What to Do with Michael Jackson

 

   What to do about Michael Jackson.  As I search through the internet I see a WIDE variety of reaction to the news of Michael’s death.  Everything from “ultimate devastation” to “who cares”.  Some are crying and weeping and others are happy he’s dead.  Some, like myself, are sad that he has passed away but not really loosing sleep over it while others are planning all night vigils by his grave site (if it’s ever revealed).    The news said his Memorial Service may have been the most watched T.V. broadcast ever.  Proof that this is an important moment in time, just as Elvis’ death, Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, President Kennedy’s assassination and 9-11 all represent days of impact.

  So what do we as Christians do with it?  I am not going to debate his past, nor am I going to discuss his dirty laundry.  I don’t know what actually happened any more than any of you.  Was he guilty or innocent?  Who knows?  No one other than Michael, the children involved and God.  So let’s not go there.

  What I do want to talk about is what Christ-Followers should be doing.  Last night I messaged my wife to see how she was doing and tell her I was heading to bed (for those who don’t know, I am TDY with the Florida Air National Guard).  She replied she was watching Michael Jackson’s funeral service and crying about it.  I’ll admit my first thought was, “Why?”  But then God gently spoke to me and reminded me of one of the fundamental bedrocks of a great marriage.  It doesn’t matter how I feel about something, my Wife’s feelings are valid and real and I should respond to her the same way I would want her to respond to me. 

  So I asked if I could call her.  She said yes so I did.  She got on the phone and was sniffling a little.  I asked her if she was all right and she said she was doing fine until she saw his children sitting down front and thought about how horrible it must be for them to loose their father and then be paraded in front of thousands upon thousands of people.  She said she also felt like she had lost a friend even though she didn’t know him.  My wife then explained how she and her brother used to dance around the house to Michael Jackson songs and when she was sad about something she would listen to some of his songs and feel better.  Then it all made sense to me.  She was grieving not just for another human being that had died, but for the innocence of childhood that she held in her memories.  She also had compassion for his children and his family that had lost their brother.  I feel blessed to have such a wonderful wife.

  I know something of this, my younger brother had a stint put in a couple years ago and we almost lost him.  Another thought that struck me was, how would my kids feel if I died and they had to grow up without a father?

  After our talk she started feeling better, I gently asked if she wanted me to pray for her.  She said no, but that she wanted me to pray for his family and especially his children.  I did just that (and I snuck a prayer in for her as well) and I was able to minister to my wife.

  And that’s the point of this post, this is an opportunity to show the love of Jesus to people that are hurting and thinking about their own deaths.  Now is the time to speak with them and offer the comfort that only Jesus can provide.  Not as a sales pitch but with all the love and compassion that Jesus, through us, can offer.

  You see, Jesus’ heart breaks with compassion and love for those that are grieving, ours should too.

Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman’s only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, "Don’t cry." Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I tell you: Get up." The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.  Luke 7:11-15  (The Message) emphasis mine

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Daddy’s Girl

“Daddy, I just want to spend time with you.”          Those words were uttered  by my 4 year old daughter on July 4th as my family and I were watching the fireworks at a friends house.  I was standing behind my wife holding my daughters hand and she started to pull me.  I bent over and asked what she was doing and she said, “I want to take a walk with you Daddy.”  I asked her why she didn’t want to watch the fireworks and that’s when she hit me with, “Daddy, I just want to spend time with you.”  I consider myself a tough guy.  I don’t show or even have a large emotional side.  I rarely cry, once when I got kicked in the no-no’s and twice during a movie, when they shot Old Yeller and when the Mom in Stepmom told her ex she was dying.  I have no idea why I cried at the last one but I thought about what it would be like for my Mom to die and that got me.  I think those are the three exceptions in a guys life to cry about- death of a good dog, being kicked in the groin and thinking about or the actual dying of one’s Mom. 

  At first I was going to tell her no.  I mean, it’s fireworks, stuff is blowing up!  That’s every guys dream, to blow something up.  We like explosions that’s why movies like Diehard and Lethal Weapon 1-4 were such awesome movies.  But more important than explosions is a father’s love of his daughter.  She is a Daddy’s girl and I am quite happy with that.  She has me wrapped around her finger and we both know it and we both like it.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my son and my other daughter just as much, but her and I click.  Don’t worry, my Mom and my son click and my youngest daughter and my wife click. 

  As soon as she said she wanted to spend time with me my heart melted.  I bent down just a little farther and whispered in her ear, “Daddy wants to spend time with you to.” and off we went for our walk.  It wasn’t very far and it wasn’t very long but it was very special.  Holding hands and walking.  Not really talking, not really going anywhere, just a father and his daughter spending time together. 

  Sometimes I miss those special moments.  They are there a lot but sometimes I am just “too busy” being alive and not truly living.  Darius Rucker sings a song  called “It Won’t Be Like This For Long”  Check it out at the end of this post.

  I think our relationship with God is similar.  Not that He is to busy to take time for us but that He is just waiting for us to say, “I just want to spend time with you Daddy.”  He loves us so much and wants the relationship we have to be that intimate, that loving.  He wants us to run to Him, jump into His arms and put our arms around His neck and just whisper in His ear, “I just want to spend time with you Daddy.” 

  Check this verse out-

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What’s next, Papa?" God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.  Romans 8:15-16  (The Message)

Papa!  Daddy!  Intimate names used during times of intimate conversations.  Sometimes my son calls me Dad, usually when He is in trouble or wants something.  Other times he calls me Daddy, usually when he is hurt or scared.  We use different names at different times.  Don’t worry about talking to God like you would talk to the President or a king.  Sometimes that is justified, but when we are alone with God, just spending time with Him, we can call Him Daddy. 

What’s your time alone with God like?  Can you call Him Daddy or do you stick to formal names like Lord, God and Father?

 

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Response from a Reader

   The following letter is an email I received in response to a blog post I wrote a few weeks ago.  You can read the post HERE. 

Their is nothing a writer loves more than to know his writing has touched someone.  I am so thankful that God has allowed me this outlet to express my love for Him and my desire to beautifully reflect Him.

 

INTRO TO ME

(Response to The I’s Have It 5/19/09)…part 1

     Admittedly, I am one of the people who the author talks about whom are “increasingly dedicated to finding our purpose or God’s will for our life.”  I have prayed for God to show me a “burning bush moment” too many times to count.  When I was 11, I was in so much pain emotionally, physically, and spiritually, that I asked God to take me home.  I could not imagine why He would put me or allow me to be in a place where no one understood me, (or in my flawed perception…no one would care).

     Why am I here? What does God want from me? Why do I feel so hopeless and without purpose?  I could not hear God…the only option I had to protect myself was to close off from the pain and shut everyone out.  Through God’s grace, patience, and perseverance, (His as well as select people he brought into my life) He has helped me through many trails and temptations.  When I was about 21 years old, after an indirect effort on my part to end my life, God put Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:10 into my heart, and thanks to Him working through my niece, I made a promise to never again make an effort to end everything.  I still wasn’t able to hear God or understand why I was brought here, but I knew then without a doubt (and as I can see now looking back, that I really was here for a purpose.  Many people would tell me that I was not here for selfish reasons, and that I was supposed to be in the world, but not of it…I was set apart, but I didn’t really accept or internalize it until much later.  It is a universal truth that the Lord can take us home at any time, and everything truly is about His perfect timing and purpose for our lives.

     I continued to question my purpose, and also be frustrated at the seeming lack of interest from Him.  I kept trying to find earthly reasons for my existence.  Anyone who even barely knew or knows me would tell you that MY biggest goal in life was / is to have a family of my own…but that wasn’t, and so far isn’t HIS plan for me at the moment.  I finally gave up pushing so hard for that, and eventually (after 4 Ph.D application denials), have accepted that very seldom does anyone find out what their purpose(s) is/are.  It is clear to me that God wants us to be childlike in our faith (Mt. 18:3) and start out very small in our work for His kingdom.  As the previous author stated…and I truly believe, if we do the small (seemingly unimportant at times, though it may be) stuff (i.e. cleaning latrines in the previous article), God will most assuredly ask us to do greater and bigger things through Him, for the good of His kingdom and people.  I feel it is immensely important that we keep praying for guidance and direction (Jeremiah 29:12) and asking the people we trust for help with our mission.

     I don’t know where I am going on this earth, but I do know I am here to do His will and to do what I can to bring my small part of His plan to fruition.  The reason I can’t see anything more detailed than that is simple…I am not ready.  Thankfully, He has given me awesome, God inspired, brothers and sisters to help me on my journey, and I have been given to them to aid them in theirs.  I am constantly reminded that I must many times allow myself to “Be still and know…” (Psalms 46:10)…while I wait for His timing, so I can continue on in my service to Him.  May God Bless you as you continue to seek His truth for your life.  “Burning bush” moment or not, He is with us always (Mt. 28:20).

  First let me reiterate that you (the reader) are very important to God.  Each of us are so valuable that God sent His Son to die a horrible death on the cross so that we can be with God in heaven forever.  Nowhere in the Bible is their a verse that says we are unimportant.  However, we are also a selfish and prideful people with a heart that is naturally bent towards wanting more than we have.  In a non-Christian’s life this is expected and normal, but in a Christian’s life this is the opposite of how we should act and feel.  Christians are supposed to love like Christ, rejoice when others succeed, and be happy when God uses someone to accomplish great things for Him.  But too often we get wrapped up in self and become bitter toward God because He hasn’t made us successful (as we envision success) or we aren’t where our plan was supposed to have us.  There is a country song out that says “if you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans.”  How true!  God has a plan for all of us, it is written out clearly and concisely in His Word.  All we have to do is read it and obey.  Like my friend said, small things before big things.  You can’t put a three year old behind the wheel of a race car and expect him to win a race, but you can start him out on a Big Wheel and let him terrorize the cat.  If you want to “do great things for God” start by doing the small things really well. 

  Never give up on your dreams, just be willing to do something else if God tells you to.

 

God’s Chisel

Watch the video below and then read the rest of the blog.  It’s about 8 minutes long and worth it.

What do you think?  Pretty much hits it right on the button doesn’t it?  When you look in the mirror what do you see?  Do you see Jesus or a Picasso rendition of you?  I know I don’t see Jesus.  I sometimes see a fuzzy overlay of Jesus, but never just Jesus.  Too much pride in the way, too much anger blurring the silhouette.  Lust is making it hazy, envy is turning it an ugly shade of green. 

When he told God he had let Him down and God said, “How could you let me down, you’re not holding me up.  I hold YOU up.”  I almost cried.  I feel like I let God down all the time.  Every time I screw something up I feel like I let God down.  But how amazing is God?  While we “let Him down” He is holding us up.  I’m not saying that’s a license  to sin, but it is a license to see ourselves as God sees us, with love and compassion.  I would rather work hard for someone because they love me than because I am fearful of them.

What reflection do you see in the mirror?

“…reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord.”  2 Corinthians 3:18 (JB)

God’s Uniform Part 2

  In the second part of the Blog series, God’s Uniform we are going to look at the three  remaining pieces of armor.  The first three we discussed were the Belt of Truth, The Breastplate of Righteousness and the Shoes of the Gospel.  You can read about those HERE. 

  Today were going to look at the rest.  Let’s take a second and reread Ephesians 6:10-18.

¹⁰Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. ¹²We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.

¹⁸Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.   Ephesians 6:10-18  (Contemporary English Version)

  So the next piece of armor is the …

Shield of Faith-

   The shield being referred to here is the large oblong oval door-like shield of the Romans, four feet long by two and a half feet wide.  It was used to hide behind when arrows were launched by the enemy.  When in the crouched position the entire body is covered and protected.  The Shield of Faith gives the same protection, especially when the Christ-Follower is in the knees bent position such as when one is on his or her knees in prayer.  Your faith is only as strong as the one you have faith in.  So what one do you have faith in?  Is it any one or the One?  Faith in God wraps us in a cocoon of love and protection.  Evil still happens and arrows of doubt, envy, lust and sin are still streaking toward us but faith is enough to quench and stop any arrow our enemies can throw.  But faith requires effort; constant prayer, Bible Reading and worship of God. 

The Helmet of Salvation-

  Let God’s saving power be like a helmet.  The head is by far the most important part of a soldiers body.  The head directs and controls the entire body.  Other than the Headless Horseman we all are dependent on our noggins.  The eventual result of salvation is a place in Heaven with God, this hope gives a soldier all the courage He/She needs to continue to fight.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”   The hope of salvation is tied into our faith in God.   You can’t have one without the other. 

The Sword of the Spirit-

   The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, or in other words, the Bible.  Who has herd that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”?  What a load of crock.  Words hurt.  Words slash and cut and tear us apart.  The Word of God also cuts, it cuts like a sword.  It divides and gets to the marrow.  Sharp as a scalpel and long as a sword, Gods Word gets to the heart of the matter.  Never gray, always black and white.  When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness He used God’s Word as His sword to defend Himself from Satan.  Read Matthew 4.  The problem for most of us is that we have no idea what God’s Word says.  We think we do but most of out “Bible Knowledge” comes from “Touched By An Angel”, “7th Heaven” and “Jeopardy”.  “I’ll take Bible Trivia for $200 Alex.”  First of all, most of those shows are nice but about as far from good biblical theology (study of God and the Bible) as The Andy Griffith Show is from life today.  To be able to swing the Sword of the Spirit you need to know what is actually in the Bible.  That’s why I give you Bible verses to back up what I am typing in this blog. 

The Final Piece-

  I know I told you there were only three more but that’s because most people don’t mention the final one.  It isn’t written out as clearly as the others.  Can anyone guess what it is?  OK, here it is.  The Spear of Prayer.  Disclaimer- This is MY interpretation.  This is NOT in the Bible.  But like the rest of this chapter I am attempting to give you a word picture for prayer.  Prayer is both a defensive and offensive weapon.  When we are hurt, confused, alone, sad or sick we use prayer in it’s defensive form.  “God help me!”  But when we are praying for someone else it is an offensive force beyond compare.  God moves on our prayers.  He waits until WE pray to act on certain situations.  Why?  Because He wants to.  Our prayers have power.  Our prayers have substance.  When you throw a spear you intend to hit a certain point.  When you throw a prayer for someone you intend it to hit that person.  If you are praying for someone’s salvation or for their healing you are aiming at that person.  You are praying TOO God but aiming those prayers at that person. 

  So there you go, Truth, Righteousness, Prepared to share the Good News of Jesus, Faith in God, Salvations Hope, The Word of God in your Mind and Prayer.  The Armor of God.  Everything you need to stand against the evil and temptations of life.  If you have any questions or I wasn’t clear on something leave a comment. 

Craig Groeschel, the Pastor of LifeChurch.tv said- “We aren’t fighting for victory, we are fighting FROM victory!”

There are plenty of books out there for further research, here are a few I recommend.

 

The Bondage Breaker®: Overcoming *Negative Thoughts *Irrational Feelings *Habitual Sins by Neil T. Anderson

Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ   by Neil T. Anderson

When the Enemy Strikes Workbook: The Keys to Winning Your Spiritual Battles   by Charles Stanley

The Screwtape Letters: Letters from a Senior to a Junior Devil   by C.S. Lewis (the writer of The Chronicles of Narnia)

 

God’s Uniform Part 1

  In the last post we talked about the Armor of God and why it is important to “wear” it.   We also looked at how our demeanor changes the longer we are out of uniform.  Today I want to get a little more in depth about the individual pieces of the armor and try to understand the meaning behind the word picture.  Lets look at the verses again.

¹⁰Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. ¹²We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.

¹⁸Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.   Ephesians 6:10-18  (Contemporary English Version)

   Let’s look at each piece.

The Belt of Truth-  

     Verse 14 starts out talking about the belt of truth.  The belt of a soldier holds his armor in place.  It keeps it secure.  Truth is the foundation of everything.  If a persons life is based on lies and deception they will certainly not be able to stand in the face of opposition.  How many larger than life Christian leaders have become failures because of a lack of truth in their lives?  Every sin starts with a lie.  It may be a lie to someone else or a lie to yourself but it is always a form of deception.  The strong Christ-Follower must live in truth.  Not only the truth of the Good News of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins but truth in general.  Every lie demands more lies to conceal the truth.  Without truth all the rest of the armor is useless.

The Breastplate of Righteousness-

  Verse 14 continues with the next piece of Armor, the Armor of God’s Justice.  Other versions of the Bible translate this as a Breastplate of Righteousness.  The breastplate covers and protects the vital organs.  A wound to the arm or leg may not cause death but a wound to a heart or lung is serious indeed.  If we are found without fault or righteous no one can accuse us unless it is false accusations.  Our reputation will remain intact and a Christ-Followers reputation is of ultimate importance in regards to non-Christ-Followers.  How many people that did not believe in Jesus strengthened their disbelief when Ted Haggard failed as a righteous person?  How many people that were close to choosing Jesus chose not to follow Him when he failed?  How many times has my sin caused people to turn from God instead of toward Him?  How many have you turned away?  Righteousness is not being right all the time it is doing the right thing in every situation.  Without righteousness your vital organs are exposed, your integrity, your witness (the Jesus you show to others) and your reputation.

The Shoes of the Gospel-

  Verse 15 talks about our feet.  A soldiers balance is in his feet.  If your little toe is missing your balance is off.  The ability to maneuver is gone.  Good shoes give good traction.  Good traction helps you move faster and be more sure of yourself.  The Gospel (Good News of Jesus) give us stability and traction.  It is our cause, our battle cry.  It is the banner that flies assuring us that we are fighting for something worth living for.  The Good News is that Jesus died for our sins and His death and resurrection (beating death) allow our relationship with God to be restored.  Our sin has separated us from God, Jesus’ sacrifice bridges that separation through the forgiveness of our sins.  But only if we ask for that forgiveness and want that relationship restored.  Our message is this, God loved us so much He sent His Son Jesus to die for us so that if we would just believe in Him and accept that free gift we would have eternal life in Heaven with Him.  That Good News should be the Red Bull of our Armor, it should give us wings.  We should be sprinting to anyone that needs God’s love and telling them exactly how to find it- through Jesus.

  Next post we will look at the remaining pieces.  See you then.

 

 

 

Uniform of the Day

  The other day I was in Wal-Mart. (I know, big surprise)  While I was at the register a gentleman came up behind me and asked if I was in the military.  I said yes and then asked him why he asked.  I expected him to point out my haircut or freshly shaved face.  But instead he said, “You stand like a military person.”  My first thought was, “Huh?”  I know, pretty profound.  I said goodbye and was on my way.  Later I asked my wife if I stood like I’m in the military.  Her response, “For the first day you are home you do but by Sunday you are back to normal.”  I asked her to clarify.  She said I stood straighter for the first day or so, with my shoulders back and my chest out.  (A little background- I am in the Florida Air National Guard and I am doing temp Active Duty.  I only get to see my wife and kids every other weekend, I live in a hotel room 5 hours away the rest of the time.)

  This got me to thinking.  I wear the my uniform for two weeks and then I take it off to come home.  But even with it off I am still in that mindset for a day or so.  In uniform I am representing my unit and my branch of the military and by extension the United States of America.  I am proud to wear a soldiers uniform.  I stand for something.  I stand for the core values of the US Air Force

Integrity First,

Service Before Self,

Excellence in All We Do.

And here is the Airmen’s Creed

The Airman’s Creed

This is the Airman’s promise to country and colleagues.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN.
I AM A WARRIOR.
I HAVE ANSWERED MY NATION’S CALL.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN.
MY MISSION IS TO FLY, FIGHT, AND WIN.
I AM FAITHFUL TO A PROUD HERITAGE,
A TRADITION OF HONOR,
AND A LEGACY OF VALOR.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN,
GUARDIAN OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE,
MY NATION’S SWORD AND SHIELD,
ITS SENTRY AND AVENGER.
I DEFEND MY COUNTRY WITH MY LIFE.

I AM AN AMERICAN AIRMAN:
WINGMAN, LEADER, WARRIOR.
I WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AIRMAN BEHIND,
I WILL NEVER FALTER,
AND I WILL NOT FAIL.

  These are the beliefs and ideals I stand upon while in uniform.  But they have permeated me to the point to where even when I am not in uniform I still hold myself to these values and this creed.  I still walk, talk, and stand military, at least for a few days.  Then I begin to slouch.  Maybe I don’t say “Sir” or “Ma’am” as much.  Maybe I am not as respectful as I should be.  The effect wears off.

  As a Christ-Follower we also have a uniform.  Only the Bible calls it the Armor of God.

¹⁰Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. ¹²We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.

¹⁸Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.   Ephesians 6:10-18  (Contemporary English Version)

  And like a soldier, the more you wear your spiritual armor the more you act like the core values and the creed of who you represent.  In this case, Jesus.  The armor is symbolic obviously.  I mean, you’d look pretty ridiculous going to a board meeting with a metal helmet, breastplate, shield and large sword instead of a suit on.  It’s the meaning behind each object that is what matters.  Over the next few days we will be looking at each piece and what it actually is referring to.

  The problem with armor though is that it can be taken off and just like how my military bearing began to fade after a few days so to will your Godly Bearing.  It is important to “put on” your armor daily.

Remember- A naked warrior is a dead warrior.

 

Verse of the Day

2 Thessalonians 3:3“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

Crisis # 751 and Counting

Crisis!  Life Storms!  Volcanoes of Pain!  These words echo in my soul right now.  Why?  Because I find myself involved in some way with three different ones today.  A best friend who is facing his addictions and struggling to get himself under control while hoping to keep his family together.  My sisters sister (my sister is adopted) who won’t grow up and divorce herself from a drug filled life to take care of her kids.  An Uncle with stage 4 cancer and MRSA who probably won’t be with us much longer.  Three different issues, one I am heavily involved in and two only peripherally.  While the world focuses on Jon & Kate and their problems I am dealing with these.

I’m not complaining, I am truly blessed.  I have a beautiful wife, three amazing kids, a job, In-Laws that love me, a fantastic Mom, a be there when I need him Dad, a sister and brother-in-law that would do anything for us and a brother and sister-in-law that have recently been blessed with a beautiful baby boy.  But all around me people are struggling to survive, to heal and to find some place for their children to go so they don’t have to grow up and be a responsible parent.

It has been said that a person is their truest self when they are alone, when no one is watching, when they can let their guard down.  I also believe that people find how much strength they have in times of crisis.  When their world is crumbling around them and friends abandon them or lash out at them.  Their core of strength is revealed.  The sheet-rock exterior is broken to reveal either a granite center or a just more sheet-rock.  I don’t know what will be uncovered in each of the three circumstances above.  I have some guesses about each one but I have been wrong before.  Sometimes I am surprised and sometimes I am not.  Sometimes under pressure someone that seems weak will show true strength and someone that seemed so strong will crumble.  Only time will tell.

What’s your core?  Do you have granite at you center or just more sheet-rock?  When your world explodes will you stand or fall?  Do you have a place of refuge that you can find safety and rest?  The Bible talks of our refuge in God several times.

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!  Psalms 46:1-3 (New Living Translation)

¹⁵ Then call on me when you are in trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give me glory.”  Psalms 50:15 (New Living Translation)

As Christ-Followers our core is our faith.  The faith we have that allows us to seek and to find refuge in God.  He is the strength of our core.  Most of the crises that we face are of our own design and making.  When we find ourselves in situations that demand the most from us it mainly occurs because of decisions we have made in our past.  If the crisis is not of our doing it is most likely caused by the choices of others.  We are not alone and the actions of one are felt by many.  But too often we live our lives thinking the only ones we effect are ourselves.  This is the epicenter of pride.  Often misquoted as “Pride goes before a fall.”  the Bible actually says, ” Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.”  Proverbs 16:18 (King James Version)

But no matter the cause of the storm there is still refuge from it.  However the idea of refuge is not a permanent fix but temporary solution.  We must rest and gather strength but we must also go back into the storm once our rest is complete.  We must endure the test, trial or temptation until it is over.  A time of healing is needed but we can’t withdraw completely.  Too many people are counting on us.  To many people needs us.

As Christ-Followers we are the light of the world.  If the world is cloaked in darkness and you have an un-ending light source would you hide it and never use it or would you climb to the top of a hill and allow it to blaze and give light to those in the darkness?

As Christ-Follwers we have the Bread of Life.  If the world was starving and you had a never ending source of food would you not share?

As Christ-Followers we have Eternal Hope.  If the world was in deep sorrow and crying out for help wouldn’t you offer them Your Hope?

The world is in darkness, it is starving and there is no hope.  It fumbles around blindly grasping at get-rich quick schemes, the newest electronic gadgets and pills that promise a new you in 30 days.  But Jesus offers eternal solutions to all of those problems.  He tells us not to horde treasures on earth because they are temporary and can be stolen or rust.  He tells us to hold to the Ten Commandments not the Ten Best Smartphones.  He tells us a new you is but a prayer away not in a pill bottle.

So as the world crashes down and volcanoes of pain erupt in your life, find The Refuge.  He is there.  He is waiting.  And He is ready.

How has God been a sourse of refuge in your life?  When has He pulled you in and protected you while you rested and healed?

My Flag

As a member of the United States Military for more than fourteen years I proudly ask you to listen to “The Star Spangled Banner”

Happy Flag Day.

Long may Old Glory fly!   God bless the U.S.A.!

You can read further information on the code of conduct concerning the US flag here- USFlag.org

First Class

Back in 1989 a movie came out that everyone went and saw.  It taught important life lessons.  Who has ever seen Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure?  Don’t be ashamed.  I loved it.  Great flick about two idiots going back in time and kidnapping historical figures in order to use them in their speech for history class.  The ultimate show and tell if you will.  In that movie one line is repeated several times.  Anyone remember it?

“Be Excellent to Each Other.”  What a great concept.  Be excellent to each other.  One of the definitions for excellent is “first class”.  Treat people first class.  The best.  With great care and consideration.  The Bible says it a little differently,

Be kind to one another. Have a loving and understanding heart. Forgive one another because God has forgiven you for Christ’s sake.  Eph. 4:32 (Worldwide English (New Testament)

Basically, be excellent to each other.  To put this in context this whole chapter in Ephesians is talking to and about the church, fellow Christ-Followers.  Here’s kind of what I think Paul was trying to get across to us.  If we can’t treat each other with kindness, love, understanding and forgiveness then how can we show the same to those outside the church?  How can we ever expect to make an impact in the world when we can’t even be excellent to our own family?

Jesus put it another way,

^34-35“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”  John 13:34-35 (The Message)

In order for people outside the church to see God, they must see our love for each other.

Show them God by showing each other love!