More than "Miracle-Grow"

Try as I might, my gardening expeditions have produced very little fruit. I spent about three years in a row working the soil, creating flowerbeds, and then planting the vegetables of the season. My hopes were that one of those above ground beds would become a lush vegetable garden. My actual production resembled dead vines, undeveloped melons, and a tremendous harvest for the birds on my tomato plants! Did I harvest what I planted? Most would say, "No", but when you explore the work performed AFTER the planting was done, you'd change your answer!! I harvested dead, half-developed stuff, but not really much I could say was a strong 'yield' from the garden. It wasn't for lack of soil, water, or even earthworms. I'd have to say it was lack of something quite out of my control - the temperature of the sun! Sometimes we plan well, set out to execute the plan, and then we harvest very little because we could not control things totally out of our control. We believe there is no fruit produced, but remember even the worst harvest is something we can learn from!

Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

The fact remains, what is planted must be cultivated for it to grow to maturity! We cannot simply prepare the soil, add some seedlings, then think watering will be enough to produce the harvest we hoped for. The most successful gardeners actually spend time in their gardens! Sometimes we want the fruits, but we aren't willing to make the effort to see it produced! For those of you who are avid gardeners, possessing the coveted "green thumb", you are probably shaking your heads about now. In considering my silly attempt at "producing" a bountiful harvest, you probably feel like asking me what I was thinking! The truth is, I wasn't doing much thinking at all! The same thing is true for most of the times I fell flat on my face in some attempt to do something in life. I did very little thinking and a whole lot of actions came out of that minimal amount of thought. The actions were partly good, but mostly non-fruitful!

I expected something because I put "some" effort into it. I really did not apply myself to the task of "maintaining" what had been begun. This is often the case with lessons God is teaching me - I get it, commit to it, then somewhere down the line, I seem to fizzle out. It is not God's doing that brings me to the place of looking at a lack of "fruit" from what he planted - it is mine! Although I might want to blame him - the ownership fits squarely on my back. You may be surprised to find God has not moved the garden in your life! He still watches over it - hoping for fruit. What he is waiting for is our slowing down, taking the time for his Spirit to "turn-over" the soil of our garden, tending all those tender leaves of new growth, until fruit is finally coaxed forth the coolness of our heart's soil. In order to bring forth the good fruit, he even has to remove a few weeds which over-shadow the fruit he is producing. He is much more committed to this gardening process than we are. We cannot deny the laws of sowing and reaping. When we allow the birds to steal away the best of the harvest before it develops fully, or resist the pressure of pushing past the hardened, cold soil of our hearts with the new growth he is producing, we will see much less of a harvest within our lives. When we yield to his "tilling" and "tending", the harvest is much richer - indeed, we'd call it "bountiful".

Bounty is the opposite of stunted. Bounty bespeaks the generous care of a loving gardener. Stunted growth bespeaks the slow, almost stopped growth caused by untended soil. Both conditions of our hearts have signs of growth - but only one yields a harvest of highest worth. What will be your harvest today? Just askin!

What do you see?

None of us really likes for anyone to compare what we have, or what we have done, with what another has or has done. What we have doesn't really matter, but try to tell that to some people. What we have done isn't all that important, but some amass credentials like they were something to be coveted. We don't really want anyone else assessing us, do we? There are times when an honest assessment of who we are and what we are doing is something we'd rather avoid. Facing the fact we might not be moving in the best direction at the moment is sort of intimidating, if not downright humbling! Yet, the beginning of any real change in our lives begins with the first step - the step we take to the mirror of God's Word!

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (Galatians 6:4-5)

There is a natural progression from examining our "true identity", seeing clearly how we "fit" into the placement we have in this life, and how "committed" we are to fulfilling the mission to which we are called. Until we begin to understand the "truth" of our identity, we will either live way below our potential, or live with too high of an inflated impression of ourselves! Both are a problem! Scripture clearly defines our identity when we are without Christ - sinners (Romans 3:23). This pretty well discourages us from living with an inflated image of our self-worth when it comes right down to it. In fact, self-worth is really not worth much! Just as clearly, scripture defines who we are with Christ in our lives - redeemed, holy, and new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Sometimes we live far below our potential simply because we don't really understand what it entails to be a new creation in Christ!

When we are finally looking into the face of Jesus - seeing our identity in him - we begin to open up to the possibilities this newness of life produces. The "fruit" of our lives begins to change from decaying, worthless, or destructive activities, and we find ourselves moving toward activities which produce the evidence of the new creation we have become. As with any fruit, these changes in our character are produced through growth - dead trees don't produce good fruit. Fruit begins in our lives with a bud of faith - faith that making the right choices will produce what is promised. In time, the fruit we feed is what we develop! It isn't the 'high associations' we make in life, but rather being embraced with the love of God and his intense grace.

There is a great deal that goes into "sinking ourselves into the work we have been given". When we begin to take responsibility for the image we allow ourselves to behold (the image of Christ vs. our own self-image of importance), we begin to find our true "fit" in life. It is in the discovery of what God has declared "true" about us that we begin to walk free of the bondage of our past. We behold many a false image of ourselves throughout our lives - what others declare about us, what we tell ourselves about our insignificance, who we believe society wants us to be, or what books tell us we need to become in order to have 'arrived' in life. Isn't it time we begin to take a fresh look into the mirror of God's face?

It is in the eyes of Jesus we behold the perfection he declares over our lives. The depth of his love expressed in those eyes of grace speak more truth about us than any other image we could behold. When we finally see ourselves as he does, we have no problems with being "on mission" with Jesus! In fact, we actually begin to get excited about the possibilities Christ produces by his presence in us! So, look deeply into his eyes of grace, my friends! He declares you lovely, perfect, and whole! Now, begin to reflect THAT image to the world today! Just sayin!

Something new

If we find ourselves too busy for our neighbor's burden then we are too busy! If we find ourselves too interested in our own issues so as to miss the pressing needs of another, we are too disinterested in those God places in our lives! Live what we preach - that is the goal, isn't it? The idea of "sharing burdens" seems like a term we have utilized in Christian circles for as long as I can remember. It is usually associated with pastoral admonishments to engage in service, being available to what God urges us to do, and to come alongside one who is hurting. In reality, what does this look like? It begins by forgiving others, adding a little 'holding back' on occasion when we'd like to point out a fault, and ends up somewhere in the actions of actually helping another who is weighed down under burdens galore.

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galatians 6:1-3)

The idea of living "creatively" might just come with different meanings for some of us, but it carries the idea of being the exact opposite of just "existing" in life. There is a newness each and every day in our relationships. We are told to live free and animated, allowing God's Spirit to indwell us. If we do, the outcome of living in freedom and allowing the Spirit of God to be the animating factor in our lives will be growing creativity! This is more than being able to decorate a room with flare, or make beautiful greeting cards from paper and ribbon. It is the ability to embrace new ideas, help others see new possibilities where they only see walls, and the wisdom to know what to do with that creativity.

We all have the ability to transcend our traditional ideas of how life should "happen". The ideas, rules, patterns, and relationships we have maintained may need to "shift" in order to allow the freshness of God's Spirit to be at work within. In fact, God's Spirit is at work helping us form new ideas - seeing today's challenges with new eyes. We learn to interpret life with a sense of God's imagination rather than through the filters of our oppressed and limited perception. Creativity in the spiritual sense is really an enlarging of our perspective - seeing things as God sees them, not just as we can imagine them to be.

Want to live really creative lives? Embrace the work of the Spirit in your life - really allowing him to begin to influence your thoughts - thus impacting your actions! Encounter life with an ever new vitality - tapping deeply into the energies of the Spirit of God who indwells you in order to face the challenges today brings. Engage in today's challenges - even if it means forgiving one who needs to be forgiven, or reaching out to help one buried under their own burdens - the life you change may very well be your own. Engaging IN life is more rewarding than merely being an observer of it! Encourage another by your "love" actions - forgiving before forgiveness is ever asked for, not allowing issues to build until they boil over, and helping one out of the pit of despair are only the result of having embraced the call of being "on mission" with Jesus! Just sayin!

Cookie-Cutter Images

Do you know anyone who seems to constantly want to do things 'by the book'? There can be absolutely no variation for these individuals - they can never see anything beyond the book. Legalism is the tendency to keep to the letter of the law - it lacks the spirit behind it, though. There is little wavering from the laundry list of rules because there is great determination to do everything "by the book". What we often observe in these cases is a lack of true "spirit" behind the obedience - it is a sense of obligation, not desire - doing things by rote rather than out of a sense of true connection to the one who wrote the rules. It is truly a helpless state of living life to just do things "by the book" without the animation of the Spirit within.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.(Galatians 5:23-26)

There is much to be said about "desire". Desire is a motivating factor - without it, every response we make in the "right" direction is nothing more than doing things "by the book". When we come to Christ, there is an exchange of nature. We get a new nature - one animated by the Spirit of God within. This very "indwelling" of the Spirit is what brings the animation that "drives" us toward "right" choices - what we refer to as obedience. The old nature has been "nailed" to the cross with Christ - the new nature is "incorporated" into our day-to-day choices by "grace". Grace operates in a realm way beyond "book learning" or "sentimental" reasoning. It operates in the spirit of man - giving us a sense of purpose in our obedient responses. It is more than just 'doing things by the book' because there is a connection to the purpose behind the obedient steps.

"Each of us is an original." As some know, I spent some time in the military. In those first months of Basic Training, the main thing we came to realize was the need to "conform" to the rules and regulations being taught. Whether it was in the steps taken to dismantle and reassemble a weapon, or the rigid detail of marching in line with fellow soldiers, there was a drive to "conform" to the plan of our superior's command. What we chafed so much against actually had a purpose - this conformity was a good thing, but we were not free to question the 'reason' behind the desire for this conformity. What I came to realize was that when we were a tight group of well-prepared soldiers we had each other's backs, could respond quicker to the needs of others in the group, and recognized easily when something was just not right.

Christian life is a little like military life. Although God asks for us to conform to the truth of his Word, there is a need for us to "come in line" with the requested steps we are to take. In the military, we learned to do it, or else we did a whole lot more push ups than any human should have to endure! In God's kingdom, we learn to do it because it produces the best effect in our lives - it helps us respond quickly and to see the needs of those around us. We don't obey the commands of God because we have to keep all the rules - we do it because we have come to realize that by keeping the rules, we enjoy the best of all God has for us! In the military, they worked to keep one from standing out above the others. We each wore the same uniform, marched in formation, called the same cadence, ate the same food, and dug the same trench. In God's kingdom, we wear a new nature, but it still allows us to be uniquely who we are - all our talents and personality shining through for God's glory. In fact, we "march" together in this walk, but we do it with a certain assurance of the outcome of our journey! We are each an "original" - we don't conform to a set of rules so we look like cookie-cutter images of each other. We "conform" so we might be "transformed" into the reflection of all Christ is! We become a reflection of his grace, mercy, and love.

In being transformed, we are actually becoming a reflection for others to experience the Lord in the unique manner in which only we can reflect him to others. As an "original", God "meshes" our unique personalities with his work of grace - in turn, we become the reflection of the purpose and possibilities of God's transforming power! So, although the "book" is very important, the "Spirit" is what animates us to reflect the book's Author! Let's live animated, shall we? Just sayin!

Networking 101

What is 'networking' in the business world? In the most literal sense it is getting to know others. Some people 'network' because they know they can be of help to others, while others do so because they hope others will help them accomplish something they desire. We all probably have asked the question, "What's in it for me?" Networking has some risks, but it also has some potential benefits. People always seem to have an underlying need to know the risks of taking certain steps - but they also want to know the benefits. This is why surgeons go over both the risks and benefits of the surgery being considered. Going under the knife carries the possibility of good outcomes (the disease is removed), but it also comes with some pretty unwelcome risks such as bleeding, infection, and even death! Knowing the "benefits" of certain actions helps us determine if they are best for our lives. If you 'network' with the wrong people you might not get the 'benefit' you had hoped for.  We don't just 'network' with God - seeing if we can help him, or if he can help us in some way. We need to have a deeply intimate relationship with him and that goes way beyond just the casual acquaintance with him! God doesn't ask for us to 'network' with him - he asks us to live in him - enjoy his company, be challenged by his presence, and thrill with his movements.

But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard — things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. (Galatians 5:22-23)

The lack of wisdom exhibited in using our freedom in Christ as a means to justify our continued sinfulness becomes very evident in choices, but those choices are often influenced by the 'network' we maintain. Scripture takes great pains to lay out the differences between being secure in the one-time sacrifice Christ made at Calvary and the futility of continually trying to do things to justify ourselves through our good works. God also wants us to realize the benefits of letting go of our need to constantly prove ourselves worthy of his love. We might 'network' with God because of what is in in it for us. Those blessings - Good gifts! Changed character! Different focus! Allegiances which really matter! A position of great authority! Wow! In today's vernacular, I think our response would be, "Sign me up!" These are the easily accepted and appreciated benefits of 'networking' with God, but we only scratch the surface of these when all we do is have casual relationship with him.

Here are but a few things God desires for us, but they are the result of more than just a casual, now and again meeting up with him for a 'short visit':

- Affection for others - no longer being so self-focused and independent, but creating in us a true desire to "attach" and be "devoted" to others. The benefit of "connected" relationship is being described here. When we understand the importance of connection, we begin to guard against things that interfere with that continual connection. We don't want any 'break' in it. We desire more than just a 'networking' experience, but a deeply intimate one instead.

- Exuberance about life - not just exuberance "for" life, but exuberance "about" life. Abundant and lavish enjoyment of today, not because we are still taking in breath, but because of the promise of profuse growth and awesome enjoyment of each day. Those who approach God as one they 'network' with for the benefits of being associated with him don't fully appreciate the exuberance they could enjoy if they just settled into relationship with him. Sure, they enjoy 'good things', but they don't appreciate life in the same manner as those who find their beginning and end in God himself.

- Serenity - calmness of character is something many strive for, but few actually realize. Instead, we live with continual chaos. God's plan is for us to know the tranquility of his presence each moment of our day. Network relationships are not usually 'constant' ones. There may be frequent contact, but it 'serves a purpose'. God isn't a 'let me serve your purpose' kind of God. He is intensely in love with us and he desires our hearts, not just our minds!

- A willingness to stick with things - some call this tenacity; others will call this commitment. Either way, it conveys the idea of standing firm. It is the idea of being persistent - getting on course and staying on course. It is always good to have direction in our lives, but if the ones we are taking up the course with are not helping us develop a deeper appreciation for the grace of God in our lives, the direction we travel may not get us to the destination we truly desire.

- A sense of compassion in the heart - there are times we are moved to meet a need, just because of what we see or hear. The heart of man is made up of our mind, will and emotions. The mind takes in the need, the emotions drive our response, and the will moves to meet the need. Christ's Spirit helps to align our heart with the good we need to be doing each and every day. The connection we make with him each day is important because it begins to affect our heart. Since heart drives our passions, it is important to have it affected by the right influences.

- A conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people - in other words, we learn to judge less and extend grace more. We don't overlook sin, but we don't judge the sinner, either. We embrace the sinner, extend grace, and await the move of Christ's Spirit in their lives. There is also an ability to direct our energies wisely - because of redirected focus, we don't spin our wheels quite as much! There are times we 'spin our wheels' in life, not even realizing we are doing it. God's Spirit helps us to recognize when we are just 'taking steps', but those steps are kind of 'aimless'. The enjoyment of freedom in Christ is summed up in the benefits. How do we know if someone is enjoying and living in the freedom Christ brings - we look for the fruit! Network with those who reveal fruit in their lives and you won't soon be disappointed! Just sayin!

Under is not bad

Have you ever had that one true friend who pours wise counsel into your life, even when you might not always understand you are receiving counsel? I am blessed to have had several good friends over the years. When seeking defined purpose, looking into future plans, or trying to find out how we can change something that has given us issues, we seek counsel - advice to help us make wise choices. There are just times when we need the "wise advice" which functions as guidance for our lives that only comes from a loyal brother or sister in the Lord who can point us in the direction that brings out more of Christ in our lives. When seeking advice, where do you turn? Do you have one or two of those 'close allies' who help you see things through the eyes of Christ? If not, then you are truly missing out on learning to live freely - animated and motivated by the Spirit of God that dwells within you!

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? (Galatians 5:16-18)

Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. We all want to know how we can move from a place of living ho-hum lives, inconsistent in focus, not knowing how to live free from self-determined wheel-spinning. It is a good quest to determine to live 'free', but most of us really don't understand what that entails. To live freely we must be animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Animated lives are full of life, moving with purposeful activity. The thing to guard against here is the tendency we have to engage in any activity simply for the sake of being engaged in activity. When truly animated by God's Spirit, our activity has a purpose. Motivated lives speaks to our "cause" for which we live. We have a desire to be participants in God's kingdom living more than we do the things of this world.

It is only THEN that we won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. It is only when we have granted God's Spirit access to "control" our lives that we realize the greatest freedom within our lives! This seems like a contradictory state - free, but under control. Freedom is never the absence of boundaries, but rather the enjoyment of living within the boundaries established by the one who knows the bigger picture within which we should live our lives in safety! Sin is really a condition of heart and mind which leads to us pushing the boundaries. We want to live outside the boundaries because we have not learned the contentment of the safety the boundaries produce. Why do we resist boundaries? COMPULSIONS. In purely psychological terms, this refers to the strong and often irresistible impulse to perform an action which is often irrational or contrary to our real desires. We want to live one way - but, alas, we live another. Ugh! This can be so frustrating!

Getting a handle on our compulsiveness is certainly one way of changing our lives. Compulsions are first of all quite strong - there is some real force pulling or driving us. We have to identify the force if we are to resist it. This is where God's Spirit is so important to recognize in our lives - it is often his gentle nudges which alert us to the "wind in our sails" that is driving us to do something we may do well to resist, or the "magnetic pull" of something drawing us in. The Spirit is often telling us to put down our sails, and dig in! If we do, we see just how safe the boundaries really are! Compulsions are irresistible because they present such a good "front" to us. It is like they have a "marketing" campaign which makes the action look way better than it will ever be! The "image" presented is one thing - the "reality" represented is another. Candy looks appealing - the extra pound on my hips does not! Spirit-led lives find the boundaries as less and less "restrictive" the more they see the futility of obeying the compulsiveness of their selfishness. There is something quite "freeing" in living under the leadership of one who has nothing more than our best interest in mind! Take wise counsel - learn to live under that wise direction! Just sayin!

Not going there....

Have we ever been guilty of doing something not quite so well-meaning, then quickly making an excuse for our actions based on some extenuating circumstance or the behavior of the other? Probably all of us could answer this one with a hearty, "Yes!" Whenever we use our "freedom" to do or say something incorrect, we are abusing our freedom. Whenever we excuse our abuse, no matter how small it may be, we are in a dangerous place. When we make "excuses" for our behavior, we are simply implying there were "extenuating circumstances" which created the environment for our behavior. Excuses take the light off of us, placing it squarely on another, or some unforeseeable circumstance. We want to be "vindicated" in our bad behavior!

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? (Galatians 5:13-15)

Whenever we seek vindication for behavior declared to be outside of what God desires for our lives, we are asking a holy God to turn his back on our sin - to overlook how far off we are from hitting the target. He simply cannot just look aside as though the behavior didn't matter! Since God won't turn his back on us, nor on our sin, he must see us to the point where we deal with it once and for all. This is the purpose of conviction - it brings us to the place of "dealing with" our sin. We cannot just 'overlook' our sin and expect all to be well in our lives. Know this - love is expressed in our actions. This includes our words. Words which serve to cut down, point out faults, or nit-pick character flaws are usually considered to be the opposite of loving. In fact, we'd call them unkind.

Learning the lesson of true sacrificial service begins with understanding the extent of love. Love reached down from heaven, sinless hand touching a sinful heart, and made right what we could not ever hope to make right in our own power. Love is expressed in God's action toward us - he expects us to repeat this action in the lives of those we are with each day. Love has many faces. Grace reflects the eyes of understanding because it has walked the path of the other person's failures. Peace reflects the tender look of contentment in the midst of the other person's moments of terror and agony. Justice reflects the gentle smile of one who extends mercy where judgment was warranted. Yes, love has many faces. Add them up and you will see a pretty accurate picture of Christ.

God's message to us - learn to reflect the face of Christ. Embrace your freedom in Christ, stop making excuses for your short-comings, and learn to love others in the same manner he has first loved you. Tall order, but definitely "do-able" when Christ is the one we keep our eyes firmly fixed upon. Think about it - don't we reflect the actions of those we "hang around" with the most? Doesn't a child reflect the parent's actions simply by "observing" them? We can do the same! Associate a little more with Jesus and just see how that begins to affect your actions! Just sayin!

Locked up no more

If you were doing a life sentence and the review board sent you a message they were considering letting you go free, how do you think you might react? How many of us would just choose to 'live free' within those cell walls? We begin today with a very succinct message - if you are declared to be free, walk free! One of the greatest privileges we enjoy is our spiritual liberty, yet we do a pretty fair job of living somewhere just below total liberty!

Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. (Galatians 5:1)

Now, if we were just to look upon those "freedoms" as something nice to have and then live in the same bondage we have been spending our entire life trying to escape, wouldn't it be silly? In this entire book Paul has laid out the plan to have anyone who has been declared "free" in Christ to live as a "free person". Escape bondage and live free - not still in a cell of our own making or own another has made for us. Who sets us free - Christ. No other person or set of works has accomplished this freedom. The purpose of us being set free - to live a free life. In other words, we don't return again to those things which do nothing more than entrap us in enslaving thoughts, empty rituals, or unwise actions.

In the end, the goal of our freedom is to simply be able to stand - not just stand on a wobbly foundation, but stand strong! Does someone really embrace freedom and then actually prefer to go back to bondage? It is not likely. Yet, there are multiple examples of "tasting freedom" and "slipping back into bondage" in the spiritual world around us. For example, we use the term, "He fell of the wagon", to describe one who has known days of sobriety and then returned to the "demon alcohol" or "addictive substance". In scripture, there are examples of the awfulness of returning to bondage - in fact, it is likened to a "dog returning to its vomit". That paints a pretty accurate picture, huh?

So, how do we avoid the tendency to "return" to a place of bondage in our lives? Don't LET anyone PUT a harness of slavery on you. Two key words: Let and Put. Let: we allow or permit it - we actually "grant" the access. Put: to place under the power of something or someone - we allow or grant someone or something the access, giving them the "authority" to take the position of "power" in our lives. The first tiny word "let" carries a big punch - it can occur through intentional thought and unconscious awareness. We actually "grant access" to many things in our lives - some very specifically, others very passively. Those who enjoy freedom are those who learn to specifically "grant access" to certain thought patterns, specific edifying activities, and wholesome relationships. Those who drift back into "bondage" take a more passive approach to restricting access into their mind, will and emotions.

The second tiny word "put" carries as significant of a punch as the first - the process of harnessing an animal involves the activity of an external force placing the harness upon the unsuspecting animal. Did you ever stop to think what a horse must think the first time he is harnessed? Perhaps it is something such as, "Nice buckles and soft leather!", or maybe "Uh oh! I am not going to like where this is taking me!" The first response shows a lack of awareness of the "effect" of the harness - the second gives insight into the horse being led where he does not exactly want to go! We do both - we turn a blind eye and don't see what is right in front of us, and we wander along as though there were not other choices to be made! Learning how to control what we "let" influence us is part of rejecting the things people would want to "put" on us which are not specifically going to allow us to stand strong. It also means we don't any longer prefer the confines of our cell! Just sayin!

Did I imagine that?

There are always going to be things that appear to frighten us in this lifetime. The other night I had just laid down and then I heard a noise. Not unusual, knowing mom sometimes gets up shortly after I put her down. It was louder than the normal noises she makes, though, so I was a little bit concerned. She wasn't awake, nor had she stirred. So, what had I heard? I explored the entire house, garage, and looked into the front and back yards. Nothing seemed out of place. I laid awake for awhile - I had heard something and it concerned me! I have to ask how many worries we are held captive by in our lives - those things which appear as threatening as tigers, but really have no power over us until we give in to them? In some cases, we "buy into" the bondage of certain thought patterns, or activities, simply because they seem to present something of "meaning" to our lives. Rarely do we actually step back long enough to see if there is any advantages / disadvantages to these things we believe, or the activity we pursue just because someone told us it was the right thing to do, or our minds convinced us it was necessary.

Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those paper tigers? (Galatians 4:8-9)

You likely are as given to interpreting life by whatever vantage point you inhabit at this moment, just like I am. In the dark and quiet of night, noises seem very troublesome. During the light of day, they are easier to dismiss. When the vantage point seems to put me above some issue, avoiding direct influence from the issue at hand, I buy into the idea of not being affected by the issue. A vantage point is simply any position which provides a good view! If we are removed far enough from something threatening we feel less threat than we do when we are face-to-face with the same perceived threat, or when we simply cannot see it at all, but know it is there! Perception is the awareness of a situation - what we see or hear is NOT always reality, though! Rules, regulations, and the keeping of special days for the purpose of religious pursuit is just a set of religious pursuits! In the end, these things bring us into a place of bondage because we don't realize they are keeping us from experiencing the reality of close, intimate relationship with our God.

God knows us personally - not in a superficial way, but in a deep, intimate manner. He relates to us where we are, speaking into our lives through his Word, his servants, and even by nature itself. We get to know the one we spend the most time with. If we spend time with "paper tigers" - this is what we get to know! If we spend time with the God of the universe - the universe opens up to us! Simply put - we need to examine the things which threaten our development of an intimate relationship with Jesus. When I use the term "intimate", I am referring to the open, honest, free-flowing exchange which occurs when two people know each other very well. There is trust, freedom of exchange, and a commitment to see life from the other's point of view. This is so important for us simply because our point of view is not the best "vantage point"! When we get to see things through HIS eyes, we often develop a much more realistic perception of life's paper tigers! We begin to see things as they are, not as we imagine them to be! Just sayin!

I have nothing to wear

Destiny - the purpose for which someone is destined. Destination - the place we are headed. Really we can think of being "destined" as being set apart for a particular purpose - believe it or not, we all have a specific "use" defined for our lives. Our "destination" is determined once we are "in Christ" by our coming into relationship with him. If not, our "destination" is rather uncertain because it is merely aiming, but not really being sure we will hit the target.

But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise.
(Galatians 3:25-27)

The most important thing we need to understand is the "direct" relationship we have with God through (IN) Christ. The Law of Moses did the work of "pointing to" the destination we all need to be headed toward - life with God - direct, no middle-man involved, close and intimate relationship with the One and True God. In other words, we have IMMEDIATE access which is not corporate, but PERSONAL in nature - affording an opportunity for us to be frank and real with God because herein is 'relationship'.

For some, being "real" with anyone, especially God, is a very frightening prospect. If we have been brought into "direct" relationship with God through the work of Christ on the cross, we have no need to fear this closeness in relationship. It is like having an "all-access" pass right into the throne room of God the Almighty! We can be straightforward - totally candid with God - because he does not judge us harshly for our wayward thoughts, our missteps, or our lack of trust. He accepts us "IN" Christ. Pure and simple - just the way we are. I often repeat this fact because we ALL have a hard time getting this into our minds and actually believing it!

Baptism was not just a time of washing us up for a fresh start - not like a 'spiritual bath' we took at some point. If it was, we'd be finding a place to be "baptized" every day! In baptism, we make a "fresh start" - one which involves acknowledging our intention to live according to the truth God reveals in his Word. The best of intentions does not get us to our destination, though. It takes purposeful steps from point "A" to get to point "B" and beyond. Intent is good - it is our starting point. Intention needs actions behind it - actions given and support by God's Spirit within.

Paul reminds us of the importance of being "fully dressed" with the wardrobe we are given. If we bathe (baptism) - we also need to be clothed (applying the truth we are given)! We often stop at baptism - but we need to move on! God brings us into direct, open, and frankly truthful relationship with him - IN CHRIST. In turn, we are to enter into the enjoyment of this freedom, clothing ourselves with all he provides - our "adult faith wardrobe" found in Christ! Just getting dressed is sometimes hard work - isn't it? If we are given the wardrobe, half the work is done for us! Just sayin!

On top of my game...NOT!

Shakespeare wrote: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts." I believe there is great wisdom in the choice of "stage" upon which we "act out" life - and the choice of the Director makes the difference with the impact of the entire production! It is not what we do FOR God that matters - it is what we do WITH God that will make the difference in life!

The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. (Galatians 3:11)

Nobody, especially me, can be "on top of their game" one-hundred percent of the time. It is physically and emotionally impossible to be attentive to every thought which leads to action, except by the power of the Holy Spirit operating within our lives. He acts as a "gate-keeper" over our thoughts - when we give him the freedom to be directing our course - but therein is the rub. Paul wrote to the Roman church, "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:1-2 The Message) If we "unpack" these verses a little, we see the consistency of his words throughout his writings.  His intention is to show the futility of living life by the "letter of the law". A system of rules will never be enough to bring about living, intimate fellowship with a holy God.

It is our EVERYDAY, ORDINARY life God wants. This is the meat of the matter. He wants more than our Sunday mornings - he wants our Monday, going back to work, mornings! He looks forward to walking alongside us into the uncertainty of tomorrow. He likes us on bad hair days and wants to be around us when 'grumpy hour' seems to be the trend with us. He looks for us to PLACE life before him without regret, resentment, or fear of what he might do with this day we have been given. Sometimes we regret giving him our everyday life because we don't see much value in what we do. He does even when we don't! At other times, we resent handing over control of our lives. The most successful place to be is in his hands - not in ours. We EMBRACE what he does. This is what we do FOR him. In the yielded spirit, God is honored above all else. It is in the FIXING OF OUR ATTENTION on God that our focus becomes clear and without uncertainty. When we are correctly focused, the image produced will be clear, crisp, and a perfect replica of the original! God wants something FROM us - it is our RESPONSE to him! It should be immediate - this is the meaning of "readily recognize". His leading is quick and it is sure. In the moments between a good choice and a poor one, his leading is quickly given. It is our response to the leading which determines the course.

It is not the things we do FOR God which matter the most - it is indeed what we do WITH God! Do we bring him along for the ride, or does he direct the course? Do we engage him in our decisions, or do we just invite him to rescue us whenever they don't prove as "sound" as we'd hoped? There are lots of rules we could keep in life - none produces the same result as walking in grace, or obedience! Just sayin!

Do and get...or get and do

Does God do the "stuff" in our lives he does out of obligation to us because we have somehow "earned" it - done enough, been good enough, or said enough of the right stuff? Do we obtain the blessings of God, including his attention and his directing influence, simply because we hit some point of "enough" to warrant it? The truth is that we are a church with a mixed up set of ideas at times. We believe in the work of Christ - salvation through his shed blood (an act of faith). Yet we cannot fully detach from the influence of the common beliefs of our day that you get good stuff when you do good deeds (works and right behavior). Is 'behaving good' all that it takes to get God's blessings?

Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don't these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God. (Galatians 3:5-6)

This is indeed a good question for each of us to consider in our daily walk! The idea of thinking anything we do, say, or imagine in our minds will bring us into a "better place" with God is pretty commonly believed in some circles. All the "moral striving" we go through - and for some of us, this may be quite a bit of repeated 'doing' - is really just "good deeds", but it is NOT what brings us into God's presence, gives us the leading of his Holy Spirit, or provides us with some good or positive outcome. It is Christ alone who accomplishes this within us making it important to realize that no amount of our own striving produces positive effect!

You have probably heard it said, "God helps those who help themselves." Although you may think it is biblical, it really isn't. When we say this, we are declaring our intention to take the initiative - to get the results we desire. This phrase actually originated in Greek mythology! Aeschylus wrote, "Whenever a man makes haste, God too hastens with him." This comes from the Greek tragedy, The Persians, written in 427 BC. Sophocles wrote, "No good e'er comes of leisure purposelessness; and heaven ne'er helps the men who will not act." He was another writer of Greek tragedies during the same time period. The concept of acting FIRST, then asking God for help AFTER you act is a concept taught throughout Greek mythology. Thinking God will 'back up' your actions is kind of futile if you aren't taking the right actions in the first place! Those Greeks were murdering people for the sport of it and saying it was all 'good'.

Although there have been various "iterations" of this concept over the ages, the most notable to us is the present day rendering of "God helps those who help themselves." This variation was penned by an Englishman (Algernon Sidney), intent on editorializing the governmental issues he was encountering in 1698. We probably remember it best as being part of the writing of Benjamin Franklin - a quote in his Almanac in 1736 - making it popular to the masses. Regardless of how we have come to learn this "concept" - we have learned a concept which is foreign to the scriptural teaching of dependence upon God for direction! Yes, God expects us to work - laboring well at our calling in life. Yes, he expects us to engage in life - open to the leading he gives. In fact, he invites us to act WITH him! Solomon penned the words, "I have seen all the works done under the sun; indeed all is vanity and grasping at the wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14) At best, our works are "grasping at the wind" - any attempt to grasp the wind will show us each the futility of even trying!

We have an opportunity to change our mindset. We can either believe we must do "things" in order for God to intervene in our lives, or like we are taught in scripture, we can accept God has already intervened despite our "doing"! At best, our "doing" falls short of perfect faith! No amount of "doing good" gains us any closeness of walk with Christ. "Doing good" is an outcome of "being made" good! The "being made" part is God's part - not ours! So, if we have a tendency to be "self-initiators" in this walk with God, we might want to step back a little to see where it is God is leading! He may have an entirely different course for our lives - one which is not focused on all the "works" we have been pursuing. In fact, he may lead us away from some of those "works" into a place of grace we have never experienced before when we finally stop "doing" and just learn to "trust" in his completed work for our lives - the work of the Cross provided ALL we need for salvation! Just sayin!

I've tried that before...

A long time ago, a friend gave me an illustration which has stuck with me through the years. He held out a beautiful Montblanc pen, (since I am a writer, pens are kind of a passion of mine), and asked me to "try" to take the pen away from him. Seeing this as an easy thing, I reached out to his outstretched hand to take the pen. Now the pen was in my possession, or so I thought. He then corrected me with the following: He told me to only "try" to take the pen! When I responded with a quizzical look on my face, he used this illustration to speak a life-lesson. Knowing my passion for words, he was showing me the very first definition of the word "try" is really something quite different than we might suppose. In fact, it means to "attempt" to accomplish something. It does not imply actually "doing" it - just attempting it! We talked for a while about "trying" versus "doing". We go through life doing a whole lot of "trying" - attempting to accomplish whatever we set our minds toward. Yet, in the end, when we look back at the "attempts" we may find most of them are actually only marginally successful, if not totally unsuccessful and unrealistic!

We Jews know that we have no advantage of birth over "non-Jewish sinners." We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it—and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good. 

(Galatians 2:15-16)

There is a definite difference between "doing" and "trying". What I did when he offered his pen is an action which accomplished the intended result. If I was simply trying, I might only have looked at the pen, imagining in my mind how I could swoop in, grasp the object and be off with it. One produced a result, the other produced a whole lot of "mind effort", but no real change in the pen's location or possession. There are many times we look back over our decisions only to find our "efforts" of "trying" to change a particular habit, or break free of a particularly annoying sin never really accomplished the change we desired. When we examine this further, we might just find we actually are doing what the dictionary offers as the second definition of "try" - we have "experimented" with various "options" to see which one might just work. Unfortunately, in our walk with Christ, no amount of "experimenting" with things we could "try" on our own will ever work to bring lasting change!

Lasting change comes not in merely changing the rules we keep. It comes in the changing of the company we keep! The company we keep in our thought life influences the decisions we make. If the company we are keeping in our minds is a confluence of all kinds of input - some spiritual, some worldly, some of our own twisted imaginations - we are often confused as to the actions we should take to accomplish change. This is why we are warned to not focus so much on the input, but the source of the input! Grace is the method of change God uses each and every time. It is by grace our thoughts are changed. It is through grace our choices are refined. In the movement of grace in our lives, we see what we imagine IN CHRIST accomplished in our lives. When we finally admit the "trying" efforts of our own "experiments" at change as riddled with self-failure, we begin to invite the influence of the Spirit of God into the midst of our desired change. We move from a position of "trying" into a place of "doing" by embracing the method of change that really works - Christ IN us, the hope of glory! Just sayin!

Which one of me do you see?

Do you have any inconsistencies in your walk and talk, or do they match up pretty much all of the time? I would have to be totally honest here and let you know my walk doesn't always match my talk! We all have times when our behavior we are engaging in just doesn't 'match' our stated beliefs - acting one way with a certain group and another with the other. When we are 'scrutinized' we may act one way, but when we aren't, how do we act? When Peter was not being "scrutinized" by those belonging to the group of the Jewish "conservatives", he did not find it offensive to eat with non-Jews. But...when the "conservative" Jewish brothers were in town, he refused to associate with the non-Jewish believers.He was definitely being a little "two-sided" in his behavior - walk not always matching his talk.

But when I saw that they were not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the Message, I spoke up to Peter in front of them all: "If you, a Jew, live like a non-Jew when you're not being observed by the watchdogs from Jerusalem, what right do you have to require non-Jews to conform to Jewish customs just to make a favorable impression on your old Jerusalem cronies?"

(Galatians 2:14)

We cannot ignore the fact of our inconsistencies because we are probably as concerned with making a "favorable" impression in some circle of individuals we associate with - some of us even act a little bit like 'social climbers', seeking the attention of those in positions of power! We act one way when not being watched by the 'judging' set of eyes, but a completely different performance is observed when oversight is likely to occur. I wonder if we treat God this way? I am thinking we just might on occasion - almost thinking he doesn't observe our behavior, or know our thoughts! There are times when we think God is not really watching us too closely - those are the times we allow ourselves to indulge in the things God has declared to be unwise, harmful, or misaligned with his will for our lives. You have heard the example of the couple or family who argues all the way to church in the car, but once they hit the parking lot of the church, smiles appear, arms are around each other, and kindness abounds! It is as though God wasn't there with them in the car on that entire ride!

For some of us, we'd call this being "two-faced". What we are and do in private differs from the image we put forth to the public for 'common view'. This is a very dangerous place to live! Whenever we allow inconsistencies between what is done in private and what we are in public, we are trying to straddle the fence of dual allegiance. When it suits us, we align with Christ - when it doesn't, we make an excuse for our behavior. If we have to make an excuse for our behavior, we probably feel we have to defend it! I'd rather have God be my defense - he does a much better job! Behavior will not always align as it should, but be quick to admit when it doesn't. Don't cover it up. God appreciates our honesty! Just sayin!

Stand out

Have you won any popularity contests lately? I haven't! I imagine we have all struggled with the idea of being "popular" - being part of the "in" crowd. In school, we'd look at certain groups of girls or boys, see how they dressed, looked at the way they did their hair, listened to what the talked about, and then what did we try to do? For some of us, we tried to "fit in" by doing those things or dressing in similar fashion! If we have a tendency to be "followers" by nature, we want to "bend" to the whim of the crowd we are with. If we are "leaders", we honestly just expect everyone else to fall in line behind us! But...did you ever stop for a moment to think that a leader is no good if there are no followers? Lead or follow as a support to the leader - either role is important - but one should not desire to lead, for leadership carries a great burden and much responsibility.

Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave. Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. I didn't receive it through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:10-12)

I was a follower - - getting caught up in the whims of the crowd. I did some pretty "not so nice" things! I engaged in some mischief for which I have long ago repented and asked God's forgiveness. I also got into my fair share of trouble - spending quite a bit of time "explaining" my behaviors to my parents and others! Needless to say, Christ changed a lot for me! I was so concerned with impressing others at that point in my life that I forgot to be myself. I forgot how to be 'real' or 'genuine' in relationship. I needed (or wanted) to be exactly what you needed me to be - not being true to myself at all. Consider the goal of being "popular" for just a moment and you might just realize the "favor" a particular group might show you is sometimes not always what it is cracked up to be. In fact, the very direction the group may be headed will only place you in a position of being rather unpopular with many others! Let me be transparent here - I am not a Christian because it makes me "popular". In most cases, being a Christian these days is not the most popular stand we can take.

Popular describes something or someone as an object or individual who represents the "masses". In today's society, Christianity is proclaimed, but it is not consistently "lived". We cannot say Christian virtues are the popular (prevailing) virtues. In fact, the trend is the tolerance of all virtues - regardless of the religion. So, close personal relationship with Jesus is not always the most 'popular' choice one can make, but it is the more rewarding! Something which can be "adapted" to fit the ordinary intelligence or taste of an individual may be considered to be 'popular'. Regardless of how we might feel about this, God's Word is NOT something we can "adapt" to fit whatever our whims might be. It is meant to be interpreted by certain principled methods and cannot be "twisted" to "fit" our particular stance. Whenever we twist the Word to fit our immediate whim, we are attempting to make the Word of God "popular" - to bend it to the "trend" of society rather than allowing it to affect the "bend" of society!

You may not have realized it, but most things deemed to be popular really have a value determined by those who think it popular. So, we may not always want to be "popular" in our walk. Why would we want to be considered "ordinary" when God declares us to be "extraordinary"? We might not always want to "adapt" things to fit our intentions or plans because when life is all about us, we miss the enjoyment and fulfillment of including those uniquely designed to provide some blessing in our life. We may not realize the "cost" of what we have been given, but hang around long enough and it will eventually become apparent! Nope! We are not in this for the "popularity" it produces! Be willing to be "unpopular" to the masses - God has declared you so already! Just sayin!

Should I stand on this?

Has anyone accused you of being a little 'fickle' on occasion? Maybe you know someone who is a little bit on the 'fickle' side - constantly changing their mind, not very steadfast in their determination, erratic in their choices. Fickle people are very unstable - they lack solid roots. It is easy to get a little off-course when we lack foundation - when our roots aren't firmly planted in truth. When there is an intentional 'twisting' of the truth about Christ, in any form it may come, there is a chance the 'roots' one has planted may get challenged a little. Adding anything to the perfect work of the cross of Christ is just wrong, but how many times are we guilty of 'adding to' the required 'works' a believer must do to be 'right with God'? We are being 'fickle' whenever we do!

I can't believe your fickleness—how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing a variant message! It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God. Those who are provoking this agitation among you are turning the Message of Christ on its head. Let me be blunt: If one of us—even if an angel from heaven—were to preach something other than what we preached originally, let him be cursed. I said it once; I'll say it again: If anyone, regardless of reputation or credentials, preaches something other than what you received originally, let him be cursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

Fickleness is the likelihood of change. In other words, if the chance presents itself, we will change! This is dangerous when it comes to our beliefs. We need to be assured of what we believe and then stand on it! No one should come along with a "new revelation" and then sway us into changing our beliefs. As we study the Word, we are gaining an understanding of the truths contained within - learning little by little how God works, what he values, and where he will not allow us to cross the line. We 'study' to be assured of our beliefs - knowing exactly what we stand upon and what we stand for - so we will not go through life "changing" at the drop of a hat.

If "variant messages" existed just after Christ walked this earth, how many different variations to the true message of God's love do we have today? Lots - too many to count! As time goes on, new "twists" come, bending the Word of God to please the intentions of a man's heart, instead of allowing the Word of God to bend our hearts toward the intentions of God's heart! This is why we need to be on-guard when considering new truth. We need to learn to be students of the Word, taking what we learn, comparing it to the Word, and then allowing God's Spirit to affirm or deny the teaching. It is how we protect ourselves from teachings that will ultimately eat away at our foundation and cause a lack of stability in our lives.

All other teachings are to be cursed. Those are strong words, but we must note Paul did not just say them just once! He was making a point. Fickleness is the state of being so casual in our beliefs that we actually are totally changeable without even really realizing it. We are not to be so impressionable. We are to have our allegiance well-established and then stick with it. Does that mean we never consider a new way of seeing a passage from scripture? Absolutely not, but we learn to "test" it against what we already know, what the other portions of scripture teach, and the confirmation of the Spirit of God in our lives.

Did you realize the underlying cause of fickleness is perversity? According to Webster's, this is the underlying root of this word. Simply put, because the heart is not pure, we struggle with remaining steadfast! I do believe scripture teaches the heart is deceitful, so it makes it really difficult for us to really know it (Jeremiah 17:8-10)! We can count on this: God knows our heart and it is HIS business to help keep our heart on track! Sometimes we need to do a "reality check" with the teachings we have come to embrace. It will do us well to consider them in light of the intention of scripture. Considering the tendency of our heart to follow after stuff that is deceitful, we need God's help to help us understand scripture. When we engage in this purposeful exploration of the teachings we come across, we begin to formulate a solid foundation upon which we can build. So, explore, but be careful what you embrace! Just sayin!

May it be complete

Paul, a disciple of Christ, born out of the ranks of the Jews - a former persecutor of the believers in Jesus. Would you begin a conversation with these "credentials"? Whenever we are establishing new "relationship" with people, isn't this similar to what we do? We discuss what we do for a living, if we are married or single, how many kids we have, where we went to school, what our hobbies might be, or where we stand on a particular topic of interest. Each of these "facts" somehow give us some "credibility" in the group we are associating with, don't they? If I had to start a conversation with my 'former' credentials (those things that defined me in my past), I am not sure many of you would ever want to associate with me!

I, Paul, and my companions in faith here, send greetings to the Galatian churches. My authority for writing to you does not come from any popular vote of the people, nor does it come through the appointment of some human higher-up. It comes directly from Jesus the Messiah and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. I'm God-commissioned. So I greet you with the great words, grace and peace! We know the meaning of those words because Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we're in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God's plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes! (Galatians 1:1-5)

Paul begins with his appointment - his authority to be writing this message. In some respects, I guess this is important to get out there right up front so there are no questions about why he should be trusted to direct the actions of the church. He is not "people-appointed" - there was no board of elders "voting" him into his role as apostle. He was God-sent - therefore, his message would be God-approved. As such, his authority is to be accepted and the help he would give the believers was to be embraced openly. Maybe he set out this at the beginning because he had such a negative 'past' set of credential!

Two words will define his message to the believers:  Grace and Peace. Grace because it describes the process by which we are brought into the Kingdom of God and the very thing that holds us in that position. Peace because it becomes the outflow of our position in Christ. Paul is going to have to deal with a lot of important things for us to understand as believers in Christ. Things like how a Christian can live an imperfect life and still experience the grace and peace of God! He sets the stage for us to understand God's love expressed through his immense grace.

It all begins with Christ's rescue - freeing us from our confinement to live sinful lives, bound by the very thing we so desperately desire to be free of. He accomplished our rescue by the Cross. He was offered as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. This is a tough thing to grasp if we have no knowledge of the Old Testament Law of Moses. The Law was a system of rules and regulations God established with Israel in order to point them to the plan of redemption in Christ. The Law contained multiple "sacrificial" offerings - everything from the choicest grain of your harvest to the pure and spotless lamb offered as an atonement sacrifice. Each carried a meaning unique in describing provision and grace. Each pointed to Christ - to the hope of deliverance.

Rescue is often a misunderstood process. The term means to bring into liberty. It is the setting free of our mind, will and emotions from all which seeks to control, or interfere, with our living according to the will of God. It involves removing us from the obligation to continually "pay for" our sins - because Christ's sacrifice was once and for all - setting us right with God regardless of our sin. It is both the power and the authority to bring change beyond our capability. Think about it. Does a prisoner of war play any part in his rescue? No! It is the work of the Special Ops personnel sent on the mission to free the one who has been bound. Those Special Ops troops plan, prepare, and then execute the plan. In turn, the one bound is set free. Think of Christ as the ultimate Special Ops soldier! He and his Father planned, prepared, and he executed the plan perfectly. Nothing we do adds to the plan! His rescue is perfect because the plan was perfect!

God's plan: For us all to experience this rescue! If you are struggling to be rescued, it is time to step back and allow the one who has the plan for your rescue to step in. If you have been rescued, but still struggle with the feelings of bondage, it is your divine rescuer who wants to help you enjoy total and complete liberty in him. My hoe is that we all come to appreciate the complete rescue of Christ! Just sayin!

Iron-Deficiency

The Word of God can become an intensive training tool in our life - - we CAN come to rely upon hearing it, using it in practical ways to assist with the day-to-day decisions of life, and leaning on it when no answer seems apparent. It can become our source because we have come to know the one who stands behind it! Did you ever stop to think that the Word of God might just put a little 'iron in your soul'? I wonder how many of us might just suffer from 'iron-deficiency' now and again, having neglected to take in the Word, making it part of our daily intake?

I'm homesick, God, for your salvation; I love it when you show yourself! Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well, use your decrees to put iron in my soul. And should I wander off like a lost sheep—seek me! I'll recognize the sound of your voice. (Psalm 119:174-176)

You can ask God to "put iron" in your soul - there is nothing wrong with this request. When we think of the soul, we are reminded it encompasses our mind, will and emotions. We are just asking God to give a certain steadiness, a strength to our thoughts, our choices, and our emotions. Whenever iron is used as a symbol in scripture, it really pictures unyielding determination. Let our heart be determined to allow God to impact our inner man so our outer man always gives a solid testimony of God's grace in our life!

Did you ever consider the make-up of iron? It is not a pure metal - but the very fact it is impure makes it malleable. The metal we call iron is really a very strong metal - rigid almost. We all go through rough spells in which we see a little bit of our "metal" revealed. Our rigidity toward sin becomes apparent in taking that first step in the direction of sin's pull. Our rigidity toward grace becomes equally apparent when we cry out, "Create in me a clean heart, O God! And renew a right spirit in me!" It is the impurity of our heart which brings us repeatedly back to the throne of grace!

We each individually make the resolve to allow God to affect our thoughts, so our actions will be pure, and our emotions will be balanced so our response to life would become more directed and focused. We petition God to "seek us" - not because we ever plan to wander off, but because we know we all have a tendency to do so! We should all be this honest in our appraisal of commitment to living obedient lives! We all have the tendency to have a little "iron" in our character - rigid toward one form of sin or another!

Here's the awesome part of this - God seeks us! We wander - he seeks us until we realize we have been found! Sometimes, I think we come to a place where we feel "found out" - not just found! Either way, he did the seeking! The encouragement found in this passage is the very last truth - we WILL recognize his voice! It is distinctive and clear! There is no wavering or inconsistency in his voice! Perhaps this makes it so very recognizable to the wayward one!

Jesus used a similar illustration when he taught his disciples one day, telling them his sheep knew his voice! He illustrated another parable of one wandering sheep, alone from the flock, and a shepherd focused on finding one lonely sheep. The sheep who wandered was once part of the flock! The shepherd had 100 sheep, 99 stayed right with him, one wandered away. This speaks to me of the ease of making one small decision after another which takes us out of the safety of living close to him!

We can know the heart of God. In turn, God gives us insight into his own heart. We can count on this being true in our lives - through grace. God delights in us knowing the "rigidity" of our heart - it is only in recognizing our lack of being yielded that we come to the place of acknowledging our need. May your heart always be yielded, your soul made strong with the Lord's protection, and your mind filled with the peace which comes from knowing God is in control! Just sayin!

Shhh....do you hear that?

I have seen some majestic waterfalls, but I know there are even more out there to be discovered. One thing that really catches my attention with these huge cascades of water is their intense sound. The thundering of the water as it cascades, falling upon rocks below, echoing throughout the canyons in which they dwell - it just roars and almost deafens one who gets too close. Have you heard the term, "Talk is cheap"? It means it is easier to talk ABOUT something than to do it! Another meaning would be it is easier to talk ABOUT someone than to do something for them. We could say talk is "cheap" in many respects - if our words aren't a sincere revelation of our motives (inner heart), they are simply have no real "force" behind them. They may 'thunder and roll', but do they carry any really power behind them? The words that 'cascade' from our lips should be to build up - not tear down. They should be to lift exalted praise to the one who has all the power to uphold us!

Let praise cascade off my lips; after all, you've taught me the truth about life! And let your promises ring from my tongue; every order you've given is right. Put your hand out and steady me since I've chosen to live by your counsel. (Psalm 119:171-173)

I have friends who speak continuously when we are together. Other simply are happy to sit and enjoy times of quiet with me, occasionally bringing some discussion into the quiet, but it is not the main "theme" of our time together. I was once told we could "gauge" the comfort of an individual in a relationship by their need to continually make "small talk" in our time together. As my relationships have matured, the need to always be engaged in conversation has decreased. So, I think this observation may actually be true. You know what? My comfort with God has grown deeper over the years, allowing me to be quite comfortable just sitting in his presence, taking in his grace, and just not needing to say a thing. Yet, there are times when my lips must exalt him and my heart cry out. Both are perfectly right - both are perfectly natural! How do you find your time with the Lord? Is it a continual conversation, barely pausing for a breath? Is there a sense of "filling" space with conversation? If so, you might find you are a little concerned about the "silence"! Why? It may be the silence frightens you because you have never learned the value of just spending "time" with each other. Whenever I have paused my talking TO God long enough, I begin to "take in" things around me purposefully revealed by his hand.

On a recent fishing trip, I just sat and enjoyed the sounds, sights, and simple beauty around me. When I sat there a while, I began to look at the "floor" of the creek bed and forest just beyond it. The fallen branches created little havens for the creatures - I knew they were there even when I did not see them. Birds pecked underneath them, and if I had looked a little further, I bet I would have found that insects made a home there, too. In short order, God began to show me the purpose God has for the "broken". The trees were filled with leaves, gently whispering the ebbs and flow of the breezes. The floor of the forest was lined with fallen leaves, broken branches, and fallen seed pods. In terms of looking at the trees or the forest floor, one might quickly say the trees still served a purpose - they were full of the evidence of life! Yet, when we really consider the floor, guess what we see? You got it! Life! Even in what appeared to have been 'discarded' by the trees (those fallen leaves, the broken branches, and the drying seed pods), there was an immense purpose! The leaves provided protection to the roots during the heat of summer. The fallen branches acted as resting spots for the creatures scurrying about. The drying pods would be laid up for the leaner times by little forest critters. Each held a purpose far greater than evident by just a cursory glance.

The same is true of each of us - we serve a purpose not always evident on the surface. In the quiet of discovery, our purpose becomes apparent. What impressed me most in my time of listening to God, being open to his teaching, was the truth that in death God produces the basis for life! It was in death his Son provided the basis for eternal life with God. It is in death our hope begins! Praise cascades from the lips of one who realizes this truth to be true in their lives! In the quietness of praise, the truths of God become true in our lives. Did you ever think there was a purpose in "quiet" praise? Yep! Not every moment with God needs to be filled with words! Sometimes the greatest message is in the quiet we enjoy together! So, speak on God! We are quiet now. Just being quiet!

A new way - a new list

God's presence - my words - his attention - answers given. Isn't that how each of us would like things to work each and every time we need his answer to something we are dealing with? God's personal attention in our lives is the hope of each believer. I have never had a personal trainer at a gym (although I could use one), or a personal financial adviser, but I imagine those who enjoy the influence of these individuals in their lives see real benefit to their advice. But...all they offer is advice - we still choose what to do with the advice we receive. When we come to God, he gives more than advice! He gives answers! I cannot imagine a better personal trainer than the Holy Spirit! I cannot fathom better advice than what we find in the Word of God! I doubt there is anyone's attention more devoted to each of us than God's!

Let my cry come right into your presence, God; provide me with the insight that comes only from your Word. Give my request your personal attention, rescue me on the terms of your promise. (Psalm 119:169-170)

Whenever I have moments of distress, I want to stand assured my cries go directly to the source of all help: God himself! No middle man involved - just direct access, front and center with God. It took me a long time to realize the intention of God's heart is this kind of free access to him at any moment, regardless of how big or small my distress! In fact, I lived like most of us do, believing something was just too trivial to "bother" God with - so, in my misguided belief, I'd "work it out" myself. I'd have to admit to you that these 'self-made' fixes were really not all that beneficial to me! My way of fixing things differs vastly from God's! I want the immediate fix and he almost always wants the more permanent, lasting fix.

Who is your source of light in your darkness? Who is the provider of peace in the midst of chaos? If you cannot answer with ALL assurance that it is God and God ALONE, it is time to take a step back. In stepping back, we often see best where we have been heading! In the pursuit of light or peace, we often get caught up in the void of darkness and the pointlessness of our lack of peace. In taking even one moment to pause, we change our perspective. You probably think this is a little silly, but humor me. Go to the mirror. Look long and hard at the reflection you see - - not at the grey hairs, the wrinkles, or even the little hairs needing to be tweezed! Just look at YOU. Are you the same person today as you were a year ago? In a physical sense, the answer is definitely "no"! None of us lives from one day to the next without some change in our physical bodies. Cells alive yesterday are sloughed today; those here today may be gone tomorrow. It is the course of life.

Now, take a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle. Put a small title at the top of each column - the one on the left should read "Past", the one on the right "Present". On the left side, begin to write down some of the blessings of God in your life you can remember from even the last three months or so (if you can remember the past six months, go for it). Maybe you were in financial need and you got an unexpected rebate check. Perhaps you were experiencing the loneliness of loss and you received a note which built up your inner man at a low point in your day. The blessings don't have to be "big", just whatever comes to mind. This is a powerful exercise because it focuses us on the many 'treasured' moments when God intervened with the 'fix' just as we needed it in our lives. If I had asked you to make a list of your failures, frustrations, or "unanswered" prayers, you'd have penciled a list in about three minutes flat! Why is this easier than recounting God's blessings? It is a matter of perspective - our focus. We "trouble" our worries, and our worries "trouble" us! Liberty comes in learning to change our perspective - not just in thought life, but in our entire focus. When we transition from believing God is only there for the "big" stuff to trusting him for even the "wee" stuff of life, we begin to treasure the blessings of having the "personal attention" of God! 

Did you think I forgot the other side of the paper? Nope! Here's your challenge: On the right side of the paper, begin to list the things you are trying to manage on your own today - to find the fix for in some manner you can 'manage'. Maybe you are dealing with a negative co-worker and have been continually frustrated with the interactions. Write the name of the individual there. Perhaps it is that "small matter" of being faithful with daily Bible study. Write it down! With each item you add, write a short descriptor of what you have been "trying" as a means of 'fixing' the issue. For example, if you have been "trying" to be faithful to daily study, you might write down "Daily study - reading plan, devotional book, and journal". You have "tried" a reading plan (a set list of what to read each day), going through devotionals written by others, and keeping a journal of what you are reading. None of these has made you any more "faithful". The faithfulness part is only something that comes as God brings the 'fix' into our lives. We don't need more of his love, we need to learn to love him more!

Now, tear or cut your list into two pieces right down the middle of those two columns. Go to the mirror again. Tape up the 'blessings' side. Now, each time you return to the mirror, reflect on what God accomplished in your life already. You may very well become overwhelmed by the fact of God's personal attention on your behalf! When we actually give him the chance to personally affect our lives, he proves himself faithful over and over again! The other side of the list - put it somewhere you don't always see it, but where you can get at it easily. Pick one day from your week (perhaps Sunday) and pull the saved list out. Sit some place quietly long enough to read through the list prayerfully each week. In other words, as you read about that financial need or troubling co-worker, give God some time to speak to you about the person, the circumstances, your response, etc. As you do this throughout the weeks ahead, when the things you have been "troubling" over, or that have been "troubling" you may very well change. As they do, add a date, and a short description of what God has done. You are going to be making a new list of blessings! Just sayin!

Everything fits

There are times we think proudly to ourselves, "Whew! Now, did you see how well I kept everything together today?" We look back over our day, see the chaos of all the multitude of events we tackled, and proudly assess the accomplishment as "ours". In fact, we couldn't be farther from the truth! The accomplishment of "stability" in our lives is really the result of the influence of the Word WITHIN - of Christ dwelling within our spirit! We will endure slander - it is part of human nature. We will be faced with lies - even if they are maybe half-truths, they are still lies! The darkness will sometimes creep in like the setting of the sun is preceded by the dusky sky; at others, it will come with haste, making everything around us seem rather bleak and ominous. These are part of living - no one escapes these (even on a island by themselves) - things just happen. But...for those who love what God reveals (especially within them), everything fits - it all works together for good.

I've been slandered unmercifully by the politicians, but my awe at your words keeps me stable. I'm ecstatic over what you say, like one who strikes it rich. I hate lies—can't stand them!—but I love what you have revealed. Seven times each day I stop and shout praises for the way you keep everything running right. For those who love what you reveal, everything fits—no stumbling around in the dark for them. I wait expectantly for your salvation; God, I do what you tell me. My soul guards and keeps all your instructions—oh, how much I love them! I follow your directions, abide by your counsel; my life's an open book before you. (Psalm 119:161-168 The Message)

When we pay attention to what God shows us, we stand strong in the midst of slander, ferret out the truth in the lies, and see a spark of light in each moment of darkness. Love what God reveals. Don't take a casual approach to the revealing of God's will. When God takes all the necessary time to get our attention (and we all know how hard that can be sometimes), truly focusing us on what he is saying, we have an obligation to pay attention! To our listening ear we need to add an obedient heart, because hearing and not doing is a big no-no. Often the biggest struggle of the will is in the emotional energy obedience requires! Love begins with the struggle of the will - we are choosing to let someone or something else influence our lives. In this case, we are giving God this 'exclusive' access, but we all have to admit there are a whole lot of things vying for that 'exclusive' place!

Stop and praise God. In the busy days we sometimes don't take the time to maintain balance. Balance is tough. I was surprised when I looked into the dictionary to see the word "balance" with over 25 different definitions. No wonder we get confused by words sometimes! Here's just a couple you might want to consider when you are considering if you have "balance" in your life:

* Mental steadiness or emotional stability (no one really enjoys chaos, but even in the midst of it, we can enjoy mental steadiness)

* The power or ability to decide an outcome by throwing one's strength, influence, or support to one side or the other (the one we "side" with throughout the day really goes a long way determining our "balance"

* An adjustment of accounts (moving time, talent, treasure in order to keep them divided into equal "buckets" - not allowing one thing to over-consume any of these)

* To weigh in a balance (just remember the counter-weights we utilize to determine "balance" are not always "true" - we need to test the weight)

In the waiting, we cannot forget to DO what God tells us. We sometimes think waiting is a place of inactivity, down-time, and easiness. In fact, it is quite the opposite. In long lines at the store, I often turn my attention to people-watching. A little amusement comes in the observations of those who are "jockeying" for the shortest line. Just remember - the shortest line doesn't always produce the greatest experience! Guard, keep, and follow. Guard what you allow to influence your life. Keep your attention focused on truth. Follow truth's direction, not your own or that of another misguided fool. Just sayin!

Noteworthy stuff

I can recall watching some of those silly sitcoms of the 50's and 60's, one of which was a 'regular' for me - Beverly Hillbillies. The characters ranged from an overgrown boy child who just had the hardest time with girls, a daughter that had no idea of her beauty, a granny who called the shots, a 'Paw' who worked to keep the family in line, a money-hungry banker, and his dutiful secretary, Ms. Hathaway. I was always caught by how 'put together' Ms. Hathaway always appeared and how she came at every call of her boss, Mr. Drysdale. Back in the day, a high-powered executive like Mr. Drysdale would speak authoritatively into the office intercom sitting on his desk, summoning an ever-waiting, always on the alert secretary to the office. Within seconds, the secretary would be "front and center", ready to do the bidding of the executive. It was not an uncommon thing to hear the words, "Take a note", implying that the secretary was to listen carefully, capturing the thoughts of the executive, then preparing a finished document with the dictated words. The attentiveness of the secretary was one thing - the ability to 'take note' quickly and accurately was another!

Take note of how I love what you tell me; out of your life of love, prolong my life. Your words all add up to the sum total: Truth. Your righteous decisions are eternal. (Psalm 119:159-160)

To "take note" is really saying "observe with care" or "pay special attention to" what I am about to say or do. In other words, when summoned, the secretary had to put out of her mind all other thought in order to focus on the current needs of the executive she served. Are you ever guilty of asking God to "take note"? We were likely asking God to "pay special attention to" our newly determined efforts to live in obedience to the revelation God gives because we don't want him to miss our efforts! As we have studied the various portions of this lengthy psalm, one theme consistently comes through. I wonder if you have been "taking note" of this theme as you have studied along with me? Have you seen it? The theme? Here it is: The Word of God is true! Since it is true, we can rely upon it! Totally! 

Since it is true, a reliable source for our every need, we cannot only "hang our hat" on the truth revealed within the Word, but we can allow it to deeply affect our lives. Did you catch that? We can ALLOW it to affect our lives! Changed life is a matter of giving access to the Word! Here's the sad truth - we often take the Word "IN" without allowing it to affect what is "IN" us!

There are both active and passive definitions of this word "allow". In an active sense, it means we actually "give permission" or "grant access to" the Word. This implies an active participation in not only taking it in, but in applying it to the various areas of our life until our emotional well-being, our spiritual health, and our physical strength is deeply impacted. In a passive sense, it means we "concede" to the action of the Word. Now, in a sense, this is not always bad, but when we concede, we are giving up a fight! This means we were resisting to begin with because there is no reason to give up a fight if we were never fighting! There is often freedom in surrender - but it can take us a long time to get to the place we finally surrender! I wonder how long a secretary would have kept her job back in the day if her response to the executive was, "I am pretty busy right now" or "The task you require of me is just not in keeping with what I want to do at the moment"? I'm thinking not too long! Yet, God is faced with these types of answers from us each and every day. We give one excuse after another, all the while avoiding the action(s) he requests of us. In turn, we wonder why we live weak, impotent Christian lives.

There is a direct "connection" between what is taken IN and how it is allowed to affect what is on the "inside"! We might resist change, but even resistance training brings great benefit to the muscles of our physical body! We might embrace change with open arms, but it is likely we might not fully appreciate the "cost" of change until we are deeply entrenched in the "process" of change! I cannot report that I have consistently embraced the Word without any lack of resistance. My own final attitude of "conceding" to the effect of the Word in my life is probably more evident to those looking upon my life as observers of the change more than it is to me! The important thing is the moment of "concession" - the turning of our heart from resistance toward obedience. The hope we have when this occurs: God takes note! He is paying close attention to the very moment of our shift in mindset - our heart response!

Today may be your day - the moment you "shift" from resistance toward obedience. It may be the day the Word you have taken IN begins to affect what is on the INSIDE. If so, know this: God is taking accurate and efficient note! It blesses him greatly when one of his kids takes even the smallest step toward obedience! He stands right there beside you today. Know what he is saying? I do! His response to our obedience always a resounding, "Yippee!" Just sayin!

I guess I needed that....

In treating some patients, there are times when we give medications for the very purpose of acting as "antagonists" to some other medication in the body or a type of electrolyte imbalance. The purpose is to "bind" something of harm to your body or move it out of your system, such as too much narcotic, an over-abundance of potassium, or a blood-level of medication that is harmful at a particularly high level. The antagonistic effect of the medication actually ends up saving your life! The thing that the individual would otherwise not need to have administered, such as insulin, will move potassium out of their blood and into their cells where it belongs, helping to lower critically high levels of potassium. The thing we sometimes need is what we otherwise would not even consider as an 'antidote' or 'remedy' to whatever it is we are dealing with!

"Salvation" is only gibberish to the wicked because they've never looked it up in your dictionary. Your mercies, God, run into the billions; following your guidelines, revive me. My antagonists are too many to count, but I don't swerve from the directions you gave. (Psalm 119:155-157)

Sometimes we view people and things in our lives who function as "antagonists" in a very negative sense. I wonder if the "challenging" thing or individual in our lives is actually functioning as an antagonist in order to produce something that will actually "save" our life? As we stop for a moment to consider these "challenging" people or things passing through our lives right now, we may actually find their "influence" to seem a little uncomfortable, but in the end the outcome may be quite positive. The influence they exert on us might actually move us into new areas and help us take steps we otherwise would never have taken.

A person may take too much of a narcotic pain killer, causing us to have suppressed respiratory status and slowed heart rate - placing us dangerously close to death. The effect of the pain medication actually threatens our life. If we receive a medication to bind the effects of these medications in our system, we are causing the "sense" of pain to return, but we are also bringing back equilibrium to our respiratory and cardiac status. Which would you say was the most important? Breathing and heart beating soundly, or pain control? As a nurse, I would say we could deal with the pain in a different way, using less sedating medications, but we have a whole set of new issues when we stop breathing!

Usually we think of an antagonist as someone struggling "against" another - almost competing for something the other has or enjoys. We could say chaos is the antagonist of peace; hatred is the antagonist of love; and so on. Remember, I told you the effect of the antagonist is to "bind" - one in competition with another is really in a place of attempting to "bind" us in order to keep us from being as successful as we could be without that 'interference' from their actions. If we begin to view the antagonist in our lives as possibly driving us back to the things which really matter, we might just view their actions a little differently! When faced with someone acting as an "antagonist" in my life (an opponent), I allow their opposition to bring out the stuff that needs to be "bound up" and removed! In relying upon God to "filter" out the stuff which brings me harm, I am actually coming away from that opposition in a much "healthier" condition spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes even physically!

We may feel like our antagonists "run into the millions" - don't lose hope - God's mercies "run into the BILLIONS"! In fact, we cannot even count his mercies! So, although we may not WANT the antagonist, trust the one who ultimately oversees the use of the antagonist in our lives - GOD! He is skillfully placing exactly what we need to "bind up" or remove what does not belong! Just sayin!