LIGHTS NEEDED

LIGHTS NEEDED

One cold day in December, a Christian gentleman was walking down a Chicago street.  He noticed that someone had thrown a handful of bird seed on the ground to nourish the sparrows who were now experiencing the cruel cold of winter.  Dozens and dozens of sparrows had come (seemingly out of nowhere) to enjoy their unexpected feast.  

This man edged closer to enjoy the satisfying sight of God’s creatures being fed.  But as he approached, the birds became anxious.  Another step forward, and they prepared to flee.  Two more steps, and they all flew away, leaving their winter banquet behind.

The man stopped and considered what had happened.  Why had the sparrows scattered when he had no evil intentions toward them?  Then it dawned on him.  It was not his intentions, but his bodily presence that had so frightened them.  He was so big in comparison to the tiny sparrows, and the only way he could have walked among those birds without scaring them would be to somehow assume their own characteristics. 

If only he could become a sparrow for a while, the man thought.  He could be close and he could communicate.

Isn’t this a clear picture of THE INCARNATION?  God’s righteousness loomed so large and humankind’s sins and shortcomings caused us to seem so very small.  Nevertheless, “God SO loved the world” that He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, i.e. to become “Emmanuel,’” God with us, and ultimately to endure our shame, our sin, our pain and our judgment. (John 3:16 – Matthew 1:23 – Romans 5:19)

We existed in absolute darkness until “the light of the world” drew nigh to us and forever redeemed us from the curse of sin and death. (John 8:12) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) 

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Now, it is our turn; it is our task to BECOME THE LIGHT and to shine brightly in the darkness of this world system, especially into the lives of those persons whom God has positioned in close proximity to you. (Philippians 2:15 – Matthew 5:16) 

SHINE.

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

ONE NEVER KNOWS

ONE NEVER KNOWS

If anyone of you are tempted to feel sad or depressed during this Christmas season due to a lack of adequate resources or the absence or loss of a loved one, you must read and share the following story written by an unknown author.  It will surely inspire and bless you.

A pastor and his wife were given their first assignment, to reopen a church in Brooklyn, New York.  They arrived in early October, thrilled beyond measure to be entering this very exciting ministry opportunity.  However, as they entered the church, their enthusiasm faded because they found the building to be run down and in dire need of restoration and repairs.  But right then and there, they set a goal to have all the necessary work done in time to have their first worship service on Christmas Eve.

They worked diligently, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on December 18th they were well ahead of schedule, just about finished with their daunting task.  Nevertheless, on December 19th a stormy tempest hit the area and lasted for two full days.

On the 21st of December, the pastor went over to inspect the edifice.  His heart sank when he discovered that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary, just behind the pulpit.  The pastor swept up the mess on the floor.  Not knowing what else to do, he headed homeward, planning to postpone their first service.   On the way home he noticed a local business sponsoring a flea market for charity, so he decided to stop by.

One of the items on sale was a beautiful, hand-made, ivory colored, crochet table cloth.  It was truly an exquisite work of art, with striking colors and an ornate cross embroidered at the center.  The new pastor thought, ‘It is just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall of the sanctuary!’  So he bought it and quickly headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow.  An older woman hurried from the opposite direction, trying to catch a passing bus, but she missed it.  The pastor invited her to wait inside the warm sanctuary for the next bus, which was due to arrive 45 minutes later.  The grateful woman sat in a pew and paid little attention to the pastor while he gathered a ladder and wall hangers to mount the gorgeous tablecloth as a church tapestry.  The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and how perfectly it covered the entire problem area.  Just then, he noticed the woman walking slowly down the center aisle, wearing a shocked facial expression.

“Pastor,” she inquired, “Where…where…did you get that tablecloth?”

The pastor related the story of his recent purchase.  The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials “EBG” were present there, and they were.  These were actually the initials of that very woman, who had made the tablecloth herself 35 years previously while living in Austria.

The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.  When the Nazis arrived, her husband sent her to safety, and planned to follow the next week.  Unfortunately, she was captured, detained in a camp, and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor offered to give her the tablecloth, but she insisted that he keep it for the church.  He said “Then I will drive you home; that is the least I can do.”  The woman lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day doing a housecleaning job.

Christmas Eve arrived, and what a wonderful service they had!  The church was practically full, and the Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of all who attended.  At the close of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many people promised to return often.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews with a blank stare on his face, and the pastor wondered why he did not leave with all the rest.  The man asked, “Where did you get the tablecloth on the front wall?  It is identical to one my wife made years ago when we lived in Austria before the war.  Could there be two tablecloths so much alike?”

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for safety with plans to follow her, but then he was arrested and placed in a concentration camp.  He never saw his wife or his home again for all the 35 years in between.

The pastor smiled inwardly and asked the gentleman if he would accompany him on a ride.  They drove to Staten Island, to the same building where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.  He helped the elderly man climb three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and saw the greatest Christmas reunion one could ever imagine!

What a miraculous story of the matchless grace and marvelous love of our God!  None of this heartwarming story would have been possible without the terrible storm and the resultant hole in the church sanctuary!  So often, our apparent 'storms' are simply divine appointments that ultimately bless us and others.  

In truth, ONE NEVER KNOWS what GOD has in store.  So…please…do not surrender to doubt or despair.  It is my prayer that your Christmas will be endowed with the fullness of peace and joy that is the life and legacy of OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD.

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

ENTONCES

ENTONCES

After studying the Spanish language for five years in junior and senior high school, one of the more memorable and significant words I learned is “entonces.”  It simply means then.  I like both the sound and the meaning of that word because it is a reminder that all of God’s promises are conditional.  We, as covenant people, have struck a solemn agreement with God, i.e. we will faithfully honor His Word and, in turn, He will surely fulfill His promises.  We have been afforded a powerful scriptural witness to this truth.

II Chronicles 7:14
IF my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN [entonces] will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

IF…THEN…

Think about it.  Our culture continues to deteriorate – morally, ethically, socially, financially and spiritually.  Nevertheless, whenever I hear Christians complaining and bemoaning over our current state of affairs, an unseen bubble mentally materializes overhead.  These words are inscribed within: “What are WE doing about our societal situation?”

IF…THEN…

IF believers would once more take hold of “the horns of the altar” of consecration, as Moses did, and sanctify it (and ourselves) with the precious blood of the covenant, we would rediscover the awesome power that so often lies dormant and invisible in our generation. (Leviticus 8:15) Obviously, God is not calling us again to animal sacrifices, as were honored and observed under the old covenant.  Rather, God is summoning us to become “living sacrifices,” absolutely willing to serve and secure His Kingdom and to thereby transform a challenging and compromising world system. (Romans 12:1-2)

Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

In view of the above scriptures, every Christian’s THEN is actually right NOW.  Therefore, it is incumbent on us to be healed, unified, empowered and mobilized in this hour.  As such, we will seize every opportunity to become fully operational “POWER TOOLS” in the skillful hands of THE FATHER.  After all, within this present world system, GOD’S POWER IS ULTIMATELY ON DISPLAY IN US.  My friend, kindly embrace your THEN (right now) by faith in the Word He has declared about you before the foundation of the world.

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

SUCCESS SIGNPOSTS

SUCCESS SIGNPOSTS

In preparation for our journey into 2017, it seems appropriate to share some dynamic success strategies published by Forbes, extracted from Dan Schawbel’s article entitled “14 Things Every Successful Person Has In Common.”  While the article focuses more so on the business world, there is definite application to every walk of life.  In Mr. Schawbel’s words…

I’m constantly interviewing successful people here at Forbes.  Since 2007, I’ve spoken to over 1,200 CEOs, celebrities, authors, politicians and even an astronaut.  When speaking to these individuals, I always notice common traits that they all have, which lend to their success.  I’ve boiled all of these into the top 14 things that all of them have in common.

1.        They know when to stay and when to leave.  Successful people know exactly when they should change employers, start a company or fold their company.  They have good intuition and aren’t afraid to make hard choices, despite opposing forces.

2.       They do more than what’s asked of them.  They view their job descriptions as just the beginning of what they can do with their job.  After they’ve completed their mandatory tasks, they will always ask to take on more projects that challenge them.  They are even willing to take on the tedious work that no one else wants to do in order to be a team player.

3.       They are willing to fail in order to eventually succeed.  All successful people know that it doesn’t come easy and they are bound to fail more than they will succeed at anything.  They are willing to learn from each failure, as it will help them make better decisions that lead to success later.  While many people give up after failing at something, a successful person will persevere.

4.       They know that they make their own fortune.  Success is derived from hard work over time and positioning yourself for success.  You won’t randomly get there and successful people know that.  They will do at least one thing every single day to put themselves in a better position to grow.

5.       They set real goals that they can accomplish.  Successful people wake up and they’ve already planned their day, while unsuccessful people are scrambling to figure out what they need to do next.  Their goals are very focused, big, yet obtainable and are aligned to their strengths.  They know what they are capable of and will invest all of their efforts in it, avoiding their weaknesses.

6.       They take accountability for themselves and their actions.  They aren’t relying on other people in order to get the job done.  Instead, they are looking inwards and are trying to find the solutions, while leveraging their current assets.  If they make a mistake, they own up to it and immediately think of ways that they can improve next time, not making the same mistake twice.

7.       They make change instead of being affected by it.  Successful people aren’t waiting around to be affected by economic trends.  They are the ones who are creating the trends and making things happen.

8.       They are able to adjust to changes in the marketplace.  Successful people are willing to reinvent themselves to stay relevant in the business world.  They understand that if you stay stagnant and ignore trends, that you will be left behind.  They are constantly coming up with new ideas, searching for the next big thing and getting new skills.

9.       They can communicate their story effectively.  If you walk up to a successful person and ask them what they do, they will able to tell you everything in a concise manner.  They know who they are, what they do and can make you believe in them.  They have strong posture and are very persuasive and confident.

10.     They ask the right questions to the people who can deliver the right answers.  Successful people know they need to solve problems by tapping their networks.  They aren’t afraid of emailing or calling the best person who can answer their questions.  They are always prepared with the right questions and are always willing to help the other person out in return.

11.      They are life-long learners who push themselves out of their comfort zones.  While most people think that when they graduate college, they are finished being a student, successful people remain students.  They are constantly learning new things and have new experiences.  They aren’t afraid to try new activities and to fail at them.

12.     They know who they are and their place in the world.  Successful people are confident and can lead themselves, as well as others.  They have their own vision and mission and seek to bring it to life on a daily basis.  They also know who they aren’t and don’t waste time on things that they aren’t good at or aren’t satisfied with.

13.     They are more excited about the journey than the pay out.  Successful people ignore get rich quick schemes.  They are more focused on building sustainable careers through hard work, risk taking and creativity.  They enjoy the journey, despite the obstacles, because they are doing something that has meaning in their lives.

14.     They create instead of just consume.  While most people are busy reading emails, watching TV or listening to a podcast, successful people are creating new tools, presentations and coming up with ideas.  They are the ones who are making things that other people need instead of being on the other end of the spectrum, consuming them.

My friend, I thought you might want to seriously consider these insightful and strategic principles.  In preparation for your future, keep on praying, keep on rejoicing and keep on working diligently.

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

PERSPICACITY

PERSPICACITY

It is an uncommon word, but it is vitally important.  According to Dictionary.com, “perspicacity” represents “keenness of mental perception and understanding.”  As such, it is synonymous with vision, insight and discernment.  Question: What are you seeing today…and through which lens and with what level of focus are you perceiving it? 

Shortly after the miracle of the feeding of 5,000 men and their families, Jesus encountered a blind man in Bethsaida.  The people surrounding this man wanted Jesus to pray, touch and heal him. However, his healing process was most unique and unexpected.  Mark records that Jesus applied “spit” mixed with dirt on the blind man’s eyes.  When he interviewed the man about his ability to see, the response was “I see men as trees, walking.”  Jesus was not deterred from his healing mission by only an initial partial restoration of sight.  “He put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” (Mark 8:22-25)

While believers have certainly attained to salvation “by grace…through faith,” many have not yet received clear vision concerning next steps in The Kingdom. (Ephesians 2:8) Whenever we lack clear vision, we are prone to wandering in circles, much like the Israelites did during their 40-year sojourn from Egypt to The Promised Land.

As they say in the U.S. Navy, “Now hear this!”  We already have all the necessary tools we need to attain Kingdom Perspicacity.

Firstly, we must “look up,” i.e. we must seek and practice the presence of God until we receive complete healing.  Continual prayer is prerequisite to manifesting and sustaining the presence of the Lord. (I Thessalonians 5:17) Secondly, we must rely on His Word and His Holy Spirit for life-wisdom, which includes specific insights and daily direction. (II Timothy 2:15 and John 14:26) Thirdly, we must embrace, engage and fellowship with other believers who are firmly established in the faith. (Acts 2:46-47 and Hebrews 10:25)

Finally, we must pay special attention to our spiritual diet.  Whenever our intake is insubstantial, faithless, or erroneous, our vision remains undernourished, underdeveloped and cloudy.  Now is the time to transition to our higher/highest level of spiritual awareness and acuity via a positive and powerful connectivity with Christ.  Ask God to help you to see yourself through HIS EYES – to see yourself as HE sees you.  Heavenly insight secures a steadfast VISION regarding (both) your Kingdom mission and God’s intentional design for the relationships He has sown within your sphere of influence.

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

THE PARADOX OF OUR TIME IN HISTORY

THE PARADOX OF OUR TIME IN HISTORY

Jeff Dickson penned an intriguing essay about contemporary times and how utterly paradoxical they can be.  To be transparent, I saw some of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ while perusing it, so I must take the appropriate actions and make the requisite course corrections.  Read it, ponder it and see if you can identify any personal growth edges because all of us need an occasional look in the mirror to foster meaningful growth and development.

The paradox of our time in history is that
We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
We spend more, but have less;
We buy more, but enjoy it less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families;
More conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
More knowledge, but less judgment;
More experts, but more problems;
More medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We’ve added years to our lives, not life to our years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
But have trouble crossing the street to meet our new neighbor.
We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men, and short character;
Steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
More leisure, but less fun;
More kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce;
Of fancier houses, but broken homes.
It is a time when there is much in the show window
And nothing in the stock room;
A time when technology can bring this letter to you,
And a time when you can choose either to make a difference
Or just hit delete.

Now that you have read Mr. Dickson’s essay, what will you do about it?  Certainly, this is a season in which all of us can afford to share (and stimulate) more kindness, sensitivity, patience, understanding, compassion and love.  You won’t need Euros, dollars, rands, lira, rupees, rubles, francs, pesos, pounds or shillings to do it.  It will cost nothing but the precious and priceless gift of you.  

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

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NAME! (Part III)

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NAME! (Part III)

JESUS CHRIST is the SON OF GOD, which means He is EMMANUEL, God with us. (Galatians 2:20 – Matthew 1:23) However, we must never forget that Jesus Christ is also the “SON OF MAN.” (Matthew 8:20)  I am ecstatic about that fact since, as MARY’S BABY, he personified and shared every physical limitation that characterizes and constrains fallen humanity.  Therefore, Jesus would surely have experienced our sicknesses and our pains; Jesus would have encountered our problems and our pressures.  Such human experiences both authenticate and position him as a compassionate high priest. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, NKJV) 

This important Bible truth highlights the primary difference between Jesus and any other human being that was ever born into this world.  Jesus Christ “was IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN.” I love the victorious testimony of Jesus: “I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” (John 16:33) His capacity to overcome (while living on earth) clearly establishes and enables our ability (as born again believers) to conquer the trials and temptations that are imposed upon us by this world system.  “YOU ARE OF GOD, little children, and HAVE OVERCOME THEM: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4) What a revelatory promise!  What a gracious privilege!  What a marvelous possession!

For today, we focus on the status of Jesus Christ as the SON OF GOD.  The expression, “Son of God,” means that Jesus is the personification and incarnation of God, Himself.  Prayerfully consider the following passage of scripture:

John 14:6-11
⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

⁷ “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 

¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 

¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Thus, the Word reveals that Jesus Christ is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. (Hebrews 1:1-3 – John 1:1-3) The concept of the Trinity is a great mystery, but it is clearly made manifest at the baptism of Jesus. (Matthew 3:13-17)  The Trinity can be more readily understood if we consider the nature of something totally familiar to all of us: WATER.  Water presents itself in three forms: LIQUID (drinking water), SOLID (frozen water), and GAS (steam or vaporized water).  All three forms of water have precisely the same chemical composition: H2O.  Two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen are necessary to have water.  This holds true, no matter what FORM water takes.  However, each of these three forms of water (liquid, solid, gas) has a distinct function.  We DRINK the liquid; we are COOLED by the solid; and objects are PURIFIED by the gas or ‘steam’ form of water, e.g. a hospital autoclave which is used to purify reusable medical equipment.  

Deuteronomy 6:4 records the foundational scripture of Judaism, which is commonly called the SHEMA: “Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord.”  The meaning is crystal clear. There is but ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.  There is but ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT who may be substantively identified and worshiped as GOD.  The New Testament extends this revelation of the nature and character of God, informing us that the ONE GOD assumes THREE DISTINCT PERSONALITIES to communicate and commune with humankind: God, the Father…God, the Son…God, the Holy Spirit.  THERE IS ONE GOD…WITH THREE DISTINCT REVELATIONS AND MANIFESTATIONS of His infinite love and grace toward us.  Think about it.  Liquid is water.  Ice is water.  Steam is water.  That is, they are one and the same substance in three distinct forms.  Likewise, the doctrine of the Trinity reveals ONE AND THE SAME GOD, manifested to mankind in THREE DISTINCT FORMS OR PERSONALITIES.

Therefore, when we refer to Jesus Christ as the SON OF GOD, we are not implying that he is inferior to (or less than) God, the Father.  They are ONE IN SUBSTANCE; they are ONE IN POWER; they are ONE IN AGREEMENT; and yes, they are ONE IN BEING.  Indeed, it is a mystery; nevertheless, it is divine truth.  Even as a twelve-year-old boy, Jesus fully understood that he was the Son of God and must be about his Father’s Kingdom business.  This truth was reaffirmed at his baptism. (Matthew 3:13-17) In his subsequent 40-day fast and temptation experience in the wilderness, it was obvious that Satan (a.k.a. Lucifer, a former archangel of Heaven) recognized him immediately as the SON OF GOD.  The Word declares that “the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19) During His passion, Jesus was interrogated and implicitly identified by the high priest: “I put you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are Christ, the SON OF GOD!” (Matthew 26:63) Later, an unbelieving Roman centurion standing at the foot of his cross felt compelled to proclaim, “Truly this was the SON OF GOD.” (Matthew 27:54) JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD.  As has often been stated, ‘The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.’ (Philippians 2:5-8 – I John 3:2) 

Stay tuned…more to come on Monday!

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