On Who are You Leaning?

As I navigate life I have discovered that there is a world of hurt below the surface of people. Sometimes this comes out in various ways but more often than not it lies below like a nettlestuck in your skin, festering and smarting. You know, if you're saved by God's Grace then youare empowered with the resources by the Spirit of the Living God and His Word (2 Peter 1:3) with all that you need to handle hurt and all of life's problems, but sadly, at times we need others to offer hope and encouragement.

The Psalmist interrogates in 42:11: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquietedwithin me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God. You see this? He declares the solution for a down-cast soul or a tormented spiritis to Hope in God! Elsewhere we are reminded in Psalms 78:7 ...That they might set their hope in God,and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments... We are reminded that praise and trusting God is a calming and healing balm that will calm us and sustain us with full measures of His Grace in our time of need. Why? Because they remind us of His Character, His Promises; His Goodness and HisLove.

Do you think that the God who created the universe, who knows the numbers of the hairs on our head,Who is familiar with all of our trials, tribulations and afflictions can not sustain us throughevery need?

I ask you today; on whom are you leaning? Your own wisdom? Your own philosophy? Something thata friend told you about the world's wisdom, philosophy, or ways? We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

Reflect on this admonition; Hebrews 4:16 says, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

On the Love of Christ Shinig from Us

2Cor 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. Literally, we are slaves (that is the literal Greek word here) for others for the ministry. Why? Next verse 2Cor 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Where those we serve can see the light of God shining out of our heart.

On Falling in Love

Prior to the twentieth century there was no such notion as "falling in love". Men and women developed a lasting bond of love only after marriage. Falling in love is a sappy notion romanticized by hollywood. If you can fall into love, it means you can fall out of love, something also portrayed as common in our culture, making divorce as common a throwing out the trash. These are satanic notions to destroy homes.......think about these things

On the Gas Chambers of Auschwitz

Viktor Frankl said The gas chambers of Auschwitz were the ultimate consequence of the theory that man is nothing but the product of heredity and environment--or, as the Nazis like to say, ‘"of blood and soil." I am absolutely convinced that the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Maidanek were ultimately prepared not in some ministry or other in Berlin, but rather at the desks and in lecture halls of nihilistic scientists and philosophers’" We can thank not just Hitler but Nietzsche.

On Judgement and Forgiveness

I have most recently seen injustice in my own church. How does one reconcile when Christians mistreat each other and practice such brands of judgment seldom dished outside of a body of believers? I have seen people practicing biblical (some just opinions about how things ought to be)standards, enforcing the rules in such a non-loving manner that it begs the question, "do they really hear their rebukes"? Do they really get their tone? It has prompted me to thinking that we in the church should spend a little more time practicing the spirit of meekness.

Gal 6:1 says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. I like the spirit of meekness part; I also like the ye, which are spiritual part as well. The Bible warns us to pay consideration here since we all can be tempted in the same manner. In other words self-righteousness will surely lead to judgment. Pride goeth before the fall does it not?

Finally, think about our own judgment of those who judge in unloving manners, with no semblance of meekness. Are we not considering that we all deserve hell and the penalty for sin, that in the eyes of God any righteousness that we have is inputted by Him on behalf of Christ's atonement? We must practice the blessedness of forgiveness, then as God extend to usward. How oft should our brother offend thee (and others)? Christ answered infinitely so. Lets not live under the judgment of God because we fail to practice Biblical standards in a fully Biblical way. Lets also lovingly forgive fully those who practice injustice in church with the same meekness that we demand of them. Hey Crow, that goes for you too!

Hid in Christ!

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Much is made in this day and age of finding your passion; why you are on the earth. The career gurus and spiritual peddlers are pressing you to explore your strengths and capitalize on finding these passions for riches and fulfillment. They desire to take you through visualization exercises, take you along some journey of discovery. They encourage you to write your goals down and focus on them.....burn them into your soul where you will realize your potential.

Perhaps these desires may be laudable, but they are fleeting. If you are born again you need not pursue these methods. First, these are recycled new age mysticism, eastern philosophy inspired from the pits of hell. Most importantly the Apostle Paul exhorts us to "set our affections on things above, not on earthly things" Col 3:2. Notice here that the Apostle explains that we are dead; our lives are hidden in Christ. People should not see us, they should see the exalted Savior. Gal 2:20 says "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

I believe that God cares very little of our vocation. If you're in the Will of God minister where God put you. If you desire to be a minister that is good...if you're in His Will, you and your ministry will be blessed. Stay in the Will of God and magnify Him with your life. Significance is the crowns you lay before the Almighty! That is the only purpose you need!

Thoughts on Significant Life Events

Life here on the earth can be filled with stark contrarities. As I reflect on my own circumstances to those of my children, I pause. My oldest daughter Heather, and my son Taylor graduate this coming year, Heather from college and Taylor from high school. As the cool of autumn is lapping at me I hearken back to those days of my own life.

You know we are filled with anticipation in looking forward to high school graduation some time near the beginning of our senior year; I mean the thought of the passage to adulthood, the excitment of making our own money, the responsibilities of decision-making affecting our futures, I mean we had it together, didnt we? You know the passage of a single event like this means very little looking backwards. A day when you dress funny, thirty years and some on this side of that event, I recall very little....it was just another day...was it not?

College graduation for me was very different.....it was a diploma in a mailing tube, a block to be checked, almost perfunctory. After all, upon choosing the "fifteen-year plan" I was already married, had two little children and was steeped with financial responsibilities and pressures. Grad school was no different; I was the consummate adult-learner. Even today, I am keeping my further grad studies on life-support and the all-elusive PhD is but a fleeting dream.

Okay, this is not being whiny; just stating facts. Frankly, the only thing I would have changed about any of these circumstances would have been the extended schooling into middle adulthood, and its robbery of precious family time for the sake of studies, but that was unavoidable for a number of reasons (wont share these).

What is the point of all of this? Fact is, these milestones are a point in time and not really important. There is a much-deeper richness in learning from the sacrifices and the life events that are shaped during those years; far deeper than what was dealt in any classroom. Dont misread me, I am a stalwart supporter of education, I mean next to a parent and even greater than a pastor, a teacher has a much deeper role of shaping the heart of a child and young adults. You know, no matter where we are in life, we can make an investment in others whether we teach professionally or not. The encouragement, a careful occasional prod and a heap of advise as people grow. In daily life, I have seen young people come into the work place with a sense of entitlement, an air of contempt for authority and a lazy streak that demands attention. I believe that there are opportunities all around us and we must act before it is too late to change their direction, before they become adults that suck the life out of their marriages, workplaces and families due to their character issues. Just some thoughts here on significant life events.