A little sandpaper moment

Opponents exist in all arenas of life - whether on the playing field at a ballgame, in the market place, in the school yard, or even on the grocery store aisles - they are there! We cannot escape them, nor should we just stand in place and allow them free-rein. An opponent is just someone who is on the opposite side of where we are at that moment - mentally, spiritually, or physically. The 'function' of the opponents in life is to act as the 'antagonist' that drives us into action, but so many times we choose to idle in neutral when faced with the antagonist. God's word to us today is to face that block put in your way, or frustration repeatedly encountered in a new way - with is grace and wisdom!

Don’t be paralyzed in any way by what your opponents are doing. Your steadfast faith in the face of opposition is a sign that they are doomed and that you have been graced with God’s salvation. (Philippians 1:28)

We might first think about what the opposite of an opponent is to us - a friend or an ally. I have lots of 'friends' in life that sometimes function as opponents in a way. They aren't really on opposite sides of the field from me, but they are acting as 'antagonists' - moving me into action, getting me to think differently about a circumstance that has blocked my creativity, or challenging me to move from where I have been focused for way too long. Antagonists are not always bad - but freezing up when faced by one is not going to help us at all.

Remain steadfastly fixed in place when it comes to your faith and trust in Jesus. This is the one thing we can 'anchor' on when challenges come our way, but even an anchor doesn't mean we are 'paralyzed'. Ever observe an anchored boat? It bobs freely in the waters and even moves slightly as the waters ebb and flow. The anchor merely allows the boat to remain in position. If our anchor is Christ, no matter what opposition comes our way, we can face it secured in a 'fixed and firm' position. We won't get carried away and wrapped up in things that will destroy us.

What happens when we face opposition head on? I think there is something that happens similar to sandpaper against the wood - little by little the wood begins to take on a new image - the grain begins to be exposed and refined until that wood begins to reveal a thing of beauty. The sandpaper was needed to reveal the beauty within. The finishing of the wood is accomplished by lots and lots of opposition! The finishing of our faith isn't going to be any different, my friends! Just sayin....

Oh, go fly a kite!

It was Vince Lombardi who said we'd accomplish a great many more things in life if we stopped thinking of them as "impossible". At times, I think we imagine ourselves as never making it to some destination we have in mind - especially when it comes to our walk with Jesus. We won't take the right steps, believe the right stuff, or make right decisions when it really matters. This is how we see ourselves at times and this can be quite defeating because sometimes we won't even try when we feel there is an "impossibility" in trying.

It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 MSG)

Lewis Mumford said, "A certain amount of opposition is a great help to man. Kites rise against, not with, the wind." Too many times we view the "hard stuff" as "opposition" in life. We don't want to face anything that "opposes" us because it suggests a degree of "difficulty" we dread. I can't tell you how many kites I have built in my lifetime, adjusting this or that on the kite, adding just a little longer tail, or trimming away a little, just to get that kite airborne and watch it sail so effortlessly in the sky. What most don't realize is all the effort was really "up front" of it sailing!

The first step in the right direction, in embracing new learning, is to face the opposition ahead of us. It may be the opposition of our own beliefs, fears, or pride. It could be a more "external" opposition we really cannot control all that well, but which we will have to face if we are to ever make forward progress. It is quite possible we have viewed things in our life as impossible for so long we no longer even imagine there will be a "first step". What comes of believing the impossible is possible? Is it false hope? No! It is the beginning of the kite's rise!

God exists. He cares for our needs. There is a connection between these two - "and". We may be convinced he exists, but are we equally convinced he cares for those who seek him? Seeking doesn't end the moment we say "yes" to Jesus. It begins! It is there that the winds which will carry us to new heights begin to blow. The kite rises in opposition to the wind - apart from the wind, the kite is a decorative object! We aren't in this world as mere decorative objects. We are to be kites soaring higher and higher, taking from the opposition we face the very thing we need to help us climb higher. Just sayin!

Facing a little resistance?

I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the Anointed.  (Philippians 3:14 VOICE)

Are you are goal-setter?  Do you make those lists of all the things you need to accomplish in a day, complete with tiny check-boxes so you can mark them as complete as you get them done?  Are you one of those planners, mapping out each phase of your journey for an upcoming trip, almost down to the places you will stop to take restroom breaks?  I know the world needs people who will create a vision, map out a plan, and then get people moving in that direction, but honestly only one goal really matters - where it is and with whom we will spend our eternity!

Sprinters will tell you they are running at full-speed when they reach the point of the race where the sprint makes the race, but they cannot sustain that pace forever.  They have trained repeatedly to do as well as they do, but eventually their body becomes fatigued by the constant demands placed upon it to sustain that level of activity.  They don't sprint the entire race, but pour on the speed, increasing their kick and widening their stride, not right out of the starting block, but nearer the finish line.  Why?  They see their end goal and they know in order to win the race, they must finish the race!

They run for a prize - but also because the race provides some type of reward along the way. The end of the race, with the crossing of the finish line even a margin ahead of the other runner will be rewarded with a prize of some sort.  Yet, as that runner passes milestones in the race - such as the one-quarter mark, then the half-way mark, then the one which tells them it is time to pour it on full-speed ahead - they determine their speed, endurance, and remaining capacity to make it the rest of the way.  If they feel good about where they are at the quarter mark, they will continue their pace to the half-way point.  If they see they didn't make the goal they had for that point, they might just pick up the pace in the next leg of the race.

For some of us, running the race means we have to push past a whole lot of resistance within our bodies, minds, and heart which just bogs us down.  We don't really "feel" the sense of urgency to increase our pace, run with determination, or even to consider the end of the race. We are running lazily along the route laid out ahead of us, but not really with any intensity.  It is either because we don't know how to push past the resistance, or our motivation for running the race has somehow "left us".

Resistance can be a good thing when we use it for our benefit.  It increases capacity and helps us to expand our capabilities.  At other times, it can over-tax us and leave us totally uninterested in taking another step forward.  Resistance is simply the opposition afforded when one thing comes in contact with another.  If I run into a wall with my shoulder, the wall is likely to resist the movement of my body.  It may shake a little, but more than likely my shoulder will begin to announce to the rest of my body that it came upon something which opposed the effort it put forth to attempt to go through it!

If I run into the wall, feel the pain in my shoulder because of the resistance it faced, I will most likely adjust my course.  I don't want the pain again - and I learned from the pain that not all resisting forces will be able to be moved by my effort.  Sometimes the best course of action is to take a new course of action!  At others, the resistance we feel actually builds strength - such as when a tackle on a football team works with those tackling dummies.  He repeatedly pounds against them, moving them even ever so slightly.  Why?  He is building endurance and increasing capacity!  It doesn't matter how much we run - it is that we have the capacity to finish the race and to do it with an all-out effort!  Just sayin!

No one and Nothing

The question is posed:  "If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?"  I'd have to answer, "Sure, just because we have God on our side doesn't mean we will never be opposed by anyone or anything else for the rest of our lives!"  It DOES mean that nothing which opposes us will ever win the upper hand! Whether it is an enemy of our own "doing" such as addiction to some substance or habit, or some enemy we have absolutely no control over such as the senseless tragedy of someone taking the life of another just because they are in school or the theater that day - we have enemies around us.  They work to create as much "mess" in our lives as possible - sometimes because the mess of their own lives just is too much for them to handle themselves!

In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. (Romans 8:37 CEV)

I have often pondered this idea of why bad things happen to good people.  In the recent weeks we have learned of 147 kids attending school in Kenya, simply going about their business of learning their "reading, writing, and arithmetic", then suddenly losing their lives.  Senseless tragedy, unknown to them or their families when they headed to school that day - even more tragic because of the senselessness of one militant group rising up against another.  Christian students were separated from Muslims, then shot dead on the spot.  The age-old question emerges - why must good people suffer bad stuff.  Some would argue, "Where was their God when this was going on?"  Others would merely hang their heads and say, "He must have a plan in all this."  I don't know the plan in the taking of these lives, but I do know my God (and the God these students served) will be with the families of those who lost their lives that day!

As long as there is evil on this earth, opposition to any way of life in contrast to its own will be targeted.  As long as sin has any inroad into the hearts of man, man will follow the pull of such evil and will succumb to the temptation to believe in "their causes" which set at opposition "good" and "evil", "right" and "wrong", "Christian" and any "other religion".  There have always been zealots of causes throughout all of time - some even more violently based than those we see today, but zealots nonetheless.  We ask again, "If God be for us, who can stand against us?"  I'd have to answer that the same way - MANY and MUCH will attempt to stand AGAINST us, but nothing can rob us of our peace, our hope, and our security in Christ Jesus!

For the purpose of our study today, let us return to this idea of things, ideas, and enticing habits being the object of what "stands against us" in this walk with Jesus.  When we consider these things - complete with all their interesting bells and whistles - I wonder how they pale in comparison to the majesty of the one who created the very ground from which the minerals, ores, and timbers were mined or cut?  When we consider those ideas which lurk in our minds, or promote themselves as the most important for us to adopt - I wonder how they fall before the thoughts of the all-knowing God of the universe, present everywhere at all times?  When we consider the things which pull at our heart strings, engaging all our senses in the pursuit of some passion - I wonder how they just crumble at the mention of the name of the one who showed his love by giving his life for those who had no way of repaying a debt so big they could never accomplish the "repayment" of such a debt?

Nothing stands against the power, majesty, and love of God.  NOTHING!  That also translates to NO ONE.  All pale, crumble, and just plain fall.  How is this possible?  For the answer, we have to look back a few verses:  "Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God's right side, speaking to him FOR US." We stand in the face of opposition because he died, rose again, and now stands at the right hand of God, making continual mention of our names and our needs to the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE.  We may face oppositions great and many, but none can ever take us away from the presence of God - because Jesus makes us known in the presence of the Almighty!  Just sayin!

Equal and Opposite Force?

Have you ever "taken ground" just to find yourself "giving it back" almost quicker than you were able to take it in the first place?  In professional football, the team may move the ball a little further toward the goal with each tactical maneuver called a "play".  In one move, their total efforts of multiple plays can suddenly be turned around to the other team gaining the ground they once were able to call their own.  Why?  There was a technical mistake - such as a team member being "off-side", or perhaps a missed play which allowed for the quarterback to be "sacked" behind the line of scrimmage. Either way, ground is given up because of the missed play or the technicality of being a little too "ahead" of the game.  Ground is "given back" and the team starts all over again to move the ball back toward the goal.  Now, some may call this futility, but if you are a fan of football, you almost expect to see a little of this now and again.  Why?  Simply stated, we cannot expect to run toward the goal "unopposed" - the opposite team will ALWAYS want to impede your progress!  

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

Christ has set us free to live a free life - placed us in a position to start running toward the goal.  There is careful and purposeful placement - designed to advance us toward the goal - but be assured, every advancement we make will not always be unopposed!  As free men and women, set free by the work of Christ in our lives, we have a "legal right" to be moving toward the goal line.  It is like the "coin toss" has landed in our favor - we have the right to move the ball toward the goal because it has been declared to be "in our possession".  In movement comes equal and opposite movement.  I think this is a law of nature.  Every action lends itself to an opposite reaction.  

There are things which oppose us actually reaching the goal.  Things like reputation, since we are "known" in a certain way, it may be difficult to move past this "label" in our lives.  A "losing" team has a great deal of difficult actually keeping a positive attitude and coming out strong each time they take the field.  Why?  The "reputation" or the way they are "known" influences every step they take - it is an "uphill battle" to turn the way they have been "labeled" into a new "label".  The same is true in our lives whenever reputation opposes our progress toward freedom in Christ.  

Maybe our opposing force is our own fear.  If you have ever squared off in front of some intimidating linebackers on the field, you might just realize the fear they invoke in you as you consider how you will maneuver around or through their massive size.  We all face "linebackers" in life - things which invoke fear and almost paralyze us on the spot.  The most successful movement of the ball forward when the linebackers are opposing your progress is not always "through" them, it might just be "around" them.  Sometimes we don't take steps forward because we think we have to go "through" the stuff which causes us so much fear.  In reality, we might just need a well-planned maneuver to "get over" them!

Free movement is only possible once we realize we are no longer confined! When we can finally see a way "around" or "over" those things which cause us opposition in life, we are in position to finally begin to take ground.  We are no longer content to be "detained" in our progress!  I think this is what God has in mind when he challenges us to take time to consider our steps, then allow him to order them for us.  He is giving us the "play" which will       actually help us move "around" or "over" those things which both invoke fear and which impede our progress toward the goal.  Living free means we put into practice what we have been given - we move away from the opposition and break free of their hold!

Those who have been set free are called to take a stand.  Ground is only given back when you aren't careful in guarding what has already been declared to be yours!  When we "take" something we are getting it into our possession and exerting a certain powerful control over it.  It has been transferred into our keeping - but what is given must not be given back by neglect or moves which suggest a lack of careful planning.  When we stand, we are taking a position - we are moving into a place where we are able to see clearly and understand more fully.  When we take our stand in Christ, we are in a position to gain ground because of the actions taken and the commitment to continue those actions.  We only give back what we don't continue to take actions to hold onto!

Freedom is a lifestyle - the desire to fulfill life through any other means than by continually taking ground and holding onto the ground we have already had declared "ours" is silliness.  We must be sure we don't trade the advantages of a free life for the obligations of having to take the ground over and over again.  That is called slavery!  Freedom carries an obligation to be obedient to do what we know to do - consistently and repeatedly.  It is in the consistent and repeated steps we take that we come to recognize the strategies of our opposition!  When we recognize the opposing force in our lives, we can take the necessary actions to overcome the opposition.

Freedom animates us.  It puts a certain "umph" in every step we take.  When the player with the ball begins to break free of the opposing team's influence, there is an energizing force which begins to almost make the exertion of moving down-field almost disappear.  The energizing influence of God's presence with us carries us when we are able to begin to break free of the frightening appearance of those things which oppose our progress.  It is just that we have to get beyond them a little in order to begin to take ground!  So, today I am not sure what stands as a opposing force in your life, but I know the skill of the one calling the plays for you!  He is sure to guide you into the ground-taking movements which will allow you to see beyond that opposition. You just need to execute the plays as he calls them!  Just sayin!

Antagonize me!

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

(Psalm 119:155-157 The Message)

In nursing, there are certain medications administered for the very purpose of acting as "antagonists" to some other medication in the body.  The purpose is to "bind" something of harm to your body, such as too much narcotic, an over-abundance of a particular electrolyte, or a blood-level of medication that is harmful at a particularly high level.  The antagonistic effect of the medication actually ends up saving your life!  

Sometimes we view people and things in our lives who function as "antagonists" in a very negative sense.  I challenge you this morning to consider if perhaps the "challenging" thing or person is functioning as an antagonist in order to produce something that will actually "save" your life!  As you examine these "challenging" people or things, you may actually find their "influence" to seem a little uncomfortable at the moment, but in the end, the outcome may be quite positive.  

Let me illustrate.  A person may take too much of a narcotic pain killer, causing them to have suppressed respiratory status and slowed heart rate.  The effect of the pain medication actually threatens your life.  If I give a medication to bind the effects of these medications in your system, I am causing the "sense" of pain to return, but I am bringing back equilibrium to your respiratory and cardiac status.  Now, which would you say was the most important?  Breathing and heart beating soundly, or pain control?  As a nurse, I would say we could deal with the pain in another way, using less sedating medications, but we have a whole set of new issues when you stop breathing!

Usually we think of an antagonist as someone struggling "against" another - almost competing for something the other has or enjoys.  We could say chaos is the antagonist of peace; hatred is the antagonist of love; and so on.  Remember, I told you the effect of the antagonist is to "bind" - one in competition with another is really in a place of attempting to "bind" us in order to keep us from being successful.

If we begin to view the antagonist in our lives as possibly driving us back to the things which really matter (like breath and heartbeat to the over-sedated), we might view them a little differently!  When faced with someone acting as an "antagonist" in my life (an opponent), I allow their opposition to bring out the stuff that needs to be "bound up" and removed!  In relying upon God to "filter" out the stuff which brings me harm (like anger, frustration, gossip, etc.), I am actually coming away from that opposition in a much "healthier" condition spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes even physically!

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