WE MAY NEVER KNOW

WE MAY NEVER KNOW

Joe Edwards was a young man in his twenties working as a salesman for a St. Louis piano company.  They sold pianos all over the state by advertising in small town newspapers.  When they received sufficient replies, they would load their trucks, drive into a designated area and sell their pianos.

Every time they advertised in Southeast Missouri, the company received a postcard which said “Please bring me a new piano for my granddaughter.  It must be red mahogany.  I can pay $10 a month with my egg money.”  

Of course, the company could not sell a new piano for just $10 a month.  No finance company would carry a contract with payments that small, so they ignored the postcards.

One day, Joe happened to be in that area and out of curiosity decided to look up the old lady.  He found pretty much what he had expected.  She lived in a one-room sharecropper cabin in the middle of a cotton field.  The cabin had a dirt floor and there were chickens in the house.  Obviously, the old lady would not qualify to purchase anything on credit without having a car, phone, or a real job – with nothing but a roof over her head, and not a very good one at that.  The grandchild she was raising was a ten-year-old barefoot girl, wearing a dress that had been made from a feed sack.

Joe explained to the old lady that he could not sell a new piano for $10 a month and told her that she should stop responding to their ads.  He drove away heartsick.  His advice had no effect at all.  The old lady still sent the same post card every now and then – always requesting a new red mahogany piano and swearing she would never miss a $10 payment.  It was so sad.

Years later, Joe owned the piano company.  When he advertised in that area, the postcards kept coming to him.  For months, he ignored them.  One day when Joe was in the area something occurred to him.  He had a red mahogany piano on his truck.  Despite knowing that he was about to make a terrible business decision, he delivered the piano to the old lady and told her he would carry the contract himself at $10 a month with no interest for 52 payments.  He took the new piano in the house and placed it where he thought the worn roof would be least likely to deposit rain on it.  And he admonished the old lady and the little girl to try to keep the chickens off of it.  Joe left, feeling sure he had just thrown away a brand-new piano.

But the payments did come in – all 52 as agreed – with coins taped to a 3×5 card in an envelope.  It was incredible!

As time passed, Joe forgot about it.  Twenty years later, he was in Memphis on business.  After dining at the Holiday Inn, he passed by a lounge where he heard the most beautiful piano music.  There a lovely young woman was playing a beautiful grand piano.

Being a pianist of some ability himself, he was stunned by her virtuosity, and sat at a nearby table to listen and watch.  She smiled at Joe, asked for song requests, and later took a break at his table.

“Aren’t you the man who sold my grandma a piano long ago?”

It didn’t ring a bell right away, so Joe asked her to explain.

She started to tell him, but suddenly Joe remembered.  She was the little barefoot girl in the feed sack dress!  She said her name was Elise and told Joe how she had learned to play the piano.  Since her grandmother couldn’t afford lessons, she learned to play by listening to the radio and duplicating what she heard on the piano.  Later she started playing in church, and then in school, where she won many awards and a music scholarship.  

Awesome, isn’t it?  Incredibly enough, the seeds that we sow are potent with monumental harvests.  We just don’t know how much we can accomplish, simply by investing ourselves.  The Winans recorded an apropos song:

We give ourselves for Your cause,

We dedicate our lives to reach the lost

And though we don’t know

All whose lives we’ve touched with love.

For we may never know all the people we have touched,

For we never know all of the lives that we have reached,

But we know YOU know for our record you do keep

And when the end does finally begin

We shall receive a great reward for what we’ve done.

We’ll receive a great reward for what we’ve done.

As we fervently pray for the writer of this song, Pastor Marvin Winans (who is now battling Covid-19), let us be encouraged to persist in our life endeavors.  Only Heaven knows the full impact of our journey.

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

INVESTING IN OTHERS

INVESTING IN OTHERS

On this side of eternity, we have no way of knowing the profound impact of our selfless gifts to others.

Geraldine Brooks won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for fiction as the result of her novel, “March.”  Her love for books had been nurtured by a woman named Althea Glasby, a friend of her grandfather.  Geraldine’s grandfather had casually mentioned to Miss Glasby that his little granddaughter loved to read.  From that day forward, parcels arrived for Geraldine on her birthday and at Christmas time.  Each parcel contained an expensively bound, lavishly illustrated edition of a book that had been carefully selected for Geraldine.  Inscribed in the front cover of each, in flowing script, were these words, “To Geraldine, with love from Althea Glasby.”

Geraldine Brooks never met Althea Glasby and she really had no idea what inspired this woman to start sending her books.  This is what Geraldine had to say, “I have no idea why this woman spent so much time and thought on a child she didn’t know.  Whatever the reason, I wish I could thank her in person.  I wish I could tell her how those books shored up a love for the written word that grew over time into a career and a calling.  I would like to give her one of the books I’ve written in a hardback first edition.  The signature wouldn’t be as fine and fluid as hers, but in my own pedestrian scrawl I would say thank you for the gifts that helped to lead me to a life in books.”

What an awesome tribute to an generous benefactor!

With your permission, I would like to share a related personal story.  There are two people who served as generous movers-and-shakers in the formation of my writing craft..  The first is my high school English teacher, Judy Paglia, who first encouraged and honed my written compositions.  Hers was a gentle and creative voice that offered early inspiration.  The second was one of my Yale history professors, Toby Symington.  He critiqued my submissions in great detail and even offered to spend one-on-one time to tutor and polish my writing craft.  I took him up on that extraordinary offer, and he spent many hours tutoring me, one-on-one.

Thank you, Mrs. Paglia.  Thank you, Professor Symington.  Your personal investments resonate in time and eternity. 

My friend, who will you choose to assist or mentor with your God-given gifts?

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

THE URGENCY OF PRAYER

THE URGENCY  OF PRAYER

At the dedication of the Temple, THE LORD spoke the following words to King Solomon, which are profoundly apropos for our time and circumstances:

II Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Let us pray (fervently and continually) for our land, for every other nation, for those who are presently struggling with coronavirus, and for those who have lost loved ones.

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

FUN OR FULFILLMENT?

FUN OR FULFILLMENT?

Methinks that so many of us have been collectively brainwashed. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, and you just might be one of them. But MOST of us have become transfixed by a seductive allure and eagerness to embrace things, situations, occasions and people that we consider to be FUN.

Our society conditions us to engage fully in the hot pursuit of ‘fun’ things. In contemporary culture, products are marketed more for their enjoyment quotient than for their inherent value and usefulness. When we view a car commercial, it seldom emphasizes horsepower or reliability. Rather, we are sold on its potential to have someone occupying the seat next to us who resembles the gorgeous or handsome model in that advertisement.

In truth, nearly everything is sold or bought on that basis, from vacations to clothing to shoes to beauty products. Our evaluation of their value typically reflects our perception of how close they can carry us to the margins of merriment.

The irony of this is the simple fact that the acquisition of things never satisfies. Having the first of any product only demands a bigger, better and newer version of the same. And it’s a must that we own the latest technology innovation, i.e. the newest Apple product – even a computerized watch – which we may not be sure what to do with when we eventually obtain it.

Contrary to popular opinion and societal norms, “life does not consist in the abundance of things [we] possess.” (Jesus Christ ~ Luke 12:15) Rather, the abundant life is characterized by how much we are willing to share generously of our time, talent and treasure. Personal fulfillment is the product of true faith and firm commitment. It is the intangible result of devotion to others, and it is the polar opposite of unabashed greed, power mongering, property hoarding and selfishness.

We must never become prisoners of ourselves or our surroundings. While it is never problematic to God that we enjoy certain creature comforts, we must become balanced owners of property, as opposed to being owned by the property itself.

Decades ago in elementary school, I read an original story about a young boy who loved chewing gum. One day, he was offered a piece of gum and happily accepted. After a time, the child grew tired of the gum, but he discovered that he could not get rid of it no matter how hard he tried. In short order, it felt very much like that gum was chewing him, instead of him chewing the gum. What a predicament that was! Can you imagine how tired your mouth might feel and how drained your emotions would be if you had to be ‘chewed’ by your gum day after day after day?

Application: Let's not allow FUN to chew us up!

Consider this. A long-term marriage might not seem as alluring as a passionate fling, but it is far more fulfilling. Studying the Word might not seem as titillating as the latest novel, but it is far more enlightening. So, let's resolve to live out our days with the fullness and joy that are brought on by wisdom, balance, consistency, faith, forgiveness and love. In case we are unable to discern their present value, believe me, someday we will.

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

TRUTH UNMASKED

TRUTH UNMASKED

In 1985, Cher starred in a movie called “MASK.” I remember this film so well since it was completed in the year of my mother’s death, and because it is one of my all-time favorites due to its sensitive portrayal of transcending the differences that tend to define and limit us. Cher played the biker mother of Roy “Rocky” Dennis, a teenager who struggled with a severe facial deformity commonly known as “LIONITIS” due to its disfiguring cranial enlargement. Rocky had an outward appearance that was shocking and off-putting to most people, but he was a gentle and genteel soul, more so than most we will ever encounter.

Because of his inherent kindness and empathy, Rocky was recruited as a volunteer in a summer camp for blind youth. I suppose the underlying rationale was that the campers could not see his face, so they would likely judge him on the basis of who he actually was, not what he looked like. That’s exactly what happened.

During that summer, Rocky developed a romantic relationship with one of the teenage girls. Having been blind since birth, she had no way of understanding what Rocky was ‘seeing’ when he spoke of commonplace things like colors or clouds. But Rocky was determined to communicate clearly and share those visual experiences with her. He came up with a brilliant idea on how he might do it.
One day, he led his girlfriend into the kitchen and over to the refrigerator. He took out a cold rock he had placed there earlier and deposited it into her hands. “That’s BLUE!” Rocky exclaimed excitedly. Then he led her over to the oven and retrieved a rock that had been slightly heated. As he placed it gently in her hands, she commented on how warm the rock felt to her. “That’s RED!” Rocky shouted out. Then he pulled out a bunch of cotton balls and placed them in her hands. “That’s what CLOUDS are like!” Rocky explained. Both were thrilled to realize that this was the very first time the blind girl could truly ‘see’ colors and clouds.

Of course she never saw colors and clouds as they actually are, but by comparing them to things already familiar to her, she was able to gain a real sense of those unknown things.
OUR FATHER initiates a similar strategy in opening up our spiritual awareness and understanding. As mortal beings, we could never fully comprehend transcendent truths like eternity, or Trinity, or divine atonement, or any number of theological truths. But THE LIVING WORD lovingly breaks down these challenging concepts for us – into bitesize nuggets we can chew on, swallow and digest. The parables of Jesus Christ are one primary example. Jesus wisely begins where we are, from a foundation of knowledge and settings with which we are fully familiar, and thereby paints crystal-clear pictures of our covenant connections to His grace, mercy and love.
What Rocky did for his blind friend is only a practical reenactment of what Christ has already done for us. The One who is “the way, the truth, and the life” continually unmasks truth and reveals it so freely, clearly, powerfully and lovingly to us. (John 14:6)
Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

During my youth, our church sang a hymn by Johnson Oatman, Jr., which served as a reminder of the PRAISE MINDSET we should maintain all the days of our lives.  Its chorus goes like this:

Count your blessings, name them one by one…

Count your blessings, see what God has done…

Count your blessings, name them one by one…

Count your many blessings, see what God has done!

These simple song lyrics echo the spiritual resolution of the Psalmist David: “I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in mouth.” (Psalm 34:1)

Think.  There are more things to be grateful for than one might imagine.

We are alive.

We have a reasonable portion of health and strength.

We are absolutely aware of ourselves and our surroundings.

We have someone who loves us in spite of our shortcomings.

We have a mind to live for Christ, to love Him and to follow His Word.

And the list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on...

Many are too young to remember, but the legendary Bing Crosby made famous a secular song, which was also entitled, “Count Your Blessings”: 

When I'm worried and I can’t sleep,

I count my blessings instead of sheep,

And I fall asleep…counting my blessings…

When my bankroll is getting small,

I think of when I had none at all,

And I fall asleep…counting my blessings

I challenge you to try it. 

Lift up your head, my friend.  Don’t doubt.  Don’t despair.  Count…

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

THE DR. FOX HYPOTHESIS

THE DR. FOX HYPOTHESIS

I read a fascinating article reprinted in “Psychology Today,” but first published by “Leadership Magazine” in the Spring of 1983.  In it, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. J Scott Armstrong, demonstrated that most people are overly impressed by so-called experts – even when the content of their observations is completely absurd and unintelligible.

Armstrong calls this “The Dr. Fox Hypothesis,” based on an experiment in which he hired an actor to pose as Dr. Myron Fox for the purpose of delivering a rather strange scientific lecture to a group of professionals. The lecture was purposefully riddled with false statements, double-talk, non-sequiturs and absolutely contradictory conclusions.  Also, the speaker included senseless jokes and meaningless references to totally unrelated topics.

Following the lecture, all attendees were asked to fill out anonymous questionnaires to evaluate the presentation they had heard.  The vast majority of those scientists reported that they found the lecture to be informative, illuminating and ground-breaking.

Wow!

While reading this article, my mind raced through numerous televised claims of politicians in the USA, along with the public responses of people who hear them.  Needless to say, it is an unequivocal confirmation of The Dr. Fox Hypothesis.  It seems that multiplied millions are automatically mesmerized by people who stand behind public podiums.  No matter what they say, and no matter how much it contravenes logic or truth, far too many choose to shut down their intellects and blindly believe.

While I’m not intentionally promoting (or denigrating) any political party or politician, this ‘truth’ issue merits our serious consideration.  The biblical book of Proverbs contains a very relevant admonition by King Solomon.  It simply says, “Hear instruction and BE WISE, and do not disdain it.” (Proverbs 8:33) 

Bottom-line: We must be ever so careful as to WHO and WHAT we are hearing and internalizing for our intellectual and spiritual sustenance.  Once again, Solomon expresses it far better than I.  “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)  My friends, be wise.  Be prudent.  Be thoughtful.  Remember: Eat the fish and throw away the bones!

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

IT'S O.K. TO START SMALL

IT’S O.K. TO START SMALL

For the people who live in more industrialized nations, navigating daily tasks can seem rather difficult without the use of motor vehicles.  Over the passage of time, they have proven to be much more than a convenience.  Although the use of fossil fuels is a contemporary challenge to maintaining a healthy global environment, automobiles have benefited us in ways that are incalculable.

But this wasn’t always the case.  History records that the very first “horseless carriage” was built way back in 1769 by a Frenchman named Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot.  It was a gigantic three-wheeled, steam-powered carriage, which traveled along at the ‘lightning fast speed’ of one kilometer per hour.

At that time, most people could not perceive any benefit in Cugnot’s horseless carriage.  It was extremely expensive, terribly noisy, and so slow that it couldn’t even match the pace of the most worn out nag. Nevertheless, that first horseless carriage was the seed invention of a transportation revolution.

The Word of God challenges us with a question that is entirely apropos: “Who has despised THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS?” (Zechariah 4:10)

Sometimes we simply need to remind ourselves that it’s alright to start out small.  And though our ideas or visions may seem worthless or absurd to onlookers, just wait!  Our GOD, the dispenser of “witty inventions,” is simply waiting to see if we have sufficient courage to speak a consistent Word of faith over our dreams, our visions and our future. (Proverbs 8:12 – Romans 10:17 – Hebrews 11:3)

My friend, get up, get moving and join in PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP with the KING OF KINGS!

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

KEEP ON

KEEP ON

One thing I love most about life is the fascinating phenomenon of future potential.  Some possibilities seem so apparent.  Ohers remain just out of reach or completely hidden from view, but they are just as real because The Creator has made them so.

Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress at the piano, a mother bought tickets for a performance by Ignace Paderewski, a world-renowned concert pianist.  When the evening arrived, they arrived early and located their seats at the front of the concert hall, excitedly eyeing the majestic Steinway waiting on stage.

As the mother conversed with a nearby friend, her son quietly slipped away.  When eight o’clock arrived, the curtain opened and the audience quieted.  Only then did the mother realize that her young son was up on stage seated on the piano stool, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

The mother gasped, but before she could retrieve her son, the music master appeared on stage and quickly walked over to the piano.

“Don’t quit – keep on playing,” Paderewski whispered into the ear of the little lad.  And leaning down, he reached over with his left hand to fill in the bass part.  Soon his right arm reached around to the other side, encircling the child and adding a beautiful obligato.  Together, the old master and the young novice amazed and mesmerized the crowd.

Unpolished though our lives may be, it is THE MASTER who, time and again, surrounds us and whispers ever so gently, “Don’t quit – keep on playing.”  And in the powerful presence of His loving grace, all our insufficiencies and inabilities are miraculously swept away.   His sure promise of a brighter tomorrow encourages us to continue – until He can shape and develop us into His image and likeness.

My friend, keep on keeping on, for no matter what, JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH is there.

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

YOU DESERVE THE GLORY

YOU DESERVE THE GLORY

All are mortal.  All are fallible.  In truth, no one deserves our ultimate praise, no one other than THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.

King Canute was the Danish ruler of England.  The members of his court constantly offered him flattery.  “Your highness, you are the greatest man that has ever lived.  You are the most powerful king of all.  There is nothing you cannot do; nothing and no one in this world would dare disobey you.”

However, the king was a very wise man, and he grew increasingly tired of this foolish and empty rhetoric.  One day as he walked alone by the seashore, King Canute decided to teach them all an important lesson.

“So you say I am the greatest man in the world?” he inquired of them.

“Oh king,” they cried out, “there never has been anyone anywhere as mighty as you, and there will never be anyone nearly so great, ever again!”

“And you say all things obey me?” Canute asked.

“Yes sire,” they responded, “the world bows before you and gives you glory and honor.”

“I see,” the king answered.  “In that case, bring my chair and place it down by the shore.”

The servants scrambled to carry Canute’s royal chair quickly over the sands.  At his direction they placed it at the water’s edge.  The King sat down and looked out over the ocean. “I notice the tide is now coming in.  Do you think it will stop if I give the command?”

“Give the order, oh great king, and it will obey,” cried his entourage.

“Sea,” ordered Canute, “I command you to come no farther!  Do not dare touch my feet!”

After a moment, and a wave rushed up the sand and lapped at his feet.

“How dare you!” Canute shouted.  “Ocean, turn back now!  I have ordered you to retreat before me, and now you must obey!  Get back!”

In came another wave lapping at the king’s feet.  Canute remained on his throne all morning, commanding the waves to stop.  Yet they came in anyway, until the seat of the throne was covered with water.

Finally, King Canute turned to his entourage and said, “It seems that I do not have quite as much power as you would have me believe.  Perhaps now you will remember there is only ONE KING who is all-powerful, and it is HE who rules over the land and sea.  He alone holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand.  From now on, I suggest you reserve all of your praises for Him!”

Canute was a wise king indeed!  I imagine that he was familiar with John’s vision of everlasting worship before the throne of Almighty God.  “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God.” (Revelation 19:1)

This heavenly scene reminds me of a praise chorus written by Eva Lena Hellmark:

You deserve the glory…and the honor…
Lord, we lift our hands in worship
As we praise Your Holy Name.

You deserve the glory…and the honor…
Lord, we lift our hands in worship
As we praise Your Holy Name.

For You are great…
You do miracles so great…
There is no one else like You…
There is no one else like You.

And, in light of that, all we can say is “Amen!  Amen!  Amen!”

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

THE BELIEVER'S STANDING IN CHRIST

THE BELIEVER’S STANDING IN CHRIST

If every believer maintains a clear vision of the spiritual authority and power that have been so generously bestowed upon us by the grace of God, we will avoid walking in anxiety, worry, frustration, or fear.  Here are just a few of the scriptural reasons why believers should have absolute confidence in Christ.

BELIEVERS ARE RECIPIENTS OF GRACE AND PEACE.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:2)

BELIEVERS ARE SPIRITUALLY BLESSED.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)

BELIEVERS ARE CHOSEN, HOLY AND BLAMELESS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4)

BELIEVERS ARE ACCEPTED AND ADOPTED INTO HEAVEN’S ROYAL FAMILY.

“Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:5-6)

BELIEVERS ARE FULLY REDEEMED AND FULLY FORGIVEN.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

BELIEVERS ARE ABUNDANTLY WISE AND PRUDENT.

“Which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself.” (Ephesians 1:8-9)

BELIEVERS ARE DESTINED FOR A GODLY INHERITANCE.

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11)

BELIEVERS ARE FAITHFULLY SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

BELIEVERS HAVE WISDOM AND REVELATION KNOWLEDGE.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians 1:17-18)

We winner-believers, who once occupied distant spaces from God’s grace and truth, have been “brought near by the blood of Jesus.”  Indeed, we have been “raised up together” and divinely seated “in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”  As such, we are eternal recipients of the manifold grace of God. (Ephesians 2:4-8)  May Almighty God be forever praised for His abundant mercy and kindness toward us!

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

WHAT IS LOVE?

WHAT IS LOVE?

In truth, it’s one of the most important questions any of us will ever ask!  Love has been written about, talked about, sung about, debated about, and yes, even argued about for thousands of years!  So, let’s get to it.

Let’s start with the words of the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know you are My disciples, if you have LOVE for one another.” (John 13:34)

In light of the divine perspective on love, consider these questions.  Is love a WARM FEELING, as many people think?  Is it an EMOTION that is subject to change, oscillating up and down depending upon what might be happening in the moment?  Is love a KISS, or is love a HUG, or is love the GOOSEBUMPS or THRILL we might feel when seeing someone who ‘looks’ a certain way to us?

WHAT IS LOVE…REALLY?

Let’s look at what the scriptures say about it.  THE WORD declares that “GOD IS LOVE!”

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE. (I John 4:7-8)

Now, let’s consider what could be the clearest and most concise New Testament dissertation on love, I Corinthians, chapter 13.  The Message translation is reprinted below, along with a few related scriptures and my brief commentary.

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.  If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.  If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

I Corinthians, chapter 13, continues…

LOVE NEVER GIVES UP. 

[It has been wisely stated that “A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins!”  So as the Word advises, we must “be STEADFAST and UNMOVABLE,” both in our faith and in our love. (I Corinthians 15:58)]

LOVE CARES MORE FOR OTHERS THAN FOR SELF. 

[That’s called “AGAPE,” which means unselfish commitment to loving others.  Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)  In fact, “GOD LOVED” and “GOD GAVE!” (John 3:16)]

LOVE DOESN’T WANT WHAT IT DOESN’T HAVE.                                                                             

[GREED is one of the major causes of division and divorce.  Paul wrote, “Godliness with CONTENTMENT is great gain.” -I Timothy 6:6  Also Paul stated, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be CONTENT.” (Philippians 4:11)]

LOVE DOESN’T STRUT, DOESN’T HAVE A SWELLED HEAD, DOESN’T FORCE ITSELF ON OTHERS.

[Since humility is an indispensable component of true love, marriage might be properly viewed as a divinely-appointed ‘learning zone’ for personal humility.  James 4:10 says, “HUMBLE YOURSELVES in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”  Here’s the thing: You and I don’t have to ‘win’ all the time!]

[LOVE] ISN’T ALWAYS “ME FIRST.”

[Although Luke 6:38 is most often recited during church offering appeals, it has a definite bearing on our relationships. Jesus said “GIVE, and it will be GIVEN TO YOU: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into YOUR BOSOM.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  Galatians 6:7 states the same principle in another way: “Whatever a man SOWS, that he will also REAP.”  It is a general truism that, in our relationships, we receive again whatever we have sown!]

[LOVE] DOESN’T FLY OFF THE HANDLE.

[Disagreements occur, but there is a God-given way to handle them.  Ephesians 4:26-27 says “Be ANGRY, and DO NOT SIN.  Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”  Also Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”  Now hear this.  Our spoken words have enduring impact, as well as our attitudes.  So we must be ever so careful and prayerful in how we deploy them.]

[LOVE] DOESN’T KEEP SCORE OF THE SINS OF OTHERS. 

[Our relationships should not be navigated via ‘memory calculators.’  In Matthew 18:21-22, “Peter came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I FORGIVE HIM?  Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”  Just like the now famous lyric-line from the movie “Frozen,” we must learn to “Let it go!”] 

[LOVE] DOESN’T REVEL [take pleasure] WHEN OTHERS GROVEL, [feel humbled or humiliated].

[Love genuinely celebrates the success of others, and mourns their reversals and losses.]

[LOVE] TAKES PLEASURE IN THE FLOWERING OF TRUTH.

[Honesty and integrity are mission critical to relational success.  The Word declares, in Psalm 15:2, that a blessed man is one who “walks uprightly, works righteousness and SPEAKS THE TRUTH in his heart.”]

[LOVE] PUTS UP WITH ANYTHING. 

[Wow…this is truly a tough one!  It implies unconditional love that declares, emphatically and consistently, that there are no alternatives.  In other words, quitting is not an option.  Relationships require hard work, sacrifice and courage.  I Peter 4:12-13 says, “Beloved, DO NOT THINK IT STRANGE concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”  James said we must “Count it all JOY…” (James 1:2)  And JESUS advised us to “REJOICE, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” (Matthew 5:12)  Each of these scriptures has definite application and bearing on our relationships.]

[LOVE] TRUSTS GOD ALWAYS.

[Christ is the focal point and partner in healthy relationships.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”]

[LOVE] ALWAYS LOOKS FOR THE BEST. 

[Just as God looks for the best in us, we must look for and expect the best in others.  In Jeremiah 29:11, GOD says, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE.”  LOVE requires FAITH.  And “faith works by love.” (Galatians 5:6)  Are you expecting bigger-and-better with your significant other, or did you drink the ‘Kool-Aid’ of doubt and despair?]

[LOVE] NEVER LOOKS BACK, BUT KEEPS GOING TO THE END.   

[Once a relationship issue has been settled, we must LET THE PAST BE THE PAST.  This requires kindness, compassion and, most importantly, forgiveness.  Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be KIND to one another, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, even as GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU.”  In The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches to pray, “Forgive us our debts, AS we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)  Also Jesus said, “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15)  As we focus prayerfully and positively on our present and our future, we will find resolution, restoration, hope, peace and positive outcomes. Hang in there!  In the words of Jesus Christ, “He who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)]

The remainder of I Corinthians, chapter 13:

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.  When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.  We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!  But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

After all is said and done, LOVE IS A DECISION.  Love is NOT a feeling, emotion, thrill, or anything that has the potential to change or fade away.  LOVE IS A COMMITMENT…A DECISION.  Have you decided to love?

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

LIFE PERSPECTIVE

LIFE PERSPECTIVE

Things are seldom as bad as they seem, and never as bad as they could be.  Consider this intriguing letter, penned by a college student to her parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

It has been three months since I left for college.  I have been remiss in writing, and I am very sorry for my thoughtlessness in not having written before.  I will bring you up to date now.  But before you read on, please sit down.  You are not to read any further unless you are sitting down.  Okay?

Well then, I am getting along pretty well at this point.  The skull fracture and the concussion I got when I jumped out of the window of my dormitory when it caught fire shortly after my arrival are pretty well healed by now.  I only spent two weeks in the hospital, and now I can see almost normally and I only get those sick headaches once or twice a day.

Fortunately, my dormitory fire and jump out the window were witnessed by an attendant at a nearby gas station.  He was the one who called the Fire Department and ambulance.  He also visited me at the hospital. Since I had nowhere to live because of the burnt-out dormitory, he was kind enough to invite me to share his apartment.  It’s really a basement room, but it’s kind of cute.  He is a very fine boy.  We have fallen deeply in love and are planning to get married.  We haven’t set the exact date yet, but it will definitely be before my pregnancy begins to show.

Yes, Mom and Dad, your only daughter is pregnant.  I know how much you were looking forward to being grandparents, and I know you will welcome the baby and give it the same love and devotion you gave to me as a child.

One more thing.  The reason for the delay in our wedding date is that Michael has some very large debts from three previous marriages that need to be worked off before we can afford to get married.

So now that I have brought you up to date, Mom and Dad, I want to tell you that 1) there was no dormitory fire, 2) I did not get a concussion or a skull fracture, 3) I was not in the hospital, 4) I am not pregnant, 5) I am not engaged, and 6) there is no man in my life.  HOWEVER, I am getting a “D” in History and an “F” in Chemistry, and I wanted you to see these marks in the PROPER PERSPECTIVE.

Your loving daughter,

Edna

Although this story is considerably over-the-top and a bit humorous, there is an important lesson here.  My friend, stop stressing so much and believing so strongly that you are experiencing the worst of times – with no future prospects for tangible improvement and divine blessing.  Don’t drink the ANXIETY KOOL-AID!  FEAR NOT!  F.E.A.R. is merely False Evidence Appearing Real.  Remember: God’s got your back.  So why not smile and enter into THE FAITH ZONE?

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

THE TENURE TRAP

THE TENURE TRAP

It isn’t always about how LONG we have done something; it’s about how WELL we have done it.

Two teachers applied for an administrative position in their high school.  One had been teaching for 8 years, and the other for 20.  Everyone expected the teacher with the greater seniority to land the job, but when a decision was handed down the person with only 8 years of teaching was chosen.  

The more tenured teacher felt cheated out of the opportunity and reacted bitterly: “I’ve got 20 years teaching to her 8,” he complained, “so I’m much more qualified.”

The School Board’s response was simple: “Yes sir, you do have 20 years to her 8.  But where she has 8 years of diverse teaching experience, you have 1 year of experience repeated 20 times.”

The mere passage of time does not guarantee that we have grown, learned or accomplished as we ought.  We must be careful to pay attention and perform at our God-ordained ‘best,’ which means that we should not continually exist on ‘cruise control.’  Let’s examine ourselves – systematically, prayerfully and honestly.

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

UNDER DIVINE PROTECTION

UNDER DIVINE PROTECTION

Prayerfully ponder these inspirational promises in God’s Word.

Psalm 121 (New King James Version)

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help.  My help comes from THE LORD, who made heaven and earth.  HE will not allow your foot to be moved; HE who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, HE who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  THE LORD is your keeper; THE LORD is your shade at your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  THE LORD shall preserve you from all evil; HE shall preserve your soul.  THE LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Never forget, Winner-Believer, that GOD has the first and last word on your situation.

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

WHY THINGS ARE BOUND TO GET BETTER

WHY THINGS ARE BOUND TO GET BETTER

Believers have a sure covenant relationship with God.  And as long as WE are faithful to our part of this spiritual contract, THE LORD is legally obligated to honor and to perform His Word.

Here is some tangible evidence for your upcoming life-improvement:

YOUR FUTURE IS GUARANTEED TO BE BRIGHTER.

“The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” (Proverbs 4:18)

GOD HONORS AND UPHOLDS HIS WORD.

“Then said the Lord unto me, You have seen well and I am ready to perform My word.” (Jeremiah 1:12)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS PRAYERS.

“It shall come pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24)

GOD CANNOT LIE OR FAIL.

“In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word.” (Titus 1:2-3)

 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

GOD HAS A PLAN TO RELEASE YOUR BLESSING.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

GOD HAS A TIMETABLE TO RELEASE YOUR BLESSING.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak, and it will not lie.  Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2:3)

GOD HAS A WAY TO POSITION YOU FOR DIVINE BLESSING.

“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.” (Joshua 1:8)

Bottom-line: THINGS WILL GET BETTER – SIMPLY BECAUSE ALMIGHTY GOD SAYS SO!  My friend, whose report do you believe?  Will you believe that which was crafted by ‘the father of lies’ or that which is certified to be ever accurate and available by THE ONE who is “the way, the truth and the life?” (John 8:44 – John 14:6)

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