A New Heart

Hard-hearted.

This is how Ezekiel 36:26 ends: I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." 

These are the words of God given to the house of Israel through His prophet Ezekiel. Why did they need new hearts? We find an answer a few verses later in Ezekiel 36:31. The people of Israel needed new hearts because their ways were evil, deeds wicked, and practices detestable. They were sinners. Hard-hearted.

So are we.

I don't need to tell you.

We know. We all know, even if we're not willing to admit it. Even those who refuse to acknowledge God recognize there exists a standard of perfection from which we all fall short. We're selfish, greedy, and hateful. We lie, steal, and cheat. We commit adultery, idolatry, and immorality.

Our ways are evil, deeds wicked, and practices detestable. Just like those people of old.

We need new hearts.

As you read Ezekiel chapter 36, there is an interesting twist that is not often brought out. It is found explicitly in verses 22 and 32. Stop now and read  the whole chapter, or at least those two verses. Go ahead, this blog will be here when you get done.

 Do you see it? God's promise to give them new hearts and everything else He speaks of is not for their sake, but His own.

Why? Because they had defiled and profaned His name, and God wanted the nations to see Him for who He truly is.

Wow.

What does that mean for us?

By us, I mean Christians. I know we are made into new creations and receive the Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus Christ, and in fact that will be the topic of my next blog. Still yet, I believe there is further application for even those of us who believe.

What if we, like David in Psalm 51:10, need to pray, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. What if we need this, not for our sake, but for the sake of the holy name of God and Jesus Christ? What if we have hearts of stone. What if we have defiled and profaned His name? 

Maybe it means we need a new heart.

I'm not talking about being saved again. I don't adhere to that belief; I believe we are saved once for eternity. I'm talking about, like David, realizing that my heart has become impure and my spirit less than steadfast. I'm talking about God opening my eyes and refreshing my soul. I'm talking about the realization that I'm not always the poster child for Christianity, and sometimes my words, thoughts, and deeds don't lift Christ up, but rather tarnish His name.

There are times when I need a new heart for the lost, the broken, the misguided. My heart needs to be softened for the poor, the sick, the weary. My spirit needs renewed to see God, His Son, His mercies. It's not my soul that's in danger, but rather the souls of those who see me as a representative of Christ. If they see a heart of stone in me, what do they think of Him? 

A new year is coming.

It's a time to reflect, evaluate, plan, and hope. What better time to ask God to shatter our stony hearts, renew our spirits, and truly lift up His name!

A New Command: Love One Another

That's a tough act to follow.

Consider not only the words, but the setting. Jesus told His disciples this in the Upper Room, at the Last Supper. He has washed their feet, predicted the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, and told them He is going somewhere they cannot follow, meaning He is going to die.

Immediately Peter declares he would follow the Lord anywhere. Jesus knows better, and predicts that His lead disciple will deny even knowing Him not only once, but three times. Phillip then jumps in and asks Jesus to show them God so that they can all believe, still then not realizing God was standing right next to him.

Still, Jesus loved them.

And us.

We're no better than those who shared Jesus' last meal. We refuse to recognize what He's done for us, betray Him for the idols of this life, and deny ever knowing Him when threatened by the world. We promise to follow Jesus anywhere, but jump off the bus at the first little bump. We cry out to Him asking to see His hand in our lives, blind to the fact that our lives are the very evidence we seek.

And still Jesus loves us.

How can we not love one another?

When Jesus said,"As I have loved you, so you must love one another,"  He wasn't just talking about giving up His life for His friends (John 15:13). He was also talking about loving them despite their weaknesses, their failings, their ignorance and outright stubbornness to accept the truth. Jesus loves us despite our imperfections. And we are to do the same for each other.

Is there a brother or sister in Christ who you find it hard to love because you never seem to agree? How do you think Jesus felt? He knew He was right, but still the disciples argued with Him. What did He do? Did He refuse to be with them, give up on them and find someone else more in line with His way of thinking? No. He loved them. Then He told us to do the same.

A new command for a new year.

Maybe this speaks to you, and maybe it doesn't. Maybe you do this already, love your brothers and sisters in Christ just as He loves us. If so, let us not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). 

But maybe, just maybe, some of us have room for improvement. Maybe we don't love that brother or sister as Christ loves us because they don't look like us, or like different worship music, or have a ministry calling different from ours, or whatever. Christ loves us not only because of our strengths and commonalities, but despite our weaknesses and differences.

Consider that when you see your brothers and sisters in the new year. Do you love them, all of them, the way Christ loves you?

Let's start the new year off right; with love. Who knows what might happen.

All Things New

This world, too, shall pass.

One day, it will not be a new year we celebrate, but an entirely new world. All we know, and that which we do not yet, is temporary.

For some, this brings great hope and joy, while for others it causes angst and turmoil. We like this world. It is good, as God said after He created it. What we have is all we know, and sometimes we have difficulty letting go of the known to embrace that which is unseen.

Imagine how John must have been torn. He lived in this world, just as do we, but had revealed to him what God had in store for the future. How hard must it have been for him to continue living in imperfection after having seen perfection. If only we could all have that same vision of the future . . .

We can.

No, I do not believe that God is likely to take each of us into the the future to see His planned new creation. I do, however, believe that He has shown us enough in His word to give us the hope we need to face that coming world not with trepidation and fear, but faith and hope.

Hints at God's new creation can be found throughout the Bible, but our most clear and thorough peek at what is to come is given to us in the final two chapters of God's Word. Revelation chapters 21 and 22 paint a nearly unimaginable picture of beauty, peace, and perfect harmony between men and God. This is God's endgame.

And ours as well. 

What we see in those two chapters is a hint of what eternity will be like. Look beyond the structure and the environment of the city and see what really matters: Us and God, side by side. Forever. That is the beauty, the promise, the hope I have in God's plan for a new creation.

I will be with Him, and He with me, with nothing in between. Forever.

There is nothing new under the sun.

So are the words of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. And this is true, at least for now.

But one day, according to His own words, God will make everything new.

That's a new I can look forward to.

The Fullness Of Joy

Does that mean I have to smile?

I am not an outgoing, happy-go-lucky, smile on my face all the time extrovert. I don't go gaa-gaa over cute puppies, cry at sappy movies, or jump up and down when my team scores a
goal/run/touchdown. I don't think I've ever been described, by anyone, as radiating joy. 

I am serious. Introspective. Some would say bookish, but I prefer studious. If you were to look at my profile picture, that is my happy face. Let's just say I'm smiling on the inside, Okay?

Joy is not something that just happens.

If it were, Paul would not have to instruct us to be joyful. Oh sure, we are naturally going to be full of joy when life is going well. At our weddings, the births of our children, when the Cubs win the World Series (you'll probably have to smile from heaven on that one). Joy comes easily then.

One of the words in the passage above, however, should bring us pause. Be joyful always. 

 Now, it's possible Paul is just exaggerating a little here. Maybe he doesn't mean always. Maybe he means always, when things are going the way we want them. When we are happy. When life is good. The problem is, he clarifies two verses later when he says, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Oh, and notice that verses 16-18 are all part of the same sentence. Not separated ideas, but one fluid thought. They all go together.

Be joyful always. Give thanks in all circumstances. Sounds like the first chapter of the book of James. Or the words of Jesus from Matthew 5:11, 12.

That's not going to just happen on its own.

Joy is something you have to do.

If we are to be joyful always, if we are to give thanks in all circumstances, the only conclusion we can come to is that God wants us to be full of joy and thanks in the good times and the bad.  When we get married, and when we struggle 5 years later. When our children are born, and 15 years later when, as teenagers, they cause gray hair. When the Cubs win, and when they, well, do what they do best (sorry, Cub fans are just easy targets!).

Joy is a choice. You decide whether to be joyful or not. Paul says to be joyful, and to give thanks. James says to consider it pure joy when we face trials. That's not going to just happen. That's something you are going to have to do. 

How in the world?

I like what Peter says in I Peter 1:6. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. He is talking about being joyful despite suffering and grief and all kinds of trials. How? You have to go up about three verses and read I Peter 1:3-5.

Did you read it? Do you see it? The answer to joy is right there. I could tell you what it is, but that wouldn't be fair. God wants you to experience His word personally.

If you want the answer, you're going to have to look for yourself.

You'll be glad you did.

 

 

 

5 Days to Bethlehem--Day 5

The journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem probably took 5 or more days. Imagine what those five days were like.

Day Five--The Savior is born.

The stress and fear of the past five days disappeared as Joseph looked into the peaceful face of the child before him.

He had arrived. A son. The Son of God. On earth.

The circumstances of His birth could not have been more humble. Unable to find a suitable place for his wife to stay, desperate to find shelter, Joseph had finally arranged for them to spend the night in a stable. No sooner had they arrived than the time came.

The Child was born in a stable meant for lambs, and wrapped in simple cloths. To keep Him off the cold, wet ground, they lined a manger with straw and placed Him there.

Joseph had little recollection of what happened next. Shepherds appeared, having been told by a host of angels that the Messiah had been born. They told others, and everyone came to see the Christ, the Lord. Many were disappointed. They saw only an ordinary child, born to the most ordinary of parents.

They were wrong. They were oh so wrong!

Joseph knew. He knew the truth. In this stable, in that simple manger, lay the Son of God. Kneeling before his son, praising his God, Joseph wept a prayer of pure joy, hope, and love.

Thank you God, for today our Savior has been born.

5 Days to Bethlehem--Day 4

The journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem probably took 5 or more days. Imagine what those five days were like.

Day Four--Hope keeps us going.

Joseph was as tired as he could ever remember. Strangely, though, the trepidation and downright fear of the previous days had melted away. Admiring his wife as she bravely soldiered on over the rough terrain caused him to check his attitude.

All he had done since beginning this journey was worry. He'd thought about God, trusted Him even, but never thanked Him, never looked forward with hope and anticipation to what God had in store for him.

Joseph had so much to be thankful for. Yes, his people were under the control of a pagan empire forcing them into further submission by demanding an odious registration process. Yes, he and his wife faced difficulties because of her pregnancy. Yes, God's path was not easy.

But God had chosen the people of Joseph as His own. But God had promised to never leave them nor forsake them. But he was a husband, and was going to be a father. Maybe God's path was not easy, but few things worthwhile ever were.

Joseph was thankful for his heritage. He was thankful for God, His provision and care for the Jewish people. This was not the first difficulty Joseph's people had faced, nor would it be their last. Always before God had provided, guided, protected Joseph's people.

More than that, Joseph realized as he looked ahead up the rocky path, God had always provided for him. Never had he been without what he truly needed, and so many times he had been blessed with more than he could have asked. Like today. God gave him Mary as his wife, and soon she would have a son. A son Joseph would raise as his own.

Thinking of the child filled Joseph with hope. They would call him Jesus, as instructed by Gabriel, the messenger of God. His name would mean The Lord Saves. He would be the Son of God, and was destined to save God's people from their sins.

All of this had come to them from God. This child was the blessed hope of Joseph's people. This child was to be the Messiah!

Joseph did not understand, but he did not have to. All he had to do was believe. All he had to do was hope. With God, nothing is impossible. That's what Gabriel told Mary. That's what Joseph believed.

God would get them to Bethlehem. God would bring His son into the world. What would happen next, Joseph knew not. All he knew was that God was with them, and that gave him hope.

Tomorrow they would reach Bethlehem. Whatever came next, Joseph would face with hope that only faith in God could provide.

To be continued . . .

5 Days to Bethlehem--Day 3

The journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem probably took 5 or more days. Imagine what those five days were like.

Day Three--It only gets harder.

Joseph wasn't sure they were going to make it. Mary was a strong and determined young woman, but she was only human. Between the stress of her pregnancy, the stress of the travel, and the stress of God's message to them, he didn't know how she continued on. He was barely able to keep himself going, and he wasn't carrying the fate of the world in his womb!

He knew Mary believed. Even though she spoke of it infrequently, they had spoken of it. It. The message of Gabriel. His words of unbelievable weight. You have found favor with 
God . . . You will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus . . . The Lord God will give him the throne of 
David . . . His kingdom will never end . . . So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God . . . Nothing is impossible with God. 

Nothing is impossible with God. Did that include the Messiah being born to a humble carpenter and his wife who faced the shame of being pregnant before being married? Did that include Rome calling for a census causing that carpenter to take his wife, heavy with child, to the little town of Bethlehem? Did that include finally throwing the yoke of Rome from the neck of God's people?

Joseph was a man of faith, but also a man of action. He worked with his hands, his back, his will. Gifts given to him by God, but given to him to use. Faith was a tool he found more difficult to wield. Faith was less precise than his square or plumb line, less telling than his rule, and certainly slower to respond than when he struck his chisel with his hammer.

Unlike his other tools, Joseph didn't, couldn't know what the result of using faith would be. God's plan was a mystery. Faithful men often found their faith working in ways they would have never imagined, nor chosen. Like Noah. Or Joseph. Samson. David. Faith wasn't easy. Like the tools of a carpenter, the better one got at using faith, the harder the jobs became.

This particular exercise of faith was no exception. Joseph had finally trusted God with the pregnancy of his wife. He trusted God to bless their marriage. He trusted God in taking this trip to Bethlehem to register with Rome. He trusted God would provide.

But the trip was not going to get easier, and Mary wasn't going to get any stronger. She was barely keeping up now, and the trip was only going to become more rigorous. As they approached Jerusalem, the terrain became steeper, more difficult. Joseph had made the trip many times. He knew how hard it could be, especially this time of the year with the rain and the cold.

Nothing is impossible with God. Just how far did that go? If a man believed that, what could he do? Elijah called down fire from heaven. Moses lead God's people through the parted sea. But could God do this? Could the child Mary carried truly be what Gabriel said. Could it really be like this?

Joseph wasn't sure they would ever know. He'd barely slept in three nights, and knew Mary had slept little more. He wasn't sure how they could make the rest of the trip. And if indeed Mary's time came when they arrived, how could she possibly go through the pains of labor as tired and worn out as she was?

No, it certainly wasn't going to get easier any time soon. Joseph had trusted God this far, and he knew he had no choice but continue to have faith. He was in too deep, had gone to far to turn back now. God was always faithful. God kept His promises. God was good. All the time.

Nothing was impossible with God.

That didn't mean God's way was always easy.

To be continued . . .

5 Days to Bethlehem-Day 2

The journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem probably took 5 or more days. Imagine what those five days were like.

Day Two--Second Thoughts

If Joseph was nervous on that first morning of their journey, he was downright frazzled on the second.

The first day had been rough for Mary. She wasn't used to riding the donkey Joseph normally used to carry his carpentry tools and supplies. For that matter, the poor old donkey wasn't used to a load that didn't just sit there and ride. Mary kept moving, shifting, trying to get comfortable, all to no avail.

They had to stop frequently for her to rest. Had they been traveling alone, in no particular hurry, that would have posed little problem. But they were not alone. Joseph had arranged for them to travel with a group of his family members also headed to Bethlehem to register. Family members who should have been considerate of Mary's condition and her need to rest.

They, however, were not. Mary's pregnancy posed a problem for them. A big one. She was pregnant before the two were married. And the whole story of an angel appearing to her and telling her it was all God's doing? No one bought it. Even when Joseph told them of the dream he'd had, they all thought he was either covering for her, him, or both. Mary having to stop and rest only reminded them again and again of the strife she had caused in their once peaceful family.

It wasn't long before Mary's frequent rests caused the young couple to fall to the back of the caravan, and then off the tail end. Joseph did not want to travel to Bethlehem to be counted so he could be taxed. He did not want to do so with his pregnant wife. Most certainly he did not want to do it alone. The roads were dangerous. Vicious beasts, animal and human, haunted the wooded areas. With the increase in traffic due to the census, opportunistic predators of all stripes were drawn to the proverbial table.

Joseph did not want to be left behind for another very important reason. What if Mary's time came? He was a carpenter, not a physician. He'd seen sheep and other animals give birth, but a woman? His wife, none the less? The women in the caravan would know how to take care of her and the baby. He, on the other hand, didn't have the first clue.

Each time they stopped, Joseph fretted more and more. The tension rose. He tried to be understanding, but when the last of the group passed out of sight around a corner, he urged Mary to start again, then hurried to catch up. That only increased the strain on her, and the frequency with which she needed to stop and rest.

By the time evening came, Joseph was exhausted. Not from the exertion of the travel, but the stress. Mary's every moan and groan cut into him like a knife. On the other hand, her increasing need to stop and rest grated on his nerves like the squeaking of an oxcart wheel. They couldn't go any faster, but they couldn't possibly go any slower, either.

As they lay on the cold, hard ground, listening to Mary cry softly as she turned this way and that, trying to get comfortable, Joseph considered for the hundredth time just turning around. Take Mary back, and then make the trip on his own. It would be so much simpler, so much easier, so much wiser. It was the right thing to do.

Mary, though quiet and sweet girl she was, would have nothing of it. Arguing with her was like counting the sands of the desert. She was going, and he knew why.

The message of the angel. The ancient prophecies. If she were truly carrying the God-child Gabriel said she was, there was only one place that child could be born. Bethlehem. That's why God had caused Rome to call for the census. That's why the child had not yet come. That's why . . .

He'd heard it all a dozen times. Right now, tired and stressed, he wasn't sure. It only made since if. If his dream was really more than a dream. If Mary was telling the truth. If God truly had a plan for them, such a grand and unbelievable plan that even a man of great faith would have trouble believing. And Joseph was just a regular man. No one great. No one important. No one God would give such attention.

As he closed his eyes, Joseph offered one more prayer. Please God, let it be so. 

Up well before dawn, never really having slept, Joseph prayed again. He had never stopped, really. As the others began moving around, picking up their things, he nudged his wife.

It was time to go. If this was God's journey for them, it had only just begun.

To be continued . . .

5 Days to Bethlehem-Day 1

The journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem probably took 5 or more days. Imagine what those five days were like.

Day One-The Journey Begins

Joseph was nervous. He had a lot on his mind. The woman he was betrothed to was pregnant, and not by him. A couple months ago he had a dream in which an angel explained that Mary was with child not from another man, but by the Holy Spirit of God Himself. According to the angel, they were to give the child the name Jesus, meaning The Lord Saves. The child was to be the Savior, the Messiah. No small responsibility there.

Of course, no one else believed the story. Mary was pregnant, and that only happened one way. Either Joseph had known her, or someone else had. Joseph knew it wasn't him. That left two options. Mary had been unfaithful, or that dream was no ordinary dream. She had a similar story, not of a dream, but of a visit by Gabriel, God's very own messenger. She begged Joseph to believe it was true.

Joseph considered his options. He loved Mary. He believed in God. As fantastic as their situation was, he took hold of his faith and trusted. He bore the insults, jokes, and shame. It wasn't easy. The more evident Mary's condition became, the worse his family and friends treated them. She would deliver their child soon, but Joseph knew that wouldn't end the harassment. The stress of it all weighed on him heavily.

Now, of all times, something else. A decree from Rome. Everyone had to travel to their ancestral home towns to be registered. Why? Taxes. As if the hand of Rome wasn't squeezing them tightly enough already. Now Caesar sought to place his foot on their necks.

Joseph, and everyone else for that matter, couldn't afford more taxes. Neither could they afford to refuse to register, though. Rome was two things when it came to money: Insatiable and efficient. Those who registered would be plundered. Those who didn't would likely be killed.  What a choice.

The timing couldn't be worse. Not only the stress, but the logistics of the whole thing was near to pushing Joseph over the brink. His wife-to-be was pregnant with the most important child ever to be born, ready to deliver any day, and now he faced a 5 day journey to Bethlehem, his town of registration.

He'd waited as long as he could, but God's timing wasn't his. The child remained in Mary's womb. Joseph could wait no longer. He'd miss the deadline, and he had no doubt as to what that would mean. God had His timing, and Rome had hers. Joseph and Mary found themselves trapped in the middle.

With no choice, Joseph made the preparations. 5 days there, hopefully no more than a day in Bethlehem, and 5 days back, plus a Sabbath day when they could not travel. With any luck, they'd be back in less than two weeks. Maybe, just maybe, God would wait that long. Surely He would, wouldn't He?

Those first steps were the hardest. They always are. Joining a band of others making the same journey, Joseph tried to put on a brave face. It wasn't going to be an easy trip, especially for his wife. He tried to encourage her, but she knew what she was facing. They prayed, they embraced, they hoped.

They had each other. They had God.

That would have to be enough.

To be continued.

Ain't Nobody Perfect

 Only God is perfect.

That's a fact. I could stop right here and have said all I needed to say. If you are looking for perfect, you can only look heavenward. If you look anywhere else, you're going to be disappointed.

But man, we try, don't we?

Looking in all the wrong places.

Studies say men are more visually oriented than women. Our search for perfection is lead by our eyes. We'll use the obvious example: Women. Satan's got this one figured out, guys. He knows how God wired us. He's constantly tempting us with the lie that perfection is over here, no, over there, no, just ahead . . .

If you try looking for the perfect body, perfect smile, perfect whatever in a woman, you're never going to find it. All you'll do is run in circles with your tongue hanging out like a dog. And that's what you are. If you're married and you're still out there chasing perfection with your eyes, you're a dog. No woman is more nearly perfect than your wife. God made her. God doesn't make junk.

Women, you're not off the hook either. Satan knows your emotions make you tick. He's constantly promising more connection, more empathy, more love than what you have now. He tells you this guy, or that man, is more loving, compassionate, and in to you than your husband. It's a lie. Your husband isn't perfect, but neither is anyone else around here. Anyone.

If you want perfect, look up.

Want to be satisfied? Want to know what perfect looks like? There's only been one perfect human being, and He was crucified on a cross 2,000 years ago. You want to see perfect, look to where He is. That's heaven, in case you didn't know.

We can't see heaven, but we surely can communicate with Him who has. Ironically, the best views of heaven come when our heads are bowed. We glimpse heaven when our faces are buried in God's word. We experience a taste of heaven when on our knees, talking to Him who is there.

You see, to look up, we often have to look down. Perfection isn't seen with our eyes, or felt with our emotions; heaven is touched with our souls. If we're too busy searching for perfection here, our souls starve for the true perfection we crave. Shut out this world, and perfection becomes much clearer.

God is perfect; His word is flawless.

Satisfy your desire for perfection in the only way you can. Seek God. Follow His ways.

Anything else is fool's gold. 

I Find Rest in Hope

Do you ever get tired?

I don't mean not enough sleep tired, or ran a 5k tired. I mean really tired.Worn, weary, and washed out, when even coffee doesn't do the trick.

For me, that's when my spirit is tired. My soul. Weary from the battles I fight every day, some here, and some in the spiritual world of which I'm only dimly aware. Battles not against flesh and blood, but against power and principalities, as Paul said in Ephesians 6.

Battle fatigue. That's what I call it. I cannot claim the honor of being a veteran, but we are all in the midst of a war. Satan attacks every day. It's a war of attrition. He's hoping to wear us down until we give up.

Sometimes I'm tempted to do just that.

That's when I have to rest.


I think David was tired when he wrote Psalm 62. He had been assaulted over and over by men trying to topple him from his lofty place. He was worn down by lies, by flattering lips backed by deceitful hearts. He was attacked, extorted, cursed, and ganged up on. David was battle weary.

That's when he turned to God. He understood that only in God could his soul find rest. His rock. His salvation. His fortress. His refuge.

I, too, have learned to seek the rest that only God can give when my soul faints from exhaustion. I seek Him in His word. I seek Him in prayer. I curl up in His lap in meditation and just soak up what He has to offer.

Safety. Security. Hope.

And blessed, blessed rest.

My God is Coming

 

Know this:

My God is coming. 

No one can stop Him. No person or people, no government or law, no spirit or power. He will not be thwarted. His will cannot be stalled. Any who stand in His way shall be consumed. 

My God is Mercy. My God is Grace. My God is also Justice, Judgment, and Power. What He decides will come to be. What He commands cannot be refused. My God is.

The great I AM is coming. He will not be silenced. His voice will be heard across all nations.The earth will tremble, the rocks will quake. Seas will boil, hearts will fail. 

My God is coming.

He is the deafening roar, the consuming fire. He is the perfect storm of power, perfection, and holiness. The sky will flee, the earth will melt. Angels rejoice. Men weep. 

You are warned. You have been told. You cannot hide.

My God is coming.

You Are Never Too Lost To Find God

Have you ever been lost?

Whether out in the woods, driving through the country, or even in an unfamiliar part of a city, getting lost isn't hard. No matter if you are just "turned around," or out-and-out I don't have the foggiest idea where I am, it's an uncomfortable feeling. Either nothing looks familiar, or everything starts to look the same. You find yourself going in circles. Panic starts to set in.

It's not fun.

Survival experts say the best thing to do when lost (out in the wilderness) is to stop. Look around for something familiar. Take a compass reading and look at your map or GPS (providing you have those with you). Do not move until you are sure where you are, and which direction you need to go. If you can't determine those two things, don't move at all. Stay right where you are until a rescue party comes to get you.

Easier said than done.

I use that phrase a lot, because it is so true. I've been lost before. Not horribly, can't-find-my-way-back lost, but certainly turned around. When I realized I didn't know where I was, my first impulse was to just keep going. I didn't know which direction to go for sure. All I knew was nothing was familiar, and I wanted to get out of there. Fast.

Big mistake.

I ended up wandering farther away from where I wanted, and needed, to be. It wasn't until I stopped, took a deep breath, and really looked around that I got my bearings. The whole ordeal lasted less than an hour, but it certainly seemed longer. In those long minutes, I had thoughts of everything from Grizzly Adams to the Donner Party.

A little dramatic? Probably. But being lost is like that.

Anybody can get lost.

Whether boating, hiking, driving, or flying, anybody can lose their bearings. It usually happens when you stop paying attention to what you're doing, and get distracted. That's when you wander off course.

So it is with life. We start paying too much attention to the flowers, or the wildlife, or the storm clouds, or whatever, and pretty soon we're in the middle of spiritual nowhere. One thing I can tell you for sure, getting lost in life is a whole lot worse than getting lost in the woods.

I know. I've done both.

Thankfully, we're never too lost for God.

Some have been lost all their lives, never having found God. Others found Him, then wandered away. Either way, no one is too lost to find their way. God promises that if you seek Him, you will find Him. Either for the first time or the hundredth, He's always there.

It doesn't matter where you are, or where you've been. All that really matters is where you're going. Being lost is hell, figuratively and literally. Thankfully, it's not that hard to find God. His signs are all around us.

All we have to do is stop and look.

Caution: Work In Progress

Warning: You are in a construction zone.

In fact, you are a construction zone. So am I, thank goodness! I'd hate to think (as would my wife, kids, and anyone else who knows me) that I am a finished product. I'm more like a roadbed that hasn't had the concrete poured yet. The foundation is there, but without a lot more work I'm never going to be any more than a dirt path.

Thankfully, that's not the case. I am a long term project. How long? Well, here's what the Bible says.

Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Paul speaks of this transformative process several times in his epistle to the church in Philippi, and in many of his other letters. The consistent message is that while we become new creations when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior (2 Corinthians 5:17), there is a maturation that must take place.

In other words, I, you, and everyone else who is a Christian, are works in progress. Construction zones. And from the sound of things, those orange barrels and reduced speed limit signs aren't going away any time soon. This is a big project, and God wants it done right.

That takes time.

So who's doing the work?

It'd be easy to simply say it's all in God's hands, and that's not completely wrong. It's also not completely right. Going back to Paul's letter to the Philippians, he says in Chapter 2, verses 12 and 13 that we are to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

That's a whole lot of work going on! We must note here, when Paul speaks of working out our salvation, he is not talking about earning God's forgiveness. That's not possible. Salvation is a free gift of grace. He is talking about the sanctification process, a whole other ball of wax.

That process of sanctification is our Christian growth and maturity. In other words, a work in progress.

Be Alert--workers ahead.

This is a common sign when nearing a work zone. You also may see, "Reduce Speed;" "Rough Road;"  "Lane Changes Ahead;" or the ever-descriptive "BUMP."

Come to think of it, these are all good things to remember when around others who are going through the same process we are. We're all undergoing construction. None of us are as good as we're going to be tomorrow, or the next day, or next year.

Keep that in mind when you have to slow down for someone else, hit a rough patch of road, make an unexpected lane change, or even hit a big old bump in life.

Construction isn't pretty, but in the end, we'll all be better for it.

Be Patient . . . God's Not Done Yet!

In Psalm 27:13-14, David says this:

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

That's easier said than done.

I am not, by nature, a patient person. I want things when I want them, how I want them, where I want them. I don't want to stand around waiting for someone else to do whatever it is they're trying to do. I'd rather just do it myself. Even if that someone else is God.

Why?

I am sure there are a lot of elements involved. Selfishness. Pride. Good ol' fashioned impatience. But I believe there is something else, something more deeply rooted, at work. To be honest, I often lack one essential ingredient required to truly be patient and let God work.

Confidence.

David laid the foundation of patience in confidence. Read the verses above again. Why was David able to wait for the Lord? Because he was confident he would see Him work. David's strength and courage (take heart) came from his confidence in God.

David trusted God. Do we?

Don't get me wrong; I trust God in my salvation, in my eternal reward. I trust God, and God alone, with my heavenly future. Where I struggle is trusting Him with the here and now.

In the Land of the Living.

David was confident of seeing the goodness of God in the Land of the Living. That's here on earth. He was confident that God would intervene, maybe not when David wanted Him to, but when the time was right. David was confident not only that God would do good, but that He would do it for him here, in this life.

When David was being pursued by Saul, he was confident God would deliver him. When facing armies, he was confident God would give him victory. When defeated, he was confident God would raise him up again. When he fell into sin, he was confident God would forgive him. Not only eternally, but practically. Here. On earth. In the Land of the Living.

What about us?

When being attacked by the world, do we have confidence that God will protect us? When faced with opposition, do we have confidence that God will fight for us? When faced with need, will God provide? When unsure what to do, do we trust that God will give us the answer? When we fall, do we believe God will forgive?

Are we confident?

Sometimes we have to wait.

God's timing is not ours. We throw that phrase around, but do we really have the confidence it takes to accept it, embrace it, and live it? It's easy to say; much harder to do.

Whatever comes our way, we must face it with confidence. Not in ourselves, or the world, or anything else, but in God. Be convinced, as was David, that you, too, will see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living.

Be patient . . . God's not done yet!

God Promised Possible, Not Easy

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

That's a great verse, isn't it? While we tend to put this to use in the same context as Jesus' statement about moving mountains with faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20), that's really not what Paul is talking about. However, Paul's message is still just as powerful.

In context, Paul is telling the church in Philippi how he has learned to be content in all situations, whether facing times of abundance or need. So even if Paul is not saying he can leap buildings in a single bound, he is saying he has discovered the secret to facing whatever life may throw at him and still be content.

Finding contentment no matter what. That's pretty powerful.

How important is contentment?

Let's think about that. What is the goal in all we do? Is it not to satisfy a want, a need, a longing, an urge, a desire? And what is contentment? Is it not the fulfillment of those very things? In other words, is not contentment what we seek in all we do? Sure it is.

Why do I work? To make money. Why do I seek money? To pay the bills, buy groceries, purchase toys, seek entertainment . . . In other words, to fulfill needs or wants. To be content. Why do I exercise? To be content with my health and appearance. Why do I go to church? To fill a space only God can fill; to be content.

Contentment is a core motivation for all we do.

Then there's Paul.

He tells us he discovered that in all things, no matter what, the secret to contentment is found in the one who gives him the strength to do all things: Christ.

Pretty simple, right?

But wait, there's more to this than may first appear.

Paul didn't say it was easy.

Paul learned to be content in all situations. How did Paul learn? The Jews stoned him. He was shipwrecked (three times). He was beaten, starved, imprisoned, ridiculed, taunted, threatened, and ostracized. Do you think it was easy for Paul to be content in those situations?

Not hardly.

Paul, and through him, God, isn't saying this life will be easy. This verse does not promise everything will go smoothly. What God promises is the strength to endure, and the peace to be content, no matter the challenge. If it was easy, Paul wouldn't need the strength of Christ to get him through.

And neither would we.

You Are Called To Belong

Do you ever feel left out?

Do you feel like you just don't belong, like you haven't found your niche, your place, your calling? Are you hanging out on the fringes of some group simply because they'll let you, even though you know they'll never truly let you in, if that was even what you wanted? Ever feel lonely? Lost? Hopeless?

Are you a Christian?

If not, Jesus wants you to belong with Him.

You also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:6)

That's the truth.

In Romans 1:16 Paul goes on to say, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (emphasis mine). In 2:11 he says, "For God does not show favoritism."

Romans 3:22-24 declares, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ."

Do you see it? Everyone. All. There is no difference. God does not show favoritism.

That means He wants you.

What I am saying is this . . .

You are called to belong to the most important group ever: The family of God. He does not want you to be left out. There is no reason to feel lonely, lost, or hopeless. A little later in Romans, in chapter 8, Paul says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" He ends that chapter with two of the most powerful verses in the Bible. Look them up. Romans 8:38, 39.

Powerful stuff.

Written for, and about, you.

How do I know? Because Romans 10:9 promises, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

That passage is about you and your. 

God has called you.

Will you answer? 

I Protest

That's it. I've had it.

I've had it with having to do things I don't want to do. I've had it with going places I don't want to go. I don't care if it makes me a better person. I don't care if it's good for the people around me. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care.

I get to make my own choices.

I'm an adult.

Oh really?

Guess what?

Adults get to do things they don't want to do. Adults get to go places they don't want to go. Adults get to endure unpleasant situations that ultimately result in betterment. Adults get to care. Adults are supposed to care. Adults have to care.

If we don't, who will?

There's always a choice.

That's one benefit of being an adult. No one can make you do anything. You are your own person, and you get to decide what you do or don't do, whether you go or stay home. It's up to you.

The downside? 

Consequences.

Oh, piddly! Consequences, smonsequences. I'm an adult! No one can tell me what to do!

If you believe that, don't pay your mortgage, taxes, electric, water, or phone bill and see what happens.  Don't invest time in your marriage, your kids, your faith. Ignore those things you treasure in life, and let them take care of themselves.

Think that'll go over well?

Here's a hint: Lead balloons. 

I protest.

Yea, I do that a lot. I grumble. I growl. I mope and drag, pout and nag, stall and lag. It's not pretty. It's not helpful. I don't feel any better for having done it because, in the end, I know what I'll do.

I'll be the adult.

Even if I don't want to.

Good Advice

Who is a prudent man?

Someone who is prudent is wise, careful in his actions. He exercises good judgment and common sense. In this verse, a prudent man is someone who recognizes danger and acts accordingly.

What is danger?

Danger is anything that places us in peril. It may be a risk to our health, our finances, our marriages, our relationship with God, or anything else. Danger is not to be played with. Danger is to be avoided, and sometimes the only way to avoid it is to take refuge.

What is refuge?

Refuge is shelter, a place of safety. Take refuge means getting out of harm's way.

Who is simple?

Here, someone who is simple is contrasted to a prudent man. Thus, we can say a simpleton is unwise, careless in his actions. He exercises poor judgment and lacks common sense. This is not to say he is stupid. He recognizes danger, but instead of seeking refuge, he keeps going.

What does it mean to keep going?

Just what it says. Despite the warning signs of impending danger, the simple stay on the same course. Instead of getting out of harm's way, they just keep on keeping on. The path they refuse to leave leads ultimately to suffering.

What is suffering?

It is the consequence of ignoring danger. It may be health consequences, financial difficulty, divorce, spiritual bankruptcy, or any number of unfavorable outcomes, depending on what danger is ignored. In this context, suffering is the opposite of the safety offered by taking refuge.

A prudent mans sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

We could put this verse in the context of a thousand what ifs and how abouts, trying to disprove the validity of what the writer is saying. Ultimately, that's going to get us exactly nowhere. We would be better served to simply take it for what it is: Good advice.

Who Would've Thunk?

It's Friday. 

We're all half brain dead by this point in the week anyway, right? So here's some brain candy (tastes good, but too much will give you a belly ache). Enjoy.

The label says it all.

We've all heard about the warning on McDonald's coffee, right? If not, beware--it might be hot!  

Here are some other examples of priceless advice you might not be able to live without.

On mouse poison package:  Has been proven to cause cancer in some laboratory mice.
Really? I was hoping for something quicker-acting.


On clothes-iron warning label:  Warning--do not iron clothes on body.
Good advice, that. Especially the pants.


On the side of a Wal-Mart fish aquarium:  Further purchase ideas: rocks; aquatic plant life; fish.
So that's what you do with a clear glass box!

On a mattress warning label:  Do not attempt to swallow.
 Why? Is it poisonous?

On package of pepperoni:  Do not eat package.
But, I'm hungry!

On a road sign in Oregon:  Do not pass snowplow on the right.
I bet that's good advice in Illinois, too!

On my computer: Keyboard not detected. Press F1 to continue.
Here's something they didn't tell me: Computers cannot fly!

On side of lawnmower: Do not attempt to remove blade while lawnmower is running.
Yea, because those suckers are fast! 

On a matchbook (remember what those are?): Contents may catch fire.
Usually not, in my experience.

On a child's super-hero costume: Wearing this garment does not enable you to fly.
Sadly, my son learned this. The hard way!

On canister of self-defense pepper spray:  Never aim spray at your own eyes.
What if I want to make sure it works, first?

On a 500-piece puzzle box: Some assembly required.
So that's the difference between a puzzle and a picture!

On OUTDOOR Christmas decorations: For indoor use only.
Wait . . . What?

On frozen pizza: While cooking, be sure to place crust-side down.
Oh, that's tricky! How do I tell which side is the crust side?

And while not a warning label, my all time favorite . . .

Braille on drive-up ATM keyboards!

God help us all if we really need any of these!
 

My Proclamation

I believe.

I believe in the one true God who created all things. Who created us male and female for a reason. Who gives order and reason to life, even though I don't always understand it. Who is in control. Who knows. Judges. Wins.

I believe in Jesus Christ. He is God. He became man to live, die, and rise again so that I may have eternal life. He is my Savior. His shed blood washed away my sins. My forgiveness and salvation are free gifts given by the grace of God the Father, through His Son.

I have died to myself. I have been risen to live again.

I am a new man.

I am not ashamed.

Many seem to think I should be. They gather in rallies and protests against me. They pass laws to restrict me. They threaten my home, my family. They deride. They defile. They mock. They hate.

They try to shame me.

They cannot.

I will not go quietly.

I will not be shoved in a corner, a closet, a hole. I will not back down, give in, acquiesce.

I will stand. I will fight.

Though it may cost all that I have, even my life, I will proclaim.

I am a Christian.

Why Does It Have To Be So Hard?

Some days I feel as dense as a block of wood.

I look at the pieces of this puzzle that is life, and it makes absolutely no sense at all. I can't figure out if that piece goes here and this one there, or if they even belong at all. Upside-down, flipped around, backward, forward, or sideways? Got me, brother. I'm stumped.

I'm not a genius, but I'm not stupid, either. Even though I may not be the World's Most Interesting Man, I haven't exactly been living under a rock these past 40-some years. I've been there and done that enough to know the basics of how life works.

But sometimes, it just doesn't make sense why it has to be so hard.

I'm not talking about brain surgery or global financial algorithms.

I'm talking about the every day ordinary stuff. When the mundane becomes monumental. Smack you in the face, first thing in the morning realities. I did it yesterday, why can't I do it today quandaries. Those things which seem simple enough, except that nothing and nobody wants to cooperate.

Like marriage. How is it possible that getting ready to go to a party with someone I've shared a bed with for 18 years could lead to a squabble? I mean, we're raising three kids together, but we're going to argue over where the party is, when we're supposed to be there, and if we're bringing chips or drinks? Sometimes I wonder if we even speak the same language.

And what about those kids? I thought molding them into perfect examples of obedience, courtesy, and respect would be easy. It's not. I saw them take their first breath, but I swear sometimes I think their next one just might be their last if they keep pushing my buttons. Good grief; don't they know we pay the bills around here? My wife said she got them to this point, now it's on me. She's done. Thanks, Dear.

Then there's work, money, relationships, obligations . . . Not to mention the Rhodes Scholar candidate at the cash register who can't make change for a twenty dollar bill when I buy a cup of coffee to clear my head.

Really?

Sorry. That wasn't nice. What I meant to say was . . . Really?

Yep, sometimes life is hard.

It's usually not the big ticket items that get me down. It's the death by a thousand cuts, Chinese water-torture days that wear on me. I've got one nerve left, and be danged if someone isn't stabbing at it with a toothpick. That's when everything stops making sense.

Until I step back, take a deep breath . . . and scream.

Just kidding.

 What we have to remember is Romans chapter 5 and James chapter 1. Life's about that journey from suffering, to perseverance, to character, to hope. It's about testing bringing about maturity. It's about trials making us complete.

Pressure and heat transforms simple carbon into diamonds. Omelets come from broken eggs. You have to tear down to rebuild. Pick your metaphor; the reality is, if life wasn't hard, we wouldn't get any stronger or any better.

Life is our spiritual gymnasium. Sometimes God piles on the weights to prepare us for what's ahead.

Remember that the next time He gives you a challenge.

It's all about making you who He wants you to be!

Fall Forward

You're going to get hit. Hard.

They are going to come at you from the front, the side, and even from behind. Some you will see, others you won't. It doesn't matter. All you need to know is they are going to hit you. Hard.

They'll hit low to knock your feet out from under you. They'll wrap you up from behind to slow you down. They'll lower their heads and bury them right in your breadbasket to knock the very breath from your lungs.

They're mean. They're vicious. They're relentless.

They are the world.

They are going to knock you down.

To gain ground, you have to fall forward.

Yes, you are going to hit the ground. No one makes a touchdown every time they carry the ball. The great ones, those who gain yardage in the triple digits, make the most of every opportunity. They keep their eyes forward, their legs churning, and protect the ball. When the hits are just too hard, and they know they're going down, they give one last mighty effort.

They fall forward.

That's two more yards. 20% of a first down. If they fell backward, they'd lose two yards. That's a 4 yard difference. 40% of a first down.

It all depends on which way they fall.

We are all ball carriers.

No, we're not all football players. We're not all sports fanatics, fans, or even casual observers. Some couldn't care less about sports, and some actually despise them. That's fine. No analogy works for everyone.

But for those of you who are following me here, you get it. We're all in a contest of will, a battle of giants. Strategy matters, because inches matter. Big plays are great, but the grind-it-out ground game, the short passes out in the flat, the yards gained after contact are what make the difference. If you try the Hail Mary every down, you'll be 3 and out more times than not. Or worse, intercepted.

Sometimes you have to put your head down and run the ball up the gut, through the seams, into the maw of the monster. You have to go toe-to-toe with the big guys, in the swamp where anything can happen. It's dirty play, here. It's anything goes, survival of the fittest, hit or be hit mentality time.

You've got the ball. It's time to move the chains.

Don't count on breaking free every time.

These guys are good. The opposing linemen are like towering oaks, with branches for arms that seem to reach from one side of the field to the other. The linebackers are strong as lions, fast as cheetahs, and cagey as hyenas. The corners are smart, and read every play. When they come in, they come in hard and hot. They're not as big, but when they build up a head of steam, they pack a punch.

And the safety? He's an assassin, a sniper. He shows up when you least expect it, and strips the ball. You won't see him coming, but I guarantee you'll know when he gets there.

All this to say, they're going to get you more times than not. You might out-run, out-smart, or over-power any one of them, but they don't play like that. They gang tackle. They mob. They swarm. They converge.

On you.

That's when you have to fall forward.

Sure, football is just a game. But life isn't.

The ball you carry? Maybe that's your marriage, your kids, your faith. Whatever it is, we're all trying to move something forward in our lives.

The defense you face? It could be temptation, struggles, or persecution.

Whatever. Here's the point.

When life wraps you up and you know you're going to go
down . . .

Fall forward.

Then get up, get back in position, and do it again.

Keep pushing ahead, and sooner or later you're going to score.