Right Words

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (Proverbs 15:23)

If you have ever found yourself wishing you could 'pull back' those words you just spoke, beginning to see and feel their impact even before the other person does, you are not in that boat alone! We all do it on occasion - words sort of 'fall out' of our mouths and then 'whammy', the discord begins. It is a real battle - one won not with words, but with the Spirit of God within. Have you ever spoken 'ingenuine' words? Some might call them words of flattery or insincere praise. As you may have discovered, those 'ingenuine words' don't last very long or get you very far in life. They might be okay for a while, but before long, others will look for proof that you mean what you say. 

Yehuda Berg reminds us, "Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble." Ponder that thought for just a bit and you will likely agree - words can be either our undoing or they can form the foundation upon which lives are changed for the better. Knowing which are the best to be spoken is therefore quite important! The energy and power of God's words should come first in our lives - then maybe the energy and power of our own words might be a little more 'fitting'!

When do the unkind and hurtful words come out? Isn't it when we 'feel' we deserved just a bit better from the other person? We 'felt' wronged in some manner, either because they didn't respect our space or our desires, and then those hurtful words come forth. When do healing words come out? Maybe it is when we stop acting upon what we 'feel' as much as we might want to. I am not saying we ignore our feelings and become doormats for everyone to walk all over, but there are just times when our 'feelings' get a little tweaked, but a kind answer can diffuse the situation so quickly. Choose the kind answer and see what it does to the other person. You could just be surprised at how impactful that choice may be.

We all desire to know the right thing to say in the right moment, but knowing how to say it in the right way is equally as important. Ever have someone tell you what you said made sense, but how you said it didn't really allow those words to have the right impact? The 'tone' was wrong - the 'attitude' behind the words may have been a little wrong, too. So, we need the right words, the timing to be right, but our heart must be right, too. We need God's help with all of these - not just the words. We want to be truthful, but we also want to be wise with our words. Just sayin!

Committed to memory

It is of no use to commit whole pages to memory, merely to recite them once without hesitation; you must think of the meaning more than the words - of the ideas more than the language. (Dorothea Dix)

If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, “Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” (Psalm 40:5-8)

I used to think I had to memorize all these verses in the Bible to be a Christian. I am not much of a memorizer, though. I can do it, but to simply recite these verses I have learned over the years is not really anything all that profound. In fact, they can be like 'clanging cymbals' or 'noisy gongs' if all I do is memorize them, but they don't really 'get into' my heart and affect the choices I make. The most profound 'use' of the Word of God in my life has been when his Word gets into the mess or muddle of my life and finally straightens things out in a way I could never do on my own. 

The more of his Word that gets 'worked into' the fibers of my being, the more I find my character begins to change. My 'internal drive' is different than it was before - I don't just see things from my crazy, mixed-up mind's eye view, but I see them as he sees them. As Dix said, the 'meaning' matters way more than the words. When we allow God to speak 'meaning' into our lives through the power of his words, we find the shedding of bad habits, forsaking of favorite sins, and dismissal of taunting temptations. Why? The power of God is at work - not just our willpower or 'self-help' plans.

All of God's Word is "useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Reciting it from time to time is fine but allowing it to dig into the recesses of our mind, the failures of our past, and the hurts bottled up within our heart makes for a much better use of his Word. Only then will it begin to teach us how to forsake what is wrong and embrace what is right. 

We create all kinds of ways to 'appear holy', but there is one action we can take that will actually begin to help us live holy lives. It is getting God's Word into our lives - not as recited verse alone, but as the living, breathing Word of God. Those two verses above are the ones I recall from time to time, to remind myself that God is hard at work whenever I take up his Word and ask him to bring it alive within. Just sayin!

The clock is ticking

Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time. (Theodore Roosevelt)

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. ...Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11)

How do we use our time? Is it wisely, or a little too frivolously? Colossians 4:5 reminds us to make 'wise use of our time' - influencing all those who are 'outsiders' to the faith. Grace isn't something this world is accustomed to receiving, so when we reveal grace in and through our lives, we are being a positive influence on this hurting world. James reminds us we don't know what tomorrow will bring, so we had best be doing what God asks of us today, for none of us is assured a tomorrow. For everything there is a season. What season is upon you right now? I think God wants us to learn to take every activity, submit it to him, and then make the most of those activities.

God takes the things that happen within the space of time we call today to use them for many a tomorrow, regardless of whether we see tomorrow or not. We can be assured when we seek his plan for our day, then walk within that plan, those 'things' we accomplish will lay a foundation for what will happen tomorrow. We may not see the impact of a life lived well until much, much later. Every action we take today has an influence. Obedience isn't always going to be easiest choice, but each step God asks us to take today is meant for today, not tomorrow! We may think we can procrastinate with the things God asks us to do - yet there is no compromise in God's timing. 

Time is a fleeting thing - we don't hold it, nor can we make it last any longer. We may have one moment to make a right decision but feel ill-prepared for the decision at hand. Maybe this is why God emphasizes the importance of making time for him first - so we will be better prepared. If we get into God's Word, spend time in prayerful meditation upon what we have read, and just take a wee bit of time to listen to what he may want us to do, we might just redeem time a bit. God may ask us to 'do' something, but he could very well ask us to 'give' something. When we listen to his voice in this moment in time, we may just find his direction actually makes for a wise use of time indeed. Just sayin!

Working on those rough edges

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. (I Peter 2:4-5)

We all experience some form of rejection on occasion, so lest we think we are enduring the worst rejection possible, let us not forget the extreme rejection Jesus endured. A life lived well will be subject to some form of criticism and even rejection - the ones doing the criticizing just cannot live with their own choices in the face of the ones we have made, so they ridicule and reject us. It isn't a bad thing when they reject us because it actually shows we are living in such a way that they are convicted just by the example we set.

Rejected by people but chosen by God. We might admit that being rejected by others is kind of hard to endure - it hurts our feelings, wounds our pride, and makes us feel like our lives don't really matter. The feelings will mend, and our pride can take the hit - but to believe our lives don't matter just because they reject us is just plain silly. People can say and do all manner of things, but it is what God sees when he looks into our lives that really matters.

As living stones, we are built TOGETHER into HIS temple. We are not doing this alone - others are right there alongside us and Christ is at the center of us all. He forms the pivotal 'cornerstone' of this great 'building'. As a body of believers, we don't 'tower above' others, but we allow them to find a place of shelter when they need it the most. When an unbeliever walks into our lives, what do they experience? Are they faced with rejection because they dress differently, use language that is a little coarse, or have habits that are damaging and offensive? I hope not!

It isn't the literal walls of the church Christ is building - it is the many hearts and souls redeemed by his blood that make up the church. For a little while, those on the 'outside' of these 'spiritual walls' may feel like it is silly to be part of his church, but as they begin to experience the grace and love of God as we have, they will find their 'perfect fit' right there alongside us. They just don't know God is at work forming their rough edges so they fit into that empty space left just for them. Just sayin!

Who's leading who?

The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands. (Psalm 25:8-10)

If you have ever wandered just a bit too far off path while not paying attention to any of the landmarks around you, you might have been a little 'panic-stricken' when you realized you were unlikely to find your back on your own. It is a lot easier to get lost than it is to find one's way back, isn't it? If you have ever wandered down what you believed to be the correct path, but then realized it was not ending and there was nothing really worth exploring along that way, you likely turned back toward the way you came? Why? In retracing your steps, you hoped to return to what was helpful and familiar to you. There are times in our Christian walk when we get lost down a path that we think promises something for us, but then we realize what we hoped to find was just not there. We turn back because we want to get back to what is familiar. We might think this is repentance, but it is just realizing that we didn't make a very good choice and then finding our way back to where we started.

The one thing we can be assured of is that God will show us both when we have gone down a pretty lame path and when we have returned to the spot where he had wanted us to begin - just down a different path from the one we took. A well-worn path isn't necessarily an indication it is the right path to follow. It just means that there has been a whole lot of 'foot traffic' across that path. Believers don't always get their choice of path correct all of the time, but we can retrace our steps back to where we began, then begin again. If you are like me, you have had many misadventures down a well-trafficked path but found them less than rewarding than you imagined. As I turned around, I usually caught a glimpse of where I 'went wrong'. Then I had to make my way back and begin again. A whole lot of steps in the wrong direction helped me pay attention to getting on the right track once I found my way back. Did I find my way back all alone? No, I think Jesus was walking right there alongside me - even though I was on my 'own path', he didn't abandon me to my own stupidity!

When we finally realize we are on a wrong path - the path that leads to nowhere - are we humble enough to admit it wasn't the correct path to take? Or do we dig in our heels and stubbornly just trod ahead, believing against hope that we will somehow find something of value along that way? God's leading won't contradict a stubborn and rebellious heart, but his presence will stay with that heart until it softens to his voice. At the point when the rebellion begins to be broken, he gives clear direction to return to the beginning of the path. At that point, we find direction to begin again - down the path he leads and not down the one we take the lead on. Just sayin!

Milk for babes

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God... So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (I Peter 1:23; 2:1-3)

I have often said when we see the 'therefore' in scripture we need to ask God what it is 'there for'. The same is true when we see the 'so' - asking what condition or behavior is described that must change as a result of what has just been described. We have been given new life - there has been an exchange we are to embrace and live within. Our actions are to change because our attitude changed. When I speak of attitude, I refer to the orientation of our minds and hearts. They are focused differently - renewed by the Word of God and made alive by the Spirit of God within. SO... get rid of the old behavior and embrace the new.

Be done with it. Maybe this seems like a harsh statement because we can feel that old way of seeing things and doing these things hanging on. God's directive is clear - make a clean break from them. Don't return to them, don't allow them to pull you in again and don't crave them more than you desire the 'spiritual milk' that will nourish you in this new life. Crave God's Word - his presence, peace, and provision made available to you through the living, breathing Word of God. What helps us grow in Christ? Getting a wee taste of the goodness of his grace. As a newborn craves its mother's milk, we come to crave the infilling of our lives with all he declares good for us.

The mother draws the newborn to the breast, but the babe must suckle at the breast in order to be nourished. The milk doesn't magically just get into the baby's stomach! It works for it! Yes, it is provided, but it must work to receive it. Why do we think life would be much different for us as believers? We need the 'milk' of the Word, and we must put forth a bit of effort to get it into our lives. The good things we discover as we allow the Word of God to get into our lives will bring things like deliverance from bad habits, the ability to love others who have not been as kind to us as they should have been, and the strength to stand in the midst of hard circumstances when nothing makes sense.

We have tasted that God's grace is good. Now we must take in a steady supply of all he provides - not just grace. Sometimes the 'meal' we take in will bring conviction because what we have 'taken in' apart from Christ's provision left things that we no longer want to affect our attitude any longer. Just as a baby needs to be 'burped' after taking in the mother's milk, sometimes we need to 'get out' what isn't wholesome or 'holy' in our lives. We need to respond to the intake of his Word that brought that conviction and repent of our sin. Then we settle into his arms and just rest in the perfect peace of being right where we should be. Just sayin!

Temporary Residents

Temporary residents - this doesn't exactly indicate we will be staying very long, does it? I use a timeshare from time to time, getting away from the busy city life and getting a little closer to nature. I pack up all I will need for the week and then off we go. We settle into the place as though it were our own, but we know we are there for just the one week. We are 'temporary residents' in a very comfortable place, but it never really becomes our own. The furnishings are not as comfortable as those we have at home. The kitchen has most of the necessities, but we might not have all the things we would like to nosh on because we brought very specific things. It is 'home away from home' for us, but it isn't quite our long-term dwelling. I wonder if we treat this earth a little bit too much like our long-term dwelling, forgetting that we are just 'temporary residents' in this world - our long-term residency is with Christ!

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. (I Peter 1:17-22)

The ransom has been paid - to save us from the 'emptiness' of this life. If we were honest with ourselves and others, we probably might come to the conclusion that all the 'stuff' we amass and the things we 'do' to be 'comfortable' in this world are really masking just how 'uncomfortable' we are living apart from Christ. The 'long-term' has been paid for, so why on earth would we settle for anything 'temporary'? The enemy of our souls is hard at work attempting to keep our eyes off the 'eternal' in hopes he can persuade us to get wrapped up in the temporal. If he manages to get our eyes off the eternal long enough, he might just get us to believe that all this world has to offer is better than what Christ offers us both now and into eternity. That would indeed be a sad state of affairs.

We share this 'temporal' life with others - those who also have said 'yes' to Jesus. We also share it with a whole lot of others who have never acknowledged God as their Lord or Jesus as their Savior. Our purpose for living in the 'temporal' is to be a witness of the truth that has set us free to live beyond this world's confines. Our love for one another is to be a supreme example of grace - evidence of a life change and a 'change of focus'. We aren't just to 'love one another', but we are to do so with all our hearts. In a deep, genuine manner - seeing the needs around us, sharing the hope within us, and working to meet a need wherever possible. This is how faith is passed on - not just in the preaching of the Word on a Sunday morning from behind the pulpit - but in the everyday evidence of a life lived with a focus that sees clearly 'beyond this world'.

Obedience to Christ's commission is one of our responsibilities. We cannot positively exemplify the mission if we are so caught up in the temporal around us. We must remember that all that is before us here on earth is 'temporary'. Our 'permanent' stretches from here into eternity - something we might not fully understand today. Love today as though your tomorrow counted on what will be accomplished as a result of that loving action. You never know who you will be bringing along with you into eternity as a result of showing others where your heart is firmly anchored. Just sayin! 

I want to act better than this

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy." (I Peter 1:13-16)

How do we keep from returning to a bad habit? Experts might suggest things like a 21-day commitment to the new one - advising that after those three weeks have passed, the new habit is ingrained into our current way of living. I am going to dispel that myth a bit because if that was the truth, why would we need to return to dieting time after time again, with rebound weight loss? Obviously, the 21-day commitment didn't 'take', did it? We found ourselves drifting back into eating a bit more than we should have or choosing a few more high-calorie snacks than might have been warranted. Before long, the weight drifts back on - a few ounces here and there until we are back up ten pounds over where we desire to be. This just goes to prove that self-will is never enough to change a habit!

Peter reminds us of the importance of 'preparing our minds for action' along with exercising self-control. Yes, we need that will-power to be at work, but it is never enough to just 'muster through' those tough things that we know need to be changed in our lives. I am referring to more than just a few extra pounds here. There are things in our lives we have been attempting to 'muster through' without really taking any time to talk with God about how it is we can see those areas changed permanently. We struggle with unforgiveness and resentment, trust having been destroyed by someone, and then we attempt to 'let go' of it all on our own. Finding ourselves struggling with thoughts of how we have been wronged over and over again, we realize we haven't really 'mustered through' all that well. 

Why? Our minds were never prepared for the action. We might have had some initial thoughts that God desired for us to let those hurts go, but we never took the time to consistently pray through the scriptures we read about forgiveness, making all our efforts a little less powerful than we hoped. Yes, we read the scriptures, and we came to the conclusion it was the right action to take, but we failed to repeatedly take each troubling thought to God for his touch. God's Word is powerful, but it has to be rehearsed (recalled) over and over in order to begin to change the thoughts we have held onto for so very long. The more we 'prepare our minds' through time in the Word, prayerfully rehearsing the scripture, and then seeking God's perspective, the more we will see those troubling thoughts begin to fall away. 

We may not think there is any hope of ever being free of a 'bad habit' we have allowed to form in our lives, but through God's grace, we can change. The part we take in change is important - we need to prepare our minds and then be prepared to take action when the desire to submit to any course different than the one God lays out for us. Prepared minds take better actions. Just sayin!

More than the prophets ever had

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. (I Peter 1:10-12)

If the prophets could have known and experienced what we now know and experience in Christ Jesus, would there have been any stopping them? They longed to know more about his coming and what he would accomplish by it. They desired to see the fulfillment of all of God's promises - in the person of Jesus Christ. What the Old Testament prophets wanted to learn and experience we already know. We see a much bigger picture of God’s plan than they did. We can learn from the life of Christ and understand in depth God’s plan for redemption. Knowledge doesn't always change a person, though. It takes much more than a knowledge 'about' Jesus to change us. It takes an engagement between the mind and the heart in order for the knowledge we have to begin to affect us.

The mind decides - the heart follows up with action. What dictates our decisions? Is it knowledge alone? No, because we have a whole lot of knowledge, but we don't necessarily take action on it. We 'know' that clouds may carry rain, but do we always carry an umbrella when there are clouds in the sky? The knowledge that clouds carry rain on occasion doesn't change our actions unless we really perceive the threat of rain as 'real'. We don't always embrace truth the first time we are exposed to it but get rained on often enough and you learn when the clouds actually threaten rain! You likely begin to act upon that knowledge the next time you see the threat of rain.

Fill the mind with the 'right stuff' and the right actions are more likely to occur. Just fill it to overflowing with superfluous stuff and you will likely be so 'muddled' in your thoughts that it is hard to know what the right actions are when you need to take them. Idle thoughts let the mind run wild - it gives the mind permission to do whatever it 'thinks' it wants to do. Scripture reminds us that every thought is to be taken 'captive' because we don't want to give ground to foolish actions as a result of foolish thought. The prophets had knowledge and acted upon that which they had. Do we act upon the knowledge we have been given? If not, maybe it is about time we turn knowledge into wise action.

The more we act upon the knowledge we are given, the more we will avoid the pitfalls afforded us through all the new problems that come against us each day. We might want to consider just how much we let idle thoughts get the best of us and then ask God's help in engaging our minds in response to the knowledge he brings. When we take the first step toward incorporating that knowledge into our actions, we begin to see the Word of God become a living thing within us. Our actions may not immediately change, but the more that knowledge is embraced, the quicker we will see that change realized. Just sayin!

For just a little while

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:6-9)

One of the hardest things for some of us to come to grips with is that we have to face and endure trials. Yes, the timeframe may be limited, but why on earth do we have to face them at all? Peter was writing to a group of believers who were likely facing great persecution on a daily basis, yet he tells them to rejoice and take hope. How is it possible to rejoice in the midst of hard things like this? I think Peter wants us to realize these things are only temporary - they are for a little while. They will not endure, but when our faith is put to the test in the midst of these trials, it will emerge even stronger and purer than before the trials came our way. We don't have to understand how fire purges to see the beauty of what is produced - we just need to know the fire is necessary to bring forth the beauty of what would otherwise be hidden.

A trial has a way of changing our focus - we get a little less earthly focused and turn our eyes toward our heavenly Father just a bit more. We 'lean in' and find our foothold in him, not in our own strength. Most of the trials I have endured did more than just change my focus - they showed me where I am the weakest and where I have been attempting to compensate for that weakness in my own power or effort. If a trial can do that for us, maybe they aren't something to be dreaded, but something we might want to embrace. Another thing I have realized in each trial is that God never abandons me to my own devices - he remains with me, surrounds me with his love, and walks me through the trial. If a trial can help us see him just a little better, isn't it worth it?

A lot of things will attempt to shake our faith in this world, but a 'tested faith' is not likely to be shaken. Yes, there will be some 'shaking', but it won't take us down. It will bring to the surface that which needed exposure, as well as help us send down roots just a bit deeper into the soil of our faith. A tree without wind will not send down strong roots. The wind challenges the tree to 'take hold' in much the same way a trial challenges us to consider where we find our 'hold' in life. If it is only surface deep faith, we will likely crumble in the midst of the shaking. If we face each trial with the determination to set our roots deeper, we are likely to develop a strength of faith that is anchored well. Just sayin!

Enduring within

Let me introduce you to Peter - a brash, outspoken leader who sometimes didn't get it all right, made impetuous decisions, too afraid to admit his association with someone others didn't exactly like, and who acted rashly on more than one occasion. Even though he wasn't all that 'perfect' in many of those day-to-day decisions, he was one of the founding fathers of the New Testament Church. Nero was the ruler of his day, and his reign didn't exactly leave those who followed Christ in a comfortable position. In fact, he'd as soon persecute them than support them. He often used them as scapegoats, blaming them for some vile action he had taken himself. Toward the end of Peter's life, he pens the letters to the Church at Rome and the 'aliens scattered abroad'. Being scattered leaves one feeling a bit disconnected from others - from the 'roots' one had formed and the protections one had enjoyed.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. (I Peter 1:3-5)

As Peter opens his letter to the church, we find him emphasizing the extreme goodness of God's grace. What better place to begin than at the cross? We sometimes need to be reminded of our great inheritance in Christ Jesus. We see the commotion of the day, listen to the reports of one bad event right after another, taking in images of all manner of destruction, and we get a little despondent, don't we? Peter's reminder should ring out - we have been given much in Christ Jesus - an inheritance that is pure and undefiled by all this world can do to us or bring into our lives. So, stand strong in the midst of persecution; hold fast in times of great trial; and look ever upward when doubts assail. 

When our focus is on what is happening around us, on the worldly affairs that threaten our peace, we lose perspective. We will feel disappointment and dismay. When our focus is on whose we are, what we have been given within this relationship, and the protection that we enjoy because of this deep connection, we rise above the frightful things of the day. Christ did the impossible - he endured the cross, the agony of death, and the cold grave. He rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, returned to his disciples and sent his Holy Spirit to indwell them. He promised to come again, in the fullness of time and with the strength of all of heaven behind him. When our focus is on him, we have a different perspective of the problems at hand, don't we?

If today's issues seem like they are too big, tragic, or beyond your control, they probably are! BUT...they aren't beyond his! We might not see beyond the tragedy of the moment, but God sees the glory he has prepared for all those who endure it 'within' his presence. Just sayin!

Do we really trust him?

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

The Apostle Paul had been instructed to take the gospel message to the Gentile nation (those who were not part of the Jewish faith). He was told to teach them about the work of Christ on their behalf – to tear down any dividing wall between Jew and Gentile and to welcome all into the family of God. To this end, he asks God to help those who have welcomed Christ into their lives to know the intensity and integrity of God’s love. Intensity because God’s love is deeper than any human form of love. Integrity because it surpasses any boundaries man can establish.

Can we fully understand God’s love toward a group of sin-filled people? Nope, but we can ask God to show us the ‘dimensions’ of that love. It goes much farther than the dimension of our love because ours is so ‘conditional’. Perhaps that is why Paul is asking God to show us the width, depth, and breadth of God’s love. He knows we won’t be ‘at home’ in his presence until we come to experience and appreciate the dimensions of God’s love. It loved me when I was unlovely, keeps on loving me when I mess up, and always holds onto me even when I think I don’t need his guidance. How about you?

A fullness of live and power is available to all who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Do we always live within that fullness? Nope, but we can ask God to help us move away from trusting in our own understanding and strength and move toward living within his. As we do, God gives us little glimpses into the dimensions of his love and grace, unfolding for us the things that aren’t always that ‘clear’ to us without his help. That may include why certain things happen when they do, but it could just be that God wants us to come to trust him, not just trust ‘in him’.

Trust isn’t easily understood, either. We say we trust someone or something because it has ‘proven’ itself, yet God’s love proved itself at the cross. We still find it hard to trust him with our lives at times, despite such great ‘proof’. So, the prayer to come to understand ‘fully’ is applicable to us, too. We don’t know just how much we need to understand until we come to realize just how much we don’t understand. Just sayin!

The right words, but the wrong heart

Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. Now let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? You have planted them, and they have taken root and prospered. Your name is on their lips, but in their hearts they give you no credit at all. But as for me, Lord, you know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts. (Jeremiah 12:1-3)

God never turns a deaf ear to our questions. This may come as good news to some who think they ask too many questions, but God isn’t put off by our questions. He is always open to hearing our concerns. As Jeremiah is seeing the people of Jerusalem taken captive, armies attacking and taking away their homeland, many are crying out, while others are uncertain as to why they are under attack. Jeremiah presents the issue at hand: The wicked take root and they are prospering. He wants to know how this could have happened ‘under God’s watch’. It appeared God had actually ‘planted them’ and allowed them to prosper. Jeremiah just doesn’t understand how this could be the case.

The more we attempt to understand how evil people can seem to enjoy so much ‘good’ in this world, the harder it is for us to not question how God can allow this to continue. Does God find it unacceptable for us to question this occurrence? Not at all, but we should never drift over into questioning his providence or his protection. There are times he will allow certain things to happen to set things up for what he is about to do next (providence). He uses human circumstances to bring about his divine plan. When Jeremiah saw the evil prospering, all the while talking so plainly about God, he saw a disconnect between their actions and their heart. The words were right, but the heart was deceitful.

He is really asking God how he allows such a blatant display of ‘disconnection’ from the one true God. Jeremiah had kept his heart pure – refusing to embrace the culture around him. He had a ‘settled heart’. He wasn’t going to be ‘consumed’ by the ravaging armies because he knew he served a greater God than these nations. There will be times when we find others being ‘consumed’ by the pressures of the times, prospering well during a not so ‘God-honoring’ set of circumstances. They might even say all the right things, but their heart reveals no depth of relationship, no desire to remain pure in the midst of compromising circumstances.

In these moments, we stand in whatever it is we have trusted in the most. Either we stand with the world, or we stand with the one true God. We either trust in the things we can figure out on our own, or we press into God to get his perspective. Jeremiah chose to press in – to bring his ‘complaint’ to God so he could get HIS perspective on what was happening. Sometimes that is all we can do – bring it to God and then listen when he answers. Just sayin!

Piling on?

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! (Psalm 61:1-3)

There will always be times when we feel a little overwhelmed. Following Jesus doesn’t ensure there will not be a deluge of problems on occasion that seem to almost close in on us. It could be argued that God expects us to call out when we begin to feel them closing in, but I’d like to propose that he wants our contact with him to be so deep and intimate that he can ‘hear our heart’ even before he hears our words. The heart can betray what we are feeling or sensing sometimes quicker than our words can express. I have felt overwhelming fear on occasion, unable to utter even one word, but then found God’s peace just settling in over me like a warm blanket on a chilly day. How does that happen? He heard my heart’s cry long before I was even able to acknowledge the need for his intervention. There is just something about dwelling in his presence that allows this to occur. We may not understand it fully, but we can live in it thoroughly.

When overwhelmed by life’s circumstances, we often don’t feel like we have a good vantage point from which to take in what is happening. We can feel like the weight just keeps piling on, the pressures keep escalating, and the attacks keep coming. It is as though we don’t even want to peek our heads out from under the covers because we are afraid we will be a target for some new attack. David said when he felt like that, he asked God to lead him to the towering rock of safety – his presence. We might just need to make that our cry in times of desperate struggle – that God would lead us into his presence, shutting out the noise of this world and let us rely upon him to ‘cover over us’ with his protection. David also told us this place of safety wasn’t just to be a place we frequented on occasion – it was to be our place of dwelling (living there forever).

How do we get to the place of dwelling in his presence so intimately that our heart’s cries are heard, and our protection is understood? It may not come all at once, but the more we take time with him, the more we will find his presence never leaves us nor forsakes us. We just ‘know’ he is here with us – making it all that much easier to express things to him with our heart and not just our head. Just sayin!

Recommendation vs. Communication

Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. (Proverbs 19:20-21)

If you are a 'planner' like I am, you probably use a variety of electronic applications and even paper lists to keep track of the 'stuff' you need to get done in order to accomplish those plans. One thing I might not have learned early in my life was the need to ask God for his 'list'. I made all the lists, exclusive of seeking his perspective on the list. If you have ever made a few of those lists only to see that they didn't really pan out all that well, you know how frustrating that can be - so, is it any wonder that I ask God to show me his perspective on my list now?

God's purpose will prevail - that is a pretty 'set in stone' kind of statement, isn't it? We go about getting all the 'advice' and 'instruction' we can find, but are we really getting ALL of it if we aren't seeking his perspective? I daresay we are missing the main element in all our planning if we don't! That statement indicates there will be but ONE winner in the end and it will be him! Leave him out of your planning and you might just find the 'advice' and 'instruction' you held onto doesn't hold up in the end.

God's 'advice' and 'instruction' comes as we take time to read the Word, listening intently to what he reveals to us. Human advice is a 'best guess' opinion or recommendation offered in order to guide some action on our part. We take it or leave it - embracing all or parts of it as we see it applying to our lives. Godly advice is a direct communication from God that gives us information on how to proceed. It differs from human advice in that is not an opinion or recommendation - it is clear cut, remains consistent, and always holds true to the principles outlined in scripture.

Too many times we treat God's Word as though it were a 'recommendation' for how we are to live, but we do ourselves a disservice whenever we think we can 'pick and choose' the parts of his instructions we will abide by and those we will reject. God's Word provides a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, but we must explore it, embrace it, and then allow it to eliminate the 'earthly advice' that only serves to cloud our choices. Only then will we really be able to make wise choices and see the Lord's purpose prevail in our lives. Just sayin!

Obey, Listen, and Cling

Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. (Deuteronomy 13:4)

Moses is sharing the commandments God had given him to give to the people - instructions that came to be known in religious circles as the Law of Moses. As he instructs them about those who would attempt to lure them away from a deep, meaningful relationship with God, he points out three basic groups: the false prophets, those within your circle of influence (better known as the family), and those who lived in neighboring communities. Do you know what he said to do when they were encountered by those 'influences' attempting to pull them away? The Israelites were told to kill them. In other words, they were to rid themselves of all those influences and sere only the Lord their God.

How do we live in a world with so many 'influences' pulling us away from an intimate relationship with God and remain strong within that relationship? For one thing, we don't entertain the fool! We stop listening to their arguments, taunts, and prompting. We turn a deaf ear to their folly, but we also must cleanse our minds from the subtle compromises that enter into our thoughts and roll around in there for a while. This is why I think God's plan for his people was to 'rehearse' scripture: "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

We get God's Word inside our brains, allowing it to filter through all those outside influences that worm their way into our way of thinking. It sorts out the junk, making it easier to not get carried away in the wrong direction. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can 'confirm' the truth, and 'deny' anything that veers from absolute truth. That brings me to the question about the 'grey areas' in scripture where we don't always see a specific indication from God if a particular behavior or action is 'okay' for believers. I suggest that God gave us his Word as an outline for our safety - we can assume he knew we would encounter the 'grey areas' on occasion. He also gave us our conscience and the Holy Spirit to help us when we don't absolutely see something defined in scripture.

The conscience works in conjunction with what we learn from scripture and the influence of the confirmation of the action by the Holy Spirit who resides always within us. Get the Word in and then let it begin to guide your conscience under the tutelage of the Spirit. You won't find there is room for compromise when all three are guiding your actions. External opposing influences are easier to turn away from (be rid of) when we use the tools we are given! The key to resisting those influences is to obey his commands, listen to his voice alone, and cling to him with all that is within you. Just sayin!

Popular Agenda?

Are right and wrong convertible terms, dependent upon popular opinion? (William Lloyd Garrison)

I came across this question today and wondered if you have ever pondered just how 'right' or 'wrong' our society is today. It seems that many are swayed by popular opinion - sometimes choosing to forsake previously held beliefs that had been foundational within their families for decades. As the 'tide' of popular opinion swells, it seems that there are many carried away with that tide. The clear distinctions between right and wrong get blurrier and blurrier with each movement of the tide. At some point, we might just realize that we need to do a complete RESET of our 'beliefs' because they are no longer based upon TRUTH, but upon opinion.

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? ...Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:11-12, 17)

The scripture is clear - if we know what is right, we are to do it. If we don't know - then it is time to get back to TRUTH so we can 'reset' the boundaries within which we will set our course once again. Truth is the only thing that matters - opinion is not important. Whenever we allow opinion to guide our thoughts, our actions are sure to fall below the standards laid out in God's Word. Keep his Words front and center in your life and your 'opinions' will no longer be swayed by the popular vote! 

A few weeks back, our pastor shared a brief two-week series on how to study the Bible. It was very practical, and I would like to challenge us to consider how much it could change our own lives if we were to embrace just one simple practice he presented. He challenged us to get into the Word - not by using one particular method, but by finding the one that works for us. Find a translation that makes sense to us - because if we don't understand it, we won't want to read it. Find a time to get into the Word - because if we aren't purposeful in making the time each day, we will squander it away.

One of the helpful tips he gave is this - use what helps you get into the Word daily. In other words, if it is a 'bible study' booklet, use it. If it is an online daily devotional, so be it. If you want to study a topic, set out to study it. If you are drawn to use a specific outline format, adopt it. The important thing is to just get the Word into your life. The more you do, the less you are deceived by 'popular opinion'. You will know the truth, it will guide your actions, and you will live free of the quandary of 'right' vs. 'wrong' that seems to be inherent in so much of the 'popular agenda' right now. Just sayin!

Let love be the force

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. (Martin Luther King, Jr)

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" (Matthew 5:43-44)

Probably one of the toughest things we encounter is the desire to actually 'be nice' or 'do nice things' toward our enemies. Why is that so hard for us? We feel wronged, leading us to feel a little bit like we aren't important to that other person, or that we deserved better. We want to let them know how much they have hurt us - how much their 'negative impact' has left us feeling like we were 'less than' or 'didn't matter' in their eyes - at least from the way we took their actions to mean. Jesus reminds those of us who have said 'yes' to him that it is responsibility to not only love our 'nice neighbors' or the 'friends we actually like', but to love our ENEMIES and then pray for those who 'persecute us'. 

The 'Enemy-to-Friend' pathway that King described isn't going to be easy - it might even come with some sacrifices on our part that we didn't think we had to make! Whenever someone is pursuing us with any form of harassing or 'oppressive' treatment, we most likely don't feel like we would ever want to pray for them. Their actions have been hurtful, and we would rather avoid them than ever encounter them again. We can spend our entire lives 'running away' from hurtful people, but will it ever do us much good? Not likely, for hurtful people will always be there - we have to learn how Jesus wants us to deal with their hurt. If I read this correctly, he wants us to take those hurts to him in prayer, releasing the individual and their actions toward us into his hands. Then we love them back.

It is that 'loving them back' part that is hardest, because our natural response might just be to strike back. Do we have to respond back with hurtful words? No, we can use words of grace. How do we learn the words of grace God would want us to speak? I think it comes as we pray for them, but especially when we lean into the inward prompting of the Holy Spirit in the moment. Our nature will want to rise up, but God's presence within us will tell us to settle into his peace and then allow his peace to shine through. It won't be the easiest path to take when retaliation is our immediate desire, but when we ask God to help, he will show us how to manifest grace. Remember, grace is never deserved - but it is can always be given. Just sayin!

I don't want plans to change

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. (Proverbs 119:1-4)

The Word of God is nothing to be trifled with. In fact, we are to revere it, frequent its passages, and use its wisdom to help us in our daily lives. If we desire to make wise choices, we need wisdom. We gain wisdom when we seek it. We seek well when it is with our whole heart. We seek best when we seek him first above all earthly wisdom.

Full obedience seems like a hard thing at times simply because we don't take the time to really get to know him. We cannot encounter God without feeling some sense of "inadequacy". He is a holy God and he desires for us to produce actions that reveal our heart's desire to live holy lives. There are times when our actions reveal other intentions, but that is when we need God's help to bring the wisdom he gives alive within us.

We will all likely live according to our own devices on occasion, but his plan is for us to allow him to establish our actions. We don't do this without guidance from his Word. Obedience is only willpower until his Spirit innervates our actions. We connect with him and then he begins to remake our plan. Do we always want a plan to change? No, but he knows when the ones we have created will do us more harm than good! Just sayin...

What has God prepared for you?

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. (I Corinthians 2:9-12)

What can you imagine with your mind's eye? Is it something grand and glorious, or are those imaginations limited by what you perceive to be your 'talents', 'abilities', or 'treasures'? We sometimes 'dream big', but when it comes to actually believing in what we see with our mind's eye, we discount the possibility of it ever coming to pass. It isn't that we are to 'dream' things into existence, but when God plants a vision within our heart, we are to do all we can to see his purposes come to pass. That could mean our faith is challenged a bit, because we don't know fully what he will be doing in and through us, but it doesn't mean we just sit there and let the dream pass us by. We give ourselves fully to the vision and then see what God will work out in the areas where we lack talent, ability, or treasure!

God's deepest secrets for each of us are realized when we say "YES" to Jesus. His Spirit's presence within us isn't there to give us 'visions' and then to allow us to falter as we step out in faith. If we think too long on what God asks us to do, we will begin to 'falter' in our steps, though. We will lose the momentum created by the vision or dream. If you want to see God's best in your life, you act upon what he places in your heart to the best of your ability and then allow him to work out the rest. Does that mean we will see instantly what he has purposed or planned for us? Not always, because there are times when the vision needs a bit of time to develop within us. We aren't fully at the point where he can bring everything to pass right at that moment - we need to allow him to develop our character so we can really engage with his purposes fully.

We see in part, while he sees the bigger picture. We possess some of the talent, while he will need to infuse that talent with his supernatural ability. We aren't 'fulfilling the dream' - we are just participating as active partakers in the vision in whatever way he asks of each of us. Does that make us a little uneasy at times? Yes, simply because we don't always feel like we are 'in step' with him, especially when we don't feel we possess the talent, ability, or treasure required. I have learned that the vision or dream gives isn't always going to match my feelings, though. Sometimes it is much bigger than I 'feel', while at others, it is much smaller. When it is much smaller than I might 'feel' like it should be, I have never been disappointed, though. Why? The smaller dreams seem to set us up for some other dream down the road.

We might not fully understand God's heart at the moment, but when we take the big or small vision he gives and place it in his capable hands, we begin to see God's expansive goodness and grace at work in and through us. As God tells us, "People without a vision perish". The dream is important - don't discount it - embrace it! It might be a tiny step that leads to the biggest 'achievement' we could ever imagine! Just sayin!

Now it looks a bit better!

The past always looks better than it was. It's only pleasant because it isn't here. (Finley Peter Dunne)

When does a person know they are finally done with their past? That might just be one of the toughest questions for us to answer because our past doesn't always have a way of staying in the past, does it? There will be times when the memory is flooded with something we have said, done, or experienced and there is just no stopping it coming forward. Truth be told, our past is a mish-mosh of both good and bad - it is fine if the memories that flood in are the good ones, but when they are the bad ones, we don't actually enjoy those memories. 

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. (I John 1:5-7)

As I have matured, I realize the way I experienced and apprehended things in my twenties is much different from the way I do now in my sixties. The events didn't change, but the way I remember them does. How does that happen? If we are honest, there is a degree to this 'change' in our remembering that we don't fully understand, but I believe it is because God has been at work within us. He has helped us to see clearly the things in the past that fully belong to the past and those lessons we can take from them that we can use in our present.

If God is light and there is no darkness at all in him, isn't it possible that he will also be able to 'filter out' the darkness of those memories and help us to see only the 'light' that he brings forward in the form of 'lessons'? The cleansing from sin is thorough, but the lessons we take away from those sinful moments is lifelong. The past need not be a thing we dread or 'will away' as though it should not ever be thought about again. In fact, when God helps us to see our past through his eyes, we begin to see just how much he loved us even when we weren't all that lovely! Just sayin!

A change of heart

I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

God's people will continue to struggle with the influence of those 'religious individuals' around them who seek to 'bind' them with rules and regulations. In Paul's epistle to the Galatian church, he recounted the purpose for the Law of Moses - to point out the need for a Savior - but he also reminded them how impossible it is to ever keep ALL of the Law. In fact, he goes so far as to say the Law was meant to be kept in its entirety, but no one was actually able to do that, so depending on those rules and regulations as your means of being made right with God was quite foolish. Grace came to us through the sacrificial offering of Christ dying on the cross. Grace differs from the system of works in the Law - one is God doing it all for us, the other is us trying to do it all for God!

In our passage today, we observe Paul's earnest desire for each of us to understand the unlimited resources available to those who enter into this relationship with God through faith in the finished work of Christ. His Holy Spirit comes to empower us to live right - something we find very difficult without his presence guiding us out of 'slavery' to the way of living by 'rules and regulations'. There is something powerful that happens when we stop 'trying to work our way to God' and we begin to trust that God has already worked his way into our hearts. We begin to find rest and a sense of peace that permeates our every fiber. Is sin still a constant temptation to us? Yes, as long as we live on this earth, sin will tempt us, but with God's Spirit within, sin need not win.

The 'inner strength' that comes from being empowered by the Holy Spirit is more than our 'internal willpower'. Our own willpower is quite ineffectual in changing our motives. Our motives are changed when God's Spirit energizes our thought life, moves upon our emotions, and settles into our heart. The desire to 'live right' or 'upright' is not something we can 'will' ourselves into - it is a condition of the heart that is accomplished when God's love begins to permeate the mind, emotions, and spirit of man. Religion keeps us bound to 'doing' and 'redoing'. Relationship with God sets us free to realize a change of heart we can never accomplish on our own. Just sayin!

What part do you play?

You have been my teacher, and I won’t reject your instructions. Your teachings are sweeter than honey. They give me understanding and make me hate all lies. (Psalm 119:102-104)

Have you ever considered honeybees? Did you know they are raised to be harvested for the commercial market of honey distribution? There are more than the 'wild' forms of bees, but I didn't know that until I saw a show describing the process of how they are 'raised' for the sole purpose of the 'honey harvest'.  They are 'raised' as members of a 'colony of workers', each with a task our own, but with the undivided purpose of laying up stores and stores of sweet stuff for those who would come behind. The bees each have a function - whether they be the "queen bee" who lays nearly 2,000 eggs a day, the "gathering bees" who go out day after day to the fields to gather in the pollen, or the "worker bees" who work endlessly creating the hive and storing up the honey - they all have a function. Those who don't do their part are pushed out of the hive - there is no place for "dead weight" in the thriving hive. We all serve God with a purpose, and it is important for us to fulfill that purpose.

The beekeepers provide a framework upon which the bees can build their hive. It is a simple wood frame, mounted inside upright boxes of wood or plastic. The bees start at the edge and work inward until the hive is formed in each section of the hive box. This framework produces a safe place for them to go about their "bee business". God also provides a framework upon which we build our lives - staying within this framework provides a place of safety and protection. The bees all work together - in their particular function and in unison. To look upon the clustering of bees and frenzy of activity might just give one the impression there is no real organization to what they are doing, but in truth it is quite the opposite. Even with one bee crawling over the next, they are all working together, one providing what the next requires in order to do their part. Life gets messy and a little chaotic at times, but when we are all working together, fulfilling our purpose, we "add" to each other's lives in a very special and unique way.

The "gathering bees" don't actually get to partake of the finished product - they simply bring in the pollen which is taken from them by the worker bees. The hive would be devoid of food for the next generation if these "gathering bees" didn't bring in the nectar and pollen. They may not get to enjoy the end product of their labor, but they sense the importance of it and go about their task with consistency from day to day. We don't have to do it all, we just have to do our part. The worker bees "digest" the pollen into a nectar in order to put it in the tiny cells of the hive. Then they all fan their wings to help evaporate the water which remains in the nectar, reducing it to the richest of honey we find deep within the hive. Without this process, the pollen would be useless - it has to be broken down into the nectar in order to be useful to the young bees hatching deep within the hive. Remember, there will always be those who depend upon us doing our part to ensure they have what they need to develop.

The purpose of the hive is for replication and feeding - as a safe place for the queen to lay her eggs and the young to mature, the hive provides much more than a place of making honey. We all need a place to develop, and God has provided this for us in our local church family and small groups. There is nothing wasted from the hive - even the beeswax is useful in the making of candles, balms, and the like. The initial purpose of the wax was for the housing of the nectar and the nurturing of the young. The end purpose of the wax is to give light and bring soothing to those in need of healing. The people of God are to be light-givers and provide places of healing for those who need it. The beekeeper warns them he is entering the hive and keeps them from being hurt. The smoke he uses is a warning he is entering, a scent that drives the bees deeply into the hive. Why? To protect them as he enters. God's presence can alarm the unaware, so he comes in gentle and palpable ways. It is as though his very presence produces a scent of grace and peace! We all benefit from the 'hive' and we each have a part to play within it. What is produced is a thing of beauty when we are all doing our part. Just sayin!

Don't lament, repent

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! (Psalm 30 11-12) 

If we stop to consider what sin does to the emotions, physical body, and even our spirit, perhaps we'd describe it much as being in a state of great loss and mourning. It strips us of our joy, but it also strips us of our hope. We wallow in our downfall much as the mourner 'wallows' in the extreme sorrow over their loss. Mourning involves a deep ache for what was lost - there is an internal agony that often makes its way to the surface. Sin has a way of stripping us down - laying us bare, causing us to bemoan our losses, agonizing that we don't have a 'way back'. We might be incapable of finding our 'way back', but God has already set the 'way back' into motion - we just need to call out for his mercy.

As some may be able to relate, sin leaves an agony that is hard to describe. The 'mental' aspect of sin is hard on both the body and the spirit. It leaves us tormented and in deep misery - unable to see our way past it and 'wallowing' in the mire of it. For a while, we 'mourn' out loud - as though lifting our woeful lament would be enough to 'do penance' for our sinful actions. Yet, all the woeful lament is doing is creating more and more turmoil deep within our soul. We can lament our sin, or we can repent of our sin. There is a big difference - one just keeps us wallowing in the mire, while the other lifts us out, cleans us up, and clothes us with garments of great beauty. Grace's garments are most beautiful when they adorn the sinner's now clean body, soul, and spirit!

Look again at our passage - God is the one who 'disrobes' us of our clothes of mourning and replaces them with those 'grace garments'. We cry out, but God does the work of clearing away the mess within our emotions, bringing renewed strength to our bodies, and creating a right spirit within. Our response is to sin and dance before him. Does the mourner dance? Not at all, for the depth of the sorrow is like an anchor that keeps him tethered to the place of bemoaning his sin. Does the one who has been lifted from the pit of sin dance? You betcha! For the soul set free is unable to refrain from the display of the joy that comes when the soul is set free from the misery of sin's darkness and mire. Just sayin!

Wrong again?

Correct a worthless bragger, and all you will get are insults and injuries. Any bragger you correct will only hate you. But if you correct someone who has common sense, you will be loved. If you have good sense, instruction will help you to have even better sense. And if you live right, education will help you to know even more. (Proverbs 9:7-9)

We definitely benefit from correction when it is embraced and does the work it was intended to do, but it is not always pleasant or easily embraced. Did it ever occur to you that God is giving us a chance to prove we have actually learned from our mistakes? We need to view correction as a means of learning from mistakes - not as a punishment or some form of "penalty" for what it is we have done. The truth is we make a sufficient number of mistakes each day - if it were not for the ability to "correct" those mistakes along the way, I don't think many relationships would have lasted, nor would progress have been made in the projects we undertook! Correction is simply a chance to set right what was once wrong. When we begin to see it this way, we might just embrace it a little easier.

Why is it we see correction as "difficult" or "unpleasant"? Learning is comprised of both trial and error. We try and sometimes we err. We try again and sometimes we get it correct, but not always because we understand how we actually got it correct. When we try again and again, consistently getting it correct in all subsequent attempts, we say we have "learned well". Why? The ability to correct what it was we did not fully comprehend in the first place led to us fully incorporate the principles which would produce the "right results" consistently. God gives us the chance to correct our choices until we come to a place of consistency in our lives. We call this chance for correction "grace". We call this repetition of testing "growth". Grace and growth go hand-in-hand. Without one, the other would simply not occur! 

There are different places in life where we come to the place of growth - sometimes certain places afford better learning opportunities, while others simply make it a little more uncomfortable or difficult. Most of us would readily agree - we didn't just wake up today determined to do things "wrong" - we just found ourselves presented with opportunities to make wise choices and we made something other than wise ones. God uses our good sense - he gives us the chance to see for ourselves the error, developing in us the desire to correct the error so we don't fall into it again. What does common sense have to do with us growing? It helps us incorporate the learning we gleaned from the failure. If we hit our thumb with the hammer as we try to drive a nail into a piece of wood, we may fear it will happen again. We could stop using nails and hammers, taking on the use of a screw and screwdriver. The job could probably get done, but a whole lot more effort is put into screwing the screw into the wood! Our common sense would tell us to try the nail again, just being a little more cautious about the location of our thumb in reference to the head of the hammer!

Don't view God's correction as punitive - but as purposeful. His correction is designed for our growth. He points out areas where we have opportunities to think through our actions, so we produce the right responses time and time again. When God looks into our life's experiences, he does so in the spirit of correction - affording us the "grace" to try again. No lesson is ever learned by giving correction alone - it is when we change our actions that we learn from them! Just sayin!

A person of great privilege

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. (Romans 5:1-2)

We don't 'get right' with God - we are 'made right' with him. This work is accomplished by faith, never by our works. All that was needed to make us right with God was done by Christ Jesus. One of the things we may miss in this passage is this 'place of undeserved privilege' we each enjoy as a result of Christ's finished work on the cross. We might think a person of 'privilege' enjoys extreme wealth, social standing, and easy access to things they want or need. We wouldn't be far off with this definition, except for that part about 'social standing'. Being a Christian doesn't always elevate us to the top of the social charts, does it? In fact, there may even be a 'slippage' in our 'social standing' with friends or family just because we make the choice to be a follower of Christ.

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now,
for in due time you will laugh. What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. (Luke 6:20-23)

Will the followers of Christ choose him for the wealth and fame, or for some other reason? I believe it is the latter, for in choosing Christ, we make a choice to live a life of service, not one of being served. Am I saying a believer will not have earthly wealth? Not at all, but they will not be motivated by it, or live for the accumulation of that wealth. Am I saying the believer will not have 'easy access' to the things they need? Absolutely not - for Christ cares for each of our needs as though they were his own. What I am saying is that a believer is not seeking more from this world, but they are seeking to enjoy more of God's goodness and grace in their lives. Their focus is not on what the world affords them in the way of fame, wealth, or enjoyment, but rather on the peace, love, and hope God brings as we press into him.

We actually enjoy an 'undeserved privilege' right here and now, but we live far below that privilege in Christ Jesus. Why? We seek what the world offers us before we seek to enjoy more of this privilege. It all comes down to where it is we find our fulfillment - joy, peace, and hope. If it is in the things of this world, we will live very disappointed lives. If it is in Christ, we shall soar high above whatever this world affords. Just sayin!

More caught than taught

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. (Romans 15:2)

Have you ever considered your actions in light of what others see, hear, or feel as a result of those actions? It can be kind of scary at times to see actions through the eyes of others, mostly because it can lead to us being a little too 'comparison oriented' and it can result in some issues with pride on occasion. If we just compare our actions, excluding the heart from the picture, we might think our actions are a little better than another's. We run the risk of elevating our beliefs or actions above theirs - thinking THEY have room for improvement, but we are doing just fine. This is a very dangerous precipice from which to view life!

When we set out to live in such a way so as to be a 'help' to others - an example of God's goodness and grace - our heart is in the right place. Yet, it is quite easy to get a little too focused on our own goodness and forget that God's goodness is what matters. How do we go about 'helping others' without pridefulness entering into the mix? It might just be that we need to remove a few of our 'religious masks' in order for others to see we aren't 'perfect' or 'righteous' all of the time. Sometimes we fall flat on our faces just like they do, but we have learned how to take those failures to Christ, seek the lesson he will reveal to us as we do, and then start out again. 

Building each other up isn't about 'telling them how to live' as much as it is showing them how it is we have come to live in this relationship with Jesus. I think Jesus is most honored when we are genuine in our faith - living out the lessons he teaches without judgment of others who haven't come to the place where that lesson is made alive in their own lives yet. It is a very fine line between being an example and being judgmental of the actions of others. When we learn to look at our actions first - our heart attitude, thought life, and responses to events - we are well on our way to being positive examples to others without this spirit of judgment that enters in whenever pride begins to rear its ugly head.

The adage, "More is caught than taught", rings true here. John Maxwell puts it, "You can teach what you know, but you reproduce what you are." If your words don't match your actions, they won't hear you. Others repeat what we do more than what we say. God's hope is that we will lead lives that model a life without compromise. When we are focused on how much 'compromise' we see in others, we might just miss the volume of compromising decisions we are making ourselves. Just sayin!

Does Plan B negate Plan A

Do God's plans ever change? It is a question I have often asked when things seemed to be going one way and then all of a sudden, they are all headed the opposite direction. Is it possible the 'turn of events' that happened was really all of the original plan? Could it be that I just didn't see the 'whole plan' when I set out on the journey? Is it possible God's plans for us include much more than we see right now? Perhaps God has things more 'under control' than we might think because he frequently reminds us that even before we were born, the plans for our lives were already marked out.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. (Galatians 1:15-16)

Home birth or hospital birth? High School grad or Post-Graduate studies? Single or Married? A home filled with children or no children? High-paying career or farmer? Upstanding citizen or criminal? Think of all the various ways our lives 'could have gone' but didn't. There are probably thousands of examples of 'what could have been' that we could enumerate, but the fact remains that God knows the plan - the beginning doesn't really define the outcome - he does! It always amazes me to know that God uses sinful men and women to carry out his plan - a plan established even before they were born.

If we are following Christ, living a righteous life, it makes sense that God can use us, but what about when we mess up a whole lot along the way and struggle with this sin nature we have? Can he still use us? Absolutely! In fact, he might even use some of the things we learn as a result of our sin to help others who struggle along the way, too. Did he plan for us to sin? Absolutely not, but he provided a way for us to be forgiven for that sin - grace. Could it be that God's 'Plan A' has always been in effect even when we chose to follow our own 'Plan B'?

Our calling is established - we might veer from it on occasion, but the calling remains. That means the empowerment to walk within that calling is still there even when we choose to follow our own plan for a while. Is there a way back? Always! God's grace is sufficient, his love is enduring, and his renewing power is available to those who seek a way back into his 'plan'. Plan B need never negate the power of Plan A. Just sayin!

Truth needs no defense

When we die, we live; when we are faithless, God's faithfulness remains true; when we persevere, there is a reward far greater than we could ever imagine at the end of the fight. These seem quite paradoxical, don't they? Still, God tells us not to forget these things. We get ahead of ourselves, thinking we have it under control and just moving out on our own. It is as easy to get all muddled up in a mess, mired down by the junk that really doesn't matter in the long run. To persevere we have to learn to shed dead weight and to carry only what we are suited to carry - which according to God is very little! One thing we can carry which can be an influential "tool" in our arsenal of defenses and also something that gets us all mired up in a muddle is our words. We find ourselves mired up whenever we use them to argue or disagree - God's plan is not for words to weigh us down, but to liberate, lift, and lighten our burden.

Don’t let anyone forget these things. And with God as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don’t help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. Do your best to win God’s approval as a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message. Keep away from worthless and useless talk. It only leads people farther away from God. That sort of talk is like a sore that won’t heal. (2 Timothy 2:14-17)

Words which liberate, lift, and lighten. You might have heard the expression "vain words". These are words which lack influence and will ultimately be considered to be ineffectual in the end. Arguing about truth is not necessary. Truth stands the test of time and will not be "undone" by anyone's arguments. There is this thing in Christian circles called "apologetics" - the branch of theology concerned with the defense or proof of Christianity. Although this field of study is a legitimate study of scripture and is soundly based on the principles of what scripture supports and does not, it can be like wielding a sledgehammer when used incorrectly. When we set out to "argue" our point on some spiritual matter, we are often not thoroughly aware of the other person's viewpoint from which they are "arguing". In time, we trample over their views, setting ours as superior or "right". Although our view may be "right", we have lost the soul we were trying to win because we trampled them with our "arguments".

We are encouraged to speak the truth in love. We are encouraged to use to speak words which build up, encourage, are helpful and considerate. In so doing, many an argument is actually diverted! It is not necessary to "defend" Christianity - truth "defends" itself - especially when it is spoken in love. Worthless and useless talk becomes a "sore that won't heal". How many of us have those "sores" resident within? I daresay there are some festering sores which actually begun by the use of words carelessly spoken - arguments we thought we had to have, but which later we regret dearly. We may not have incited the argument, but in time, we have been affected by the course of those words. So, we are encouraged today to look at not only our choice of words, but with what "intent" we speak them. "Intent" is often more revealing than the words themselves - for it is often the hidden message behind the words we speak which bring others down or build them up! John C. Maxwell puts it well: "People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude." I cannot agree more! It is what is behind the words which really counts. Truth needs not be defended, but our attitude in speaking truth often needs adjustment! Just sayin!

Stop pretending

Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evil doings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless. (Isaiah 1:16-17)

Charades is a game in which you have to act out titles to songs, movies, or events. The team has to guess what you are trying to act out in a limited amount of time. If you are successful in your "acting", your team is able to guess the thing you portray. If not, the other team has a chance to "steal" the points by answering themselves. Charades is a fun game, but when we begin to live life like it was a game of charades, we are simply giving a "pretense" of living one way, while we are really acting another. As kids, we'd "pretend" to be soldiers, parents, cops, and even robbers. We'd act out our imagination's creation. It was a fun time as kids, but when our imagination is what guides us into adulthood, we can find we are living by "pretense" rather than much substance. The problem with this is that without substance, we really don't have much of a foundation upon which to build a reliable and trustworthy life.

God is a holy God and as such, he cannot allow sin to remain "unchecked" - it must be dealt with. We have our own "free-will", so we are "free" to choose to live obediently to the will of God, or we can choose our own direction in life. The choice is ours - God will not override our choices. Whenever we choose to live by our own directives, we run into this issue of compromise and eventually drift into sinful deeds. Those deeds require God's judgment - for sin must be judged. This is the truth proclaimed throughout scripture - hence, Christ had to come as the perfect sacrifice for our sin - his blood shed on our behalf brought an acceptable "covering" for our sin. Where there is a sin nature, there will be sin's activity. God's plan is for us to submit our will to his, lessening the desire to pursue this sinful activity.

This sin nature and desire to do our own thing in life is revealed in some of the "charades" we engage in. If you look closely at this passage, there is this "laundry list" of "activities", "actions", and "aspirations" we attempt, but which fall short of accomplishing what the blood of Jesus accomplishes. All our conferences, religious meetings, church attendance, and the like are nice, but they don't accomplish our salvation - they don't cover our sin and they don't change our sin nature. They are "religious pursuits" - activities designed to make us "think" we are moving in the right direction, but they are simply a "pretense" of the real deal! God's response to the religious pursuits is to remind us of how far short we are still falling of living right! He responds, "You still are tearing people to pieces..." In other words, saying one thing, but doing another. Church attendance alone doesn't make people "good" - it makes them "religious"!

We need a life-change to occur, and this happens through recognition of our need. It is time for us to recognize our "hands are dirty". We need to "clean up our act", but we are powerless to do it alone. We need to "say no" to wrong in our lives and begin to pursue the things God declares to be profitable. We pursue all manner of things in this life we view as "profitable", but in the end the actual "return" on those things is quite minimal. The call - repentance. Come to a place of recognizing "our best" is not good enough. Lay down the "pretense" of religion and come into a place of practicing the things God says are important in life. But...don't do it in a vacuum. We need Jesus in the right place in our lives, or all these actions of "good" are simply just hollow actions. Too many times we get focused on the actions of "doing good" and forget that we need to have "good" at the center of our being FIRST. The only way to have "good" in the center of our being is to welcome Christ into that place. When we do this, we find our actions take on new meaning - they aren't religious pursuits, but extensions of his grace and love through us. Anything less is just a charade! Pretense is not what God desires - he wants connection. We have no chance of getting this "right" until we make that connection. Just sayin!

Trust in the Truth

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

In the early church, Christ's message was being embraced and shared, but the Jewish leaders were still preaching that all of the Law of Moses still needed to be kept. Christ's message proclaimed that we are saved by faith, while the Law of Moses taught that works upon works were necessary. Christ's message showed how God worked his way to us through Christ Jesus, while the message of the Law of Moses kept men working their way to God. They were different messages - the Law of Moses being done away with by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Paul found there were individuals who began their walk with Christ through faith in this finished work, but then they listened to the preaching of the Jewish leaders that they still needed to do all manner of works, keeping this feast day and all the 'regulations' proclaimed within the Law of Moses and the Torah. In other words, those who had been set free by grace were being bound again by works.

Man can work his way toward God all he wants, but apart from grace, there is no way of ever reaching God! We may think all the 'good stuff' we are doing is going to assure us of entry into heaven, but as Jesus said, God won't be impressed by those works - only our testimony of faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus. We 'enter in' through the blood sacrifice that made all other sacrifices outlined in the Law of Moses obsolete. We 'remain in' by trusting in the grace and forgiveness found at the foot of the cross - continually bringing all our struggles, pain, and doubts to him for him to guide us through each of them. From the beginning of time, Satan has tried to deceive anyone hearing the Word of God and actually beginning to trust in that truth. He has been aptly called the deceiver of the brethren because he likes to twist the truth and get our minds confused. This is one of the greatest tactics he uses - taking truth, adding a lie to it, then proclaiming it as 'truer' than truth. We must guard against all those who seek to 'add to' God's truth - for truth is no longer truth when we add to it.

The truth - no one earns their way to God. The lie - you need to do this or that in addition to saying 'yes' to Jesus. You may ask, "Don't we have to do good stuff as Christians?" This is what confuses so many, for we see the early church caring for the sick, meeting the needs of the poor, embracing those others would reject. Isn't that 'works'? It come back to the heart motivation behind what we are 'doing'. If we 'do' in order to 'earn', it is the wrong type of 'works'. If we 'do' in a spirit of love and service, focusing first on our relationship with Christ, then in meeting the need we observe before us, we are not attempting to 'earn' anything by the 'work'. Relationship always stands opposed to religion - one relies upon the finished work of Christ (we cannot earn our way to God) and the other focuses on doing in order to be right (attempting to earn through our own merit what God gave as a gift to all who will accept it). How we choose is important - one leads to freedom and joy, the other to bondage and a constant dashing of our hopes. Just sayin!