UNDESERVED FAVOR (Part II)

UNDESERVED FAVOR (Part II)

 GRACE may be defined as the manifestation of favor by a superior, which is characterized by mercy, pardon and goodwill.  Grace refers to the free and unmerited act of GOD by which He restores His estranged creations to Himself. (Ephesians 2:8)  It's absolutely amazing!

 At the heart of Christianity’s doctrine of grace is the reality of original sin, i.e. that we humans had fallen from our first estate of full fellowship with the Father by deliberate acts of rebellion and disobedience.  We had been purposefully created in the very image of God, but we lost that image by the willful decision to elevate satanic deception over and above the eternal truth of our Creator. (Genesis 3:1-24)

 Grace opens the portal to forgiveness, but we humans were absolutely powerless to either EARN forgiveness or RESTORE our intimate fellowship with the Father.  We had sinned willfully against the directives of our Creator, therefore we became eligible recipients of “the wages of sin,” which means death, i.e. spiritual separation from God along with physical mortality. (Romans 6:23)

 It is important to note that our sinful acts created a terrible dilemma between the JUSTICE OF GOD and the MERCY OF GOD.  While the justice of God demands a death sentence for willful rebellion to His clearly stated commands, the mercy of God mobilizes a divine intervention of love, mercy, pardon and reconciliation.  

JESUS CHRIST becomes the gracious and efficacious solution to the awful dilemma that had been caused by us.  As a MORTAL MAN, Jesus Christ was “born in the likeness of sinful flesh,” and therefore had to proactively resist the human tendency toward rebellion and sin. (Romans 8:3) However, as GOD INCARNATE, Jesus Christ possessed both the ability and spiritual authority to resist satanic temptation, so He lived a righteous life and eventually endured our just punishment (vicariously on Calvary’s cross), thereby freeing us from condemnation, captivity, destruction and death. (Hebrews 12:2)

 After declaring “it is finished” and giving up the ghost, Jesus was immediately buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea with the assistance of Nicodemus. (John 19:30-42) The scriptures inform us that Jesus thereafter descended into the lower chambers of hell to snatch away the keys to death, hell and the grave from our arch- “adversary” and “accuser.” (Revelation 1:18 – I Peter 5:8 – Revelation 12:10) In a word, Jesus Christ went to hell in our name, so we could go to Heaven in His name.  And then He rose from the grave with “all power in Heaven and earth” in His hands. (Matthew 28:18) Hallelujah, what a Savior!

 Today, we humans are confronted with a monumental life-or-death choice, to either cooperate with the grace of God, thereby gaining eternal life, or to stubbornly resist His benevolent plan of salvation, thereby confirming our eligibility for eternal punishment. (Joshua 24:15)

 GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR US.  This means that His grace is always ‘enough’ to save, sanctify, satisfy and sustain us, despite our human frailty and weaknesses. (II Corinthians 12:9) This means that God’s supernatural strength is paradoxically perfected within the deepest dregs of human weakness.  To wit, we are enabled (BY HIS POWER) to make effective affirmations of faith that run contrary to our human perceptions, emotions and senses.  Through faith in Christ, the weak can boldly SAY “I am strong!”  By this faith, the sick can confidently DECLARE “I am well!”  And by this faith, the poor can expectantly DECREE “I am rich!” (Philippians 4:13)

 One of the more interesting aspects of grace was taught to the Body of Christ by the Wesley brothers, John and Charles.  They often spoke of “PREVENIENT GRACE,” which simply means that long before we became conscious of our dire need for salvation, GOD was proactively working behind-the-scenes of our lives to bring us to the point of salvation and surrender.  He accomplished this by deploying a wide array of words, witnesses, relationships and life-situations that spoke both subtly and powerfully of His love, mercy and grace.  In truth, none of us ‘found’ God.  Rather, HE found us – so we are especially and eternally grateful. (Deuteronomy 32:10)

 It’s His unmerited mercy…it’s our undeserved favor…and it goes by the name of AMAZING GRACE!

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

UNDESERVED FAVOR (Part I)

UNDESERVED FAVOR (Part I)

 Be prayerfully attentive to this gracious tale of a Christian student.

 I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time before the final exam in Youth Issues class.  When I arrived, everyone was doing last minute studying.  Our professor entered and said he would do a brief review prior to the test.  We completed the review, encountering some ‘new’ items that were not in our study guide.  When questioned, he said all of the information is in the textbook that we were responsible to read.  We really couldn’t argue with that.  Finally, it was time to take the test.

 “Kindly leave your exams face down on the desk until I tell you to start,” our professor instructed.  When we turned the tests over, every answer had already been filled in!  The bottom of the last page had this message: “This is the end of your Final Exam.  All the answers on your test are 100% correct.  You will receive an ‘A’ on the final exam.  The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you.  All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you to get an “A” grade.  You have just experienced GRACE.”

 Then, he queried each student individually, “What is your grade?  Do you deserve the grade you’ve received?  How much did your personal preparation for this exam help you to achieve your final grade?”

 Typically, I am not very emotional, but I had to fight back tears when answering those questions and thinking about how the ‘creator’ had aced my test for me.

 Our subsequent class discussion went something like this: “All semester, I have tried to teach all of you that you are recipients of grace.  I’ve tried to communicate that you need to demonstrate this free and unmerited gift while you are working with youth and with any others.  Never ever hammer people because they are not the enemy.  Help them by empathizing with them, and they will treasure, remember and reproduce GRACE!”

 We became totally transparent and talked about how some of us had studied for hours and others for just a few minutes, but all had received the same grade.  Our professor pointed us to a remarkable story of grace that had been shared by The Master. (Matthew 20:1-16) The owner of a vineyard hired people to work in his field and agreed to pay them a certain amount.  At various times throughout the day, he hired more workers under similar circumstances.  When payday arrived, each worker received the same amount of money.  After workers who had been hired early in the morning complained about unfairness, their employer simply responded, ‘Should you be angry because I am kind and gracious to everyone?’

 Our professor admitted that he had never done this kind of final exam before and likely would never do it again, but due to the judgmental content of some class discussions, he felt that we really needed to experience a practical lesson of grace.

 It’s a phenomenal story and a symbolic representation of the divine favor that The Creator affords us.  I love what the prolific Christian author, Max Lucado, shares about the amazing gift of GRACE, which is the simply the unmerited favor of God.  “Grace,” he says, “is God as heart surgeon, cracking open your chest, removing your heart – poisoned as it is with pride and pain – and replacing it with his own.”  Oh, how I love Jesus!  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

 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!

CHOOSING NOT TO DO NOTHING

CHOOSING NOT TO DO NOTHING

 I know the title is a double negative.  One might suppose I would know better, but it is what it is!  I thought it might be appropriate to share a short story with you today – a children’s story at that.

 Winnie-The-Pooh is one of the most beloved children’s characters of all time.  Of course, Pooh is the bear who belongs to Christopher Robin.  At the end of the one of the Winnie-The-Pooh stories we learn that Christopher Robin will soon head for school.  Here’s how the story goes.

 Now there comes a time in everyone’s life when toys and games are replaced by pencils and books.  You see Christopher Robin was going away to school.  Nobody in the forest knew exactly why or where he was going.  All they knew was that it had something to do with twice times and ABCs and places like Brazil, and such.

 “Pooh, what do you like doing best in the world?” asked Christopher Robin.

 “What I like best is me coming to visit you and saying, How about a smackerel of honey?”

 “I like doing that too, but what I like doing best is Nothing.”

 “How do you do Nothing?” Winnie wondered.

 “It’s when grown-ups ask, ‘What are you going to do?’  And you say ‘Nothing.’  And then you go and do it.”

 “I like it, let’s do that all the time.”

 “You know something, Pooh, I’m not going to do just Nothing anymore.”

 “You mean never again?” wondered Pooh.

 “Well, not so much,” decided Christopher Robin.

 It’s a cute children’s story, and I am most appreciative that you have so generously allowed for my moment of elementary folly.  However, there is a serious lesson embedded in Winnie-The-Pooh’s ‘child theology.’ 

 Occasionally in life, you and I are sorely tempted to slide into pure passivity and simply do NOTHING.  Our engines might have been stalled by discouragement, by doubt, by criticism, or by imaginary fears of unseen and unknown quantities.  I have learned that doing SOMETHING is a far more productive choice than its polar opposite.  Of course, we must be cautious enough and wise enough to choose a personal path that aligns with the divine will.

 Now hear this, WINNER-BELIEVER!  Never ever surrender to fear.  You can and you will DO SOMETHING because GOD is on your side.  One more thing.  It’s always too soon to quit because YOU SIMPLY CANNOT AND WILL NOT LOSE – so get off the sidelines, get into the game and DO…SOMETHING!

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

DIVINE SECRETS

DIVINE SECRETS

 One of my favorite scriptures is the 25th Psalm of David.  It says, “THE SECRET OF THE LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.” (Psalm 25:14) It is my belief that our Creator endows each of us (at birth) with a sublime and supernatural secret.  It is the special imprint of His divine will for our lives.  It is our unique gift of personal potential, our very reason for being.  We only find lasting peace and fulfillment when we discover and develop it.

 This is the primary reason why so many people are profoundly lacking in peace, joy and contentment.  Simply put, when these key ingredients of life are absent, the overall vision, attitudes and actions of our daily lives have not yet been aligned with THE SECRET POTENTIAL that God breathed into our souls from the beginning.

 Case in point.  At an international conference held in Australia, an Aboriginal speaker named Eddie Kneebone explained the sense of importance his people imparted to their children when they still lived “in the old way on their land.”  At a predetermined time, every young person in the village would be solemnly entrusted with a secret piece of knowledge.  It was vital information that would be pivotal to the tribe’s success or survival.  It might be the location of a hidden waterhole in a dry and thirsty terrain.  It might be the medicinal and healing properties of a certain plant.  It would be one of many very important things.  But most importantly, no one else in the tribe would be given that particular piece of vital knowledge.

When time and necessity intersect with opportunity, that young person will be expected to fully contribute his unique gift of knowledge for the benefit and welfare of every tribal member.  “Imagine,” concluded Mr. Kneebone, “what a sense of importance and belonging this custom gave to our children.  Each of them had a special assignment, an undeniably important role to play in our society.  Self-esteem and a sense of personal worth were the great benefits of our Aboriginal custom.”

 Lesson learned.  To unlock the SECRET PLACE OF POTENTIAL that is granted to us by GOD is to actualize our possibility, productivity, prosperity and peace.

 This mission-critical covenant truth was revealed long ago to the prophet Isaiah.  GOD declared, “I will give you the treasures of darkness and HIDDEN RICHES OF SECRET PLACES.” (Isaiah 45:3) The implications of this divine pronouncement are crystal clear.  No matter how puzzling your personal path might seem to be, GOD providentially dispatches DESTINY via the unveiling of your PURPOSE.  As you “dwell in the SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH...under the shadow of the Almighty,” HIS SECRETS become your own.  And, HIS PRESENCE becomes the place and power of the manifestation of all your hidden potential. (Psalm 91:1)

 The psalmist David put it this way: “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; IN THE SECRET PLACE OF HIS TABERNACLE He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5) Based on the powerful revelation in this Psalm, the Winans popularized an important gospel song message during the 8Os: “I have A SECRET PLACE where I can hide away and talk to YOU all day.”

 In 1952, the year of my birth, [Yes, I’m getting ‘up there’], a very popular game show called “I’VE GOT A SECRET” was initiated by CBS Television.  Here’s how the game was played.  After a clue was provided by the host, celebrity panelists sought to discover THE SECRET of an unknown contestant by asking a series of questions.  The secret would be some fascinating fact about that person's life.  Throughout this process, the viewing audience was already aware of the secret since it was displayed on the television screen.

 THE CREATOR employs a similar (yet infinitely more sophisticated) method in disclosing THE SECRET of your unique purpose on the planet.  Over time, you encounter a series of divine clues which I call “destiny moments,” in which He reveals pieces of your life puzzle.  Here’s the thing.  You are given the option to dramatically speed up the process, i.e. to shine much more light and clarity upon it by familiarizing yourself with the ‘game rules’ that are outlined in The Holy Writ.  Additional clues are revealed continually during private moments of prayer and meditation where you have close encounters with The Host and learn more and more about yourself.

 Bottom-line: Even though you are required to “walk by faith, not by sight,” THE CREATOR does not actually intend for your life to be an absolute and unattainable mystery. (II Corinthians 5:7) However, in order to gain a full revelation and free impartation of HIS PLAN, you must remain in HIS PRESENCE and in close connection to HIS POWER.  In the wise words of the Apostle Peter, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us.” (II Peter 1:3)

In a word, DIVINE SECRETS ARE OURS, when we are ready, willing and able to receive and embrace them. (John 16:13 – Revelation 2:7,11,17,29 – Revelation 3:6,13,22) To reprise my preliminary statement: “THE SECRET OF THE LORD is with those who fear Him, and HE WILL SHOW THEM HIS COVENANT.” (Psalm 25:14)

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

BLUEPRINT FOR LIVING

BLUEPRINT FOR LIVING

 Let’s not make life overly complicated.  The scriptural admonitions of Solomon and Joshua offer concise summaries of our Christian responsibilities and our rewards.

 Ecclesiastes 12:13

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: for this is THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN.

 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.

 Don’t overthink; just do it.  The Master Architect will skillfully assist you with a detailed blueprint that will support order and secure completion in your ‘messy’ construction zone.  Find it in THE BOOK. (Philippians 1:6)

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

LOOK OUT FOR LANDMINES!

LOOK OUT FOR LANDMINES!

Landmines are explosive, concealed, military devices, which are designed to passively destroy or disable enemy targets without the risk of directly engaging a warring adversary.  Injury or death may result, either from the direct blast or from lethal fragments hurled with great force from its epicenter.  During past wars, landmines were detonated by direct pressure, i.e. the weight of the person stepping on the landmine or a vehicle driving over it.

 The latest generation of landmines is deployed to destroy military personnel and vehicles.  These weapons are called “I.E.D.’s” or IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES.  During our most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, numerous allied combatants lost life or limb as the result of these I.E.D.’s.  The use of such landmines remains controversial because they are condemned by “The Geneva Conventions,” seven treaties and protocols that establish standards of humanitarian treatment during warfare [1949], and later they were legally prohibited by “The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines.” [1997]

 It is important to recognize that landmines are typically deployed by COWARDS who seek to destroy their enemies from a safe distance.  It occurs to me that THE CHIEF COWARD, Satan, plants spiritual landmines in his desperate attempts to “kill and destroy” the people of God. (John 10:10)

 How so?  This archenemy of THE CROSS OF CHRIST is fully aware that he could never damage or destroy Almighty God.  Recognizing this, every satanic strategy of tactical destruction is aimed directly at the “children of God,” whom he recognizes as “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17)

 Satanic landmines are deployed by a variety of agents and in a myriad of life-circumstances.  The I.E.D.’s of hell include all of the following and more: 1) Our perceptions of hurt and abandonment when we are on the receiving end of unwarranted criticism; 2) The temptation to become divided against our spiritual siblings over trivial matters; 3) The human tendency to internalize anxiety, loneliness and/or depression during times of loss or grief; 4) Our habit of holding on to stress, doubt and fear instead of fully trusting in God and His unfailing Word; 5) Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

 We are warned by the Apostle Peter to constantly be on the lookout for cataclysmic life-landmines.  “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (I Peter 5:8)

 Nevertheless, I bear exciting news!  GOD has endowed and armed us with robust weapons of spiritual warfare that can obliterate every I.E.D. deployment by our sworn enemy. (II Corinthians 10:4)  Additionally, we are privy to advance intelligence briefings which precisely identify the location and potency of spiritual landmines. 

 By what means are we provided such life-saving information?  Whenever we “pray without ceasing” – whenever we “study to show ourselves approved unto God” – whenever we “walk in the Spirit” – we are amenable and available for THE HOLY SPIRIT to teach us and reveal potentially destructive “things to come.” (I Thessalonians 5:17 – Galatians 5:25 – II Timothy 2:15 – John 14:26-27 – John 16:13)  Finally, we are assuredly shrouded and safeguarded in the “whole armor of God,” through which no satanic weapon can penetrate or prevail. (Ephesians 6:11-18 – Isaiah 54:17)

 Does this mean that spiritual warriors are exempt from watchfulness during our requisite stint of service in the Army of the Lord?  Absolutely not!  Christ commands that we “watch and pray” to nullify the power of satanic I.E.D.’s (Matthew 26:41)  In fact, PRAYERFUL WATCHFULNESS is the requisite key to our being “accounted worthy to escape all things that shall come to pass.” (Luke 21:36)  My friend, be on the lookout for hell’s destructive landmines while trusting in the peace, safety and security of Almighty God.

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

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

 We have all heard this advice time and again: Drink lots and lots of water.  A medical article I read suggests that we drink two glasses of water in the morning (to kick-start our internal organs), one glass prior to meals (for digestive purposes) and one glass at bedtime (to prevent heart attacks and strokes).  Other medical professionals recommend eight glasses daily for a healthy hydration regimen.  Apparently, the consumption of copious amounts of water is crucial to the maintenance of health. 

 First, let’s look at the natural truths, then the spiritual.  Both the composition of planet Earth and the human body provide key clues to the Creator’s intent regarding water.  Our world is comprised of two-thirds water, in contrast with the totality of land masses.  Likewise, our bodies are approximately two-thirds water, which varies somewhat based upon individual characteristics.  Our brains are seventy-five percent water; our lungs (believe it or not) are eighty-three percent water.  That fact makes drowning in water a bit more difficult to understand, right?  Nevertheless, these scientific facts clearly depict the biological necessity of water.

 Long distance runners talk about “hitting the wall,” which means their energy drops to nearly zero if they do not sufficiently hydrate.  The bottom-line is that our bodies were designed to function best with ample H2O.  It might seem counterintuitive to some, but marathoners’ pit-stops for water do not actually slow them.  Rather, taking a few seconds for water quickens their steps and potentiates their ability to run well and finish the race.

 Scientists who specialize in the search for extraterrestrial life search diligently for evidence of water content on other planets.  Their conclusion: Where there is water, there is at least the possibility of life.

 In the Spirit realm, water is also of vital importance.  The word “water” is mentioned over 635 times in the scriptures.  Very early in creation, “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)  And shortly thereafter, God ordered “the waters [to] bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life.” (Genesis 1:20)  Thus, one might rightfully contend that sea life emerged from those potent created waters at Almighty God’s command.  Wow!

 Jesus Christ invited the now famous Samaritan woman-at-the-well to drink of “living water” that would forever quench her spiritual thirst. (John 4:10)  That ‘liquid’ spiritual encounter totally transformed her life, as well as others in her community.  There is another important truth imbedded here.  Whenever your thirst is satisfied, you are motivated to share that refreshing experience with others.  In the final chapters of The Holy Bible, Jesus invites whoever is “thirsty” to drink “of the fountain of the water of life freely.”  This offer is generously extended to all. (Revelation 21:6 and 22:17)

 Even the spiritual process of sanctification for members of the Body of Christ is predicated upon “the washing of water by the word.” (Ephesians 5:26) Thus, Christ’s spiritual water has life-giving, purifying and sustaining properties.

 Within the New Jerusalem, John’s apocalyptic vision reveals the presence of “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”  And “on either side of the river, was the tree of life…and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2)

 Beyond any shadow of doubt, we are spiritually alive (in the here and now) because of Christ’s constant infusion of LIVING WATER.  For the superstitious Athenians who created an altar dedicated to “The Unknown God,” Paul summarized our dependence upon THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD with clarity: “In HIM we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:23;28)

 My friend, make it your business to drink plenty of water.  It will bless you and all those whom you encounter.  An old television commercial by American Express had this memorable slogan: “Don’t leave home without it.”  With all due respect to their corporate claim, I beg to differ.  You can successfully leave home without the American Express card, but you should never think of traveling anywhere without an abundant supply of LIVING WATER. 

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

TRUE BEAUTY

TRUE BEAUTY

 How might beauty best be described or characterized?  It is an enigma, a truly elusive mystery representing centuries of scholarly debate by worldwide philosophers, poets, and theologians.  Dictionary.com defines “beauty” as “the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations, a meaningful design or pattern, or something else.”  In “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” the English romantic poet, John Keats, wrote “Beauty is TRUTH, truth beauty – that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

 Keats seems to have arrived at a reasonable definition, especially since Jesus Christ declared “You shall know the TRUTH, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

 Contemporary culture is inundated and obsessed with so-called IDEAL BEAUTY.  This superficial quest is the crux of many media-related experiences, whether through the film, television, publications, cosmetics or fashion industries.

 However, I love the entirely simplistic and sensible way Sam Levenson defines beauty.  He offers the following prescriptive admonition for all who seek to join the ranks of THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE:

 For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you will never walk alone.

People must be restored, renewed, reclaimed and redeemed.

So never throw anybody out.

The beauty of a woman is not in her clothes, her figure, or her hair.

The beauty of a woman lies in her heart, where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is reflected in her soul.

It’s the caring she gives and the passion she shows;

This kind of beauty just grows and grows!

 The sage, Solomon, wrote “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)  Genuinely beautiful people are authentic lovers of God.  Thus, true beauty is an interior spiritual phenomenon.  If one would be truly beautiful, then it is necessary to have a heart that is truly devoted to God, consistently demonstrating sincerity, empathy and love for neighbors, family, friends and even enemies.  From the vantage point of eternity, all other manifestations of beauty are vain, fleeting and inconsequential.

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

THE CHALLENGE OF KNOWING

THE CHALLENGE OF KNOWING

 During the Old Testament era, God unveiled a simple yet powerful truth through the Prophet Hosea: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) Self-awareness is mission critical, but it can be extremely elusive, especially in the presence of background noises or distracting voices.  Resultantly, many live and die without ever realizing their identity or actualizing their purpose.

 It reminds me of the story of a farmer who found a displaced eagle’s egg.  Failing to recognize its true identity, he gingerly placed the egg in the nest of a barnyard hen.  Soon afterwards, the eaglet hatched.  Naturally, he assumed that the hen was his natural mother and the brood of chicks were siblings.

 So all of his life, the eagle did whatever chickens customarily do, assuming his destiny was intrinsically tied to residents of that barnyard.  He scratched the earth for worms and insects.  He clucked and cackled.  And occasionally, he would thrash his wings and fly just a few feet in the air.  He was dramatically shaped and limited by his 'home environment' and his response to it.

 Years passed by and the eagle grew old.  In his declining years, he spied a beautiful bird flying high above in the cloudless sky.  This magnificent creature glided in graceful majesty through powerful currents of wind.  And it soared to lofty elevations with scarcely a beat of its gorgeous golden wings.

 The old eagle gazed upwards in total awe and wonder.  “Who is that?” he whispered.

 “That’s the eagle, king of all birds,” offered an observant barnyard neighbor.  “HE belongs to the sky.  WE belong to the earth – we are chickens.”  So the poor displaced eagle lived and died as a chicken, for that’s exactly who he thought he was and all he might ever be.

 HEAR ME, EAGLES!  If you always seem out of place and unable to fit in, it may well be that GOD is trying to tell you something.  I challenge you to take out your mirror, the biblical “perfect law of liberty,” and start seeing yourself through the eyes of your CREATOR. (James 1:25)  Jesus Christ declares, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)  Knowing yourself is indeed challenging, but the resultant future rewards are absolutely amazing.

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

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

 A beloved Amish proverb is our summons to practice personal responsibility and accountability.  It simply says, “Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place.” 

 How easy it is to get caught up in the blame game!  However, finger-pointing is never a comely, polite, or healthy practice.  My Dad often reminded us: “Whenever you point your index finger to condemn others, there are three fingers pointing back at you and one pointing up to God.”

 Life experiences teach us that other people are certainly capable of causing pain, pressure, or problems.  But I have a suggested solution, one that might at first seem cynical, but represents a more practical response to the offenses of others.  When you ‘feel’ a certain way about something someone else has done, silently ask yourself this question: “SO WHAT?”  After all, when we net it all out, there are relatively few things others can do that will have a lifelong impact on us – unless WE allow it to be so.  Therefore, any decision to repeatedly rehearse the offenses of others, i.e. to hold tenaciously to anger or an unforgiving spirit, is much more detrimental to ourselves than to others.

 So why not take personal responsibility?  IT’S THE HEALTHY CHOICE.  Frequently, I pray to our Lord, asking Him to reveal my flaws, errors, inconsistencies, or misconceptions.  This enables me to SEE MYSELF more clearly and to move on with my life – even when I realize that someone has acted in a way that might be damaging or deceitful.

 This choice informs and instructs me.

 This choice motivates and mobilizes me.

 This choice favors and frees me to continue the marvelous journey which my Creator has designed – with personal purity, with passionate power and with genuine love.

 I am responsible for my own attitudes and actions. As I arrive at those challenging moments of decision, I choose to seek understanding and peace.  I choose to walk a mile in the shoes of others.  I choose to forgive.  I choose 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!