear from the pulpit are like that - they are nails hammered home. We almost sense that God "aired our dirty laundry" to the pastor that morning, and the message was directed right at us! Yet, in embracing the "prodding" of that message, we find exactly what we needed. There are times when the words 'hammered home' come from a close friend, knowing exactly what to speak and specifically when it needs to be spoken into our lives. Both carry a challenge - both stimulate us to growth - both help us to receive clarity. So many times we can feel like life is falling apart around us - nothing seems or appears stable. In those moments, a word aptly spoken provides great comfort, wise direction, and purposeful plans for our life. 

Learning to be the one God uses to bring such words of wisdom in the right season is what each of us should strive to see developed within us. There are probably things God has shared in your life (in your time of study, in your opportunities of worship, or in your moments of personal tragedy), that if you'd just took the time to share them, they would be like a spiritual hammer driving a much needed nail home to a listening and hungry heart. Some of us think we have no ability to "teach" another, but the words we share could redeem a life and right a course. Read this passage again. Have you the desire and ability to "prod" another to live well? Then ask God to open doors of opportunity to share the wisdom he has given you - someone will benefit from what you have learned in your walk with Christ. Open doors are the first step to your words "hitting home" just where they are needed. Ask God to give you the ability to share his truths that you've tucked into the recesses of your heart - with a clarity of speech that touches the heart of the hearer. As you begin to walk through the "open doors" God provides, trusting him to bring the "right words" in the "right season", he will. As I was out walking with my BFF this week, I found a gentle sharing back and forth - words that just come out of hearts committed to finding the best in one another and in lifting each other up. These are words that 'drive home' and 'prod' a soul. 

The words of the wise are not always the words of the "learned". Book learning and higher education just go so far. The words that influence are those that are spoken from a place of relationship - relationship solidly founded on truth, growing in grace, and triumphant in testing. They are not words spoken from places of perfection, but from places of perseverance.  The truth you stand upon, the grace you have embraced, and the triumph you learned in the midst of testing are but a few of the "words of wisdom" that are like "nails driven home" when they are ignited by the passion of the Spirit that lives within you. We don't do the "hammering" ourselves - the Spirit of God places the "nail" - he allows our words to drive that nail home. Words spoken in the right season, in the right spirit, act as a "hammer" in God's hands. Let's learn to be "hammers" in God's hands. Just sayin!

Love, Walk, Keep

Hardly a week goes by without mom's gentle plea to just 'be young again' - so she'd have energy for the task at hand, or feel like she can regain some skill long since laid aside due to memory or fatigue. With each new day comes the renewal of energy stores, but what reserve we have left at the end of the day is not always the same, is it? Some of us go through life so quickly we rarely even notice that we have had two choices placed in front of us - Life and Death, Good and Evil. How have we handled these today? For those of us placing our head on the pillow at the end of the day, we'd say we embraced Life, but how about Good or Evil? What did our choices reflect today? This is a tough question - one that demands unlimited honesty if we are to truly understand our choices.

Look at what I've done for you today: I've placed in front of you Life and Good - Death and Evil. And I command you today: Love God, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess. (Deuteronomy 30:15-16)

Every new day brings the dawn of new choices - no two days are exactly alike in what will come across our paths. We may believe our lives are "boring" and without any real sense of "difference" from day-to-day, but indeed, there are new choices each day. We are faced with choices of life and good or death and evil. Pretty heavy stuff, if you ask me. The evidence is all around us - in what we choose to listen to, allow our eyes to take in, or attend our minds to consider. Each entertained thought, internalized perception of sight, or message heard is an opportunity to bring forth from within those things that will produce life and goodness. Conversely, they also can produce death to our spirit, dryness to our soul, and confusion in our mind - each influencing us to actions that are neither good nor life-giving - we call this evil. So, understanding how we make choices that produce the outcomes that are life-giving and the evidence of goodness within us is essential to learning how to walk a steady path that will keep us from death and evil.

Love God, your God - to really love something or someone, it helps if the object of our love is OURS. When the object of our affection is someone else's, we call the attitude of "loving" that object LUST. God never asks us to "lust" after him. Instead, he places a distinct difference between desiring something we cannot have and enjoying something we are invited to participate in personally. To love God, we first make him our God - we must have personal relationship with him. Then we learn to enjoy the graces of that relationship by frequent and intimate contact with him. Intimacy with God involves transparency of heart, mind and soul - allowing him to touch the very fibers of our being with his refreshing, renewing, and regenerating touch.

Walk in his ways - when we are really in a "love relationship" with another, we don't demand our own way, but are content, and often quite fulfilled, in enjoying the things they enjoy. So it is in our walk with God - we make a committed choice to learn to enjoy what it is he enjoys - those things that will produce life and goodness. Notice that this requirement is for us to take action - "walk" is an action word. We cannot be passive and be "walking". Therefore, to be involved in this love relationship with God, we need to be active in our pursuit of him. 

 
Keep his regulations, rules, and commands - this is really where the rubber meets the road. It is one thing to "fall in love" - it is quite another to "live together in love". When some hear the word "submit", there is an immediate cringing away and self-preserving fear that emerges. Yet, in a love relationship, we often find that one leads, and the other follows in heartfelt devotion and trust. It is not a hard thing when one trusts the other - there is no fear that the other will lead them astray or leave them abandoned. God's plan is that we will neither cringe under his leadership, nor pull away in self-preserving mistrust. His desire is that we learn to live "together" in love.

In turn, we will be blessed. Nothing is more blessed than a true love relationship, complete with its intimate exchange of things hidden from the view of others. We often "say" that we want to live exuberant lives, but do we really? Are we seeking God as our own? Are we still demanding our own way? Are we learning what it takes to live together in relationship with God? If not, then I daresay we are looking for our "exuberance" in ways and places where we will be disappointed with the outcomes. In fact, we might just find that the end result of our searching in those places will lead us into decisions that produce death to our spirit, confusion to minds, and senseless waste of energy in our soul. Love is a learning experience - we don't just "fall in love". There is nothing passive about loving another - it requires our investment. There is nothing more fulfilling than being loved, though. There is nothing more rewarding than returning that love! Love God - YOUR God. Just sayin!

Let it soak in deep

Have you ever wondered what power there is in a word? I know there are times I don't have to say much to find I have lifted someone's spirits, while there are opposite times when a couple of words spoken at the wrong time or with the wrong intent create a whole lot of misery. Words are quite powerful, but none so powerful as those contained within the pages of our Bible, as these were put there to set us on fire. They have a creative power - bringing to life what had once been dead. They have a convicting power - revealing what we might not even have known was there so it can be completely dealt with and removed. Words, when used as they were intended, have power - especially in the hands of a graceful and loving God!

Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God’s Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you. (1 Peter 1:24-25 MSG)

New for old - that has been God's movement down through the ages. Promise given - promise fulfilled. Hope birthed - hope realized. There is and always be great power in his Word, but we have to get it into us if it is to be of any benefit to us. Words simply spoken, but never heard, are not going to accomplish the mission they had when spoken, right? I have said things under my breath - not really wanting others to hear what I was saying right then - but God's words are not those type of words. There is nothing hidden in his Word - all is there to be revealed to us - if we just look and ask.

The life within each of us is conceived, first by natural means, then by the divine touch of God in our lives. The new birth experience - as some call it - is that transition of our lives whereby the words God speaks deep into our spirits ignite a passion, define a purpose, and create a passage from one way of living into another. There is power displayed on our behalf - all through those words. They may have been penned many years ago, but they remain equally as powerful today as they were when they were given to those men who took pen to paper to record them.

Truth changes us. There is nothing more damning than a lie. There is nothing more freeing than the truth. Our spiritual conception is accomplished with one word - "YES" - saying YES to Jesus. Our spiritual growth is accomplished through many words - those written for us to serve as examples of how to both act and not act. The promises he gives are ours for the taking - to stand upon with assurance. His process of creating us anew isn't just that momentary 'birthing' experience, but it is the putting off of the old and the putting on of the new - day after day, year after year. YES is the beginning - in between that beginning and eternity will come many words to restore, challenge, help us conquer.

Embrace his Word. Listen carefully to its challenges. Open wide to its hope. Come often to his feet to listen with intent. There is much to discover in the power of those words. Much to soak in until we are so saturated that we 'leak' his Word from within every fiber of our being. Discover it. You won't be disappointed in his Words, for they are life. Just sayin!

Two by Two by Two

Direction, condition, and focus - what do these three have to do with each other? Direction is often thought of as the path one will travel - the way we are headed. When the condition of mind, body, and spirit are well, it is much easier to follow along that course. If the condition of the mind, body, or spirit is out of alignment (not clearly focused), there will be a little drift that occurs in the direction we maintain!

Grow a wise heart—you'll do yourself a favor; keep a clear head—you'll find a good life.
(Proverbs 19:8)

Within these two sentences, two words give us direction, two describe a condition that should be met, and two reveal the focus we must maintain. The two words that give us direction are "grow" and "keep". The two that describe the condition we are to maintain are "wise" and "clear". The two indicating the focus we are to keep are "heart" and "head".

• Grow - the first thing that comes to mind when we consider growing is the natural outcome of development in which something or someone increases in size or capacity. As we consider this in light of our Christian walk, we see growth as more than "natural" development - it also encompasses "supernatural" development. That is the increase in our capacity that comes simply from spending quality time with Jesus. One of the least common definitions of "grow" is that of attachment. It is a process of attachment that occurs by close association with that which you attach yourself onto. A gardener will tell you this process begins with "grafting" one branch or stem into the "parent" tree, vine, or bush. Jesus reminds us that he is that vine - we are the branches - grafted into him. By close association to him, we begin to grow through that attachment.
• Keep - we usually gravitate to the idea of holding onto something when we consider the meaning of "keep". Yet, it also carries the idea of continuing a given course, action, or state. When we are "keeping" something in this sense, we are involved in actively ensuring the course is consistent and focused. It means that we refrain from departing from a specific path - there is an element of restraint that is utilized in order to remain consistent in our focus.
• Wise - the first condition addressed deals with discernment, judgment, and discretion. The "condition" is directly connected with growth. Discernment is the ability to evaluate two options and choose the best - often the result of what we have been exposed to and who we associate with in life. Since our growth is directly correlated with our choice of "attachment", it is important to choose the best attachment. Judgment affects our actions because it is associated with the matter of acting upon what we believe to be correct. It is associated with growth because it deals with discretion - choosing those things that produce right actions. 
• Clear - the second condition is frequently described as the absence of that which clouds - in other words, it is that which gives transparency. As it applies to the idea of being kept, there is a great deal of "path-finding" that is clouded with all kinds of uncertainty, potholes of pride, and pitfalls of emotional upheaval. The condition of transparency is associated with us being kept - refraining from certain courses of action that will produce certain "road hazards" along the path of our walk. 
• Heart - we often gravitate to the "nebulous" meaning of heart - that which describes our capacity for sympathy, the ability to connect with others, etc. We need to look a little deeper at "heart" in order to understand the importance of this word. It is the seat of all that gives us personality - our emotional make-up. The heart is to be growing and it is to do so in a wise manner. In other words, all that gives us our "internal make-up" is to be intimately connected (associated) with Jesus so that we learn to discern well. Our emotions are unreliable - our "spirit" is not enough to keep us on track at times. We form wrong attachments at a whim - stunting growth completely. Our passage reminds us that we are to "grow a wise heart" - in so doing, we are avoiding those things that do us "dis-favor" in life.
• Head - we associate "head" with the mind or thought life. The "head", or rather, what is contained in the head (our brain), gives us the capacity to reason, rationalize, and rehearse. We are reminded to keep our minds clear. That includes learning to reason things out as Christ would - utilizing the "tools" he gives (the Word, the Holy Spirit, and our conscience). It also includes the idea of being able to be rational in thought - able to proceed in a course because reason has proven a path to be best. The often overlooked "capacity" of the mind is that of rehearsal. We use this capacity to both reminisce about the good and continuously remember the bad. The head is associated with being kept clear - in turn producing a good life. Thoughts lead to action - that is why the focus is on clarity. Clear thoughts lead to more transparent actions.

Two words, two conditions, describing two aspects of focus in our lives. Consider them well - they will keep your path clear! Just sayin!

How bright is your bulb?

For a moment, I would like us to consider "intensity".  There are words we use each and every day without really having a thorough understanding of their meaning.  When we "dig into" the meaning of a word, we often get insight into how God describes things in scripture.  Intensity if often thought of as that event or circumstance that creates some type of emotional response within us that has us "sitting on the edge of our seats", tension mounting, blood pressure rising, heart rate increasing, the mind set to respond with fight or flight.  As a matter of fact, we pay good money to go see movies that will elicit this response from us all within a two-hour window!

I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple. 
(2 Timothy 4:1-2 MSG)

I'd like to look at intensity from the vantage point of that which displays the most vibrant color or the most radiant light.  When we look at rows and rows of light bulbs on a shelf, we make our selection based on the amount of "intensity" we want from the light.  If we hope to read by that light, we want a light with focused intensity - one that will illuminate the words on the page.  If we want a soft glow in the room without specific focus on one particular thing, we get a bulb that has a "muted" intensity - because we want calm and just a hint of illumination.  When we look at walls of paint swatches, we see various colors of what we could call "white", "yellow", or "blue" - but there are so many varieties of "color" within each of those palettes.  What makes one different from the other is the degree of intensity - the specific blend of colors that produces the more vibrant hues is said to have a higher intensity than the more muted color.

The persecution of the church did much to enhance the "intensity" of the believers.  When the pressure mounted, the degree of their "intensity" also rose.  Great energy, strength, and passion became apparent in their walk.  As they were made the focus of the attention of men intent on silencing their message, their commitment to follow Christ regardless of the cost became more apparent.  We could say that their "true colors" began to emerge!  There was a "radiance" about them that made the gospel message even more evident in their lives.  As they were scattered to Samaria and the outermost parts of the then known world, theirs was a clear and vibrant message of hope, not despair. Why? They had "intensity".

Intensity is a result of depth - the depth of a person's focus.  When we put a standard light bulb in a spotlight, we would have light "aimed" at a particular subject, but it would lack focus.  If we exchanged that bulb for a spotlight bulb, backed by mirrored substance, we'd see that the "reflected" light becomes more intense, giving us a better focus on the subject.  Now, exchange that for a halogen or LED spotlight bulb and wow!  You have not only focus, but vibrant and very clear light!  

What persecution's impact did in the lives of those believers long ago acted to increase their intensity.  It gave them an even greater "focus".  They were scattered, but in that scattering they had to grow.  The scripture points out that the apostles remained in Jerusalem.  That meant that the scattered believers would have to "dig into" the Word, learn to feed their spirits, and then allow the Spirit of God to "grow them up" in Christ.  The local church exists today because of the intensity of a few then.  First, the few gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem awaiting the power of God to be displayed in their midst.  Then the believers who were gathered in Jerusalem who would hear the message for the first time and embrace it with commitment and intensity.  Ultimately, the "few" that would be scattered to the ends of the earth - the first missionaries - brought much needed exposure to the Word of God and the truth of the resurrection of Christ! 

Intensity is always going to be because of directed focus.  There is nothing more powerful than directed focus - it can change the world - when that focus is magnified by the illumination that comes directly from Christ himself!  How's your focus? Just askin!

Grace-full

Let me pose a question to each of us this morning. If we truly have invited Christ to be at the center of our lives, forsaking all other gods and 'religious pursuits', how has he change us? What has he really done in our lives since that moment we said "yes" to him? If we have really put him at the center of our lives, there should be a vast number of things we could recount, ranging from righting our priorities to removing the stubborn stain of sin in our lives. Grace has a way of changing whatever it touches - no one is left the same as they were before grace invades those long hidden and covered over areas of our their lives!

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 

(1 Peter 2:9 MSG)

I know we often think we did the choosing when it comes to us saying we 'invited Jesus' into our lives, but the truth is quite the opposite. It was he that did the choosing! We might have responded to the invitation, but let me just assure you - we weren't looking, nor were we even interested in seeking him out - it is his doing that we even felt the first twinge of 'interest' in grace! Indeed, we each have to answer the question as to whether we will allow Christ to deal with the sin in our lives, but the question isn't even posed to us without the answer being immediately available when we finally realize we do want grace to infill us.

The infilling of grace means we are never the same again - we are made new. I like new things, but I am drawn to the well-made things of past days when they were made with much more attention to them being lasting and capable of enduring much use. Back in the day, an appliance would last for a long, long time. Now things to be good for one year! Wouldn't it be a terrible thing if our salvation came with nothing more than a one year guarantee? Say 'yes' to Jesus and the 'guarantee' is eternal - there is no expiration date on grace!

The move of grace within means we are never the same again - what was marred by sin, stained beyond ever 'getting clean' again, now is made new. The fact remains - we are changed by grace. Grace has an enduring quality - it is not going to offer us 'shoddy work'. The work of grace is never finished - but whatever it touches is made more beautiful. There is a night-and-day difference when grace begins to work upon our hearts. Our minds are changed. Our actions are moved from what brought only harm and hurt toward those that produce goodness within us. 

The next time you don't think anything good has come of inviting Christ into your lives, you might just want to reconsider. Grace cannot, nor will it leave us unchanged. We may not 'act' perfect yet, but perfection is a guaranteed thing through grace. Grace is a growth thing - the more of it that takes hold of us, the more growth we begin to realize in our lives. Grace to overlook an offense. Grace to not respond when we know we could make a better point because it is wiser to be silent than to fuel the fire. Grace to not respond to an urge to pursue what should be left alone. Grace isn't finished with us. It is always a 'new beginning' kind of day in Christ - don't ever be discouraged you 'aren't there yet', my friend! You are grace-full and in time you will realize just how much of a night-and-day difference grace has made! Just sayin!