BEAUTIFIED BY GOD

BEAUTIFIED BY GOD

 We were purposefully created in the image and likeness of an awesome and majestic God.  Throughout our lives, we are touched and transformed by His grace and mercy – as we surrender to the restoring power of His redemptive love.  Although there are moments when we appear to be rather ‘ugly’ and radically different from the Creator’s original design, God has a definite plan and process in mind.  “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)

 In many ways, we have profound similarities to the scarab beetle.  While most people deem beetles and bugs to be somewhat creepy, the jewel scarab just might turn you into a beetle lover.  They live in the jungles of Honduras and their colors are so amazing that they have great value, selling for up to $500 each.  Scarabs are magnificently adorned in flaming red, radiant gold and a bright shade of silver that resembles luminous chrome.  Even beetle haters find jewel scarabs to be absolutely dazzling and beautiful!

 But their origins are radically different from their latter lives.  That is, the jewel scarab’s beauty does not come automatically.  They have rather modest, unsightly beginnings – emerging as soft, mushy, grey-white grubs growing inside rotting tree stumps.  They remain in place for a year or so.  During the rainy season, the adult scarabs emerge from their trees, with that soft body and pale appearance.  However, within hours their bodies harden and their splendid colors start to show.  Jewel scarabs only live for another three months or so, but what a glorious and noteworthy existence.  They are among God’s most gorgeous creations!

 We humans are much like scarab beetles.  There are moments when we may not feel (or appear) to be beautiful or attractive.  I’m not referring to our bodies, but our characters, thoughts, emotions, decisions and actions.  Nevertheless, if we willingly embrace the ongoing creative process of God, eventually we will emerge, with purposeful effort and submission, as beautiful, dazzling, illuminating creatures, bearing the spiritual image of our Creator.

 It’s a process.  It’s a process.  It’s a process. 

 In case you didn’t hear me, IT’S A PROCESS.

 So hang in there while the Divine Architect completes His work in you.  The finished product that God strategically formulates in the body/mind/spirit of every believer is reminiscent of my life-verse, Philippians 1:6. “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” 

 Never be afraid to offer this candid and transparent testimony to any person you may encounter along this journey called life: “Please be patient with me…God is not through with me yet.”  Indeed, much like the jewel scarab beetle, your Creator is gradually configuring and conforming you to the image of Christ. 

 You will shine!

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

CHARACTER COUNTS

CHARACTER COUNTS

 Since all know that death is inevitable, we should carefully consider this.  At the end of our days, what is it that you or I would have written as an epitaph on our own grave?  I came across an interesting story that speaks quite eloquently about the meaning and legacy of life.

 Wilbur and Orville Wright made their mark in history by carrying out the first successful air flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903.  Although they came from a very close family, their father, a bishop in the United Brethren Church, was initially skeptical about their aviation ventures.

 Unfortunately, Wilbur died quite early, at the age of 45.  His father left a record of this tragic event in his personal diary, which reads as follows:

 May 30, 1912

 This morning at 3:15, Wilbur passed away, aged 45 years, 1 month, and 14 days.  A short life, full of great consequences.  An unfailing intellect, imperturbable temper, great self-reliance and as great modesty.  Seeing the right clearly, pursuing it steadily, he lived and he died.

 Take note that there was no mention at all of Wilbur’s great pioneering successes in the field of aviation.  You see, for Wilbur’s father, it was not making that first successful air flight that made Wilbur great.  It was his loving relationships and outstanding character.

 More than anything you and I might possibly achieve in this life, it is our character that actually counts.  My friends, let us firmly resolve to live right…before God and man.

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

WHAT IF THEY DON'T BELIEVE?

WHAT IF THEY DON’T BELIEVE?

One of the most challenging things in life is to convince an unbeliever of the reality of the true and living God.  That’s why spiritual regeneration is a task reserved exclusively for the incalculable power of the Holy Spirit.  Our job is to sow seeds.  His job is to bring on the harvest.

These truths call to memory a comic strip entitled “Hagar the Horrible.”  In one epic moment, we find Hagar kneeling in prayer.  And here’s what Hagar had to say to the Lord:

“GOD, it’s not easy to believe in you.  We never see you.  How come you never show yourself?  How do we know you even exist?”

In the next instant, we observe a flower springing into life beside Hagar, a volcano erupting in the distance, an eclipse of the sun filling the sky with darkness, a shooting star penetrating the atmosphere, a tidal wave rushing across the sea and lightning flashing brilliantly through the evening sky – all followed by a bush beginning to burn without being consumed and a stone rolling away from the entrance of a garden tomb.

But Hagar’s next words are ever so typical of persons devoid of faith:

“OK, OK,” he roared, “I give up!  Every time I bring up this subject, all I get is interruptions!”

You see, if someone stubbornly refuses to lend a hearing ear to Heaven’s constant communiques, there is absolutely nothing you and I can do about it.  Just keep on praying, trusting and sowing good seeds.

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

WHAT IF GOD WAS ONE OF US?

WHAT IF GOD WAS ONE OF US?

All too often, we find ourselves complaining without justification.  In our attempt to come to grips with our personal situations-in-life, there is a human tendency to project blame onto The Divine.  Theologians call it THE PROBLEM OF THEODICY.  That is, how could a good, just, loving, and all-powerful God allow evil to exist and seemingly prevail in the lives of so many?

I read an intriguing story that addresses this issue quite well.  Although it’s not scripturally accurate, its application is substantially sound.  It goes something like this…

At the end of time, billions of people are scattered on a vast plain before the throne of God.

Most shrink back from the brilliant light before them.  But some of the groups are talking rather heatedly among themselves.  They are not cringing with shame or fear, but bristling with belligerence.

“How could God judge us?  What does he know about suffering?” snaps a young Albanian.  He removes his shirt to reveal a bullet-scarred back.  “In Kosovo, we had to endure sheer terror, shootings, unspeakable torture!”

In another group, an aged aboriginal woman pulls a crumpled, tear-stained photograph from her pocket. “What about this?” she demands.  “This is my precious child.  I have not seen her since the day she was taken away from us, for no crime, other than being black!”

In yet another gathering, a pregnant schoolgirl stands with sad and sullen eyes.  “Why should I suffer,” she cried out, “It wasn’t my fault.”

Across the terrestrial plain, there are hundreds of such groups.  Each holds a complaint against God for the evil and suffering that He permitted in their world.  “How fortunate God is,” they collectively complain, “to live in a Heaven where all is sweetness and light, where there is no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred.  What does God know about the horrible things we are forced to endure in this world?  God leads a totally sheltered life!”

So each of these dissenting groups sends forth a leader, chosen because he or she had suffered the most.  A Holocaust survivor is chosen, along with a scarred survivor of Hiroshima, a terribly deformed arthritic, one who was born with a major birth defect, a victim of cruel racism, a man whose wife had been murdered by a drug addict, etc.  In the center of the plain, they consult with each other.  And now they are ready to present their case before The Throne.  It all seems so logical and completely clever.

They render their collective verdict and present it to God:  

“Before you can be qualified to be our judge, you must endure what we have endured.  You will be sentenced to live on earth – as a man!  You must be born into a hated race.  The legitimacy of your birth must be doubted.  You must be given a task so difficult that even your family will think you are out of your mind when you try to do it.  You must be abandoned and betrayed by your closest friends.  You must face bigotry and false charges, then you must be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge.  After all that, you must be tortured.  You must experience what it means to be terribly alone.  Then you must die, knowing full well that you are innocent, but appearing to be guilty to all those around you.”

As this human imposed sentence of Almighty God is angrily announced, loud murmurs of approval resound throughout the assembled masses.

But suddenly there is total and complete silence.  No one dares to utter another word.  No one moves.  Suddenly, all are profoundly aware in their heart-of-hearts that God has already served His sentence.

You see, Christ is our credible and compassionate High Priest, i.e. the One who is touched by the “feeling of our infirmities.” (Hebrew 4:15)  “Emmanuel, God with us,” has already come to us “in the likeness of sinful flesh.”  He was already “wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him…and with his stripes we are healed.” (Romans 8:3 – Matthew 1:23 – Isaiah 53:5)  And now we are the beloved sons and daughters of the King of Kings!

Small wonder that Governor Pilate logically and emotionally declared, “I find no fault in him.” (John 19:4)

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

OUR LOVE MANDATE

OUR LOVE MANDATE

As a lifelong learner and a teacher of history, I love to come across inspirational non-fiction stories that represent the very highest qualities of humanity.  Here is a tale of consummate conviction and courage:

Telemachus displayed extreme bravery in the face of evil.  As a Christian monk, he went on a pilgrimage to Rome in 391 A.D.

[Editor’s Note: The Christian term, A.D., Anno Domini, ‘in the year of our Lord,’ has now been replaced in academic/secular circles with C.E., or Common Era].  

In Rome, Telemachus observed huge crowds flocking to the Colosseum to witness gladiators engaged in mortal combat.  It was an experience that was totally repugnant to his Christian faith.

Emperor Honorius celebrated his triumph over the Goths by compelling gladiators to reenact the battle. After this gory spectacle, dead bodies were dragged from the arena and its bloodied surface covered with fresh layers of sand. 

A new group of gladiators arrived on the scene.  Some were armed with swords and spears, others with nets. The crowd watched with excitement as they sought to destroy one another.  Whenever a gladiator was wounded, his opponent would loom over him, waiting for the crowd’s opinion and the emperor’s verdict to either slay or spare him.  So great was the bloodlust that wealthier spectators would occasionally climb down to get a better view of the cruel executions.

Telemachus watched with horror as so many men died while battles raged and crowds cheered.  Prompted into action, this bald-headed man of God found his way onto the arena floor.  He ran toward two gladiators locked in battle, grabbing one of them and pulling him away.  He exhorted the gladiators to abandon their murderous sport.  Then he appealed to the crowd to honor God’s commandment against murder.

The response was anything but favorable.  Angry voices drowned out Telemachus and demanded that the blood-sport continue.  But as the gladiators prepared to resume their battle, Telemachus stood between them, holding them apart and urging them to reconsider.  Driven by the crowd’s angry rage at Telemachus’ interference, several gladiators cut Telemachus to the ground.  As the crowd landed garbage missiles, Telemachus was brutally killed.

However, his death was not in vain.  In 405 A.D., Emperor Honorius issued an edict to end all gladiatorial battles in the Colosseum.  The loving and courageous protest of Telemachus partially inspired him to do so.

My friend, how is your love life?  Is it secular or sacred?  Did you know that true love is mandated by heavenly decree?  In the words of our Lord and Savior, 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.” (John 13:34)  And what is the ultimate evidence of the Christian faith?  “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, NKJV)

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

THEY'LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE

THEY’LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE

The world will never be converted by superficial spiritual-hype.  Unquestionably, it is THE LIVING WORD that penetrates the soul and transforms the spirit.  This Word is the living and loving embodiment of God’s grace, mercy and truth.  In the final analysis, it is how all of us miraculously arrive at the foot of Calvary’s cross.

The world will never be drawn (authentically) to the faith because of our accumulated possessions or our clever promotions.  The monetary value of the houses we own, the vehicles we drive, or the investments we accrue will never be the persuasive factor in bringing lost souls to Christ.  There is only one indispensable component of evangelism; it is THE GOSPEL OF LOVE.  The following true and heart-touching story clearly illustrates this point. 

It was one of the most extraordinary birthday parties ever held.  No, it did not take place in the plush ballroom of a grand hotel.  No, there weren’t any famous celebrities present.  The rich and powerful did not attend.  In fact, it was held at 3:30 a.m. inside a small seedy cafe in Honolulu.  The guest of honor was a prostitute.  The party guests were prostitutes.  And the man who threw the party was a Christian minister.

The idea came to Pastor Tony Campolo early one morning as he sat in the café.  He was drinking coffee at the counter, when a group of prostitutes walked in and sat at nearby stools.  One of the girls named Agnes lamented the fact that tomorrow would be her birthday, but she never had a birthday party.

So Tony thought it would be a great idea to surprise Agnes with a birthday party.  Learning from the café owner that the girls came in every morning around 3:30 a.m., Tony planned with him to set up the café for a surprise party.  Somehow, word got out on the streets, so by 3:15 the next morning the place was packed with prostitutes, along with the cafe owner, his wife and Pastor Tony.

Agnes walked in and saw the streamers, balloons and birthday cake, as everyone shouted, “Happy Birthday!” Agnes was totally overwhelmed.  Tears poured down her face as the crowd sang “Happy Birthday to You.”  When Agnes was called to cut the cake, she paused.  She had never had a birthday cake and asked if she could take it home to show her mother.  After Agnes left there was a reverential silence as Tony led the café owner, his wife and a roomful of prostitutes in a moment of prayer, both for Agnes and for themselves.

It was truly a magnificent birthday party – one rarely seen – thrown by a Christian minister for a 39-year-old prostitute who had never experienced anyone going out of their way to do something so special, while expecting absolutely nothing in return.  Indeed, so surprising was this turn of events that the café owner found it hard to believe that there were churches that would actually do this sort of thing.  “But if there are,” he remarked, “then that is the sort of church I would be ready to join.”  Wow!

There is no life-giving efficacy in religious pomp and pageantry.  What the world needs now-and-always is authentic LOVE.  Neither our church edifices, nor our religious rites, nor our ecclesiastical robes and rings will draw men, women and children to the cross.  There is one simple ingredient in evangelical success; it is the ‘Secret Recipe’ of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have LOVE to one another.” (John 13:35)  Amen!  Amen!  Amen!

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

STAY IN YOUR LANE

STAY IN YOUR LANE

Successfully stretching toward personal potential is a direct function of how well you stay in your GOD-GIVEN LANE.  This is no easy task since a large cadre of influential voices – family, friends, foes – continually urge us to embrace decisions, positions, tasks, or goals that may not be central to the primary reason we have been placed on this earth.  Because of these powerful voices, the decision to do things GOD’S WAY (simply living from God’s point of view) likely exposes us to criticism, ridicule, or rejection.

HOWEVER, IF YOU STAY IN YOUR LANE, YOU WILL SURELY WIN.

Consider the story of the Eiffel Tower, one of the most recognizable landmarks on the planet.  Built as the grand entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, this favorite spot for international tourism receives multiplied thousands of visitors every year.

However, despite its present-day level of success, ferocious opposition boiled up during its construction.  A group of prestigious French artists and writers, including Alexandre Dumas, author of “The Three Musketeers,” filed the following petition: “We, the writers, painters, sculptors, architects and lovers of the beauty of Paris, do protest with all our vigor and indignation, in the name of French taste and endangered French art and history, against this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower.”

Nevertheless, history ultimately vindicated Alexandre Gustav Eiffel.  Although in 1889 he was roundly condemned, today he is highly praised and celebrated for his grand architectural achievement.  His story shows that the opinions others may have of us are not what really matters.  Indeed, their perspectives will change, according to what becomes culturally fashionable or contemporaneously vogue. 

What differentiates and distinguishes us from the pack is our ability to hold on to OUR BIRTHRIGHTS, i.e. the gifts, creativity, values and wisdom originally imparted by our Creator.  So instead of cloning the methods and achievements of others, ask God to help you to see clearly enough (and wisely enough) to identify those traits and talents that are uniquely you. They constitute the real reason why you are here!

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