Your mission...should you choose to accept it

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. (Hebrews 13:1-3)

Keep on...the call for the new year. It is not a time to sit back and just watch...it is a time to rise up and take action. Love each other...as brothers and sisters. No family is perfect. No relationship is always without stress or strain. We must work at loving one another as Christ loves us.

Three missions for the new year: 

Show hospitality to strangers. Give comfort, provide meals, present gifts, and lend them help. The Latin word “hospes” means “visitor”, so we are to look after and care for them. How can we make someone's life a little more comfortable? What act can we perform that will minister to their need?

Remember the prisoner. This doesn't always mean we visit or write to people in prison. It could be that we help their families as they go through the terrible experience of separation and loneliness. We may be their only friend at the moment, sober a great friend. We might become aware of a need to help clothe their child for the upcoming school cycle, or get those much needed repairs done on a rickety old car. Meet the need in both a practical and emotional way.

Don't overlook those who are being mistreated. No one likes to be treated cruelly or with unfairness. How can we be the balance they need in a world that so quickly judges them and rejects them because of their looks, economic status, or some other silly thing? The bully will always seek to mistreat the one they believe to be weak, so become the one who bolsters the strength of the one who is singled out for any type of mistreatment.

Keep on loving each other as Christ loves you. Their is no time like the present to begin to fulfill your mission. Your mission is clear, but will you accept it? Just asking...

Be wiser than your former self

We have perhaps one or two truly close friendships in the course of our lifetime, those marked by true intimate knowledge of each other and a depth of commitment which spans all the hurdles of how silly we can act on occasion.  These relationships matter so much to us - we work to preserve them, defend them, and even bolster them whenever things are a little shaky. Try hard to do right and you will win friends - scriptural instruction - not scriptural "advice".  The difference between the two - one is just an opinion which we can take or leave; the other is a promise based on truth. Some of us don't always "do right", though. In the realm of our "best friends", there is some amount of grace which just keeps us together and might even bind us closer together when we don't always "hit the mark" when it comes to "trying to do right". Do right; Live right; and Act wisely - three truths we need to explore if we are to maintain those very special relationships God has given us on this earth.

Try hard to do right, and you will win friends; go looking for trouble, and you will find it. Live right, and you will eat from the life-giving tree. And if you act wisely, others will follow. (Proverbs 11:27, 30)

Do right - we certainly don't need instruction or reminding to "do wrong"! We find our way into the territory of "wrong" much easier than we find our way into the territory of "right"! We were born pretty egocentric and in being so egocentric from birth, we find the world rotating around us for a good period of time. What parents have a hard time with as we are getting a little older is this idea of helping us to see there are others in our world impacted by our actions!  When we won't share, someone is without a toy or piece of the cake. When we refuse to let someone go, they cannot get on with their other tasks which need to be completed. We maintain the "hold" on being the center of our world as long as others will allow it. When someone begins to "push that envelope" and they show us we are definitely NOT the center of attention we think we should be, we get our feelings all in a wad. The world around us needs to be acknowledged, the feelings of others require respect, and the moments of their lives matter as much as ours.  We are reminded to let go of "self" and seek out the opportunities to "make another feel special". Doing is the first step toward developing a pattern some call "living".

Live right - unlike "doing" right, living right means we actually find a path which is consistently focused on the right things. We begin to develop patterns of behavior which are marked with less and less self-centered actions. The "doing" becomes a habit - we find ourselves consistently "doing" - not having to "think it through" all the time because it comes more naturally to us now. With every "new habit" there is this starting point we might label as "doing" right. Add up all the "doing" and eventually you find yourself forming the new habit. In time, you don't even think about what it is you are doing because it comes as "second-nature" to you. It is "second-nature" to us, though! Our "primary-nature" is egocentric. It takes practiced effort to break that mold! This effort will eventually help us develop the habits which become "second-nature" to us and produce a consistency of behaviors which support "other-focused" activities. We find we want to include others in our lives - not because of what we "get out of it", but equally as much by what we can "give back" into those relationships.  Living right implies we make consistent choices which benefit not only self, but others, as well.

Act wisely - the choices we make behind the scenes matter because eventually they reveal themselves for all to see, no matter how well we think we have them covered up! Action comes from thought - we actually have some basis to all we do and how we live because we have been thinking about it for some time! If our actions are a little foolish, it is likely we are still a little too egocentric in our focus. We don't see others, nor do we see Christ right there in front of us as we make those unwise choices. If our actions are gravitating toward wiser ones, we might not fully understand how much those matter, but each wise action leads to the possibility we will act that way again - leading to us letting go of some of our egocentric "doing". Fools are marked by being all over the board in their commitments and even by being a little too egocentric (despite warnings to be otherwise). The wise are marked by the stability and sensibility of their actions - those which are "other-focused", not "self-focused". Wise people see themselves through the mirror of the truth and what is reflected back to them is used to help them lay down the actions which really are not reflecting back Christ in them! Just sayin!

Is this worth it?

People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God. You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them don’t belong to him. But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. Yet God raised Jesus to life! God’s Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit. (Romans 8:5-11)

Some desires are easily fulfilled, while others are the things we chase after repeatedly and find no satisfaction in ever obtaining. Never forget the "hold" desires place on us as we pursue whatever it is which becomes the object of our attention (focus). It is almost impossible to have a desire and not want to "go after it" with some form of passionate pursuit. We often find ourselves "pondering" the thing we desire. It becomes the consuming focus of our mind - thought being the thing which gets us to move toward the desire. I think this is why there is so much emphasis put on being aware of what we are thinking "upon" - because we don't want to dwell on the stuff which will take us down paths better left unexplored!

Probably one of the most reported issues in this walk with Jesus is the constant struggle between what we desire and what we know God wants for us. God wants us to consider the type of desire it is we are responding to at any given moment. We have this "mixture" of desires - some very good or honorable; others kind of self-centered and just plain out of the "list" of desires he'd want us to actually pursue. To pursue only what we desire is thinking of only ourselves - a dangerous focus indeed. Yet, I have run across people who seem to have their head in the clouds - too spiritual for their own good and certainly for the good of others! We need balance between the spiritual and the practical. We actually drive people away when all we can ponder and discuss is the spiritual. I have a tendency to look for people who can maintain this balance - knowing "living out" faith is more important than merely engaging in conversation about it all the time!

If we are ruled by our minds, we will pursue desires which are self-centered and likely to be a little far from what God has planned for our pursuit. If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, we are more likely to pursue those things God has prepared in advance for us! Our own desires don't always align with God's. Apparently Satan understands this fact and monopolizes on it! When we have this "war" of sorts going on in our minds, pondering this desire against that one, we can be assured that as long as that battle is taking place, Satan is intrigued! He wants to see which one will win out and he isn't pulling for God's!

Christ lives in us - this is the hope of our "winning" over those wrong desires. In living an "exchanged life" we find our own desires beginning to take backseat to the desires of the one we serve (Christ Jesus). It is God's Spirit living within us that makes all the difference in determining which of these desires will become the preeminent one which gets and holds our attention. If you haven't figured that out already, the thing which gets our attention will play upon our emotions until we begin to toy with the idea of actually surrendering to that object. If this is a God-thing we are "toying with" in our thoughts, the surrender will be godly and good!  

With God's Spirit within, the desires we once were consumed by will begin to drop away. This is a gradual process for most of us - for others, it may come in a matter-of-fact way once and for all. The truth of the matter is that no matter "how" we see this exchange of desires occurring within us, we all have exactly the same "resources" at our disposal to overcome those desires which are too self-absorbed and which are going to take us down the wrong path. The Spirit of God brings all we need to not only change our focus, but to help us differentiate between what is worthy of our continued attention and what is not. Just sayin!

Not so wise on my own

Surrounding yourself with the right people brings you much success in life. When we choose our "circle" well, we find ourselves being influenced to move in directions which increase our "value" in some way. Choose the wrong "circle" and we might not realize quite the same increase in "value". There is but one place we find our unique value and that is when we look fully into the face of Jesus. Yet, our relations here on earth can either build us up, or tear us down. Those which build us up have a way of adding "value" by our association; those which tear us down actually take away "value" by that association. The latter erode away at our confidence, play upon our insecurities, and reinforce our fears. It is much better to surround ourselves with those who don't resist correction in their own lives - showing by example what it is like to embrace even the hard lessons so that steps can be reordered to ensure a right path is followed. It is also important to surround ourselves with those who think about others - revealed in their willingness to lay down their own desires for the benefit of another. This is what I mean about our relations "lending value" to our lives - the right ones make all the difference in ways that encourage our growth rather than tearing us down or apart!

All who refuse correction will be poor and disgraced; all who accept correction will be praised. It’s a good feeling to get what you want, but only a stupid fool hates to turn from evil. Wise friends make you wise, but you hurt yourself by going around with fools. (Proverbs 13:18-20)

We all have the ability to refuse correction - leading us to places in life where we feel like grace is far from us. We see walls closing in around us because of choices we have made and it almost frightens us to no end. We feel "disgraced" - like we have lost a place of honor and now must deal with our shame over the matter. Choices in relationship make all the difference with not only putting us in those compromising situations, but in helping us bounce back if we have compromised! I know my best friend speaks life into my steps, not death. She might not mince her words at times, but I need her to be this forthright with me because when she is, I can see where it is I am out of step with what God wants in my life. Disgrace is actually a "place" in our emotional make-up where we feel like we have lost favor. Good relationships help us to never lose sight of the fact we never lose favor in God's eyes - we can always find new grace in his presence. Refusing correction assures us we will "lose" something - because honor is impacted when we are refusing grace. We stand in a place of "honor" because of what grace has done in our lives. Without the grace of God extended into and over our lives, we'd stand in a place of dishonor. With it, we are exalted beyond our wildest imaginings!

Having the wrong relationships can end up in us seeking what is natural for us to seek - everything which meets our fancies, builds up our selfish desires, and leads to us being the ones fulfilled in the moment. Having the right relationships can keep us from being so self-centered! We may "want" a lot of things in life, but the one thing we need is solid relationships. We don't want to find ourselves walking this pathway alone, or worse yet, with the wrong traveling companions! What God wants is for us to surround ourselves with others who know the grace of God in their own lives and lean into that grace each and every day. Those who thumb their noses at God's grace are dangerous companions to place in your circle. Two things we all need in this life:  God's grace and good companions who also understand his grace. Two things which will leave us wanting in this life:  Being so full of our own self-worth we don't see the need for finding our value in Jesus and being so unwise in our choices as to think things, position, or power give us "worth" in life.  

Wise friends make us wise. The first relationship we all need to "get right" is the one we have with Jesus. When this is the primary focus in life, we soon find the other relationships we have begin to matter in ways we might not have seen before. We will also recognize those that don't lend value, not because they aren't good people, but because they draw us away from grace and toward foolishness. Foolish people will drive us toward foolish action. If we want to make better decisions in life, it often begins with changing those we have in our circle of influence. Why? We are influenced by their actions and they by ours. We need the right influences if we are to even come remotely close to making less "foolish" decisions in life. Just sayin!

What are you willing to pay?

Who or what are you living for? We are all "living for" someone - even if it is ourselves. We could be a little too self-centered for our own good and only see life how it affects us, totally excluding how the world all around us is impacted by the way we live OUR lives. Or perhaps we are a little too "other-centered", forgetting to take care of ourselves, running like mad-men here and there until we are fatigued to the place of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. We may actually be living a "Christ-centered" life - the choices we make being governed by the principles taught in the Word and those we feel compelled to act upon because of the prompting of the Holy Spirit within, but lacking complete consistency in this walk. Somehow we think the question is not how well we are living, but that we are living - missing the point of living in a way which really leaves an impact on the lives we touch. It requires us looking intently at who it is we live our lives for because this affects how it is we will live it.

If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know that sin doesn’t have power over dead people. As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die. When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God. In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God. (Romans 6:5-11)

The old ways of living move aside when we come to Christ. Those priorities which seemed to consume us certainly pale in comparison to the excellence of living for Christ. This "living for" is made possible because of who "lives within". There is nothing more rewarding than to exchange something worthless for something of superior and excellent value. Really, the best we can offer in our lives pales in comparison to the restored lives God provides in exchange for our tattered, worn, and weary lives. All sin does within us is wear away at the integrity of our inner man - so all we have to offer in exchange for this excellence God offers is pretty shabby by comparison.

We are raised to life with Christ - not the old life getting a face lift, but a new life being imparted to us. Our old "physical frames" house this new life, but the soul and spirit transformation that occur are all Christ's doing. What we offer in the way of "soul-life" or "spirituality" is really nothing more than us doing things out of self-preservation or to make points with another individual. When we allow the life of Christ to be birthed within us, we are leaving behind this old way of living to live "for" him. Our lives take on a new focus. This is where we get the idea of doing an "about-face". In military speak, this is the action of firmly planting the right foot slightly behind the left, then executing a full 180-degree turn so that we are facing the complete opposite direction. This is where we find a new focus - not in remaining turned toward the old, but in turning our backs on it!

What we don't see is what is behind. We don't consider it because it is no longer in our focus. What we keep (maintain) in our focus will eventually consume us.  This is why scripture refers to us keeping our eyes on Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith. He is the one who brings us into this new way of living and he is the one who will take us from living a "little bit" of this Christian life to living an all-out surrendered life no longer intrigued by the old life we were living. When the soldier executes the "about face" maneuver, he or she is also told to keep their gaze straight ahead. They are not to be looking to the left or right - but straight ahead. As much as may attempt to distract us, when our focus is committed straight ahead, those distractions just don't work!

We "live for" many things - but only one choice really matters. We surrender to a lot of things - but only one surrender brings liberty. We focus on a whole lot of different things in this life - but only one focus actually shuts out all the other things which distract us. If we want to "live for" anything or anyone other than Christ, we need to ask God to clarify our choices in this matter. We might feel that the price we have to pay to follow Jesus is a little too steep - but you are really paying very little to get such a great reward.  Just sayin!

A curb appeal

Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn’t by obeying the Law of Moses. God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

I live in a neighborhood with regular trash pick-ups. Each week we put out the black can for our regular household trash and the blue can for everything we will recycle. One day a month, we put out all our "bulk" trash, such as large limbs from the trees, broken furniture, or scraps from building projects. I have faith the trucks will be around each week and on that one week each month when they will come with the tractor with the scooper-jaws to pick up all the bulk stuff. What is the difference between what I do with the various components of trash from my home vs. what God does in my life with the things which are really kind of "rubbish-like"? Simply put, he does the work of removing the rubbish, recycling what can be made new again, and creating a place which brings honor to him. He asks us to submit to his "terms" of removal, though! Just like I have to submit to the "terms" of removal my local government established related to my household trash/rubbish, I have to submit to God's plan for removing the things from my life which no longer belong.

That plan is simply Christ Jesus. All the Law ever did was point out the blood sacrifice required to remove our sin. It pointed out the futility of trying to do things on our own terms - because we'd have to do them again and again. I have to take out the trash each week at my house - because this is the means by which I can rid my household of the smelly stuff! I could not just "say" I am "law-abiding" and never move the black can to the curb. In time, it would simply smell worse and worse as it fermented in the hot sun. I could opt to take it out on my own terms - like every other week or maybe even once a month. In the meantime, I deal with all that trash. The garbage truck comes by faithfully each week, but it bypasses my home. The garbage man might "want" to deal with my trash, but until I give him access to it, he cannot take it away to the dump! Until we give Christ access to the rubbish of our lives, we are managing our "rubbish"! I don't know about you, but I don't do a good job with this on my own! All the Law pointed out for the Israelites back in the time of Moses was how God wanted to be the one to remove the sin from their lives. He didn't ever expect them to be the ones to actually do it themselves!

Each Tuesday night the cans are moved to the curb. Why? We have faith the rumbling trash compacting truck will make its way through our neighborhood, "consuming" all the stuff contained in those cans and leaving us with "room" to leave more next week. God does the work of "removing" the rubbish in our lives in stages - once at the point of our saying yes to Jesus, then as faithfully as he will always be, he keeps on coming around to leave us with "room" for the next batch of stuff we will lay at his feet! God isn't a glorified trash-man, but you get the idea - he is at the ready to remove what doesn't belong in our lives anymore. Sin needs to be removed far away from us - to a place where it can meet its final doom! His actions on our behalf remain ever so faithful - yet there are some actions on our behalf which allow him to do what only he can do. Just as we have to put the black and blue cans on the curb each week, so we have to faithfully do our part in bringing to God what only he can deal with through the Blood of Jesus. Rather than attempting to deal with what will eventually become an overwhelming pile of mess in our lives, isn't it much better to finally get it to the curb so Jesus can take it away? Just askin!

No greater gift

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 9:11-14)

With his own blood - we are bought with a price we could not pay; given a gift we could not earn; and brought into a position we could never possess apart from Christ. One sacrifice - one time - for all time. We are secure because of his gift - the gift we received so many Christmas morns long ago. The old passed away and the new has come. What the 'old systems' of worship and good deeds could never do was done in one moment in time, but it lasts an eternity.

What all our good deeds (good works) and acts of 'contrition' could never do for us has been done through the blood of Christ - our consciences are made pure. If you have ever dealt with a sense of guilt because of your past deeds, something you have said or done that just didn't 'sit well' in your conscience, you know the extreme joy and peace that comes when you finally bring that thing into the light and get rid of it once and for all. The conscience has a way of holding onto the 'bad' we do, but it also reminds us of the 'bad' we are!

The purity of conscience Christ offers is not just a one-time deal. It is a lifetime of us feeling 'guilt' for misguided actions and poorly spoken words, bringing those things to him in full repentance, and feeling that 'load of guilt' lifted. Peace settles in around our souls and we feel 'at one' again with Christ. There is no greater gift we could 'open' this Christmas - for that gift has been given already. We just need to open up our hearts to receive the gift. Just those wrapped gifts under the tree this season, this gift is received when we accept it as ours. Just sayin!

Are you a Lone Ranger?

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

The process of 'working at living in peace' in the original Greek language indicates there is no point at which we 'arrive' at peace or a holy life - it is a continual process. We live each day with the attitude of finding peace with each other and encouraging each other to live holy lives. If you have ever been the instigator of trouble, you know how easily others will follow you, especially when the 'trouble' you are initiating is kind of 'fun'. You can get some out of their comfort zone, while others just seem to enjoy the folly right along with you. Wouldn't it be great if it was as easy for us to 'instigate' holiness and right choices, getting others to follow along in the joy of living upright lives?

We have a responsibility to make wise choices - to look after each other as we do. If you are a kind of independent sort, you might not see much benefit in others looking out for you - looking after you so that you don't fall into some temptation that might catch you unaware. You kind of want to 'Lone Ranger' it, believing you can live a holy life without the help of anyone else. How's that been working for you? Have you found yourself dealing with the same frustrating issues in your life time and time again? It is likely because you have been attempting to live 'independent' from others. You have no one 'watching out for you' as you 'live life'. The trouble with that level of 'independence' is that we are never meant to live out holiness alone - it is a 'group effort'.

We need to watch out for one another - like it or not. We need the 'friction' of some relationships to show us where we have rough edges that still need a bit of work. We require the 'intrusion' of other relationships to reveal where it is we still focus too much on ourselves. We can think of life together as a negative thing, or we can embrace it as God intended. We 'work' better in community - seeing what others cannot, finding ways to encourage when the going gets tough, and avoiding pitfalls that seem so obvious to us, but are hidden from the view of another. If this is God's plan for living holy lives - we need to move 'inside' his plan and stop trying to live as 'Lone Rangers' in this world. Just sayin!

Is this the right action?

John Wooden reminds us to, "Never mistake activity for achievement." We can all get wrapped up in the 'activity' and miss out on really achieving much in it. When we focus on the activity rather than the reason for it, the people involved in it, and the outcome we desire to see from it, we miss out on the moment. He also reminds us that it is the "little details that are vital...they make big things happen". There comes a time when we need to just 'make big things happen' in life. We need to buy that new car, move to a new house, start a new job, get involved in a new church, or learn to make new friends. Much activity doesn't mean we will accomplish any of these - it just means we may not sleep very well at night!

Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. (Ecclesiastes 5:3)

As important as the activity may be, we need to be able to shut down and rest. We need that renewal for the health of our bodies and brains. If you have ever tossed and turned, unable to shut-off your thoughts, 'worrying' plans over and over again, you know how difficult it actually becomes to focus on the actual task. Your body did not rest well, and your brain worked overtime, but your task is no further along! Equally as important as rest to our bodies may be, sometimes there needs to be 'rest' to our words, as well. There are times when we have 'said enough' and just need to take a rest from saying anymore on the matter. Too many words to someone who has 'heard enough' and you may lose the moment.

The second verse of our chapter reminds us to 'let our words be few' - especially when we are bringing our plans before God. There are times when we bring our plans to him, kind of like an offering, and then expect him to bless them just as they are. We go on and on with him in prayer, telling him how it is something will be accomplished and then we walk away to 'tackle the plan'. We didn't take time to listen, and this will eventually show in the activity at hand, no matter how much we thought we had God's blessing on the matter. There are going to be those moments when God wants to show us the futility of our plans - we just may not want to hear that all that 'activity' isn't what he intended.

Let your words be few, your plans be 'flexible', and your rest complete. These are not just 'wise advice' given to us in God's Word - they are plans for our well-being. We need to listen well, be open to God's leading being different than what we may have originally planned and learn to shut-off activity so we can rest well. Restless nights might just be a good indicator that we are either 'too committed' in activity, too stubborn to veer from our plans, or too intent on sharing our thoughts way beyond someone's ability to hear them. Just sayin!

Give today what you may need tomorrow

Some of you accuse others of doing wrong. But there is no excuse for what you do. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, because you are guilty of doing the very same things. We know that God is right to judge everyone who behaves in this way. Do you really think God won’t punish you, when you behave exactly like the people you accuse? You surely don’t think much of God’s wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don’t you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him? (Romans 2:1-4)

It is much easier to look at someone else and then find fault with what THEY are doing rather than finding fault with what YOU are doing. We don't like having to take an introspective look to see that we could be at the heart of the issue! Truth be told, when we find issue with others it is usually because we can find issue with ourselves, but we just don't want to focus on that! Scripture is plain - when we stand in the place of accusing others of what we do ourselves, we are judging ourselves! We actually are passing the verdict on our own behavior without even recognizing we have done it! Even when we are naive about our own "guilt" in the matter, God has prepared a way of grace to help us deal with our own sin! Pointing out another's faults is really not doing us any good - but sometimes when we consider why we might be doing this, we find a reflection coming back at us which shows we are guilty of the same kind of things. It gives us a chance to repent of those actions and to fall fully into the arms of God's grace! How great would it be if we reflected back that grace to the person we are finding fault with?

God's goodness is extended to us - all we need to do is fall fully into it. When you finally take the leap, you are letting go of your fears. You are launching yourself fully into God's hands and there is no turning back. Life doesn't have a rewind button! When we make the decision to fall fully into God's grace, we are taking a plunge which has no "rewind button"! God's grace envelops us and then acclimates us to the feeling of that grace! You might be surprised at how quickly your soul and spirit acclimate to the richness of this grace. God wants us to turn fully toward him. Instead of looking at what others do wrong, look at what we might do right in this life! We "do right" when we rely upon the redeeming grace of God to keep us focused on what he desires of "US". We step out of the place reserved for the judge or the jury - we become the one who is on trial. We find ourselves relying upon the leniency of the "court" - so to speak! 

Grace is never deserved - but it is so often needed and yearned for deep within our souls. We can be instruments of judgment or grace - the choice we make toward the actions of another are important. Remember, the grace you give today might just be the grace you need tomorrow. Just sayin!

Now, that bespeaks love!

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God’s throne! (Hebrews 12:2)

The twelfth chapter of Hebrews begins with the words, "...we must rid ourselves of everything that slows us down..."  Do you have things which slow you down in life? We sometimes have very "regular" things in life which slow us down - sometimes external to us, like another person, sometimes kind of internal, like raw emotions or fear. There is nothing which quite slows us down as much as the weight of sin in our lives, though. No person or other weight quite exerts the same pressure sin does - pulling us down, loading us with guilt, and holding us in miry links to our past. Maybe this is why the rest of the verse we started with today goes on to say, "...especially the sin that just won't let go..." Sin has a way of holding us back - not letting us out of the clasp of its grip. This kind of puts a different spin on our sin, doesn't it? It isn't just us moving toward it and giving into that temptation, it is that sin holding onto us like it would be losing its best friend if it let go! It is hard to walk away from something that has a grasp on us - especially when there is ANY kind of emotional tie between the two!

There is a race laid out for us - one which we must actually engage in if we are to ever get beyond the starting blocks. Somewhere along the way, we tire, feel the pull of fatigue, and want to just give up. The effort comes not in starting, but in finishing. The emotional warfare is hard. Breaking free is one thing; living free is another. We live free by changing our focus. The one crossing the finish line isn't the one who just toddles along aimlessly - it is the one who keeps their focus on the prize ahead. It may amuse some of us to see how we move toward sin at break-neck speed, but then tend to have the speed of the tortoise when it comes to turning away from it! It doesn't surprise or amuse God, though. He knows the hold our past has on us, and he isn't surprised by how much pull it exerts on us to get us to quit once we have started this race toward a new life in his freedom. You would think one taste of freedom would make us really ravenous for more and more freedom, but as is often the case with anything held in captivity for a long period of time, when freedom comes, we just don't know what to do with it!

Keep our eyes on Jesus so that we stand the best chance of breaking free from what has held us captive. We come to understand freedom only when we are being led into it! Christ leads us into freedom and then he helps us walk in freedom until we become familiar with it - at first liberating, then a little uncomfortable because we don't fully understand what to do with this new-found freedom. It gives us liberty and we don't know how to handle liberty sometimes. Maybe we take it to excess, or just don't use it at all. He is there to help us know moderation, develop a "tolerance" to freedom, and to remind us repeatedly to forget what is behind. It is Christ who helps us run the race at break-neck speed toward the right goal - who helps us develop the snail's pace to return to the things we left behind! Christ endured the cross - not because he had to - but because he wanted to on behalf of each one of us. He had us in his mind as he took those final steps toward Calvary those many years ago. He has us each in his mind today as we take the tiniest of steps toward the freedom he calls us into. He endured what we could not - he provides what we cannot. He knew his effort on our behalf would be his greatest reward - for our freedom came at a huge cost - his life. His life for ours. Now that bespeaks love! Just sayin!

Taken for granted?

The wise in heart will receive commandments, but a prating fool will fall. (Proverbs 10:8)

Those who "talk to hear themselves talk" might not actually know how foolish they can sound on occasion. They just ramble on and on as though all the world was listening. At times, they might actually have something to say, but the "world" is so tired of listening to their pointless talk that even if they have some nugget of purposeful information in there somewhere, no one is really paying close attention! This might be why scripture reminds us of the way we use our words - not in excess, not hastily, not in idle talk. When we have a tendency to just make "conversation" for the sake of "passing the time", we don't really have much to share which will really lend to the building of relationship or receiving of instruction. When I want to build relationship, I usually am very focused on learning certain things about the other individual. I may be drawn to them because I see they possess a skill set I don't. This might start a rather "instructional" or "professional" relationship, but it will lack depth if that is all we ever talk about. I still don't know much about them. It isn't until I spend time with them, really getting to know their movements, understanding their expressions, grasping the meaning of their deep sighs, and seeing clearly the pain or joy in their eyes that I come to know them well. It isn't just focusing on hearing the stories they tell. These are important, but we actually get to know another by studying them a little - not just listening to the words they share. We need both in order to really come to a place of intimate relationship with each other. If all we do is go on in endless prattle, our words might actually drive us away from relationship - not toward it!

The wise in heart will receive commandments - they receive his teaching. The words God speaks are not those of a prating fool. They aren't spoken to fill pages in a book, or to fill the air with sound. They are directive, instructional, and purposeful. They are faith-filled, challenging, and sometimes even exasperating. Yep, sometimes his words are kind of "rough". Sometimes God's words are a little "rough" to take - they seem to almost "prick us" with their sharpness. I cannot think of a more faithful companion to speak those type of words into our lives, can you? The most "telling" truths he can speak are those which make us sit up and take notice of how it is we are living! A prating fool will fall - become nothing because he is too busy talking to take time to listen! This is the danger of using words as though they were a "cheap commodity" - we lessen the value of the words we hear because we are so busy talking over them that we cannot hear them at all! To receive, we need to listen. To listen, we need to be quiet. To be quiet, we need to be comfortable enough to not need to be the center of attention! God challenges those who are constantly chattering on and on with this word of warning - there is a fall in your path if you continue on in the senseless chattering of empty words. Why is that? We don't have the depth of relationship with him or others to sustain us in the difficult times of life!

Herein is the balance we must find. We have to be open enough to develop solid relationships, but also to have balance in what it is we share. When we begin talking, we must consider the audience, understand the relationship we have with them, and realize the value in what it is we are sharing, there is quite a different conversation which occurs. This is most true in our relationship with God himself. We need to know our audience. He isn't "unsettled" by our endless chatting with him, but he does look for us to get to purposeful conversation with him at some point. Then we need to understand the relationship we have with him. He isn't there to be our "go to" when times are bad and then ignored when all is going well. He wants to be part of our ups AND downs. Nothing is more disheartening to him than to be taken for granted when the things in life seem to be going our way and then to be the center of our attention when we find ourselves in need. He wants us to share the things of our heart with him - not just the superficial stuff. There is a depth he wants us to cultivate in relationship with him, but without honest sharing, we will never get to this point. We need to trust him to take what we share and then use it to "better" us in every sense of the word. Just sayin!

Beware the foxes

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5,8)

John Calvin said a dog barks when he sees his master attacked. Why would we ever think God wouldn't raise a ruckus when the enemy of our soul even attempts to snatch away one of his own? Those who remain in him can always be assured of his protective oversight in their lives. We have a protected relationship and one that is intended to be quite productive. It is no wonder our enemy wants so badly to get at us! 

To remain indicates a specific state is met and maintained. In other words, we don't move from where are because it is a place specifically designed for us - a place designed for his presence to dwell. If we want to go beyond that protection, we will find ourselves kind of on our own - outside of the place where the best fruit can be developed in our lives. Maybe this is why we haven't produced fruit - we have 'detached' ourselves from the vine long enough that we are drying up.

Some think 'remaining' means you will be 'stuck' doing the same things, in the same way, in the same place. To God, 'remaining' means a vital, growing relationship. We don't remain the same - we are always changing. A branch attached to a tree doesn't remain the same year after year. It lengthens, thickens, grows new leaves, drops old ones, and even produces some type of 'fruit' while attached. It is a 'life-cycle' that is being 'lived out'. God asks his kiddos to 'live out' this spiritual life-cycle close to him.

Much fruit - not just a little here or there, but a bigger and bigger harvest as long as we remain in him. This only happens because we make a place for him in our lives at the center of our lives. The vine produces fruit because it has a good root. The vine is important, but the root is foundational to all growth. "Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!" (Song of Solomon 2:15) There will always be 'little foxes' attempting to disturb that connection between the vine and the root. God's instruction to us is to be alert to their presence, then to catch them before they go to work!

We might not realize just how hard our enemy is working to sever that relationship of connection but be sure that he is there. The foxes aren't easily seen in the vineyard, for they can hide deep within the vines. Sometimes sin hides deep within our hearts - working to destroy the root of grace, freedom, and peace that God plants there. Don't forget to look for the foxes - their presence is never welcome! Just sayin!

Not worthy, just available

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. (Daniel 6:4)

Wouldn't it be grand to know someone was searching to find some 'fault' with us and they couldn't find anything? If you are looking my way, I'd have to ask you to not look too closely because I am certain you'd find something! It wouldn't be all that hard either! Faithful most of the time, pretty responsible, and doggone close to being trustworthy all of the time - but I don't hit it on the mark each and every time. Chances are you don't either. Do you know that God doesn't look at how 'perfect' we are, but at how much we are willing to trust him with our imperfections? Do we always 'measure up' to God's standards? Likely not, but he never gives up on us and we should never give up on him. 

Daniel was a good man - scripture records that for us. He was humble, not given to being the center of attention or always needing his ego stroked. He operated in the realm of wisdom, not being too quick to give an opinion, but waiting for God to help him provide the needed answer. Waiting for the right time to act and being willing to bring forward the tough message might just be one of his strongest traits. I think this is why he was held in high esteem in by King Nebuchadnezzar. His testimony remained pure in spite of all the temptation around him.

God had given Daniel a great 'talent' to interpret dreams and visions. He never used that 'talent' for his own gain, though. He could have demanded a place of great honor in the kingdom, but he was content to serve. Maybe this is the result of living a faithful, responsible, and trustworthy life - the ability and willingness to serve without honor or recognition. All the credit went back to God - the giver of the gift. I think God honors the man or woman who gives back all glory and honor to him. Daniel found it an honor to serve God wherever he was placed - in the courts of the learned or the 'treasure house' of an evil king's god. 

Where are you called to serve? Who are you called to serve? Chances are those people may not always be the most 'deserving' or 'loving' or 'kind', but they are the ones God has designed for you to serve. The places we serve may not be all that glamorous or public, but they are exactly where God wants you. The call of God in our lives may find us a little less than 'perfectly performing' as his servants on occasion, but God sees our hearts and continues to use us in ways we may not see ourselves as 'worthy' of being used. When God calls, he equips. When he gives us a gift, he doesn't look for us to be 'perfect' or 'worthy' for its use - he just looks for us to be available. Just sayin!

Barriers need a foundation

Sin cannot offer security! But if you live right, you will be as secure as a tree with deep roots. (Proverbs 12:3)

Security is really feeling like you are in a place where the "risks" are minimized - steps have been taken to reduce the possibility of something happening.  This is why those folks install locks, buy security doors, install cameras, and put bars on the windows - to minimize the risks. I want to challenge us to begin to think of security as not just minimization of risk, but the deep sense of confidence which comes from knowing we have a good foundation to whatever it is we are trusting in. If the foundation is faulty, then everything else is just not going to cut it when it comes to keeping us safe. Too many times we find ourselves setting out to accomplish one thing that we think will add security to our lives, but our "foundation" is just not secure!

Sin doesn't offer us much security in life, even though it appears to be something which would stand up to the pressure.  Sin has a way of convincing us we are on "solid footing".  I am not quite sure how that happens, but somehow we get to the place of thinking we are going to be "okay" even if we pursue some pretty "shady" stuff in life.  In fact, sometimes we think we are minimizing the risk we will give into temptation by some weirdly concocted plan, but we forget the plans are only good as the foundation onto which they are attached!  God's plan includes us getting rooted into a solid foundation by digging deeply into his word and then allowing it to get deeply into us.  As a tree sets down roots, it "takes into it" the things in which those roots are situated.  If the roots are deeply rooted, it also has a more solid hold against the things which would seek to uproot it.

To live right includes this idea of taking root and then continuing to "take root". If you look at the trees in my backyard, you will see they are kind of "limited" to the backyard.  Or at least you might think!  I have had to dig up sprinkler lines or dig holes for new trees I planted in my yard over the years.  In doing this digging, I came to discover roots from trees behind my property are invading the space known as "my yard"!  From all directions, roots are found coming into and going out of my yard.  Some belong to those trees I planted, while others belong to trees clearly outside the boundaries of my property!  I thought those "native" trees planted along the street behind my fence line were on "that side of the fence".  After a little digging, it was clear they were seeking out the water I provided!  No wonder they grow so well!  They are thieving the water I put down for my one developed tree and the two I have grown from seed!  

Sin is kind of like that - it invades territory we "think" is clearly delineated as "ours", taking every effort to mark out as ours (like I thought the fence did in my yard).  What we don't realize is how much what we believe to be security is really just a "partial barrier" of sorts and not really security.  Only God can give us the security against sin we so desperately need.  Unless we "tap into" his foundation, we have nothing more than "partial barriers" with which to resist temptation.  Just sayin!

My way or the high way

 David had a great military commander naemd Joab. Joab was actually a bit of a 'hothead' in that he did what he wanted, often being quite ruthless in battle. He was feared by many and respected by those he commanded. Every king of those days had heard of the 'fierceness' of David's armies. They were able to overcome great armies and take much plunder as a result of the battles won. There came a time when David wanted peace with those around him - knowing they were aware of the 'greatness' of David's military force and his capabilities to overtake them if he wanted to. Abner was one such leader he desired a 'peace treaty' with - the commander of the armies that belonged to Saul at the time. He no longer wanted 'war' between the people of Judah and Israel. So, he reached out to form a 'peace pact'. As he did, Joab was off doing something else and did not know of the peace treaty. When he returned home and heard of this having occurred, he was furious with David because he wanted Abner dead. Why? Abner had killed his brother and he wanted revenge. Revenge makes us do very weird things and sometimes it even makes us violate what God desires us to do!

Joab then left David and sent messengers to catch up with Abner, asking him to return. They found him at the well of Sirah and brought him back, though David knew nothing about it. When Abner arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel. (2 Samuel 3:26-27)

This action greatly grieved David and he was not well-pleased with Joab. In fact, he declared the 'innocence' of both himself and his kingdom for this death. Then he called for a time of fasting and prayer. While everyone knew David was not responsible for the death of Abner, the death and burial became a time when those with David declared their loyalty to his leadership. While Joab was not quick to forgive those who had offended him, David was. In the military, I learned the importance of obeying the orders of those you served under. It was not something to be taken lightly whenever someone chose to disobey an order. Joab does not impress me as a man who liked to obey orders - choosing his own way time and time again. Eventually this kind of disobedience will catch up with a person, though.

The bad news for Joab is that David was greatly displeased with him and appointed someone else over his armies - Amasa. The stubborn and rebellious one who continuously seeks his own way in life will eventually find themselves in circumstances they don't want. Joab wanted power and actually deligthed in his position as the commander of the armies. To have another appointed in his place really tweaked his ego. That 'blow' to his ego resulted in another death - killing Amasa in spite of David having appointed him as his replacement. Unfotunately, our self-willed rebellion can result in us not being at peace with ourselves and others. When we want what we want and determine it is 'our way or the high way', we can be sure judgment will soon follow. We are never 'justified in our disobedience - though it seems 'right' to us, it can be very clearly wrong in God's eyes. 

Something I have realized about those who always see their way as the only way is that there is no reasoning with them. They will always see their way as 'best' and any opposing way as just not acceptable. When pride gets the best of us, we will do things we should not do. When anger leads to revenge, we are clearly moving into very dangerous territory. God will never be pleased with either our own 'self-determined willfulness' or our desire to take revenge. Both the leadership of our lives and revenge belong to him, not us. Remember this and we might just avoid some of the pitfalls of Joab's life. Just sayin!

What next?

We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:1,9)

Do you ever struggle to find the right answer to give to someone? There are times when this is a little harder than others - such as when truth needs to be shared, but you are pretty sure it won't be appreciated. No matter what the circumstances are for us today, we probably have some 'plans' for our day. They may not be all that grand, as it could just be a day of leisure when we luxuriate in the warmth of our home, but those are plans. Determined individuals may have more plans than those who live their lives rather spontaneously. A determined individual may even have something referred to as a five-year plan. They 'plan' in big ways. The bad news is that even the best laid 'five-year plan' may amount to dust if God isn't guiding those plans.

The one whose heart is determined to consistenly follow Jesus might have different plans than someone who is trying to fulfill their on 'preconceived five-year plan'. I learned a logn time ago that God isn't impressed with our planning - especially when he is not in the lead! Some Christians will assure you that God is in their plans, but he may not be in the 'lead' within those plans. It is kind of like God has been relegated to a 'consulting role' within their lives. When they anticipate they will need him, they turn to him for guidance, but as things are going along as they 'planned', they just plunge in full-speed ahead with all their plans.

Each of us needs 'determined steps' if we are to really accomplish the things God has planned for our lives. If you haven't quite realized it yet, the 'steps' we take with God far outweigh all the planned steps we may have made on our own. When our steps are ordered by God, God does more than just nudge us along - he leads the way. There is a big difference between being led and being prodded along! One is voluntary, while the other suggests just a bit of resistance! Resisting is kind of futile. We may get our own way and go about our own plans, but eventually all things will come back to the place where we come face to face with God's plan. 

A friend recently said to me that he hadn't been through a particular challenge before and he didn't know what to expect as he faced this rather harrowing challenge. I didn't really know what to say, but I did know who to turn to in order to bring a little perspective into the 'next steps' he'd be facing. We prayed - asking God to give wisdom, help with the 'steps' that would be very challenging, and to keep him at peace through the journey. Sometimes that is all we can do. We just bring it to God and let him guide the steps. Just sayin!

An open invitation

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12)

If you were in a dark room and someone offered to turn on a light for you, would you just continue to stumble along, feeling your way around obstacles, risking bumping into things as you did? It is likely that you'd accept the invitation to have light brought into the room because you don't like stumbling aimlessly! Obstacles abound in life - many of them of our own making. Why would we choose to just stumble around in the dark, running into those obstacles repeatedly, when we are offered light to help us avoid them completely?

Jesus offers us light - light that dispels all manner of evil in our lives, pointing out obstacles and stumbling points so we don't run into them needlessly. Yet so many refuse to allow the light in. It seems to me that we get a little too used to this idea of 'feeling our way along' in life, not really wanting to give up our 'control' over our steps - even if there are unseen obstacles in our path. It is that stubborn rebellion that keeps us going around in circles, never really making much progress. Light has been offered, but we find the offer 'isn't the right time', or 'it might not be as good as I want'. 

The one who accepts the invitation to come into light and move away from darkness isn't assured there will be no obstacles at all, but at least we have an awareness of their existence and God's help to avoid them completely! Following someone in the dark is kind of like the blind leading the blind. Jesus never offered to lead us in darkness - he only offered to lead us in light. We might not think it is the right time to be 'led', but if we want true freedom, we follow! This might seem a little like a contradiction to some - follow to know freedom instead of just going whatever way we please.

The invitation is open. You can either accept it or continue to stumble around in your own darkness. The risk of following isn't nearly as great as that of stumbling around in the dark! Just sayin!

Do we have to do more?

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15)

We might use a phrase such as, "I am dead to this world", at the end of a busy day. We have hurried here and there, stood way longer than we anticipated, waited longer than we wanted, got involved in tasks we did not plan, and we are bordering on sheer exhaustion. To 'be dead to this world' has a different meaning in a spiritual sense, though. It means we actually take on 'new life'. The first way of thinking says we are about to get some rest for our weary bodies, while the second one anticipates a 'rest' of a whole different kind!

Paul is speaking with the church at Colosse about circumcision, and other religious pursuits that some were saying 'had to be done' in order to be a follower of God. He wanted them to know that there was an 'exchange' of character that occurred the moment they said 'yes' to Jesus. He uses the 'ritual' of baptism to indicate this 'exchange' has occurred - the 'putting to death' of our old nature and giving way to the new nature within. Nothing speaks of a 'parting of the ways' from the old to the new like death. Death to the old self and life to the new nature that is birthed within us in saying 'yes' to Jesus.

Truth be told, we are all dead because of our sins, and we deal with this crazy sinful nature that needs a good 'excision' in order to be rid of it. The good news is that this is not our work, but God's. If I had to do this all on my own, I'd be a mess! The 'charges' that our sinful nature brings against us are innumerable, but they are done away with at the cross. I am delighted to know that the 'spiritual rulers and authorities' that want to make us feel like we need to 'do more' to be right with God are disarmed - they have no weapons that they can actually use against us!

They might try to make us think we need 'more' than our simple faith in the finished work of the cross, but God won't let them pull the wool over our eyes on that one. He has taking painstaking care to lay out the truth of our 'freedom from sin' and our 'sinful nature' in scripture so we don't get misled by those 'crafty devils' who want to entrap us in religious philosophies. We just need to trust the finished work of Christ to make us whole and free - this 'exchange' isn't physical as much as it is 'spiritual'. We might see the physical change because as our inward nature changes it is only natural that our outward appearance and outward actions will change right along with it! Just sayin!

These three gifts

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people. (Psalm 116:12-14)

We all have those moments when we want to offer something to God, but whatever it is we seem to come up with just doesn't seem like enough. God doesn't ask much from us - he gives us so very much, but he asks little in return (or so it seems). If you have ever tried to keep your promises that you have made to God, you might have discovered it can be a little harder than you first thought!

As our psalmist points out, there are a few things we can 'offer the Lord'. If you have also tried to share your faith with another, you are doing one of the things he outlines. The testimony God gives us is actually a 'gift' we can share with others. That hope he places deep within our heart and the sense of freedom he brings into our lives is not easily contained - begging to be shared. Whenever we share our faith, we are actually giving a very special 'offering' to God, but we are also giving others the chance to bring a similar gift.

When we offer praise, lifting our hands and hearts in worship, we are bringing a 'gift' that actually transcends our circumstances. We don't have to 'feel like' praise is 'doing something' within us to offer it. Praise is a gift to God - we just get the 'side-benefit' of being 'lifted' in our spirit and emotions as we bring this precious gift. Isn't it amazing that the gift we bring God could actually be something that benefits us in such a large way? Perhaps the 'gifts' we offer to God have a wider-reaching effect than we first thought.

As we move into the realm of obedience, we are bringing a gift that actually begins to 'cost' us something we may not have really wanted to give at first. As hard as it might be to share our faith with others, praise and worship when times are challenging, it can be harder to look into God's Word and find places in our lives that aren't in line with what he requires of us. These are the moments where the toughest gift to offer is actually be prepared. We are beginning to move from a self-governed lifestyle into a lifestyle of being 'God-governed'. We call this obedience.

We may not think of these three things as 'gifts' we offer to God, but could it be possible we should begin to 'offer' these on a more consistent basis? Just askin!

The golden rule

I saw this post today and wanted to share it - there is a whole lot of truth in this one: "How people treat you is not who you are; it is who they are." (Curtis M. Lloyd) Scripture reminds us, "So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12) Mom and Dad always taught the 'golden rule' at our house - be the kind of person others will want to be around - treat them as you would want to be treated. Did this always ensure that I would never have to deal with a 'son-of-a-gun' personality on occasion? Absolutely not! It took a long time for me to realize that the way the 'other guy' was acting wasn't because of me, but that was a hard lesson for me to actually learn. 

In fact, I used to bend over backwards to be or do what another wanted. I wasn't true to myself at all. I became who they wanted me to be - losing my identity in the process. I believed they saw me a certain way because they treated me a certain way. The truth is that their actions didn't accurately reflect who I was or who I was becoming in Christ Jesus. We can go through life always believing ourselves to be who we are through the eyes of another, but there is not great wisdom in that kind of existence. We might not always 'like' who we are at the moment, but God isn't finished with us. The only eyes that really reflect our true identity and 'character qualities' are God's. We need to stop trying to 'measure up' to another's opinion of us.

Become true to the character and qualities of personality that God has created within you. Romans 12:1-2 reminds us, "...to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." We can go through life trying to 'live up to' the expectations of others - the way they see us - or we can turn our eyes fully upon Christ and trust him to make us into the person he desires us to become.

When we are treated in ways we don't deserve - press in deeper to God's presence and experience his peace. When words cut to the quick of our soul - turn to God's Word and take in the many 'love words' he shares with us there. When another's opinion of you isn't 'top notch' in their eyes - listen instead to how God sees you. There is more truth in his view of you than there is in a thousand words for that one who speaks in ways that hurt you! Just sayin!

Making an impact?

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

Sarcasm is a deliberate attempt to poke fun at another or the actions of others. At times, it can be very subtle, said in jest, and without evil intent at all. An individual who is very good at sarcasm might just be holding audience on a stage somewhere right now as a 'stand-up comedian'. Among friends, an occasional sarcastic word might just be good humor - something you can laugh about together and nothing malicious was intended by the words. In the hands of a 'sarcastic individual', such as the comedian who earns a living pointing out faults, those same words may be cutting, rude, and demeaning. Words that cut into the emotional well-being of another are never healthy ones. They will hurt and not help. They won't strike a chord of 'happy feelings', but will leave the individual hurt, almost like they are 'bleeding' emotionally.

There is wisdom in knowing when a bit of humor will bring levity to a tough moment. The words we choose to speak are supposed to lift others up, never tear them down. The more we use hurtful words, thinking we are 'making light' of some faux paus in another's day or character, the more damage we could be inflicting on their already wounded soul. How can our words bring healing today? Perhaps you will find a way to encourage someone who has been facing some tough times, but make sure those words are genuine because the person who is hurting so deeply can easily sense false platitudes! The best form of encouragement is words backed up with actions that match the words. Don't just tell someone you will pray for them - stop then, do it right there, and listen to what they tell you about what they have been experiencing. 

Did you know that sarcasm is the least effective method of communication? That is why we should probably use it in moderation - only when light-hearted conversation is warranted. Most of the time, it is cutting, and the remarks will not do much to improve the situation. Am I suggesting we cannot have a little levity in the moment? Not at all, but we must learn to judge well the impact of our words. Think them through before you speak them and if they won't help, don't let them out of the gate! The more we guard our words, the more we will find our words are impactful when they are spoken. Just sayin!

A tended ember glows brightly

For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)

"Love has no age, no limit; and no death." (John Galsworthy) When I was in Bible College, one of the professors asked us to take time to write down some ideas about what we believed love to be - actions of love, thoughts it evoked, and even the emotions it evoked. It was a pretty interesting lesson as all of us 'scholarly' students put forth our best effort to come up with the 'best' definition of love. As we shared our ideas in the classroom that day, I recall how each of us came up with some of the same 'pat answers', while others had gone much deeper, their answers revealing just how much they understood the depth and breadth of love. Love is a very 'strong' emotion that evokes even stronger actions. It was apparent to me that I had only touched the surface of understanding and exhibiting love. 

Love is as strong as death - enduring beyond the absence we say makes the heart yearn for it time and time again. It comes in starts and fits, lingers a bit at times, making us feel very special, and then we find we must move on a bit in our relationship in order to find new ways to explore its depths. No greater love than this - isn't that what God said about his son? No greater love than that a man lay down his life for another - ponder the determination and depth of commitment required for that one. It is indeed true - love endures when we don't think it will survive, grows when it seems like there is nothing but dryness all around, and it lingers long after the grave has called a loved one home.

Love is the brightest kind of flame. If you have ever looked at a flame closely, you see it flickers - kind of growing at times, then becoming a bit smaller at others. Human love is kind of like that flame - it grows, giving off a warm glow, then it ebbs a bit, requiring something to rejuvenate its glow once again. As we know, oxygen fuels the flame at the end of the candle - take it away and the flame will no longer burn. As the flame flickers and goes out, there is that tiny ember you can see glowing deep within the place where that flame had once been. That ember can be fanned again - bringing forth light once more. Just as human love needs a lot of 'tending', God's love needs a lot of 'rekindling' within our hearts because we have a tendency to ignore the flame until it nothing more than an ember. 

When we realize God's love no limit and no death, we also understand the 'embers' of his love will always be ready to be reignited when there is attention given to 'tending' that flame once again. Some of us need to 'tend the flame' a bit in our relationship with others and probably even within our relationship with God. God's love is a bright flame that can never go out, but sometimes the ember needs a bit of 'tending' in order for us to experience that brightness once again. Just sayin!

Content to be at his side

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. (Acts 11:22-24)

We don't know much about Barnabas, but we do know that he was a Jew, likely well-acquainted with the teachings of Jesus, perhaps he could have been among the seventy or so who followed him throughout his ministry. We do know that he strong in faith and lived an upright life. He was an encourager - exhorting the believers to continue to grow and remain true to their testimony of faith. If you study his life a little closer, you will see he partnered with the Apostle Paul and was instrumental in helping to establish the New Testament churches as Paul itinerated throughout the land. He was generous - selling his parcel of land and giving the proceeds to aid in meeting the needs of those early believers. One of the things I find interesting about his life is his way of bringing out the best in people - one of the hallmark signs of one who is an 'encourager'.

As the church grew and new members were added to the 'ranks' of believers, he was overjoyed with their acceptance of Jesus. He knew life was changing for them, placing them at risk of persecution and even death, as not all the new believers would be embraced by the Jewish people who rejected the Messiah. He might have stood up for those who could not stand up for themselves, but that was because he knew the power of God in his own life. Then one day, "While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." (Acts 13:2-3) As one called by the Lord, he was faithful to his mission. This is a great lesson we can learn from his life - be faithful to the position God places you within. He did not seek to be the Apostle Paul but was content to be at his side in ministry, supporting him in whatever way he could.

Sometimes more is accomplished by letting someone with differing gifts take the lead, while we simply support their calling. We each have our gifts, but there is great wisdom in knowing when our 'gift' is meant as a 'supportive gift'. If we all want to lead, there will never be anyone to help! Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we give is that of service - in whatever form that takes. It doesn't have to be 'public', for many of God's gifts are 'given' in ways that aren't 'public', such as spending time with the lonely, encouraging the downtrodden, or praying through the night for someone who is hurting or confused by what life has thrown their way. We fulfill God's mission when we assume the place he has prepared for us. We see the results of those 'gifts' best when we allow all our varying gifts to come together, each of us standing together in God's work. Just sayin!

The total package

The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. (Proverbs 10:8)

How we embrace instruction tells a story that we may not always want to hear. The wise embrace it - maybe not with enthusiasm all the time, but with an integrity of heart that says they want to learn what God teaches, regardless of the cost. The fool will just babble about why it is 'too hard', 'not something he needs', or that there is 'some other answer' he must discover before he 'tries this one'. Oh, I hope none of us are like the fool who babbles on, but rather are like the wise who sit at the feet of Jesus and listen intently.

If we want to reject God's teachings, it is our prerogative. In turn, don't be surprised when the same lesson keeps coming around and around, maybe with a different presentation each time, but with the same 'heart intent'. God isn't going to let us just reject the lesson once and then say that is the way it will be. His grace keeps reaching out to help us 'soften' to the wisdom being taught. For many of us, lessons are caught and not taught. We find ourselves learning from others, not because they are smarter than us but because they may have taken hold of the lesson quicker than we did.

The fool babbles on - the wise gets quiet and listens. That may actually be a good way to judge how much we are willing to accept instruction from God. Do we listen first, or give an incessant ranting about why we don't think the lesson is meant for us? The fool may not see he is headed for a pretty big fall, but the wise will do everything they can to avoid any 'tripping points' in the path! If we take notice of the path before we take the journey, we may not choose that particular path. If we just amble along, expecting that all will be well, we could just find ourselves on a path that is way above our endurance!

My heart isn't always 'glad' to receive instruction - especially when it comes with correction. Part of instruction is correction. We need to know where we are 'making mistakes' so we can learn the 'right way' to live. While correction is not desired, it is definitely needed. The fool never gets to the point of accepting correction, much less admitting he needs it. The wise enter into all instruction with the knowledge that correction may just be part of the 'total package'. Just sayin!

His 'opulence'

The lifestyle of good people is like sunlight at dawn that keeps getting brighter until broad daylight. The lifestyle of the wicked is like total darkness, and they will never know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:18-19)

Ball players from major leagues, actors and actresses, and a myriad of other rather insanely rich people have opulent homes and properties that make eyes pop and people dream about what it would be like to live with such luxury. Nothing screams for attention more than the "gaudiness" of trying to "put on the Ritz" like so many do with their 'oversized' homes. Nothing shows the shallowness of life quite like the need to "show" what one has. What we have is one thing, who we are at the core of our being is quite another! What we have may be on "display" for others to admire and drool over; what we display from the recesses of our heart is what really speaks the loudest though!

The closer we draw to Christ, the brighter our lifestyle shines. The evidence of his presence begins to "ooze" out of the recesses of our heart - we cannot contain what he creates within us - it is meant to be shared. It may not be the same "opulence" other display in their homes or leisure pursuits, but it rises above even the most elaborate of those! Our lives are mirror images of what we spend time facing long enough. Turn toward sports frequently as something that consumes your attention and you will find your home begins to reflect this "affection". You will decorate in the team colors, display a few team memorabilia, and even begin to talk stats about team performance. This is just part-and-parcel with being a "fan" or "devotee" to the sport! Think about considering Christ in the same manner. If we are dedicating just as much time to him, we might see a little bit of him reflected back to us in all we say and do!

We sometimes think the more we focus on something the closer we will be to obtaining it in our own lives. So much of what we spend time focusing on is just an elusive object, position, or scheme. The truth of the matter is pretty plain - we focus on the wrong stuff and then wonder why we don't see more of Christ manifest in our lives. Unless we spend time looking into the mirror of his face, we won't see what he sees! Even when we spend just a little time with him each and every day, we become more and more like him because we begin to see reflected back some of his glory and "brightness" in our lives. It is impossible to behold the presence of God and not be affected by it! In much the same way as "big dreamers" are affected by what they see others 'have', we can be affected by time with Jesus. Many think it has to be dedicated time on our knees, long hours in church, and the like. I am here to challenge that a little bit today.

It isn't the "quantity" of time - it is the quality. Do we spend enough time in the Word? To answer that I would have to ask you if the Word is having an effect on you, regardless of whether you read a verse or two, or an entire chapter. The quantity isn't the issue - it is the quality. Do we spend time in prayer in the "right" way? I am not a "kneeler", so I pray on my feet, sitting in the car on the way to somewhere, and while just sitting reflecting on the beauty at lakeside. Prayer is just talking to God about the regular stuff of life. It isn't always this structured, totally organized methodology. I won't win any points on "organization" as it comes to my prayers. I just let them flow and let God take care of putting "organization" to them. Do we spend enough time with his people? I guess this is up for interpretation for most. There is a balance which must be maintained between it all. The most telling part of walking with Jesus is the evidence of us having walked with him. This is the focus of my life and the hope I have for each of you. When others look upon your "lifestyle", my prayer is that they don't see the "opulence" of the world, but that which comes from having beheld the face of Jesus! Just sayin!

The other 'or'

But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.” (Genesis 19:4-8)

The sad story of Lot's compromises continues. Having taken in the two angels God had sent to warn him to leave Sodom before judgment came down on the township, the men of the town now demand to have their way with the 'men he had taken in'. The men of the town did not recognize them as angels, did not know of their purpose in being within their township, and were intent on committing vile actions against them. Then Lot did what no one actually expected - he offered his two virgin daughters to these men in order to appease them. Imagine being one of his daughters - being offered as common whores so these men would go away and no longer bother Lot and his two angelic guests. I think I would have been more than offended to realize my own father would treat one of his offspring in that manner! 

It amazes me how 'low' Lot would stoop. It is quite possible we might think he had some pretty warped priorities - preserve his own life and that of his angelic visitors by offering his daughters to be raped. Don't forget - his visitors were angelic - they could have just done whatever it is that angels do and been out of there in a flash, so would that compromise have been necessary? Absolutely not, but this is how small compromises lead us to even bigger ones. We don't even recognize how far we have walked away from God until we see just how vile our own actions have become. It is definitely evident in Lot's actions, but are we able to see our own compromises? If we cannot see them, we might do well to ask God to point them out to us before our priorities become so warped that we go full speed down a path that leads to even greater ones!

Most of the time, we probably see our choices at the moment of compromise as an 'either / or' situation. Either we do this, or that happens. Either we go that way, or we will be stuck where we are. Either we choose to do what others are doing, or we will be rejected by them. Not always the best way to see things, is it? The 'either / or' philosophy doesn't always represent the best of two choices. It may present two pretty 'wrong' choices, just with varying degrees of impact to our lives. "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (I Corinthians 10:12-13) It is never 'necessary' to make the compromise - it is likely just convenient!

Even the most desperate of circumstances can be set right with a simple cry to God for help. No temptation - present or future - need ever 'take us down' because we have a God who stands ready to show us how to avoid the compromise all together. We never 'have to sin' - we always have a choice. We may not see beyond the 'either / or' options, but when we cry out to God, he can bring the 'other or' that we did not consider! That is the 'or' that drives us right back into his protection and keeps us from stumbling into compromise headlong. Just sayin!

Is it really 'choice ground'?

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

Do you remember the story of Abraham and Lot - both with growing flocks, herds, and wealth? The time came when they needed to separate their flocks and herds because of what ranchers might have called 'overcrowding' of the animals. They were 'over-grazing' the lands, so they needed to find 'independent' grazing grounds. As you may recall from the story, Lot chose what looked best for himself, his family, herds, and flocks. He moved lock, stock, and barrel into a land way to close to the sinful people of Sodom, a mistake that would cost him dearly.

The company of fools soon rubs off on those who spend enough time with them. Before long, Lot was so accustomed to the 'culture' of the day that he didn't even confront sin any longer. His choice of grazing ground may have been a little self-centered as it was 'choice ground', but that 'choice ground' did not take into consideration the companions he would be surrounding his life with over the long run. Whenever we choose what we might think as 'best' or 'better' just based on the surface impression, we might find ourselves getting a little too chummy with sin's influence! 

He could have remained closer to Abraham, still providing enough space for their combined herds and flocks, but he chose to separate from those who could provide him moral support and a growing faith. The company of fools somehow doesn't do much to support our spiritual health, much less encourage its growth! In the long run, his children took spouses from among one of the most sinful people of the world at that time - ensuring the loss of their lives when judgment came down on Sodom. His own wife would suffer the fate of being turned into a pillar of salt. Probably one of the least taught 'sins' of Lot was the engagement of his unwed daughters in incest with their own father. 

Truly, the company of fools influences more than just our own lives - it affects those we might call 'family' and our close friends. Maybe this is why God calls us to guard our hearts and to choose our companions well. The closer we get to the influence of those who do not walk closely with God will ensure we are exposed to things, ways of thinking, and actions we may not have ever considered if we were to keep companions with those who walk closely with God. Just sayin!

Live within or struggle without

How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. (Psalm 112:1, 5-9)

Serve God and obey his commands. There is great reward in living according to the standards God lays out for us in his Word. Nothing outdoes the grace of God, no one outdoes his love. Evil abounds, but those who choose to walk with Jesus will never be overcome by that evil. How do we recognize evil? Is it always right 'out there and in our face'? No, certainly not - sometimes it is an undercurrent, an attitude, a cleverly disguised argument. The Word of God actually helps us recognize the undercurrent, avoiding the pull of that current. It also helps us see the attitude even before it infects the masses. We need the wisdom God provides in his Word, but we also need the will to do as wisdom suggests!

Delight in obedience - that almost seems like an oxymoron. How many times do we struggle with obedience instead of 'delighting' in it? To delight indicates we actually 'enjoy' or find deep satisfaction in those acts of obedience. Let's be honest here - not every action of obedience is easy, nor is it immediately 'delightful'. Sometimes it is downright hard, kind of 'out there', and requires more than lip-service. In fact, if we are to live 'obedient lives', we need to recognize our 'confidence' is not in our own ability to live obediently but is in Christ's enabling power within us. The godly recognize when the path isn't good for them, but the obedient do more than recognize a wrong path - they actually avoid it, help others know not to take it, and point out a better path.

Those who delight in the commands of God find themselves surrounded with a peace that isn't 'equal' to the circumstances around them. In fact, it surpasses the circumstances! Bad news comes, foes line up to make an attack, and the godly find themselves secure in the peace of God. Why? Nothing moves us out of God's protection - nothing except our own will! Choose to live inside God's boundaries and you soon recognize there is a 'blessing' in living within those 'walls'. Choose to constantly put your toe across the line and you will soon find your 'security' and 'peace' is disturbed. Why? God knows a 'disturbed peace' is a means by which we recognize having 'violated' a boundary. Trust that 'feeling' you call a 'lack of peace' and seek to get back within those boundaries!

Delight in obedience - it is possible because when we actively choose to incorporate the truths of God into our daily lives, we are going to find we face life's circumstances with a different attitude and a whole lot more grace than when we do outside of his 'commands'. I don't know about you, but I have chosen to 'live within' rather than 'struggle without'. Just sayin!

But why?

Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. (I Samuel 1:2, 6)

Hannah was one of two wives taken by Elkanah. She was barren, while Peninnah was not. Yet, her husband loved her deeply - in spite of the fact she could not bear him any children. Hannah lived in anguish because she was barren - for it was the supreme act of a woman to bear her husband children in those days. To be barren meant she was not fulfilling her entire 'duty' as a wife - although she may have been loved very deeply by Elkanah, she felt 'less than' when she considered how the other woman could bring forth Elkanah's progeny. I wonder how many times we consider ourselves 'less than' just because we look at others as the 'standard' by which we measure ourselves and not God's view of us as 'immensely loved and cherished'?

It is easy for others to look upon our lives and criticize what they see on the surface, isn't it? The more we allow their 'impression' of what is on the surface to determine what we become on the inside, the more we will be down on ourselves. God is the only judge of our character that is trustworthy. He is the only one who really knows the intent and desire of our heart. He alone is the one who proclaims our worth or value. So, why do we put so much thought into what others think of us, how we measure up to their standards, or how well they speak of us? Maybe it is a bit of pride - for we all want to be thought well of, don't we? It could be a bit of envy because we might want what others have, not even knowing the 'price' they may have paid to have whatever it is they have.

There is something within this passage I want us to see: "...the Lord had kept her from having children." Why would God keep her from having the desire of her heart? As we read on in the account, we see how much anguish this caused her - not only because she was taunted by Peninnah, but because she so yearned to be a mother. The story goes on to reveal that year after year, feast time after feast time, she'd come to the Temple of God and pray for a child, until one year God heard her plea. That very night, she was with child. We may not understand God's delay in answering our prayers, but we can count on the fact he never turns a deaf ear to our prayers. Samuel would come of this union - of this extreme 'delay' in God's plan. Could it be that God was preparing Hannah's heart to be ready to bear Samuel and at the same time be ready to dedicate him to the service of God?

Hannah remained faithful through all those years to love her husband, follow her God, and be the woman called her to become. She never took her eyes off of God's standard, even when others tried to impose theirs on her. The more we use a standard other than God's to view our circumstances, the more we move into feelings of despair and a lack of worth. Whatever standard we are using other than God's is 'flawed' and will bring us more anguish than we might ever realize. Keeping our eyes on God's standard might mean we experience a delay in 'accomplishing' what we desire, but it is his perfect timing that makes all things perfect! It can be the hardest thing to wait on God's timing, but as long as we remain faithful to what he shows us to do, we are in the right place for his blessing to come. Just sayin!