THE LOVE OF MONEY

THE LOVE OF MONEY

Bryan worked all of his life and saved all of his money.  He was a veritable miser regarding his finances.  In fact, Bryan loved money more than anything else, so just before he died, he said to his wife, Emma, “Now listen, whenever I die, I want you to take all my money and place it in the casket with me.  I want to take my money along with me to the afterlife.”  So he firmly demanded that Emma promise him with all her heart that upon his death, she would place all the money in the casket with him.

Well, of course, one day Bryan did die.  He was laid out in a costly casket, and at the funeral Emma was dressed in black, sitting next to her closest friend.  When the ceremony was completed, just before the mortician got ready to close the casket, the mourning wife rose and interrupted.  “Wait just a minute,” she insisted.

Emma had a tan shoe box with her, and she walked over slowly with the box and deposited it reverently inside the casket.  Then the mortician locked the casket and rolled it down the aisle of the church.

Her best friend whispered, “I hope you weren’t crazy enough to put all that money in the casket.”  Emma replied with a twinkle in her eye, “Yes, I did exactly as promised.  I’m a good Christian and I just can’t lie.  I assured Bryan that I was going to put his money in the casket and that’s exactly what I did.”

“You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in that casket along with him?” spluttered the friend.  “I sure did,” said Emma.  “I got it all his money together, put it in my bank account, and then I wrote my husband a check.”  Her best friend simply smiled.

Of a truth, my friends, you cannot take anything with you whenever you depart this world.  It has often been said that we have never seen a U-Haul truck unloading personal possessions at the grave site.  The simple truth is that our money (large or small) is merely a medium of exchange for goods and services.  Use it wisely, but always allow love to be your operating principle and decision guide.

The Word of God declares that “the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Timothy 6:10) 

Therefore, Jesus Christ wisely admonished us to “beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” (Luke 12:15) All too often, contemporary Christians forget this timeless truth.  In the parable of The Rich Man, Jesus describes the foolishness of a singular and narrow concentration on the accumulation of wealth.  When the fertile ground of that rich man brought forth bountiful harvests, he became thoroughly obsessed with worldly gain.  He said to himself, “I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast build much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:18-19)

Unfortunately, his Creator had different plans.  The rich man died suddenly, and his God-inscribed epitaph read as follows: “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12:20) Jesus concluded this parable with a poignant reminder that when we focus solely on laying up earthly treasure for ourselves, we are not rich toward God.  In His words, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Luke 12:31)

Brothers and sisters, where are your primary investments and riches, on earth or in Heaven?  For in the wise words of Jesus Christ, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

CHOOSE WISELY

CHOOSE WISELY

Consider the following story and decide what particular attitude reigns in your life.

Jerry is the manager of a restaurant and he is always in a good mood.  Whenever someone asks him how he is doing, he always replies: “If I were any better, I would be twins!” The waiters at his restaurant would gladly quit their jobs if he changed jobs so they could follow him wherever he landed.

Why?  Because Jerry is a natural motivator.  If an employee is having a bad day, Jerry is always there, telling her how to look on the positive side of the situation.  Seeing his style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and said: “I don't get it!  No one can be positive all of the time.  How do you do it?”

Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself: I have two choices today.  I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood.  I always choose to be in a good mood.  Every time something bad happens, I can choose to be victim or I can choose to learn from it.  I always choose to learn from it.  Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life.  I always choose the positive side of life.”

“But it’s not always that easy,” I protested.  “Yes, it is” Jerry said.  “Life is all about choices.  When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.  You choose how you react to any situation.  You choose how people affect your mood.  You choose a good mood or bad mood.  It’s your choice how you live your life!”

Several years later, Jerry accidentally did something you should never do in the business.  He left the back door of his restaurant wide open.  In the morning, he was robbed by three armed men.  As Jerry tried to open the safe, his hand trembled and slipped off the combination lock.  The robbers panicked and shot him.

Fortunately, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital.  After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was finally released from the hospital, but fragments of the bullets were still in his body.

I saw Jerry six months after the incident.  When I asked how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins!  Want to see my scars?”  I declined to look at his wounds, but did ask what went through his mind while the robbery took place.

“The first thing that went through my mind was I should have locked the door,” Jerry replied.  “Then, after they shot me and I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die.  I chose to live!”

“Weren't you scared” I asked?  Jerry continued, “The paramedics were great.  They kept telling me I was going to be fine.  But when they rushed me into the Emergency Room, I saw the expression on the faces of the doctors and nurses and got really scared.  In their eyes, I read ‘He's a dead man.’  I knew that I needed to take immediate action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.  “Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry.  “She asked if I was allergic to anything.”  “Yes, to bullets!” I replied.  Over their laughter, I told them: “I choose to live!  Please operate on me as if I am alive…not dead.”

Jerry did live, thanks to God and the skill of his doctors, but also because of his phenomenal and amazing attitude.  I learned from him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy your life or hate it.  The only thing that is truly yours – that no one can control or take from you – is your attitude, so if you can manage to take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.

MY FRIEND, Your life is waiting…choose wisely!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

WHAT DID YOU DO ALL DAY?

WHAT DID YOU DO ALL DAY?

This story is dedicated to the vast multitudes of women who work incredibly hard, inside and outside the home, those whom we men (all too often) fail to faithfully value and appreciate.

John came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and candy wrappers strewn all around the front garden.

The door of his wife Valerie’s car was open, as was the front door to the house, and there was no sign of the dog.  Proceeding into the hall, John found an even bigger mess.  A lamp had been knocked over and the rug was piled up against one wall.  In the family room, the television was loudly blaring The Cartoon Channel although no one was watching, and the room was loaded with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the refrigerator door was open wide, dog food was spread out on the floor, broken glass lay under the table and a small pile of sand was blocking the back door.

John quickly raced up the stairs, navigating through more toys and clothes, desperately searching for his wife.  He was worried she might be ill, collapsed on the floor, or that some other serious thing had occurred.

This worried husband was met by a tiny trickle of water winding its way out of the bathroom door.  As he peered inside, he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn out over the floor.  Rolls of toilet paper lay in wet heaps and blue toothpaste had been smeared all over the mirror and sink.

Rushing to the bedroom, he found Valerie still curled up comfortably in bed, wearing her pajamas and casually reading a popular novel.  She looked up at him, smiled lazily and asked how his day had been.

John gazed down at Valerie, quite bewildered, as he inquired firmly, “What happened here today?”

Valerie just grinned and responded, “John, you know how you come home from work every day and ask me sarcastically, ‘What in the world did I do all day long?’”

“Yes,” was John’s startled yet sheepish reply.

Valerie answered, “Well, today…I just didn’t do it!”

Have a wonderful weekend, women! (men too)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (Part II)

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (Part II)

Yesterday’s tale of the innocent baby who demonstrated unconditional acceptance of a homeless man challenges both the quantity and quality of our love.  Jesus Christ expressed it best, “Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) It is far easier to say ‘I love you’ than to actually exemplify the highest of Christian virtues.  Many people proclaim (with apparent ease), “I love everybody!”  But saying and doing are decidedly different.  There must be evidence.

During my elementary school years, science class explored what is commonly called ‘The Litmus Test.’  This simple test determines whether a substance is either acid or alkaline.  If the pH (potential of hydrogen in the substance) is acid, the litmus paper turns red in color when exposed to the substance.  If the pH is alkaline, the litmus paper turns blue.  Acids taste sour.  For example, lemon juice is an acidic substance.  Alkaline substances taste bitter.  For example, ammonia is alkaline.

Today, we will take a ‘Spiritual Litmus Test’ to determine if our relationships with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, strangers, or even enemies are too extreme (sour or bitter) in one direction or another.

Spiritual Litmus Test #1

Do I look for (and expect) the worst in others?

Signs of this type of behavior include…

1.        A tendency to keep mental records of anything others say or do that ‘gets on my nerves.’

2.       A tendency to speak more negatively, than positively.

3.       A tendency to think or say “I told you she would eventually do that!  I told you so!”

4.       A tendency to believe others are always being deceptive or lying.

Biblical Solutions: 

I Corinthians 13:5 declares that love “thinks no evil.”  Verse 6 says love “rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.”

Spiritual Litmus Test #2

Do I have a low tolerance for other people who exhibit attitudes or behaviors that are different from mine?

Signs of this type of behavior include…

1.        A tendency to prejudge people by appearance, color, culture, or socio-economic standing, i.e. to become prejudiced against others because they seem different or unfamiliar.

2.       A tendency to be strongly opinionated or have a know-it-all attitude about most things.

3.       A tendency to feel that only ‘me and mine’ know how to get things done in ‘the right way.’

Biblical Solutions:

I Corinthians 13:4b says love “vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.”  Verse 5 says love “does not behave itself unseemly, [and] love seeks not her own.”

Spiritual Litmus Test #3

Do I have the ability to forgive or a tendency to hold on to troublesome issues for extended periods?

Signs of this type of behavior include…

1.        A tendency to hold grudges, i.e. to keep issues alive and active until they eventually alter the way I communicate or interact with others.

2.       A tendency to have a negative attitude that typically results in critical comments and harsh treatment of others.

3.       A tendency to display childish behaviors, i.e. verbal outbursts or temper tantrums.

Biblical Solutions:

I Corinthians 13:4 says love “suffers long, and is kind.”  Verse 5 says love “…is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.”  Verse 7 says love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

The negative behavioral signs (outlined above) identify those sour or bitter personality traits that will not be able to pass the Spiritual Litmus Test.  FYI, there will be no sour or bitter people in Heaven!  Should you find that these characteristics actually mirror your own attitudes or actions, here are some divine prescriptions from The Master, JESUS CHRIST, who is Love Personified:  [1] The Golden Rule (Luke 6:31);  [2] “Judge not…condemn not…” (Luke 6:37);  [3] “Love one another…” (John 13:34-35);  [4] “Forgive men their trespasses [and] your heavenly father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14);  [5] “Forgive…I say not unto you, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21) In other words, Christ’s mandate for forgiveness is virtually unlimited, just as His love, grace and mercy toward us are boundless.

Let us strive steadfastly to walk in unconditional love…because GOD IS LOVE, and HIS HOLY SPIRIT must be fully operative and dynamically radiating from deep within our human spirits…always. (I John 4:7-8)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (Part I)

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (Part I)

Allow me to share a story that I read some time ago.  It is a compelling tale told by a young wife and mother, and it involves something completely priceless, extraordinary, incomprehensible: the unconditional love of a young baby.  This story challenges the quantity and quality of our love!  Please read and prayerfully ponder.

We were the only family with children in the restaurant.  I sat Eric in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking.  Suddenly, Eric squealed with glee and shouted, “Hi!”  He pounded his fat baby hands on the highchair tray.  His eyes were wide open with excitement and his mouth displayed a huge toothless grin.  He wiggled and giggled with merriment.

I looked around and was somewhat surprised to see the source of Eric’s joy.  It was an old man whose pants were baggy…with his zipper at half-mast…with toes poking out of his would-be shoes.  His shirt was filthy and his hair was unwashed and uncombed.  His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose had so many varicose veins that it looked like a road map.  We were too far from him to catch a whiff…but I was totally sure that he smelled very bad!  He was just sitting there, hands waving and flapping like gelatin, completely holding the attention of my beautiful baby!

“Hey there baby…hi there big boy!  I see ya’ buster,” the man called out gently to Eric.  My husband and I exchanged looks and whispered, “What should we do?”  Our adorable baby boy, Eric, continued to laugh and answer this disheveled man, “Hi!  Hi!  Hi!”  We were completely flabbergasted.  Everyone in the restaurant seemed to notice and they glanced over at us sympathetically…and then they looked with disgust at ‘that man.’  Their eyes seemed to say, ‘That old geezer has some nerve, creating a public nuisance with such a handsome baby!’  As our meal came, the man kept calling to Eric across the room, “Do you know patty cake?  Do you know peek-a-boo?  Look at that smart boy…he knows peek-a-boo!”

Nobody thought any of this was cute.  He was obviously drunk and dirty.  My husband and I felt embarrassed.  We ate in silence, except for Eric, who was now running through his repertoire of the things-he-could-do to gain more admiration and attention from this apparent skid-row bum, who in turn reciprocated with his annoying comments.  We hurried through our meal so we could head for the door.  My husband went to pay the check and asked me to meet him in the parking lot.

The old ragged man sat positioned between me and the door.  “Lord,” I thought, “if you can just let me get out of here before he speaks to Eric or me.”  As I drew closer to the door…closer to the man…I turned my back, trying to side-step him and by all means to avoid any body odor or air he might be exhaling.  As I did this, Eric suddenly leaped over my arm, reaching out with both arms in a baby’s ‘pick-me-up’ position.  Before I could stop him, Eric had propelled himself from my arms, right into the man’s arms.

Immediately, this very old smelly man and my young beautiful baby consummated their growing love relationship.  In an act of total trust, love and submission, Eric laid his tiny head upon the man’s shoulders.  That old homeless man’s eyes closed, and I saw tears rolling down his face.  His aged hands, that looked to be so full of grime and pain, gently (so gently) cradled my baby’s bottom and stroked my baby’s back.

Watching this union, I felt sure that no two human beings had every loved so deeply in such a short period of time.  I stood there, absolutely paralyzed and awestruck.  The old man rocked and cradled Eric in his arms for a moment, and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine.  He said in a firm, sober and commanding voice, “You take care of this baby.”  Somehow I managed to squeeze “I will” from my constricted throat, which at the moment felt full of stones.  He pried Eric from his chest, unwillingly, longingly, as though he was in actual pain.

I happily received my baby as the man whispered, “God bless you, Ma’am, you’ve given me my Christmas gift.”  I said nothing more and raced toward the car, holding Eric close to me.  My husband wondered why I was holding on to Eric so tightly, crying and mumbling, “My God, my God, forgive me.”  For I had just witnessed Christ’s love, shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, no issues, and made no judgments…an innocent child who saw nothing but a living and loving soul…and a mother who had only seen raggedy and dirty clothes.  I was a Christian who was blind, holding a baby who was not blind.  And I felt as if GOD, Himself, was asking – “Are you willing to share your son for a moment?” – although HE had shared HIS SON for all time and eternity.  That homeless old man and my son reminded me, unwittingly, that to enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.

Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

GET OVER YOURSELF!

GET OVER YOURSELF!

The fastest and most effective way to escape from intermittent feelings of personal rejection, pain, doubt, despair, or depression is to get up (right now), get moving (immediately) and resolve (from now on) to focus on the needs of others.  Whether you know it or not, GOD wants to use YOU! 

If that is the case, why on earth would you sit passively awaiting some random event to mobilize and deploy you in the active service of our God?  Now hear this!  Whenever and wherever you make yourself available to move forward in the power of GOD...YOU become His proactive, productive and powerful agent for miracles!

Therefore, it seems quite prudent to consider canceling any planned pity party.  By the way, haven’t you noticed that no one else shows up to attend other than yourself?  Being self-absorbed is neither a Kingdom characteristic, nor a winning strategy.  After all, it’s not about you; it’s all about HIM.  Be faithful and fruitful in the KINGDOM OF GOD and (as a direct result) you will be abundantly blessed, both in time and eternity. 

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

DISCOVERING PURPOSE

DISCOVERING PURPOSE

Winston Churchill made a very memorable observation about the nation of Russia during a 1939 radio broadcast: “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”  William Shakespeare wrote a similar comment about this journey that we call life.  “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” (Macbeth, act 5, scene 5) Unfortunately for so many, all that life represents can be summed up as riddles, mysteries, enigmas, idiotic tales, furious sounds…a totality of nothing.  Such sentiments make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, let alone to confront the unknown and potentially troublesome circumstances of each day.  Such is the perilous plight of those whose lives are devoid of purpose.

Dictionary.com defines “purpose” as “the reason for which something exists.”

Perhaps, our more momentous accomplishment prior to our ‘dirt naps’ will be the discovery of why we are here.  It is the question of our lifetime.  It is the underpinning of all our conscious and subconscious thoughts and it is that which motivates all our decisions and actions.  Friedrich Nietzsche wrote that “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”  I heartily agree.  It is the absence of purpose that perennially haunts and hurts us.  To live without purpose is to only exist, without meaning.

About a hundred years ago, a man looked at the morning newspaper and, much to his surprise and horror, he read his own name in the obituary column.  The newspaper had erroneously reported the death of the wrong person.  His first response was total shock.  He thought, “Am I still alive?  Am I here or there?”  After regaining his composure, his second thought was to find out what people had said about him.  The obituary title was, “Dynamite King Dies” and it described him “the merchant of death.”  This was the public view of this man, who was the inventor of dynamite.  When he read those words, “merchant of death,” something stirred deep within and he asked himself an important question, “Is this how I will be remembered?”  That day, he got in touch with his deepest feelings and concerns about life and decided that this was not the way he would live or be remembered.  From that point, he started working passionately toward world peace.  His name was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered by the prestigious prize that bears his name, “The Nobel Prize.”  Alfred Nobel searched his heart, redefined his values and transformed his legacy.  We can do the same.

Carefully consider this.  If you were to leave this plain-of-mortality today, how would you be remembered by your family, your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues, your co-workers, or even by your enemies?  More importantly, what ‘spiritual obituary’ would God inscribe within the Book of Life?

The discovery of your purpose is the greatest gift and glory to the Creator who endowed you with the most precious personal gift: your life.   Exactly what are you doing with that which HE initially endowed to you?

Jesus Christ taught a poignant parable about our Creator’s expected return-on-investment.  He said “the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.” (Matthew 25:14) This act is very significant because it is symbolic of our God-given lives and distinctive abilities.  Our Creator designs uniqueness in each of us, and so the servants in this parable were provided with differing degrees of “goods” or “talents” in accordance with their abilities: one, two, or five in number.  The servants who received two and five talents traded and doubled that which had been initially granted.  The servant who received one talent hid it in the ground and offered insufficient excuses for his lack of productivity upon the return of his estate master.  The former servants were commended as “good and faithful.” (Matthew 25:21;23) The latter was condemned as a “wicked and slothful servant.” (Matthew 25:26)

It is my contention that this one-talented-servant underestimated both his personal worth and the awesome value of that which had been entrusted to his hands.  Thus, it seemed somewhat small and insignificant in his eyes, and that is precisely how he treated it.  The result was an unfulfilled life with a calamitous ending.

What is your worth?  What is the value of the talents that have been assigned to your hands?  And what are you doing with them?  My greatest fear in life is the possibility of standing before my Creator without a meaningful response to this question or without fruit that would verify any of my self-assessments or decisions.  Jesus Christ issued this grave warning to all of us.  “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:13) Ready or not, He is coming.  So discover your purpose…and pursue it!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

FAITH LET'S GOD BE GOD

FAITH LETS GOD BE GOD

Because God is sovereign and because He knows what is absolutely best for us, we must learn to trust His heart, even when we cannot trace His hand.  In a word, our limited human understanding is (in NO way) an accurate reflection of God’s infinite love, compassion, care and provision for us.  Sometimes we believers have the tendency (even following our prayers) to attempt to assist God in settling our situations and answering our petitions.  My friends, never forget that HE is “the only [and the all] wise God.” (Jude 1:25) GOD knows exactly what He is doing; and He is always up to something spectacular behind the scenes.  So…TRUST HIM!  The following anecdote is a powerful demonstration of this indispensable Kingdom principle of trust in God.

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island.  He prayed fervently for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed to be forthcoming.  Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few meager possessions.  One day, after foraging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky.  The worst possible thing had happened; he no longer had shelter and all of his possessions were lost. 

The marooned man sank into deep despair, before feeling completely outraged and beside himself with anger at GOD.  With his whole body trembling, he cried out loudly toward the heavens, “GOD, how could YOU do this to ME?!?”  Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching his uninhabited island.  It had arrived to rescue him.  “How did you know I was here?” the weary man asked of his rescuers.  “We saw your huge smoke signal,” they replied.  Wow!

Remember.  Your burning hut could just be a signal that will mobilize and materialize the power and provision of God.  So never fail to keep encouraging yourself in the Lord. (I Samuel 30:6)

Growing up as children in the Bass family, one of Solomon’s wise sayings was displayed on our dining room wall as a constant spiritual reminder to us.  It challenged us to never get stuck in the limitations of our own abilities; but rather, to totally lean and depend upon the Lord.  Here’s what we read daily.

Proverbs 3:5-6

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

So let us resolve to fully trust in HIM through all of our conditions and circumstances.  After all, HE is supremely able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,” and He does it all “according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

DON'T BE AFRAID OF YOURSELF

DON’T BE AFRAID OF YOURSELF

You may or may not know it, but I have the fondest affection for poetry.  So I shall share one of my all-time favorites with you on today.  It’s a poem by Robert Frost, popularly known as “The Road Less Traveled,” but originally entitled “The Road Not Taken.”  Enjoy!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

My friend, please consider that whenever the major events of our faith were proclaimed in The Holy Writ, they were typically preceded by the following divine pronouncement: “FEAR NOT!” (Luke 2:10) In fact, this powerful phrase appears (in one form or another) approximately 170 times in scripture.  By the sheer number of biblical inclusions, it seems obvious that GOD is trying to tell us something.  There is one mission-critical truth that constitutes a vital aspect of our faith journey, i.e. the need to have total trust in HIM and to maintain complete confidence in the purposes and plans that have divinely and uniquely positioned us on this planet.

Believe it or not, some people exist in literal FEAR OF THEMSELVES.  Consider this.  While it is commendable to have the desire to get along with others, you and I were not created to BLEND IN with every person or every situation.  Just because someone does not seem to understand you, i.e. those individual quirks and idiosyncrasies that are part and parcel of your overall life experience, there is absolutely no need to ‘discard’ yourself and become a carbon copy or clone of anyone else.

Bottom-line: Don’t be afraid to walk down THOSE less traveled roads, thereby manifestING the uniqueness of YOU.  Truthfully speaking, when GOD made YOU, He threw away the mold!  Please understand the spirit of my words.  In no way am I seeking to minimize CHRIST in order to maximize YOU.  After all, true believers are being daily conformed to “the image of Christ.” (Romans 8:29) What I am saying here is that there is something so uncommon and so special about God’s design and destiny for you that (while you are being constantly transformed into the image of His Son) The Father never seeks to nullify or eliminate the particular person(ality) that He especially created and crafted before the day of your birth.  Therefore, you must understand it; you must embrace it; and, you must use it for His glory.  This is a sure pathway to personal joy and life fulfillment.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

IT ONLY LOOKS LIKE A BOULDER

IT ONLY LOOKS LIKE A BOULDER

The Chinese word for CRISIS suggests that every problematic situation actually has two heads, one of danger and one of opportunity.  Oftentimes, the challenges that confront us are pregnant with powerful potential.  For further enlightenment, consider the following story.

In ancient times, a king had a large boulder placed on a roadway.  Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.

Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.  Others loudly blamed the king for his failure to keep the roads clear, but no one did anything about getting that big stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables.  On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried his best to move the large rock to the side of the road.  After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.

As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been.  The purse contained many gold coins, along with a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

That day, the peasant learned what many never seem to understand.  That is, every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

Today, instead of cursing or complaining about your circumstances, why not move the boulder in your pathway.  How so?

The ancient Greek mathematician, Archimedes, famously said “Give me a place to stand, and a lever long enough, and I will move the world.”  It’s a natural principle that works just as well in the spiritual dimension.  FAITH is the lever.  PRAYER is the fulcrum.  And Jesus Christ teaches us that we are able to MOVE OUR WORLD by simultaneously deploying these two covenant mechanisms – in conjunction with the power of His Spirit that dwells within us. (II Corinthians 4:7 and Philippians 4:13)

Matthew 21:22

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Mark 11:23

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

II Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [The Treasure of the Holy Spirit], that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Think.  How are you handling your current challenge?  Are you merely SPEAKING ABOUT your mountain, or are you SPEAKING TO your mountain, with Word-based faith that is transmitted to God’s Throne Room by way of consistent COVENANT PRAYER?

The situation you are now confronting only looks like a mountain, or a challenge, or a boulder, or an impossibility.  In truth, it is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY for Christ to shine, in you and through you, thereby brightly illuminating the lives of family and friends, near and far.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

PEACE: THE HERITAGE OF EVERY BELIEVER

PEACE: THE HERITAGE OF EVERY BELIEVER

The Prince of Peace blesses and bequeaths to us continual, abundant, supernatural peace.  Listen with your spirit to the Word of God.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Isaiah 26:3 

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Psalm 119:165

Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

So why do we sometimes succumb to the satanic temptation to become worried, fretful, fearful, or stressed?  The Holy Spirit offers viable alternatives to any potentially unbalanced attitudes and actions whenever we are confronted with such spiritual challenges:

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Prayerfully ponder the admonishments and assurances of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

So Christians should not pray AND worry.  In fact, we should not worry at all.  Instead, we will meditate on the sure promises of God and we will be at peace.

Joshua 1:8

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

GOD stays up all night long on your behalf, so why not get some much needed sleep and rest? (Psalm 121:4)

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!

SKELETONS IN THE FAMILY CLOSET

SKELETONS IN THE FAMILY CLOSET

Since we tend to showcase our best and brightest, deep dark secrets, seldom mentioned in public discourse, lay hidden within any family genealogy.  To wit, if we dig deep enough, all families have members who epitomize shame and disgrace.  Such is the case with the family of the greatest man in human history, JESUS CHRIST.  Did you know that Jesus was rooted in a rather unsavory family tree?  The fact that Jesus achieved a righteous and victorious life (despite his family history) is indisputable evidence that it does not matter where we have come from – it only matters where we are headed!

Jesus certainly had ‘good guys’ in his family tree (like Josiah, Hezekiah and Ruth), but there were numerous villainous relatives who sowed seeds of sin and sorrow in the family DNA.  We need but reference a wide range of untoward issues that were part of the legacy of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, or his disobedient great-grandson, Judah, or his combative great-great-grandson, Perez.  Indeed, Rahab, the great-great-[many-times-great]-grandmother of Jesus, was both a prostitute and a traitor to her own people.  It is not inaccurate to conclude that even Jesus Christ came through a mess! 

Not quite convinced yet?  The harlot Rahab’s great-great-great-grandson is a man known well to us.  When Israel was at war with Syria and the Israelite army was away on the battlefield, that man (King David) was taking an evening stroll in the roof-top palace garden.  There, he developed a serious case of ‘eye trouble.’  From his elevated vantage point, David gazed upon the beautiful Bathsheba, who was (no pun intended) taking a private bath at the time.  Seized by unrighteous passion, the king thereafter sent for Bathsheba and consummated a romantic affair.  Ultimately, Bathsheba’s husband (Uriah) was sent to the front of the battle where he would be killed.  All of this was done to hide Bathsheba’s unlawful pregnancy and to allow those secret lovers to be legally wed.  So…King David was not only a prolific psalmist, he was an adulterer, a murderer (and incidentally) a noted ancestor of Jesus Christ.  Oh what unsavory skeletons lay in Jesus’ family closet!  Jesus Christ came through a mess!

As instrumental as David’s son (Solomon) was in building a magnificent temple, and as wise as he was in leading and resolving the disputes of God’s people, he still somehow got tied up with the Queen of Sheba and tangled up with approximately 700 wives (believe it or not) and 300 girlfriends.  Jesus Christ came through a mess!

Another of David’s sons (Absalom) got killed in an attempt to displace Daddy David on the throne of Israel.  His intent was to take the life of his own father.  Jesus Christ came through a mess!

And Solomon’s son (King Rehoboam) was so greedy, mean-spirited and oppressive to his people that civil war broke out and the nation was split into two parts.  Jesus Christ came through a mess!

However, the most notorious of wicked kings was Solomon’s great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson (Ahaz).  He rebuilt the pagan altars and actively encouraged idol worship.  Incredibly enough, Israelite children were actually sacrificed to idol gods, and King Ahaz even went so far as to replace the sacred temple altar Solomon had built with a pagan altar he had found in Assyria.  Jesus Christ came through a mess!

We could go on and on with heinous examples of sin in Jesus’ family – actions that were deliberately enacted against God and His people.  But our purpose for focusing in on the skeletons in Jesus’ family tree is not (by any means) to dishonor our Lord and Savior.  It is solely intended to liberate us from the spirit of accusation that Satan continuously unleashes against God’s people (both via our minds and others’ lips).  These accusations are designed to make us feel unworthy of the gift of God’s grace and undeserving to be useful in building His Kingdom. 

My friend, you might have emerged from less than ideal conditions.  Your family lineage might have experienced more than its share of poverty, or pain, or failure, or disgrace.  But before He called you to His Kingdom, ALMIGHTY GOD had already foreseen, contemplated and factored in all of the ‘mess’ in your personal life or in your family tree.  The truth is that God actually plans to use what others perceive as disgrace – by transforming it into divine grace.  He seeks to make you a living testimony of the love, power and glory of God.  You might have come through a mess…but you have now come to the cross…so you will no longer be dominated by your past.  In the words of Jesus Christ, “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3) I love the Apostle Paul’s admonition to Timothy:

II Timothy 2:20-22

²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.

²¹ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and FIT for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Amen, brothers and sisters!  AMEN!  AMEN! AMEN!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!