Where Do You Find Peace?

Peace.

According to the dictionary, peace is freedom from disturbance; tranquility.

Does that sound like your life? Not mine. No way, no how.

I have three kids at home, two teenagers and a pre-teen. Do I have peace there? Not very often.

Work is busy, demanding, stressful. I leave work looking for peace.

 I step outside and hear sirens, cars, people. No peace. No tranquility.

I turn on the news. Is it that I live in the wrong place? Is there peace somewhere else? Not hardly.

So, where in this noisy world do you go to find peace?

There are escapes, but they are only temporary. You can run from disturbances and noise, but you cannot hide.

When we "go on vacation," how many of us are ever more than a couple feet away from our cellphones? When we "unwind," how long does that last? When was the last time you felt peace, true freedom from disturbance. True tranquility? How long did it last?

The answer to lasting peace is not a place. Nor is it something you do. The answer to peace is a person.

Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:14 says, "For He Himself is our peace . . ."

Colossians 3:15 says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Philippians 4:7 reads, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Do you see the pattern? Do you understand the theme? 

It is Jesus, and only Him.

If you try to find peace any other way, you will not find it. Not really. Not a peace that lasts.

So when the hustle and bustle invades, as it always does, find your peace in Him who never fails. 

Baby, It's Cold . . . Inside?

Winter is here. We avoided it for a while, but like an overdue bill, it showed up again--with interest. Snow. Ice. Wind. Cold. More snow. More ice. More cold. The sun barely shines, and when it does, it feels like I've been cheated, because it never warms anything up.

There's that old expression--the dead of winter. That phrase is so apt and fitting. While my wife likes the snow and sees it as beautiful and wondrous, I see it as bleak and barren. So pale. So lifeless. So . . . cold.

Baby, it is cold out there, and if the meteorologists are correct--which, unfortunately, they have been lately--it's going to get colder.

As I said, my wife really likes winter. She enjoys snuggling in with fleece and flannel. She finds joy in being inside baking, reading, being with the kids and even being with me--for some reason. And she can look out that window, frosted as it may be, and see beauty, life, goodness. It warms her heart. I'm serious--this wonderful woman actually gets even more cheerful the worse the weather gets.

I do not.

Now don't get me wrong--I get excited when a big snowstorm is coming. I love bad weather. In the summer I'm out in the storms, feeling the rumble of the thunder in my chest and wondering at the power, the majesty. I always think of Revelation Chapter 4 where John describes the throne room of God as reverberating with lighting and thunder.

And the few times I've seen/heard thunder-snow--that's incredible. The lightning is so incredibly white and bright reflecting off the snow, and the thunder. . . it's just different. Loud and yet muffled at the same time. Pretty cool.

I see the power and majesty of God through His creation, and I know the rain and the snow both come from Him. But I will take a good old thunderstorm after a 90 degree heat wave over a snowstorm and 0 degree weather any day.

The cold makes me feel, well, cold.

And not just on the outside, but the inside. I know there is a medical condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD, fittingly), but that's not what I'm talking about. I may not like the short days of winter, but as long as the temps don't drop too far, I'm fine.

But when it gets cold--and I mean really cold--like below 30 (not 30 below, below 30), I've had enough. I still go out and hunt, go ice fishing, still change the oil in our vehicles, shovel the snow, throw snowballs at the kids and all that, but I don't like it. Snow would be great, if it was 80 degrees.

The problem isn't that I'm physically cold--I've got the clothes and understand the idea of layering (the guy I hunt with laughs at the "suitcase" I bring with me).  It doesn't matter how warm I am. I can be sweating, and still I complain about the cold. The problem is I'm cold on the inside. I feel cold because it looks cold.

That window in the picture at the top of this blog--it's all frosted over. Now, probably, it's warm inside that house. But looking through that frost makes me think it's cold. I'm not cold, but I feel cold. The power of suggestion, I guess.

I think we do the same thing in a lot of aspects of our lives. Let's say someone at work is having a bad day. I might be having a good day, but when I realize someone else isn't, all the sudden my day isn't so good. I let someone else's bad day become my bad day. Just like looking out that frosted window made me feel cold. I wasn't cold--I wasn't having a bad day--until I saw it. Then I felt it. Ever have that happen?

Or have you ever been tempted by something that you normally would not be tempted by until you saw someone else do it? Or wanted something you never wanted before until someone else had one? Ever let someone else's bad habits creep into your life? Ever doubt God's presence because someone else told you He wasn't there? Ever feel spiritually cold because the world is?

Baby, it is cold outside. But we don't have to be cold in here, and by "in here" I mean in God's presence. In God's family. In His arms. And that's where we are. Every one of us who believes.

Just like I'm in a warm house, or a warm car, or warm clothes. It may be cold all around me but I am warm. There is spiritual coldness and in fact death all around us. We live in a spiritually dead world. But we are alive! We are warm! We are sheltered. We are safe. We are surrounded by the light and, in fact, are to be lights ourselves.

It's a cold and dark world out there, but don't let it chill that flame inside you.

There Is Hope

On this third day of a new year, one in which I have resolved to be more like the One whom I follow, (see my last blog here) I have already found it incredibly easy to fall into old habits. And, as you may suspect, these habits are not ones which will help me become who I want to be.

Habits are interesting little phenomena. They are formed (sometimes knowingly and sometimes not) by repetition. Do anything enough times and it will most likely become a habit. My daughter just walked out of the room we were both in and shut off the light--leaving me in the dark! She didn't do it intentionally, she didn't think about it, she just did because it was--you guessed it--a habit.

Now, had she stopped to think, I'm pretty sure she would not have purposely left dear old dad in the dark of night. But she wasn't thinking about that. She was focused on where she was going, what she was going to do next, and just automatically hit that little switch on her way by. She didn't even realize it, at least not until I said something.

That's a habit, and our lives are full of them. My wife moves the kitchen faucet to the middle of the sink every time she walks by because, as a child, their faucet tended to drip and they were trained to make it drip on the divider of the double sink so that the sound of drip, drip, drip didn't resonate through the house--especially to the bedroom of her parents. Now, we've been married 21 years, and in all those years our kitchen faucet has not dripped. But guess what my wife still does!

In the same way, I'm pretty sure my son cannot watch a movie without eating popcorn, even if we just left a restaurant, because that's what you do at a movie. And our scrappy middle child cannot, simply can not do anything without making it a competition, with herself if no one else.

These are not bad habits necessarily, but certainly they are not necessary habits. They are just rote reactions we learn over the years. Some are good, like washing your hands after going to the bathroom, or picking up after yourself, or an untold number of other good and ordinary things we do every day.

Those are not the kind of habits I find myself battling against. I only wish it were so simple.

The habits I find myself struggling to break are ones of the mind--what I think, how I think, and why I think it. My habit is negativity.

I'm a glass half empty kind of person. You may call me a pessimist, but I prefer realist. That glass may be half full, but I know for sure it's half empty. And of course, things could probably be worse, but I'm 100% positive they could be better. It's not as cold as it could be, but it's not as warm as I'd like it. You get the point.

I'm not quite Grumpy from the Brothers Grimm tale of Snow White, but I'm no Pollyanna either. I tend to see the darkness, the flaws, the potholes, the things that could go wrong. It's hard for me to not let one bad apple spoil the whole basket. I'm more like the Solomon of Ecclesiastes who said, everything is meaningless and a chasing of the wind, than I am like the Solomon of Proverbs who said, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Now Solomon was a wise man, and he said both of those things. And I believe that he was inspired by God, so both are true. The difference is, one is an observation (everything apart from God is meaningless), and the other is a way of life (trust God, and everything will work out). My habit has been to confuse the two.

I'm inclined to see the meaninglessness and futility of life Solomon observed as the only reality. It's a habit, one a psychoanalyst may be able to explain, but I cannot. All I know is that I expect the worst, see the bad, and often miss the better things in life because of it.

That, my friends, is what we might call a bad habit. A really bad habit.

Because that's not the world we--including myself--live in.

We (and I'm talking to you and me), live in a world where there is hope.

Solomon spoke of hope in that if we trust God and not ourselves, He will lead us, and where He leads us will be green pastures and still waters (Solomon no doubt learned that from his dad). Paul spoke of hope in Ephesians 1:18-19 when he said, I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. . . "

The hope to which he has called us. Riches and glorious inheritance. Incomparably great power. Salvation. Redemption. Forgiveness. Love. Security. Safety. Provision. The list goes on and on.

Hope. Hope. HOPE! Not negativity. Not futility and meaninglessness. Not the potholes and the flaws and the darkness but the light and the love and the hope that is Jesus Christ. That is what I should tend towards, that is what I should see, that is what I need to train myself to remember and understand and apply to every thing and every day. That glass may very well be half empty, but as Christ made water to wine, He can certainly fill it up to overflowing.

So this habit, this rote reaction of negativity is now my enemy, my nemesis. I doubt very much that I shall soon be walking around spouting rainbows and unicorns, but I shall strive to no longer walk under a storm cloud of doom and gloom. As I have trained myself to not move the kitchen faucet away from the middle of the sink, so shall I, trusting in the grace and power of God, train myself to not dwell on the negative.

Depending on who you listen to, it takes anywhere from 21 to almost 300 days to form a lasting habit.

Today is day one for me.

What about you?

In This New Year, Who Do You Want To Be?

Yep, it's a new year. Time for all those resolutions, goals, start-overs and new beginnings. Spoiler alert--most of them will fail. They'll fail for a variety of reasons, but one big one is that they are not who we are, and won't help us be who we want to be.

If I resolve to climb Mt Everest this year, I'm going to fail. I don't like heights, I don't like the idea of traveling, I hate being cold, and I really have no interest in devoting my life to risking my life. That's just not who I am, nor who I want to be.

The same goes for resolving to spend hundreds of hours this year training to run a marathon. It's not that running a marathon is bad, it's just not me right now. I don't want to take the time, put in the effort, and bear the inevitable aches and pains. Some day maybe, but today that's not who I am or even who I want to be.

See what I'm saying? If I set goals that don't match who I am, or even who I want to be--who I really want to be, I'm nearly certain to fail. Especially if those goals are at all worthwhile.

Most things in this life that are worthwhile don't come easy. That's a fact. They take work, effort, persistence, and often a significant amount of pain--of one kind or another. I'm not going to go through that unless I have a really good reason, unless it's going to help me be who I want to be.

So that begs the question, "Who do I want to be?"

To answer that, I have to know who I am today; and honestly, that's not as easy as one may think.

Who I am encompasses a lot. I'm a husband. A father. A son. An uncle, a nephew, cousin. A healthcare worker. A friend. A member of a church. I'm a man, an American, a hunter and fisherman. I enjoy the outdoors and being active, but also reading and doing puzzles. I'm patient with things but not with people. I'm no genius but I'm not totally dense. Most importantly, I am a Christian.

Being a Christian is the most important thing because it means that I am a son of God. I have been called into His family, accepted into His presence not because of those things about me I listed above, but because of Jesus Christ. I am forgiven of my sins, and I am empowered by God to overcome this life for His purposes. I am saved. I am redeemed, and that's what really matters.

Now, could I just stop there and be comfortable knowing that I have the most important part of my identity figured out? I have accepted Jesus. I am saved. Nothing else really matters. Does it?

Yes, it does.

It really, really does.

Because you see, being a Christian means that I am a follower of Jesus. God has called me to be His son, and I want to be. I want to please my Father. I want to follow in the footsteps of my "Big Brother." I want to be like Christ, and truth be told, in so many ways I am not.

And so, there we are.

Who do I want to be? I want to be like Christ. I want to be a son who will please my Father, who will make Him proud. I want to be not just a good guy, but a real man. A true disciple. A devoted follower.

So this year, that's what I resolve. I resolve to become more like the One I follow. What that means exactly will be revealed day by day, hour by hour. It will take work. It will require persistence. It will sometimes result in pain, but I'm willing. I'm willing and I'm ready because I know who I am and I know who I want to be.

This is my first step.

What's yours?

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
 
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

Did you find yourself singing that blessed old hymn? I bet many of you did. Not just the first verse, but the rest as well. I still am, just in my head, of course, where even I can sing well. Those words are powerful, moving, and stir my soul.

My only question is, do I?

Do I truly surrender all to Jesus? To Him do I freely give all? All that I have. All that I am. All that I need, and want, and fear, and foresee, and . . . everything else. Can I truly say that I give it all to Him?

I know I should. I know I can. I know He will accept it. But will I give? Will I give it all to Him?

What does that mean, anyway? To give it all to Jesus. If I give my possessions to Jesus, does that mean I empty my savings accounts into the offering plate and sign my house over to the church? To give my life to Him do I have to quit my job, live in poverty, and go live in the jungle as a missionary?

Maybe, but not necessarily. To give all to Him means to give up control. That means He may appoint me as steward over what He has given me, to govern and care for a certain set of possessions. It may also mean giving it away. It depends on what He tells me to do.

To give my children to God does not mean I don't have to care for them, nurture them, raise them and provide for them. I give them to Him and He in turns appoints me to watch over them. I have no less responsibility, I still have authority over them, but they are not truly mine. They belong to Him and are simply, for a time, in my care.

And so it is with all things. To give all to Jesus means to understand that whatever we have is not really ours. Everything was created by God, through God, for God. In opposition to common belief, God did not create this world for us. He created it for His glory, and appointed us as caretakers. He did not give it to us, it still belongs to Him.

The trials and struggles we go through also are not ours, because our very lives, and the lives of our family are not ours or theirs. Everyone is held in God's hand. He alone is sovereign. He alone has final say over what does, or does not, happen. We cannot hold too tightly to either the good or the hard, because neither are ours.

To say we give all to Jesus is simply to acknowledge reality. It is already His. We really can not give it to Him because He already has it. What we are doing is accepting the truth. We are facing the reality of what is. I cannot surrender possession that is not mine. What I surrender is any false sense of ownership I might be holding on to.

To surrender all to Jesus means, as those words above say, to trust Him. To really believe that I am living in His presence. To humbly bow at the feet of the Almighty, relinquishing control of every last thing, including my very life, over to Him.

So what are you holding on to? What have you not yet surrendered? Give it to Jesus. Allow Him to take it, and replace it with something infinitely better--His peace. His love. His power.

Give up those fears. Let go of those insecurities. Loosen your grip on your future. Because none of those are yours. They belong to Him. Let Him have them, and see what a true Master can do.

Fear

We all experience it. Every one of us. That awful, awesome, visceral feeling of facing the known or unknown which causes us trepidation and unrest. Sweaty palms. Racing heart. That pit deep in your belly. Despair. Hopelessness. Insufficiency.

You know the feeling.

It affects us, this specter of fear. And specter it is, for it has neither body nor form, can be neither touched nor heard nor sensed in any physical sense but it exists just the same. It is real. As real as is love, as real as is pain. As certain as the cold bite of winter chilling our bones, though we can see neither.

Fear.

It can save your life, or end it. Drive you to seek shelter, or to run blindly into the storm. It can cause the weak to achieve the impossible, and the strong to do nothing. Fear can destroy. Fear can fortify.

Truly awesome is this insubstantial phantom of fear.

Solomon said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and also, "The fear of the Lord leads to life."   Jesus said, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

That is the kind of fear which can save your life. The kind of fear which can cause the weak to achieve the impossible. Fear can fortify.

Fear can also destroy.

Gideon was so paralyzed by fear that though he was a mighty warrior, he was afraid to act. The entire Israelite nation were so afraid that they refused to enter the good land God had prepared for them, and they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

The stories go on and on. What's amazing is what happens when people truly fear God more than they fear this world. Gideon conquered an army of 135,000 with 300 men. Caleb and Joshua were the only two from an entire generation of Israelites to see the Promised land. Daniel survived a night in a pit of lions. Jonah was saved from certain death.

Do you see the theme here?

Fear of this world gets you nowhere. Fear of God can take you anywhere.

When that feeling of trepidation comes over you, when your heart races and your mind spins, ask yourself, "What am I afraid of?" Is it more dangerous than lions? Is it more mighty than 135,000 trained warriors? Is that thing or person bigger than Almighty God?

No. It's not. Whatever it is, it's not.

Take a deep breath. Remember Daniel. Remember Joseph. Remember Paul, and Moses, and Abraham, and David and . . . remember God.

Fear Him, and Him alone. For if He be with you, who can stand against you?

Attitude Isn't Everything--But It's A Lot

You've probably seen one of those motivational posters, or maybe a post on social media espousing Attitude is EVERYTHING. Well, I disagree. Sort of.

You can have the best attitude in the world and still have the worst day. Conversely, you can have the worst attitude possible and have everything work out. Some days you do your best, and fail. Other days, despite your worst efforts, God smiles on you.

Attitude isn't everything.

But it is important.

Philippians 2:14 says that we are to Do everything without complaining or arguing. That's all about attitude. It means not only doing what we are supposed to do, but doing so willingly and even--Gasp!--cheerfully. We are not only supposed to do good, we are to do good with the right attitude.

Why? Well, the next verse tells us why. So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the 
universe . . .

Wow. That's a pretty good reason for having the right attitude.

Paul had more words of advise on attitude for the church in Philippi. In Philippians 4:8 he instructs them, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 

If that's not about attitude, I don't know what is. He tells them, and God tells us, that we should be thinking about the true, the noble, the right, the pure, the lovely, the admirable--anything that is excellent or praiseworthy. Think about those things. Don't spend your time thinking about what is false, what is ignoble, what is wrong, what is impure, what is unlovely, what is not admirable--don't waste your time on anything that is not excellent or praiseworthy.

I bet if we did that, all the time--only thought about those good and right things and let everything else go--our attitudes would be a whole lot better. I know mine would.

Here's another one. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men. And the reason for this one? It's in the next verse as well. Since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. 

We don't live for this world. We don't work for this world. We don't exist for this world alone. How different would our lives be if our attitudes reflected that?

There are so many more. Paul starts Colossians 3 with, set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Christ said to love God and love our neighbors as the first and second-most commandments. He also said If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all (Mark 9:35). Now that's an attitude adjustment, at least for me, most of the time!

 In my own personal experience, my attitude reflects the status of my relationship with God. When I'm tight with God, my attitude reflects Him. When I'm not, it doesn't. For me, it really is that simple.

My point is this: Attitude isn't everything--God is everything. But our attitudes are so very important to how we respond to God, how we obey God, how we reflect Jesus Christ to the world. So to that end . . .

Attitude isn't everything, but it is a lot!

Change

I have heard it said that change is the only constant in life, and sometimes that seems oh-so-true. I've also heard it said that change is good, and sure, sometimes that's true as well. But not always. Oh, no sir. Not always.

Let's be blunt. I lost my dad 9 years ago. That change hurt, and it still does. Maybe not as much as it did, but if I could go back and undo it--change the change, if you will--would I? In a heartbeat.

Given the chance, I'd change a lot of change in my life. I'd bring back busload of people who have moved away. I'd reverse a whole slew of decisions that rocked my world, and eliminate a sea of waves that have rocked my boat.

But that chance will never come. I cannot rewind the clock. I cannot make that river of time flow back. No one can.

So what's to be done? Do I live life in constant agony over the changes that have come, and dread the ones yet to be?

No. I can't live like that. There's no peace in such a life, no life in such an existence.

So do I embrace change, no matter what change may bring?

No. I can't. If change could be trusted, were it always docile and benign, then sure. Come what may. But heartless monster that change can be, I may not be able to stop it, but I'll not willingly give it carte blanche in my life.

What is left? What options do I have?

Acceptance? Sure. I guess. I mean, what choice do I have?

But I believe there's a better way yet.

Hope.

Yes, hope.

Not as in wishful thinking, but as in blessed assurance. Hope as in God has a plan for me, a plan for my good, not my harm, a plan for a future and a hope, as God said to Jeremiah. Hope as in being strong and courageous, knowing that God will never leave me nor forsake me, just as He told Joshua. Hope as in those who trust in the Lord will find new strength, they will fly like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not be tired, as said by Isaiah.

That's what I mean by hope. Because I know change is coming that's going to hurt. What it will be, I do not not know. But that it will be, of that I am certain. And to face that without hope--honestly, I'd rather die. Truly.

Because I cannot bear the thought of change without hope. Of a world without reason or purpose, which is what I see in change without hope. If every change is simply by chance, if there is no plan, if no one has my back, then I'm done. I'll cash in my chips right now, thank you very much.

But I have hope. I have hope in God who never changes. I have hope in Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow. I have hope in the One who works all things out for the good of those who love Him. I have hope, and change can never take that away.

So I face tomorrow, full of changes and a change unto itself, with hope.

That is a better way.

 

When Life Gets Tough, The Tough Go To God

It's true.

All too often we are faced with decisions we don't want to make, don't know how to make, have never made before--seemingly without any direction on what we should decide. Life is full of conundrums, riddles, impossible situations, and times when no answer is a good one.

In short, sometimes life throws a curve ball that seems impossible to hit, or spins us around till we are too dizzy to see straight.

It's true. Life is hard.

You are not alone.

You're not alone in that everyone, at one time or another, feels the same. Some decisions are weightier and have greater ramifications than others, but it is all a matter of perspective. The pressing problem of today may be nothing compared to what I face tomorrow. And that may be nothing compared to the dilemma of my neighbor, my friend, my coworker.

We all, every one of us, enter those halls where every door of decision looks the same, and is as likely to lead us to the precipice of despair as it is to offer deliverance.

You also are not alone in that you do not have to make these choices in isolation. We have friends. We have family. We have the church and pastors, we have spouses and children, we even have professionals of all kinds available to us to provide insight and knowledge.

Yet even those, as great as they are, sadly fall short. All that support, while of some comfort, all too often doesn't provide us what we want, what we so desperately desire.

An answer.

The answer. The right choice. The perfect decision. The one response that would make everything right and good. For all their insight and experience, all of mankind cannot tell us what we should do. We have to make the choice.


In that, it seems, we are very much alone.

But we are not.

Neither father nor mother, sister nor brother, friends, spouses, consultants, advisers, doctors, lawyers, or even pastors or priests can tell us exactly what we should do in these toughest of times. They can help, but they cannot provide that one perfect answer, that one straight and clear path.

Only God can do that.

Oh yes, God knows. And, probably, we all know that. We say it often enough: Only God knows what I should do. We say it, and we might even believe it. But do we act on it? Do we really tap into that one perfect resource who really can answer all questions, make all paths straight, and provide light where there is only darkness?

The reality is, God wants to help. He's waiting to help. He's standing at the door awaiting our call. All we have to do is knock, and He will answer.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reads: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (NIV).

That's exactly what we're looking for, isn't it? I mean, isn't it! We want someone to show us the way, to give us a path that leads straight to the answer we need. A straight path--no curves, no hills or valleys, no side-trips or rabbit-trails. Just the straight up true and right answer.

That's what I'm looking for when life gets hard.

And God's willing to give it.

All we have to do is . . . 

Trust God instead of ourselves. Trust Him and what He knows, not what we think we know. To trust Him to know the way, and then follow it. Submit. Even when the path He shows us looks completely wrong. Even if the door He points out is warped, misshapen, caked with cracked and peeling paint, and half-hidden by vines and weeds. Trust Him, and lean not on our own understanding.

It's easy to say. It's so hard to do. God's answers--because He is perfect in knowledge and understanding--sometimes just don't make sense to us. What it seems He is telling us all to often is not what we want, what we think we should do. It doesn't seem possible to follow that path, to open that door, and find the right way. It just doesn't make sense.

But it does. Because God is always right. Because God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Those who love Him, trust Him, and lean not on their own understanding.

We have to have child-like faith. And well we should, for indeed we are His children.

Life's full of tough choices. 

Jobs. Relationships. Parents. Children. Even life and death, mortal and spiritual. Those long passages of life need not be walked alone. Those doors of decision need not be opened without guidance, without a comforting hand upon our shoulder. Truly, we need not even trod a single step in fear or trepidation.

For no decision is tougher, greater, or more fearsome than our Almighty God.

Trust Him, and lean not on your own understanding, and He will make your paths straight.

Amen.

Seek What Is Good

What do you see?

I bet we would be amazed by what some people first notice in this picture. For some, it will be a sunrise, for others, a sunset. Someone will notice the clouds, someone else the blue sky. One person will key in on the birds on the right, another will pick out the people standing on the hill to the left. You may perceive an empty road, or a path to unknown opportunities. The guardrail, the town in the background, the bare rock, the vegetation . . . There's much to see here.

What's amazing is that we all see the same thing, but many of use will focus on different aspects. That's the difference between what we see and what we perceive, and much of that depends on what we're looking for.

You may not even know, consciously, what you're looking for. Your perceptions are influenced by a myriad of factors. For example, how you feel is often going to dictate what you see. In a good mood, you'll probably see the sun. Day not going so well? Those clouds could be bringing in a storm. Where the road ends might be a cliff, or perhaps a gentle descent into a glorious villa lit by the sun.

Each of us can look at the same picture and see something different. And believe it or not, we can choose to see what we want.

Life is the same way.

We could each have the same experience, and perceive it a different way. It happens every day. I could have one person say something negative and ruin my whole day. On the other hand, you might brush off that comment as no big deal and instead focus on 10 other things that person or someone else said, and call it a great day. It depends, in large part, on what we're looking for.

That is a choice. We cannot always choose what we see or what we experience, but we can choose how we perceive it. We can choose what we focus on. We can decide what's really important to us.

Here's what the Bible says.

Philippians 4:8 reads, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Read that again. Paul says that we should think about the good things in life. That's all about picking through everything we see and experience and focusing on the positive. Whatever is true. Whatever is honorable. Whatever is pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise. These are the things we are to look for in life. These are the things we are to focus on. These are the things we are to see.

There is a conscious effort involved here. Paul is telling us to choose. In this life, we will see good and bad. He tells us to choose to dwell on what is good. And the bad? It's not worth thinking about. Let. It. Go.

Paul tells us that as we go through our days we shouldn't focus on the negative. Don't fret about things which are not true. Don't stew over what is dishonorable. Don't mull over injustice, or obsess over impurity. Do not let what is unlovely block out what is lovely, nor allow the contemptible to push aside the commendable. Never allow the inferior to outweigh the excellent, or permit something unworthy of praise to occupy your mind. Do not waste your energy on these things. Let them go. They're not worth your time.

Seek what is good.

Choose to see beauty rather than ugliness. Focus on what is positive, not the downside. Live your life thinking about those things which are worth thinking about, and leave the rest to rot like the garbage it is. Life is full of those things which are true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and so on. All you have to do is look, and you will find them.

Today, seek what is good. In the verse that follows the one above, Paul says, Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Seek what is good, and the God of peace will be with you. That's sure to change your day.

That's worth remembering!

 

Perspective Matters

What is perspective?

Imagine you look out the window and everything is a blur. Objects move by so quickly they become indistinct blobs. Your eyes don't have time to focus, to pick out one object distinctly before it is gone, replaced by another. From your point of view, the world is rushing by at breakneck speed.

Now imagine standing by a train track as a train races past. Again, your eyes don't have time to focus on one object distinctly before it is gone, replaced by another. Your point of view tells you, once again, that the world is rushing by at breakneck speed.

From both points of view, your immediate environment is still as the world rushes past. Whether seated on the train or standing on the road, you don't seem to be moving, but are you? Your perspective tells you that you're still in both, but in reality in one case you're moving through the world, in the other the world is moving by you.

Our perspective doesn't always give us the whole picture.

Everything we experience, we experience from the perspective of who and where we are. Our perspective is influenced by our life experiences, our understanding of our environment, our biases, our preferences, our mood, our health, our . . . In short, my perspective of the world is my point of view, how I see things. And just like the example above, my point of view doesn't always give me the full picture.

Just think about the many conflicts going on in the world around us. From the perspective of one group, they see the situation clearly. But the group on the other side feels the same. In most cases, both groups cannot be right, and in many cases, neither are completely right. Their perspective is skewed by who and where they are.

On an individual level, the same is true. When I disagree with my wife, she is right. (Just kidding). In reality, we both think we are right. We both have reasons for believing what we believe, for wanting what we want, for saying what we say. Our perspective tells us both we are right, even if we have come to completely opposite conclusions. From my point of view, I am right, and from hers, she is.

What to do?

I don't want to write a blog on conflict resolution. That's not my forte. It'd be easier if everyone just agreed with me, and I bet most of you feel the same (the "me" being you). The problem is, I, and you, are not always right.  

Gasp!

In truth, none of us see the world clearly. Paul says it this way in I Corinthians 13:12:  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. In our humanness, in our selfish mortal state, we really cannot see clearly. It is, in part, a problem of perspective.

We all wear glasses, whether rose-tinted or otherwise. We all see the world from the perspective of "me." We have no other choice. If I'm on the train, that's my perspective. If I'm standing by the tracks, that's my perspective. I can't change it. It is what it is.

What I can do is be aware of my perspective. I can know whether I am on the train or standing by the tracks. I can know if I'm seeing something a certain way because I want a certain outcome. I can know that I'm particularly quarrelsome or irritable today, that I'm biased by my past experiences, that I tend to see certain situations in a certain light. I can understand my perspective, and that will help me to interpret what I am experiencing.

Our perspective matters. It influences not only what we perceive, but how we perceive it. That's huge. Knowing why we see things the way we see them is one step closer to seeing things for how they truly are. And once we see more clearly, we can act more appropriately.

And that is worth thinking about!

With Him--Anything. Without Him-Nothing

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

What an empowering verse. I can do all things--anything, everything--through the power of Christ. The God of the universe enables me to achieve the impossible. Nothing in His will is beyond my reach. No mountain too high, no valley too low. No challenge too hard, no burden too heavy. Anything. Through Christ.

Sometimes we do, and should, wield that verse like a sword in battle. It is truly the power of God in our hands, at our disposal. It is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). It is the sword with which Christ slays His enemies (Revelation 20:15). It is the word of God, living and active, sharper than any double edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).

And it is, itself, double edged.

Apart from me, you can do nothing. John 15:5

This is the double-edge of God's word, the edge we sometimes seem to forget. We can do all things, but not of ourselves. According to Christ in the verse above, on our own we can do nothing. Not a single thing. Not of value at least.

Sure, on our own we can accomplish much. Much sin. Much hurt. Much damage. But we cannot do a solitary act worthy of God's glory without His help. Isaiah says in 64:6 that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags when done apart from God. On our own, that's the best we can do.

With Him I can do anything. Without Him I can do nothing.

I like the first part of that. I grasp onto that promise when times are hard, when the battle is fierce, when the path is steep. When my confidence wanes, I remember. When my strength fails, I recall. When I don't know, I pray. And He answers.


That's the part I like.

The other side of the sword though? Not so much. You see, I like to accomplish. I like to overcome. I like to do. I love the thought of being able to do anything God wills me to do. I thrill at the prospect of defeating the impossible. I rejoice in victory over "you can't."

My problem, often, is too many "I's." I like. I love. I thrill. I rejoice. I do. I can. I will . . . You get the point. "I" gets in my way of I can do all things because I forget the most important part of that verse--through Christ who strengthens me. I remember that Christ said with Me you will bear much fruit. I far too often skip over the part about without me you can do nothing. I get in the way, and nothing of any good consequence comes of it.

Whatever you face today or in the days to come, remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, but without Him, you can do nothing. With Him, anything is possible. Without Him, your best efforts will come to nothing.

That's worth remembering.

 

How Great Is Our God!

I have been doing some studying lately on something called the incommunicable attributes of God getting ready for a sermon series I have the opportunity to participate in. To understand that word incommunicable, it helps to to think about things I know. Being in the healthcare field, I know that a communicable disease is one that can be passed on, or is contagious--like the flu. An incommunicable (really non-communicable) disease is not contagious--like diabetes. In the same way, the incommunicable attributes of God are those things which are unique to Himself, which cannot be passed on or shared with anyone or anything else.

For example, God is infinite--no beginning and no end. We (our souls) are immortal, but that is not the same as infinite. God's infinity is not only outside time, but outside space as well. God cannot be measured in any way. That is an incommunicable attribute of God. It is impossible for us to be like Him, for we are finite, or limited, in that we all had a beginning, even if we will never know an end, and we are limited to one place at one time.  Make sense?

God does have attributes which are communicable, or can be passed on. For example, God is merciful. We, also, can be merciful through the grace of God. God is Holy. We, also, can share in God's holiness through Christ Jesus. God shares those attributes of Himself with us.

What I want us to consider are some of these attributes of God which make Him so great.

I already mentioned one: infinitude. God is not limited by time or space. God exists outside of time. God was not. God is. God is present today. God is present tomorrow. God is present yesterday. Simultaneously. Right now, God is present at Creation, at the Cross, and at the Second Coming of Christ. Make your head spin? Me too. But here is why it matters.

That God exists outside of time should provide us great comfort. We say that God is with us, but I don't know that we think about God being with us--already--in the future. We are going to get some bad news. That doctor's report. That letter from a lawyer. That statement from the bank. A phone call. A visit. A grade report. Whatever. We're going to hit rough times.

God is not only ready to deal with it, He already is dealing with it. God is already there, at our side, even though we, in our time-limited existence, aren't there yet. God is there, providing for us, sheltering us, strengthening us, and He is also already on the other side of it. Whatever the outcome, God knows. He knows, because He is there, and He is beyond it, and He is with us preparing us for what is coming. That's amazing. That's empowering. That's how great our God is.

Then there is the infinitude of God in relation to space. God cannot be confined to a spatial limitation. God is omnipresent, meaning He is present everywhere. He is in heaven and on earth, right now. He is at my house, and yours, right now. He is in your car, at your work, at school, in the prisons, in the bars--He is everywhere, at the same time, equally. There is no place you can go or be taken where you are hidden from Him. He will never leave you, for you cannot go anywhere where He is not. That's pretty cool.

Now, let's go a little bigger. Our Solar System extends out about 2 light years from the sun. That's about 12 trillion miles. Want to know how much 12 trillion is? Think of the pictures of Houston after the recent Hurricane Harvey. It is estimated that 9 trillion gallons of rain fell on Houston/Harris County, Texas (33 trillion gallons storm total Texas and Louisiana). That's how much a trillion is. My point? God fills that entire space. He is not just present--He fills it.

That's just our solar system. Our galaxy is about 100,000 light years across, or about six hundred thousand trillion miles, and our galaxy isn't a big one. Some are more than a million light years across. God fills that space. Completely. Our universe is thought to contain around 100 billion galaxies. God fills them all.

Speaking of our universe, current science says that our universe is expanding outward at an unbelievable rate. That area beyond where our universe currently is? God is there. He has been since the beginning. Our God is great!

I've only scratched the surface of God's infinitude. Then there is His immutability (God never changes), His immanence (power, sovereignty), His independence (God needs no-thing and no-one to exist), and His immensity, which encompasses all the others.

What I want to realize, and hope that you realize with me, is that our God is great. He is greater than we can possibly fathom. His power, His presence, His being have no limits. He is immeasurable and indefinable.

And yet.

And yet He chooses to care about me. And you. Not just generally, but specifically. So special are you that He keeps track of the hairs on your head. And that's just the beginning. He numbers each one of the 20-30 trillion red blood cells circulating through your body right now. They are renewed about every 100 days, or 2.4 million every second. He keeps track. For 7 billion people.

And just as our solar system is only the beginning of God's immensity, so tracking every physical detail of our existence is just the beginning of how much God cares about you. This infinite, limitless being cares even more about your inner self, and so He listens to you. Not just to what you say, but those silent thoughts, the ones you cannot even formulate into coherent words. He listens, and He cares. No thought escapes Him, no matter how great or insignificant it may be to you. Your hopes. Your dreams. Your fears. Your victories. Your defeats. He cares. He cares with the fullness of His infinite existence, and is prepared to act on your behalf with the fullness of His infinite power.

Now, how big are those problems of yesterday, today, tomorrow?

How great is our God? So great that it's not even a question we can ask. It's a statement. A praise. An awe-inspired, fear-filled, wondrous gasp from the depth of our soul. Our God is great. Our God is great!

Holier Than Thou

It's an insult now-a-days to be told you have a "holier than thou" attitude. If that means you go around acting like you're better than everyone else, looking down your nose at everyone around you like your stuff doesn't stink, then yea, it's an insult. A fitting one. Because that's not holiness. That's acting like the rest of the world. Kind of ironic.

A lot of people don't even know what the word holy means. A common definition of the word holy is set apart. It has the connotation of being distinct, sacred, special. Something reserved for special, not common, purposes. To be holy means to be different.

And guess what--we as Christians are supposed to be just that. We are supposed to be set apart from the rest of the world. We are supposed to be distinct, sacred, special in what we do, how we act, what we say. God has reserved us for special, not common, purposes. We are supposed to be different. In comparison to the world, we are supposed to be holier than thou.

Peter tells us this in I Peter 1:15, 16 when he says, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written,"You shall be holy, for I am holy." The reference Peter uses is from Leviticus 11:44.

Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 to no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ." That's another way of saying, "be holy." Be distinct. Be set apart. Be different.

That's not easy in the world today. Being different in this age may earn you the title of being a radical, a zealot, intolerant, or even--the shame!--holier than thou. You know what? That's what the world said (and still says) about Jesus. If the unbelieving world sees you in the same light as they see our Lord and Savior, I'd say you're doing something right.

When Jesus told us that we are salt and light (Matthew 5:13, 14), and in 5:16, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven, that was a call to be different. To be holy. In those same verses, Jesus said that if salt loses it's taste, or a light is placed under a basket, they are of no good use. If we are not set apart, if we are no different from the rest of the world, if we indeed are not holier than thou, of what good use are we?

Holiness is not haughtiness, arrogance, pride, condescension. To be holy does not mean to consider yourself better than others. To be holy means to strive to be different from the sinful world and similar to our holy God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is God, reflects God in all He does, says, and is, and Jesus had some pretty strong opinions and ways of interacting with others. Jesus was most certainly different, and in the end it cost Him. It cost Him popularity. It cost Him comfort. It cost Him acceptance, friends, and even family. In the end it cost Him His life. Being holy isn't easy, and it comes with a price.

But it also comes with a reward. Over and over in the Bible, God rewards those who are different, who strive to be holy. Think of Joseph. Think of Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Think of Noah, Ruth, Mary Magdalene. The Apostles. Paul. Zaccheus. They dared to be different, they dared to be holier than thou and each was rewarded--some in this life but, more importantly, all received their reward for eternity, even if it cost them temporary loss.

Here's the point: We are supposed to be holy. This is more than a calling, it is a command. We are supposed to be different from the world, to stand out, be noticed not because we think we are better, but because we reflect the One who is better than all.

 But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written,"You shall be holy, for I am holy."

What Is Your Worldview?

Do you have your glasses? Are you getting out of work/school/  whatever to watch it? The eclipse to happen today has been all the rage lately. When it's not politics on the news it's a new warning about not looking directly at the sun (that's good advice, by the way).

Everyone seems caught up in the wonder and majesty of this celestial event, and I get it. It's really cool. My home is fairly close to the path of totality (who remembered that term from science class until the last few months?) so we will be treated to a 93-97% coverage of the sun by the moon from what I have read. Cool. I'll probably even look outside (not directly at the sun!). But it's not going to change my life.

I don't think it will change yours, either. Sure, it's an awesome event to witness, but it's not life changing. It's not even rare. Some quick research tells me that a total solar eclipse is visible from somewhere on earth about every 18 months, while the average time between such events being visible from any particular place, like your home, is 400 years (thank you Space.com). So seeing one is cool, but probably not life changing.

Too many people have grabbed on to this event as though it were the most important thing in the world--until it's over. Then it'll be the next great thing. Then something else. Then something else. Their worldview is that what is most important is what's in front of them right now. They rush about day to day, focused on whatever triumph or tragedy they're experiencing, whatever great or awful circumstance they find themselves in. Their worldview--their philosophy or conception of the world--centers around the immediate vicinity of themselves. In other words, they're self centered.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that if you're excited about the eclipse you're a self-centered and selfish drama queen. I'm excited about the eclipse, and I don't do drama well. What I'm saying is we have to look beyond the daily events in life--no matter how unusual or exceptional they are--to something greater.

I think a total solar eclipse is cool because it makes me think about God--His majesty, His sovereignty, His power, His creativity. Because that's my worldview. My conception of the world is that God is what matters. Whenever something happens, or may happen, or doesn't happen, my experience of that passes through the filter of "God is what matters." I know creation isn't about me. I know even my own life isn't about me. All things which are, are for the glory of God (Romans 11:36).

This coming eclipse is about the glory of God. If I witness it, the purpose of my witnessing it is for the glory of God. If I wake up tomorrow, or if I don't, and whatever I do and whatever happens or doesn't happen--let it be for the glory of God. That's my worldview. That's my philosophy. That's my conception of the world. I, and what's happening around me, really don't matter at all except as it pertains to God's glory.

So as you (safely) view the eclipse, or choose not to, do so for the glory of God. Marvel at His wonder and power. Praise Him for His creation and creativity. Take the opportunity to tell someone else about Him, because while witnessing the eclipse probably won't change anyone's life, witnessing the God behind it absolutely can!

Reset

Ever wish there was a button you could push to start things over? One easy switch you could flip to restart your day? That'd be handy, alright. You could be halfway through a project, decide you didn't like where it was headed, so . . . hit the button and voila! A brand new start. Don't like the turn your relationship all the sudden took? Flip the switch. Presto! Back to first date. Bad day at work? Rough day at home? Life in general headed downhill? Just push the reset. Easy-peasy.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way.

Or does it?

In reality, some things can be restarted from scratch, while others cannot. Most knots can be untied, but once cooked, a goose cannot be unroasted. If you dig a hole, it can be filled back in; time past, on the other hand, will never be returned.

My point is, there is a difference between restarting and resetting. Knots and holes can be restarted. When it comes to a cooked goose or yesterday gone, you have to pick up where you are. The good news is, you can pick up where you are. You can reset, even if you cannot restart.

God reset things several times. He started with Adam and Eve in the Garden, and then reset things outside the Garden after Man sinned. Then there was Noah. That was a big reset. There was the Tower of Babel, there was Abram and Sarai who became Abraham and Sarah.There was Israel united, Israel divided; Israel free, Israel in slavery, then free again. Eventually came Christ, the biggest reset thus far. There are more to come. Eventually, God will make all things new, but even then, we will be carried over.

Over and over again, God reset. He didn't restart by creating something new, He picked up where things were.

He does that in our lives as well. At salvation, we are made new. We cast off the hold and put on the new. Each day is a new day to be rejoiced over. Every day God's mercies are renewed. Each time we sin, confess, and repent, we are forgiven. Reset. Pick up where you are and go.

So maybe life does work that way. Maybe, just maybe, there is a reset button. Maybe, just maybe, that reset button is called Faith. Belief that, indeed, each day is a new day. Belief that, indeed, I am a new creation. Belief that, indeed, I am forgiven. I have been reset. I can pick up and go on.

In fact, today is one of those days.

Time to get started.

Joy At All Times

Consider it pure  joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2)

 What in the world is James talking about?

Consider it joy when times are tough, when everything seems to be against me, when I am struggling? What is that all about? It sounds like some kind of masochistic mantra from a back alley fight club. Paul had the same thought in Romans 5:3 (we also rejoice in our sufferings . . .). Who were these guys and just what were they smoking? How am I supposed to be happy in the midst of pain?

I'm not. Neither are you.

Joy is not happiness.

Happiness is about living in the moment. It is a response to the current environment and situation. Being happy is a reactive emotion--it's all about what I'm feeling now. Happiness is narrow minded--it takes into consideration neither the past nor the future. Being happy lasts only as long as the right conditions are there; once things go south, happiness goes bye-bye.

Joy isn't like that. Joy is an acquired emotion, not a reactive one. Joy doesn't depend on the environment or the situation--joy is all about attitude. It looks beyond the present into both the past and the future and anticipates something great and wonderful--even in the midst of despair. Joy can exist in the middle of the worst situations because joy isn't only about the now. Happiness dissolves in the face of trial like the sun burns away fog; joy doesn't.

Let James and Paul explain.

Both of these guys understood the difference between joy and happiness. James said we should consider it joy when we face trials because . . . Because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance, and it is through that perseverance that we mature in our faith.

Paul and his companions could say they rejoiced in their sufferings because they knew that suffering produces perseverance, which leads to character, which leads to hope.

Both of these men understood that, unlike happiness, joy is not about instant gratification. Happiness is an island; joy is a river. An island is a fixed point, affected by what is around it. Joy flows and affects everything it touches. Happiness cannot go with you; joy can take you where you want to be.

Joy is a gift and a choice.

Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is something that comes from God as the result of living by faith. Joy is the result, not of our immediate circumstances, but rather our relationship with God. Because joy looks forward, it sees beyond the immediate. If we truly have our eyes fixed upon Jesus, we will have joy. It is a product of a Spirit filled life.

Joy is also a choice in that how we live determines if we live by the Spirit, or our sinful natures (Galatians 5:17). Depending on which we choose, we will either reap the fruits of the Spirit, or the fruits of the sinful nature. Read Galatians 5:19-21 and then 22-23. Which list sounds better to you?

How can you consider it joy when life is hard? It's pretty easy, really. Live for God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. Look forward, beyond whatever you're going through right now. This life is temporary; there is eternity to come. If that eternity is with God, the worst this world has to offer is nothing in comparison.

It's up to you.

You get to decide. You can live your life hopping from island of happiness to island of happiness, with depths of despair in between, or you can ride the river of joy, looking forward and over the swells and valleys this world will send your way.

I know which I choose.

I choose joy.

I Am Blessed

I don't mean to brag--unless you would allow me to brag upon the One from whom all blessings flow--but I am blessed. With life, with joy, with health. Security. Salvation. Family. Friends. Provision. There is no end to my blessings, to my reasons to give thanks.

To simply be given the breath of life is a blessing. What an honor, a privilege it is that God chose to give me life. That He carefully and purposefully willed me into existence. Where there was nothing, He brought me forth. A miracle. Me. From an infinite well of possibilities, He chose me. Incredible.

Not being satisfied with that, God gave me joy. He allows me to experience the wonders of His creation, to share it with other miracles I love, and who love me. To give me eyes which see, ears which hear the joys of what He has made. The crisp smell of the air after a rain is mine to enjoy. The soft caress of the wind I freely enjoy. The fruits of His bounty please my tongue. He has given me love to receive and return. Joy. That is a blessing.

Not stopping at bringing me to be, nor providing me with joy, He has given me health. Not only has He created me, He sustains me. With care and kindness, He gives me strength, vitality, and the spirit of life. My body is strong, and works in such perfect harmony we will never fully understand it, but He does. He is there--here--orchestrating every breath, every pulse, to give me health.

To keep me from being distracted from His other blessings, God has granted me security. From the place I live to the people who surround me, He has seen to it that I am safe. Protecting me from harm, guiding my paths, He leads me by a lighted path lest I fall into a pit. Like the shepherd He is, He watches over me as one of His flock, guarding me with His strong right hand.

So that I may enjoy His pleasures for all of eternity, He gave of Himself that I might be saved from my sins. Of all my blessings, none can be greater than the salvation I have through Jesus Christ. I need have no fear, no trepidation of the future, for my portion is Christ, and my life through Him. This blessing, among all the others, will never end. It can never be taken from me, nor I from Him. He has saved me. I am truly blessed.

Blessings upon blessings, He has given me family. To be raised and nurtured among those who love me, and then to experience it once more through my own wife and children is to better understand the love God has for me. I understand all the more God as Father, having children of my own. I better perceive the love of Christ through the eyes of marriage. With the blessings of family has the love of God been only more clear.

In my friends I have those ones who are closer than brothers. Those who stand beside me, who lift me up, who bring me alongside to share in the blessings God has given them. A blessing themselves, they multiply the blessings God showers down. To share life with friends is to live life to the fullest.

Day after day, God provides. He blesses. He never fails to give to me all I need and more. I truly see that my cup overflows, and yet His fountains never stop. From the richness of His storehouses, He gives, and gives, then gives some more.

I am blessed. Not because I deserve it, nor earn it. My blessings are gifts, given to me from above.

God is good. All the time.

Showing The Way To Christ

How do I explain salvation?

This is a common question. Many people are hesitant to talk about Christ because they're not confident in explaining the path to salvation. Years in church, which should make this opportunity a welcome one, often instead shroud the answer in layers of theological mystery and human tradition. We hear pastors and teachers talking about justification, sanctification, propitiation, and even transubstantiation and think, "I'll never be able to explain all that to someone!"

The good news is, you don't have to.

Salvation is simple.

The way to Christ is very clear. One of the easiest ways to show someone to Christ is something called the Romans Road. This is a few verses of Scripture from the book of Romans which explain the need for salvation, and how salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. This will not explain everything about Christianity--an entire lifetime studying God will not reveal everything about Him!--but it tells us what we, and anyone we talk to, needs to know.

These few verses can be marked in your Bible, written down and put in your wallet, or even memorized so you can have them at the ready to help someone understand the way to Christ.

First, everyone needs a Savior.

Some people think they don't need to be saved from anything. They believe they are a good person. They believe their good outweighs their bad. The Bible says that's not how it works.

Romans 3:23, the first step on the Romans Road, says: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

No one is good enough for God. Everybody has sinned and fallen short of the standard required for God's glory. Sin is one thing we all have in common.

Second, there is a price to be paid for our sin.

Romans 6:23, the next step, says: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The wages, or reward, or price of sin is death. And, since we learned from Romans 3:23 that all have sinned, then all have earned the reward of death. This isn't just mortal death--it is eternal separation from God. That's spiritual death. Eternal existence spent paying for our sins. Hell. That's the price of sin.

The latter part of this verse foreshadows salvation--there is a way out!

 Third, the penalty for our sin has already been paid!

Romans 5:8 reads, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Christ died for us! That means Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins! Everyone has sinned, the wages of sin is death, but God loves us so much that He sent His Son to pay that price! We can be saved yet!

But how?

Confess and trust Jesus.

Romans 10, 9-10 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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

This is how simple salvation is. You believe in Jesus, and then say it. You believe you have sinned, that your sin means you deserve death, that Jesus died in your place. You believe this in your heart, and then say it. You admit it to God and the world.

It really is that simple. 

God accepts everyone.

This is not a limited offer. It doesn't matter what someone has done. All have sinned, and Christ died for all sin. Anyone and everyone can accept Christ.

Romans 10:13 says, For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Everyone. Bar none. All who walk each step of this road will be saved. Acknowledgement of sin. Acceptance that sin leads to death. Understanding that Christ died in our place. Belief in Jesus as Savior. Confession of faith.

That's the way to Christ.

Is it everything? No. Can you save anyone by telling them this? No, that's up to God. Is it your privilege and responsibility to be able to relay the simple Gospel when the opportunity comes? Yes, it is.

Keep these few verses with you, and experience the joy of showing someone the way to Christ by walking down the Romans Road.

Don't Read This!

Did you ignore the warning?

Obviously you did, because here you are, reading. And obviously that's what I wanted you to do. It's a trap of sorts. One to make a point. Or maybe two.

First, it's really tempting to do what we're not supposed to do, isn't it? The saying goes, "Forbidden fruit is much the sweeter." It's a lie, but it's one we fall for all too often. We want that which we're not supposed to have. Why?

Maybe because we don't like to be told no. Probably, for many of us, that's true. We're adults. We've earned the right to make our own decisions. We get to decide what we should, and shouldn't, do. Right? And we don't like for anyone else to tell us what those things are, whether it be the government, our doctor, our pastor, or even--to be honest--God Himself.

We want to do, and have, what we want. When someone tells me I can't have something, then I want it all the more. It's selfishness, I suppose. That and pride. I want it and I deserve it because I'm me. Those two will lead us down some dark and dangerous paths.

Not only is it tempting to do that which we should not do, it is also temporarily fulfilling. It's fun to fly down the road 20 MPH over the speed limit, or more. It makes us feel powerful, free, independent. No one can tell me what I can do. No one can chain me down. If I want to drive fast, I will.

It's a buzz. The fact that it's forbidden makes the buzz all the stronger. I know it's wrong, but I'm getting away with it! I'm above the rules. I can handle the risk. I too smart to get caught. I . . . I . . . I. The problem with "I" is that it feels good for a while, until the truth hits. When the flashing lights appear in the rear view mirror, it doesn't feel good any more. That buzz that felt so good dissolves so very quickly, doesn't it.

My point is, we all to often fall to the temptations of the world not because we don't know right from wrong, but because we chose to do that which we know we should not. Our pride and desire for instant gratification overpower our better senses. We are, in a word, carnal.

And there is a price to be paid. That forbidden fruit, so tempting, is often found to be rotten or poisonous. That buzz that felt so good, when it is over, leaves us drained and empty. Doing wrong will never provide a lasting pleasure. Only right can do that, because true joy comes from God, and God will never lead you down the wrong path.