Re-focused

Re-focused

"I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:38 NIV

"I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." These words sound strong, heroic and faithful, especially when you consider that they came from a teenage girl. I wonder if Mary knew about the impending ridicule and the danger that lie ahead. Or, had she merely spoken out of naive youth? Either way, Mary's trust for God would lead her on an incomparable adventure that would pierce her own heart (Luke 2:35).

On the surface trust for God might seem noble, but it can be a dangerous thing too. Or in other words, when we trust God, we place our selves in harms way. I read that Mother Teresa said, "God, you would have more friends if you treated the ones you have a little better." On the surface of faith, we might utter pretty prayers and expect God to be kind in return. Little do we realize that for some, God might require a time of imprisonment or to suffer an indignity or illness. And when we are in discomfort or in the grip of pain we may have to twist our lips to say that, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

I think we experience disappointment with God because of false expectations. We go to Him hoping for riches and the removal of life’s difficulties. Truth is; we have forgotten that God’s primary mission is not our comfort, but to save the lost. And He will go to outlandish lengths to accomplish His task, even to a cross! When we have remembered the mission of God, though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, whether in sorrow or in peace, we will gracefully say that, “I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said, for this is well with my soul.”

Looking For God

Looking For God

If you seek him, he will be found by you. 1 Chronicles 28:9b NIV

I know a person that has been regularly going to church for about sixty years. When asked about Jesus her prompt reply is that, "God and I are okay, but I have a problem with the son." In her opinion, the New Testament writers cannot be trusted. It isn't possible for Jesus to have been... well, Jesus. Apparently, the Christ in scripture is just too hard to take. He makes too many wild claims of himself to be considered trustworthy.

Through my friend, I now see that one can know and do religious things without ever having encountered Christ. Even more so, in the absence of a real encounter, most people will play dress up on Christ to make him more pliable; that is to dial him down to something more accommodating. It seems to me that in order to find Christ, one has to have their own Damascus Road experience. Like Paul, we need to be illuminated by Christ. We need him to heal our spiritual ears so we can hear him speak to us. And we need him to injure us in some way to make us more amenable to godly truth.

I had hoped that seeking God would be less troublesome, sort of like a stroll through the tulips. But I have observed in my own walk that I am always in need of illumination, always in need of his words and unfortunately, always in need of godly induced injuries that ultimately push me along as I seek Him out. I need the flowers and the thorns to help me as I rummage around, looking for God.

My search hasn’t been what I expected. But I believe the end result will be the realization that while I have searched high and low for God, He has always held me safely in His hands.

One Minute

One Minute

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and
song. Psalm 95:2NIV

I don’t know about you, but this month has been stressful. And as we
head into December I only expect the pressure to increase. More tasks
have to be completed at breakneck speed while at work. There are tasks
around the house that need to be completed in preparation for visiting
family and friends. There is shopping, cooking and whatever it is we do
to prepare for family that we have not seen since last year.
With all of this stuff happening, is there room for God?

I know people that think we should get up at 4:00 AM to have prayer
with God, and if that is your thing, please continue. But if I am up at
4:00 AM, it means my Lunesta is no longer working. Some people think
you need no less than an hour to commune with God. Again,
if that is your thing, please keep going and remember me in your
prayers. I find it difficult to stay mentally centered on anything for
more than twenty minutes, so an hour prayer is probably not going to
happen. I’ll probably be sleep before the timer strikes ten minutes...

I have a weird sort of suggestion in these troubled and busy times;
give God sixty seconds. Forget about the stuff you need because our
Heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask. Forget about the
bills, the problems, and that pile of work for sixty seconds. Don’t
worry; they will still be there when you are done. Go to God with
THANKSGIVING and a heart that is singing his praise for a mere sixty
seconds. I think that praising God, especially during difficult times,
is what shows God that we really love him for who he is, and not for
what he supplies. I think worshiping God even during inopportune times
centers our being on what is important. I think the paramount thing is
that Jesus died for us and we get to commune with God, even if it is for
only sixty seconds. Praise God! Praise God and thank you Father. Amen.

Give Thanks!

Give Thanks!

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

When I was a kid, there were so many things to be thankful for. I had gratitude for my family, Hot Wheels cars, my sister’s Lasagna and the Speed Racer cartoon. Life was simpler then. My biggest concerns back then were how to weasel out of eating broccoli or getting home before the street lights turned on.

Now that I am older, I am still thankful for my family, I am thankful for my wife's lasagna and for action movies in surround sound. My biggest concerns are now, how to weasel out of eating foods that are good for me (like liver) and if Ursula will notice that I shrunk her new shirt when I tried to help with the laundry.

I have to admit though, that the older I get the more difficult it is to find things worthy of my gratitude. I spend a lot of time looking for the silver lining in what seems sort of tarnished. At work they have us doing twice as much work for the same pay, but thank you God for my job! My car is faded and not so new anymore, but thank you God for the car! Ursula yells at me far too often in my opinion (She found out about the shrunken shirt), but thank you God for my wife!

But there is one thing that seems to never loose it’s shine, and that is the cross-work of Christ. I am still awed at while I was God's enemy, he pursued me with some timber and three rusty old nails (Romans 5:8). And while I railed against him he sang songs and delighted over me (Zephaniah 3:17). To me, Jesus is better than Hot Wheels cars, lasagna, Speed Racer and surround-sound. He is better than anything I can imagine and I am truly thankful.

Words of a Cripple

Words of a Cripple

"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,"

"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going." Stephen Hawking from the book "The Grand Design"

These are the words of a cripple. These are the words of a man riddled with disease. He is a man with clouded reason. And what shocks me is that you think I am talking about Stephen Hawking's physical condition. Only a person crippled at heart could spout these types of ideas. People that speak this way are riddled with spiritual disease. Their reason is clouded with sin, arrogance and error.

As smart a man as Mr. Hawking is, I think he is trying to fit square pegs into round holes. I find it incredible that he still hasn't figured out that science is not against religion and neither religion against science. But each has its purpose. Science merely shows the how, but never answers the why. And religion answers the why, not the how.

Bible scripture gives the idea that we were created for God's pleasure, out of His will and to do good works. We were created to bring God glory and we were created to return to Him. We were created to know God.

Like I said, each has its purpose. When one tries to answer questions it is ill equipped to answer, bad stuff happens. The church is poorly equipped to answer the how. A good example of that is that they endorsed the idea that the earth was flat. Likewise, the science community is showing how ill equipped it is to answer why. I hope they find out before it’s too late.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3

You choose.

Sometime We Don't Make Any Sense to Them

Sometime We Don't Make Any Sense to Them

3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
Mark 14:3,4 & 6 NIV

A woman named Sue (that isn't her real name) came to me to vent her frustration about a family member. "My brother is crazy!" she said.
"What's wrong?"
"He has a great job, a wonderful wife and three kids. He is messing up his entire life."
"And how is he messing up his life?" I said.
"Doesn't he know we are in a recession? Doesn't he care about his family?"
"Yeah well you still haven't explained..." she cut me off and kept talking.
"You don't get a job like that and just walk away."

Now I am starting to think of all sorts of things... terrible things. This time I interrupted her and asked what he did to his family?
She said, "He quit his high paying job to take a job as a teacher at a Christian high school. It doesn't make sense that he would leave a great job to work at a Christian school."
I told her that, "Maybe he feels God spoke to him, told him to go to this new job. Maybe the other job was too stressful?"
"You're defending him? You people (Christians) don't make any sense. I can’t believe he walked away from all that money."

Sue is right. We believers are a different group of people indeed. Our life choices are tethered to the will of the Father, not the acquisition of money or possessions. We believers know that we were saved in order to bring the gospel of Jesus to someone else. That might involve giving up something to do Kingdom business. And that does not make sense to the outside. But it makes perfect sense to God; Because He orders the steps of those that belong to Him. And He always leads us on the path of His righteousness.

Who is God?

Who is God?

13 Then Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, 'The God of your fathers sent me to you'; and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What do I tell them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.'"
Exodus 3: 13-14 The Message

Some people think that God is found in nature, but nature is merely his creation. Some think that God is in religion and Bible scripture. But those things are not God; they are merely signs that point to who God is. In the mind of Moses, God would be known by his name. And God pitches a curve ball at Moses; He says his name is I Am.

God’s name isn’t so much a name as it is an invitation to know him. His name points toward His sovereignty. His name expresses his faithfulness. His name brings intimacy to our relationship with Him.
And I think that the more time we spend with God, the more we apply nicknames to him that reflect on our experience with him. While Moses might have called him El-Shaddai – God Almighty, Jehovah-Jireh -- The Lord our Provider or even Jehovah-Nissi -- The Lord our Banner; we call him names that resonate with our experience.

We call him, Friend of Sinners - Matthew 11:19, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith - Hebrews 12:2, Deliverer - Romans 11:26, Lamb of God - John 1:29 and Physician - Matthew 9:12

The Way, The Word, The truth, The life, Wonderful Counselor, Teacher,
Son of God, Savior, The Rock and we call him Jesus - Matthew 1:21

Who is God to you?

Lawless Ones

Lawless Ones

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Romans 3:20 New International Version (NIV)

Whenever I think of the law, I inevitably want to speak of grace. Grace is what makes us free from the grip of the law. But things should be taken in order. The law precedes grace just like faith precedes works. You really cannot have one until you have met with the other.

According to this verse, the fact is that we need the law. The law is two fold: It is a revelation of the mind and character of God and it reveals sin. More importantly, the law reveals my sin! When I see that I am soiled, beaten and bruised by my sin, this is where grace becomes so powerful. For without a revelation of sin, full grace cannot be known.

Today I will embrace God’s law and let it do its work in my mind so that I can also fully embrace God’s favor. And I believe that will pave the way to a full measure of God’s unmerited grace.

War & Peace

War & Peace

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 New International Version (NIV)

When I examine my time with God I find a few things that one might not consider to be “Christian”. One of those things is that we argue. I tussle with God mostly about His will and how it rarely matches my own. I have not yet convinced God that my ideas are better than His. And as much as God and I fight, I know at the end of the day we are at peace with each other. I know that peace with the Father is the direct result of having a relationship with His Son.

Before I was a believer, I may have thought I was at peace with God. I did good things and even went to church. But the truth is that without knowing God’s son, I was at war with God. Without a healthy and thriving relationship with Jesus Christ, you are not a friend, but a foe; not an ally, but an enemy.

You know, I loose every fight I have with God and I am a believer. What chance do you think I would have as an enemy?

Set Free

Set Free

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2 New International Version (NIV)

Do you know what it is like to be free from something? When I think of freedom, I think of slaves in the US or Jews and Polish people being released from concentration camps at the end of WWII. But I also think of women and children coming out of homes that only meant pain and degradation. My mind thinks of the redeemed homeless and those that get a reprieve from emotional or mental instability. I think of those that have been freed from addictions.

Just like there is slavery to be liberated from in this world, there is also a sin-slavery. In my mind, sin is, more than anything else, our living in opposition to the life God has designed and sanctioned. And those of us that have accepted God’s offer to eradicate our sin condition (that which is found in Christ alone) then we are indeed emancipated. For the scripture says that those the son sets free are free indeed. Freed from what? Free from a sin conviction that results in a permanent separation from God.

If you knew you were unequivocally free, what would you do with your new freedom? If you knew for sure, beyond the shadow of a doubt that you would not get a guilty conviction on your sin infractions, would you sin more because you were free? Would you get even with those that have hurt you? Would you take a walk on the wild side?

Now I will say something that might make some angry. If you aren’t free to commit sin, free to “walk on the wild side”, then it is no freedom at all. If we aren’t free to destroy ourselves, then it is no freedom at all and that indeed is the choice that some make. However, keep in mind that this verse does not say you are free from consequences. There is no mention of freedom of chastisement.

Think about this. I once heard a man speaking on freedom and of all things, he mentioned Abraham Lincoln. He said that Lincoln purchased a slave and immediately had her shackles removed. He told her she was free. The newly freed slave asked what free meant. He told her that you are a "free person". She asked, “I can do whatever I want?”
He nodded his head.
“You mean I can go where ever I want?”
Lincoln chuckled and said, “Yeah, you can go where you want.”
The girl thought for a moment and said, "I want to be with you.”
“You can go anywhere. Why would you want to follow me?"
"Cause I wanna be wit' the one who set me free."

Your Right to Choose

Your Right to Choose

Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
Romans 6:13 New International Version (NIV)

When I read the words, “do not offer” I get the feeling that I have a choice that I never had before. In the past (Before Christ) I had no choice except to sin. Remember that old movie, The Blob. The blob just kept growing and eating. Likewise, before Christ I imagined my very existence as one big ongoing sin-blob that kept growing. Once Christ came along (after acceptance) my existence changed. Or, I’ll put it a different way; I was changed from a sin condition to a saved condition. This new freedom I have in Christ is so radical that I have a choice. Today, I can “choose” whether to give into sin’s beck and call or I can choose to answer God’s call to obedience.

No, I do not think this is a sense of duality (two equal opposites fighting to win my soul). The reality is that God has already won by one, for the many. And if you have accepted God’s offer of reconciliation (Jesus Christ), then you get to choose. You are no longer locked into obeying your sin impulses and thoughts. For the first time, you are free to choose godly righteousness.

Choose your code carefully

Choose your code carefully

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:28-29 New International Version (NIV)

In this life people live by their own code. In this verse, Paul says that they think they are right with God because they live by “the written code”. For people in this verse, the written code was the Talmud (Jewish Law) and genetics (People thought that they were right by God because they were descendants of Abraham). In our time, "the code" may consist of a "cultural code". Our cultural code only has one rule; Do whatever is right for you. Each person gets to choose their code, their way of being right. The unfortunate truth is that some people carry their “flexible code” to Christianity:

I'll be a Christian but I need to keep my sexual preferences. - I'll be a Christian but I need to keep my attitude about race. - I'll be a Christian as long as I can keep ______.

The list can go on and on...

But this flexible truth is no where to be found in scripture. The real code is no code at all, it is living by the Spirit of God. And God’s Spirit will guide us to godly truth
(1 Corinthian 2:14). Is your code based on honesty and God centered truth? If it isn't, then you have a code of religion, of culture or of self. Those types of code cannot reconcile you to God. The only code that will make you (us) right with God is the code of Christ.

Choose your code carefully.

Temptation is a sin… Not really

Temptation is a sin… Not really

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 New International Version

My friend Joe (that isn’t his real name) and I were walking together through a wooded area of Valley Forge Park. All I could hear was the crunch of fall leaves under foot until he asked, “Do you think God can forgive me for being tempted?”

“What was your temptation?” I asked.

“There was a really pretty lady at church. When I saw her, all sorts of things began to enter my mind…”

“What did you do with those thoughts?” I asked.

“Mmm… nothing really.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then there is no sin.” I said.

“Are you sure about that? I mean, I have some pretty bad thoughts…”

“Sexy thoughts…” I growled at him and laughed.

With a growl in his voice he said, “Yeah, sexy thoughts.”

We both chuckled.

I told him that, “Temptation is not a sin. I think that sin begins with our use of the temptation in our minds. Like when Jesus said that lusting after a woman is a sin. I think Jesus was saying that if we do not bring our “sin thoughts” to Him, they take on a new meaning (or purpose) in our minds. And when we dwell on our lusts, our minds begin to work on a plan to change the lust into bodily action.”

“So if temptation leads to sin, isn’t it a sin?”

“I don’t think so. A seed grows to become a tree, but it isn’t a tree yet. A seed is merely a seed unless you allow it to grow; so it is with temptation. The temptation kernel has not grown into a tree of sin, it is still only a seed. It is easier to dig up a seed than it is to dig up a tree…”

“I think I understand” said Joe with relief painted on his face.

“Besides, doesn’t the Bible say that God provides a way out of our temptation? Let’s pray about it brother.”

Joe and I stood in the middle of the forest area of the park and prayed out loud to our unseen God. We thanked Him for a way out.

Aliens Among Humans

Aliens Among Humans

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17 New International Version

There is something amiss. There are aliens among us and you might be one…

I believe that God breathed supernatural life into humans when He created us. God imprinted himself on all humans, giving us the ability to search Him out and find our Creator. Some people choose to search and find, and others do not. But for those that seek God out, He does something with us that is not natural, but hyper natural. He has made us into a supernatural new creation. When Christ completed his cross work, God turned every human (dead or alive in the human sense) that believes in him into new creatures of Godly origin. These new-ones are marked by salvation in His son. I think we believers have one central component, our reconciliation to the Father by the blood of Jesus Christ.

I think this connection to God (salvation in Christ) is what makes us the aliens. For we are no longer of this world (John 15:18-19). We are only on mission here until God calls us home.

In Jars of Clay

In Jars of Clay

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7 New International Version

I keep forgetting that I hold a treasure inside. So many things come to rob me of this knowledge on a daily basis. My low self esteem is a constant criminal, lying to me that I am not valuable enough to hold such wonders. Sometimes other people deride, poke and prod until I forget the treasure is still there. And sometimes painful circumstances blindfold me from the truth. The truth is that light has been hidden in this jar of clay.

Knowledge of Christ is the light and I am the jar. And I wonder why God would want to place something so precious inside such an impractical and fragile container? I don't stand up very well to pressure and if bumped I easily break. I spend a lot of time sort of gluing the broken pieces back together. If I could see me in a mirror after the repairs, I imagine I would look more like a mosaic design than a suitable faith carafe.

I have done it again... I have focused in on my current state instead of the way God sees me. I have forgotten that God entrusts the light of His son in whom He pleases. And my worry should be less of my form or condition, and more that I follow the intended function. The function is to carry the light! And I should focus less on why He placed it in me and focus on celebrating that I hold such a wondrous thing in this jar of clay.

You Should Be Pretty Weird

You Should Be Pretty Weird


Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 New International Version


I have heard it said that Christians are no different than anyone else. I imagine they mean that Christians get angry, get divorced, cheat on their spouses, curse, drive erratically and are generally insensitive to the needs of others. I also imagine they mean that Christians participate in Cancer walks, volunteer at the local soup kitchen, care for those less fortunate and spread cheer to others. If all of that is true, then what’s the point? Why become a believer when one is no different from the other? Both can screw up a one car parade and both can do wonderful works to better the lives of others. But, according to this verse, believers should not be the same as the rest of the people on the planet.

The Bible says that we are peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9 KJV). According to the Bible, we should stand out in an uncharacteristic way because we belong to God. If you examine your life, your friends, your family, are they peculiar or weird in some way? Okay, loaded question. Are they weird in a God centered sort of way? As in, do the details of their lives reflect who God is? Our version of love, which should be a mini version of God’s love, ought to stand out in an extraordinary way. As an example, how we believers treat our enemies should be in stark contrast to the way others behave in the same circumstances. Maybe another way of putting it is to say that others should see our actions as uncanny or strange. Why? Because we mimic a God whose behavior is not like anyone else’s. If you are growing into being the likeness of Christ, you should be different and you should be a little weird.

Good Isn’t Good Enough

Good Isn’t Good Enough


All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Romans 3:12 New International Version


I had a strange conversation with a coworker. She came to my desk to tell me that she is a good person. I replied, “That’s good.”
She said, “Good people get into heaven. That’s where I am going because I deserve it.”
“What makes you think that being good is good enough?”
“All the good stuff I do for others earns that for me. I have earned it by now,” she said.
“Well, how do you know you have done enough to earn it?” I said. “Isn’t it possible that you have the amount per deed incorrect? And who set the value of each deed anyhow?”
After a long pause I asked her, “Do you own heaven?”
“No . . . what does that have to do with anything?”
I said, “Well, think of it this way. If your son came home with a friend and asked if the boy could stay for awhile you would normally say yes. Why? Because the other person was brought to you by your son. What if a complete stranger came and asked the same question, would you let him or her stay at your house?”
She said, “No.”
I told her that is the same way with God. He lets people in that come with His son. If you don’t know God’s son, how do you expect to gain entry?

I am appalled at the mentality of some people. I felt like telling her to think these things through. Don’t serve up some half-baked idea and expect me to bless it. Gee Whiz! Think about it. If we had to earn it, we would do what was necessary, and then our good deeds would fall off after that. Also, if we could earn it, we would be arrogant about our accomplishments. What if some are incapable of earning it? How do those get salvation? The fact is none of us can measure up to God’s expectations. According to the Bible, good isn’t good enough, but that’s the good news. The good news is that it was already earned for us by Jesus as he hung on the cross. Our only option now is to accept that Jesus paid the debt or shun the heavenly admission ticket.

The irony in all this is not necessarily that my friend was acting on faulty information about God. But that some people that are educated believers still try to earn admission into Heaven. We should be doing our good deeds out of gratitude, not to deposit more God dollars into our heavenly accounts.

A Spiritual Birthday Dream

A Spiritual Birthday Dream


So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 New International Version


Not long after the death of my father, I had a brief series of dreams about him. One of them seemed more like a memory of a Hollywood film than a fabrication of my subconscious or a message from God. In fact, I remember it more vividly than I remember him.

I dreamed that my dad was walking on a dirt road. He had a familiar pair of brown corduroy pants, a pin-striped white dress shirt and a matching brown sweater. He carried his cane for balance and also a beam of expectancy on his face. His old shuffle was present as he held the hand of someone I could not identify. As the two continued to walk, my dad dropped his cane and pulled off the sweater. The shuffle turned to a stride and they both quickened pace. Then the strangest thing appeared right before my dream eyes, dad began to reverse in age. It was strange to see the bright colors of a sunset change and watch him devolve to a young boy of maybe thirteen or fourteen years. In a brief time, I saw him as I was accustomed to seeing him. I saw his age, frailty and his perishing body. Then, in this spirit dream, if it was such, I saw his body fill with youth and take on strength in a spiritual way.

By the end of the dream, he was much younger than I was at the time. It was sort of odd to be present with your father when he looks younger than yourself. And even though his appearance was unlike anything I would have ever seen, I still recognized him. I awoke with tears, excitement, and longing to go back to sleep so I could talk with him. I never had any more dreams about him after that. I imagine the reason is that he was now sown or birthed into the spirit world; a place where we no longer wear out, take ill, age, or die. If my Spiritual Birthday will be anything like his, I’m looking forward to it.

Kingdom Authority

Kingdom Authority
When Jesus began to wash the feet of those he loved, Peter refused. He
would never let his master stoop to such a menial service on his behalf.
It sounds like a statement of humility; in reality it was an act of
veiled pride. Jesus’ service was an affront to Peter’s concept of
authority. If Peter had been the master, he would not have washed feet!

It is an act of submission and service to allow others to serve us. It
recognizes their “kingdom authority” over us.
- Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

I haven’t any reasonable answer as to why the thought has so heavily
weighed upon me. Nonetheless, it is there. I keep wondering if God is
showing me some item where I excel or if I need to be humbled in my
attitude and in my spirit. This thought that haunts me is about service
for others.

I love Foster’s phrase “kingdom authority.” I like the idea that
Jesus has turned greatness on its ear by making those that serve of
“kingdom influence” and princely heritage. Somehow, when we cut
someone’s grass, make a meal, listen to them talk or even spend
time with them to remove their anxiety; we take on some God given right to humble filled greatness. And the one in receipt of this service is
the one that is in submission.

Many times I aspire to be better than I am which is okay to do. But in
my desire for great achievements, I think I have forgotten that a greater
thing is when I trust God or when I put myself in line to help someone
or when life is enhanced with Godly awareness. None of those things
carry with it a paycheck, but they carry Kingdom value that cannot be
assessed fully until the Father takes final account.

How do you measure greatness? Is it in some human achievement or in a
pail of dirty foot water?

Romans Road Part Four – Make it Personal

Romans Road Part Four – Make it Personal

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." Mark 5: 18-19 NIV

As cool as the Romans Road is, I think it incomplete. The Romans Road tells us the process and procedure of salvation. The Romans Road is sort of like lifting the hood on a car. You get to see the inner workings, why it does what it does. But you need to get on the road to truly experience it.

My Romans Road has not been anything that I would have expected. While on the road I have had to face my failure as a husband, father, son, brother and as a friend. I think it odd how pain and failure has caused me to see things more clearly, or at least differently. I now understand the words from a song I heard, "We fall down, but we get up". I am starting to understand Grace, now that I have a real need for it. But pain is not the only thing I found on the road.

This world, the struggles and the pain do not represent the whole of life. My road is brimming with hope too. I am looking forward to the days that Jesus has promised. He says that he will turn the bad experiences into something good for the ones that depend on him. And he says that he is preparing a place for me that is so awesome, I will need to see it to believe it. And you know what, I believe him. For I have seen enough in this world, to believe him for the next.

While traveling on the road I sometimes look back and see a strange sort of redemption at work. From God’s view, my redemption was purchase a few thousand years ago. From my perspective it is something that is being worked out daily. I am starting to see that God has purchased me from my exploits and failures. The currency He used was His son…, battered and nailed to a cross. When I look around me I see the prayers of family, friends and even strangers. Their prayers (and God’s Spirit) are my traveling companions. They buoy me when I am down. And when I look ahead I see... well, I’ll wait for you to join me on the road. You will be able to see it for yourself.

Romans Road Part Three – A Way Out

Romans Road Part Three – A Way Out

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.
Romans 10:9 New International Version (NIV)

At first glance, this verse makes me think that this might be a magical incantation from a group of superstitious middle easterners. At least, that is how some people look at it today. Some think that all you have to do is say Christian things like, “Jesus is my lord and savior” and some how they think they are miraculously saved from any afterlife harm. But this isn’t a children’s story and God knows the heart. He knows if He has a place with you or not. Your confession of Christ has to be from the heart, or its just lip service.

I think that believing in Christ is a supernatural opening of the mind. But at the same time it is a bending of the human will. Sort of like how a plant twists and turns to find more sunlight. And I imagine for a plant, it may think it has twisted into some unnatural shape merely for survival. But for the gardener, the plant is beautiful, strong and growing just as expected. I think that being a believer is sometimes embarrassing, sometimes amazing and we also experience moments full of hope. Being a believer is intriguing, for we live in this slowly deteriorating world while connected to an unchanging God that intends to bring us into a “forever world” that will never die. We are incessantly peeling back the layers of this world to view the real world. All the while, we are being lead by God’s Spirit. And I believe the Holy Spirit causes this new faith to take root in us through a series of wonderful and sometimes incredibly difficult circumstances. Our confession, our belief and our saved-condition come from God and are irrevocable.

The Cross-work of Jesus is the way out, if you want it…

Romans Road Part Two – Second half of the Gospel

Romans Road Part Two – Second half of the Gospel

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 New International Version (NIV)

Without the bad, you can’t appreciate the good. And the Law (Ten Commandments) makes the bad known. The Ten reveal that we have fallen short of God’s glory standard. We know we don’t measure up. By now I hope you know that the best we deserve is a free to trip to Hell. I hope by now you know that you can’t earn a pass on Hell. You can’t “be good enough” and you can’t “make a deal” with God.

I once said that the problem with Jesus is that he does things for us that we think we can do on our own. We want to make up our own ideas on sin removal (if we think we have any sin to begin with) and we expect God to call our ideas acceptable. If anything, that attitude is a smack on the face of Christ. It is an insult to the cross. If you and I could actually be reunited with God on our own, do you think God’s son would have to die in our place?

Do you really want to take part in your salvation from Hell? Do you want to take things into your own hands? Then say yes to Christ! That is the only control you and I really have.

Romans Road Part One – First half of the Gospel

Romans Road Part One – First half of the Gospel

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 New International Version (NIV)

My friend Jim and I sat in my living room sharing wisdom with each other. One of the things that came up was sharing the good news or the gospel as some call it. One thing that we discussed is what the good news actually consists of. Some will tell you that the good news is that “God loves you.” But Jim and I agreed that if we only share God’s love, we have only shared half of the truth.

The thing that makes the good news good is that you and I are undeserving of God’s love. Or my way of translating this verse is to say that we have all failed to meet God’s glory standard. In other words, you don’t measure up. Neither do I.

What is God’s glory standard? I think the heart of the glory standard is explained in The Ten Commandments. The Big Ten are not ten separate commandments; they are actually one commandment with ten parts. The ten are not multiple choice either. An infraction on any one of them, and the entire ten have been broken. Be honest. Ask yourself if you have ever told a lie. Yes, white lies count as lies. Ask yourself if you have ever stolen anything? If you answered yes to these questions, then you are a lying thief…. I am a liar and a thief as well.

Do you really think we deserve God’s unmerited favor? Do you really think you and I deserve Heaven?

The Meaning of Life

The Meaning of Life

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
Revelation 4:11 New Living Translation

What do you think? Why are we here? Do we have a purpose for being alive?

I have had lots of ideas in regards to my purpose, to the reason I am alive. I thought I was an accident of my parents (and of God’s will, if that were possible). Physical and emotional pain have such a strong grasp upon me that at times, I have considered the idea that I was placed here to suffer. Maybe I am here so that I could bring Erica (my daughter) into existence because she will touch someone else’s life for the next generation? My wife says I am here because she asked God for me.

Why do you think you are here?

In this verse, God says we are created for his pleasure. In other words, we are here to be the objects of his love. Or, as C.S. Lewis puts it, “We were made… that we may become objects in which the Divine love may rest… well pleased”.

Imagine it, me, being the object of affection for God. Imagine it, you, being created for the express purpose of being an object of God’s unfailing love…? I like the sound of that.

Constant Now

Constant Now

All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter.

All our praise is focused through Jesus on this incomparably wise God! Yes!
Romans 16:25-27 The Message

I watch too much television and as a result, my wife watches too much. When we see movies that deal with time travel, she always gets confused. She asks, “How could the same character be in two places at once?” And I try to explain (always unsuccessfully), that it is a conundrum of the time space continuum. The rules of time have been bent (or broken) by a complex set of mathematical equations that have been applied in the real world via technology or other variables… Uh, maybe that is why she is confused?

Time is a formidable issue in Bible scripture. We humans tend to think in the moment. We compartmentalize and place time in the past, present or future. But we never think of time the way that God might see it, as a “constant now”. In other words, a million years ago, today, and the year 3050 are in front of God simultaneously.

God is outside of time (being the author of it) and as such is not affected by it the same way we are (aging, expired memories, unknown future variables, secret information etcetera). When Paul says the “mystery is revealed”, I think he is using the best terms he can to describe an event that has never had a beginning, is present and in trust for the future. The mystery revealed is Jesus, as the Christ (anointed one to deliver us from sin). The revelation is that Jesus is our legal council (propitiation). He purchased us from our sin condition and imparted his righteousness to us (something we commonly think we already own or have earned without Christ).

But here’s the thing. I claim to see these aforementioned events or “state-of-being” clearly, but I cannot. These are things that have been done, are being done, and I admit I haven’t a clue as to how they operate or to fully understand their meaning. The truth is that I am actively gaining a reality on these ideas over time; it seems like God is doing some new thing every time I learn more. Yet these are things that are already done in the mind of God. In other words, these are things that are complete for God. He has done it, but my mind is in the process of being opened to its reality.

The bizarre thing is that I may never understand the mystery in its entirety, but I am certainly happy about the parts I understand. I know what Jesus did on a cross.

Misguided Retribution

Misguided Retribution

...if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
Exodus 21:23-24 NIV

I read in the news that Tiger Woods has been under fire from other golfers, by the media and even by his soon to be ex-wife. All of this makes me laugh... well, sort of an angry laugh. It is true that Tiger has had some moral failures. But before I can get angry about this, I suddenly remember my own moral failures. What the guy did was wrong, but what I sometimes do is also wrong. The only difference between he and I is that his moral failures have been broadcast to the world. It is something that he and I need to ask for ecclesiastical clemency of.

Today's verse is often touted as a revenge verse but its true message is to let the punishment match the crime. Don't get over zealous in your desire to payback - be just. I wonder why people are so angry with Tiger? It isn't as if he is the only one with moral failures. What is a fair punishment for his moral malfunction? Maybe forgiveness is the only way to destroy the memory and pain of failure without destroying the person.

Home Grown Righteousness

Home Grown Righteousness

I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
Romans 10:2-3 New Living Translation

I have no idea why I keep slipping into it. It is a lesson I need to re-learn often. I think I keep falling into it because of arrogance. I think I slip into home grown righteousness because it is more appealing. My home grown hooch is self glorifying. And like anyone else, I can get drunk on myself. I know I am inebriated on myself when my thoughts are only about me, and fulfilling my desires. I am drunk on me when my thoughts betray the scriptures, but I think I am in a state of complete understanding.

The scripture says that we can have religious zeal without godly knowledge. It says that without godly knowledge, we will conjure a home grown righteousness and that Christ puts an end to all that. So… what religious ideas have you created to remove the work of Christ from your life? Have you said that, “I go to church, so I am okay with God”? Have you dropped a check in the offering plate and purchased your righteousness? Do you live a good life, do the right things, and use Christian Lingo thinking that is enough? Maybe you are a bit drunk on yourself as I am on me.

The fact is that Christ did something for us that we are unable to do. His Righteousness has been imparted to us based solely on the will of God. We obtain this righteousness only by grasping the life line He threw us. What is the life line? It is the cross work of Christ Jesus.

Are you drunk on your righteousness, or are you secure in the righteousness of Christ?

Fearless – Final Moments

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:1-3 NLT

While speaking of faith, I have often asked the question, “Why is it so easy for people to trust God about the afterlife, but it is so difficult for the same people to have faith about finance, marriage and other areas of this life?” Well, I won’t be asking that question any longer. It has suddenly occurred to me that we really trust God when we are no longer capable of controlling the situation. And death removes our ability to alter the circumstance by our own strength.

I think that when we are at the end of our proverbial rope is when we are free to trust God fully. When we realize that we can’t fix it, duct tape it or run from it, we are able to hear God’s voice, able to follow His instructions and able to believe His word. And death offers all of us that same opportunity to trust God. In death we have no strength or duct tape, only an opportunity to believe or deny the name of Christ.

I choose to believe the guy that has been there, done that and lives to tell the tale. He says that he is preparing a place and that he will come back to get us. Knowing that He will be there makes me fear a bit less.

Fearlessly Yours

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise. Psalm 110:10 NIV

Some people say that fear is abnormal and a sign of a lack of faith. Others say that fear is merely an emotional and biological response to danger or uncertainty. Whoever is correct I know for sure that there is no way to guaranty you will have a fear-free existence. The real problem of fear is not how to avoid it, but how to face it. I think the only way to face fear is to face it with God.

Consider the fact that God is on our side (Hebrews 13:5 Amplified). Also consider that God asks us to cast the whole of our anxieties, worries, and concerns on Him, for He deeply cares for us
(1 Peter 5:7). God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). And God’s plans don’t include fear. We may never be able to avoid experiencing fear, but we know where to place our fears, at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ!

I think that when we truly believe God loves us, when we immerse ourselves in following His ways, fear becomes an afterthought when compared to the reality of who we are in Christ. We are a Holy priesthood, a royal people and even more so, the apple of the Father’s eye.

Feeling the Truth

They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
Luke 24:32 New International Version (emphasis added)

In my opinion, emotions are something not to be trusted. They cause us to say and do things we normally wouldn’t. Emotions cloud our reason and often lead us to circumstances that could have been avoided.

In this particular verse, feelings are at work in an unusual way. I don’t think these men had heartburn, I think that they had a physical rush and a mental awareness when truth was proclaimed by the embodiment of truth himself (a.k.a. Jesus). And, maybe that is the way truth reaches out to us. It does not encompass the mind alone, but our bodies too. Truth affects everything in us, our entire being.

My closest experience to theirs in this verse is when I “became aware of” who Christ is. I felt like my heart was racing. My mind was incredibly aware and I was shocked that I, a man of reason, was physically feeling so much over a revelation about Jesus. I admit that it has been an ongoing revelation, for I still get short of breath and become more aware of this ever-growing Jesus. I suppose that I am still feeling the truth.

Discovering You

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Luke 24:32-35 New International Version

The resurrected Jesus didn’t become recognizable by his friends until he “broke the bread”. The breaking of the bread probably reminded them of Jesus’ words about bread such as, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48). I imagine that is when they began to put the puzzle pieces together.

Likewise, I think our true identity comes to the surface when we are broken. When painful situations come for us, the real you and the real me come forth. It seems that when broken, fabrication falls away and the truth comes into severe clarity. Tell me, what happens when you are broken? Does this strange but familiar monster come to the surface? Or maybe a gentle soul comes forth? Who is the real “you” that is hiding under polite religious talk and a passing simile? When troubles arise, what breaks through to the surface is the real you.

Doomsday

Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 New Living Translation

Do you remember when people were on edge about the year two-thousand? I recall a fairly famous television preacher that touted the year two-thousand as the “year of our Lord’s return”. I remember New Year ’s Eve 1999. I watched the ball drop at Times Square in New York City as the New Year rolled in. I halfway expected that once the clock struck twelve, Jesus and that television preacher would brilliantly appear in the sky to rescue us from this world. Alas, I am writing this devotional with the hopes that you will be reading it. And, if you have not been paying attention, they (whoever they are) are at it again. 2012 is now the new doomsday (or year as it is). No one actually knows what will happen on doomsday, but everyone seems to fear it none the less.

Did you know that the Bible never speaks of a doomsday for those that follow Jesus? For those that are believers, the end, (I think that transformation is a better way to say it), is a time of great excitement. I use the word “transformation” because the world will not end in fire and explosions; it will last forever (Ecclesiastes 1:4) and can never be moved (Psalms 105:5). Our lives and our planet will experience a change of order, protocol and procedure in its modus operandi. In other words, the world and us will be changed back or into something God has intended.

Is talk of the future a subject of fear for you? Does it provoke thoughts of uncertainty? It need not. The Bible says in Isaiah 12:2 that, “God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” God wants to be your salvation today. He wants you to be courageous and strong, full of singing and confident in His power to rescue you. Rescue you from “what” you ask? Rescue you from an afterlife that is fully and irrevocably disconnected from God (a.k.a. spiritual death). Maybe I should state it differently; you have two choices - a “doomsday” or a “life-day”. You choose by rejecting or accepting God’s Son.

Shine!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9 New International Version


God has given those that follow Christ a new identity. He calls us the Chosen. He says we are royal, holy and that we belong to Him. And, to what purpose has God bestowed such wonderful gifts? I believe one of the answers is to declare! God has blessed us so that we have the right and the freedom to echo His love in a broken world. When you realize you have been served, go out and serve. When you learn compassion, go out and live kindness. When you have been forgiven, go out and do the same. For before you and I were in darkness, but now we are children of light. Go out and shine!

Some Commercials Are More Biblical Than I Thought

Some Commercials Are More Biblical Than I Thought

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 New International Version

I saw an insurance commercial that presented an unusual idea. A lady stopped a man from walking into oncoming traffic. The recently rescued man then proceeded to help a person that unknowingly dropped her child's toy. The nearly toy-less woman then moved a cup of coffee to a safe distance from a man that was about to spill it on himself. In excellent film making style, the woman at the beginning of the commercial saw this kindness and stepped outside to stop a car accident.

This simple commercial presented the idea that when we receive something, we pay it forward. The people in the commercial were recipients of kindness so they repeated it to others. Paying it forward is a cool idea and I think it is more biblical than most people realize. Kindness is not a new idea. It isn't something new that some marketing agent thought of. Pay it forward is an idea that has its roots in scripture.

In this verse, we learn compassion and comfort not just for our own gain, but for the gain of others. With God, we are never recipients of His gifts for our own comfort and purposes, but we are recipients of His gifts so that we can pass them on. We undeservedly received forgiveness, so we pass it on the same way. We received grace, so we pay it forward. We have the gift of godly wisdom, so we teach it to others. We received the good news gift of Christ, so we pass it on.

In Good Hands

In Good Hands

4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.
I Corinthians 15:4, 5 & 8 New Living Translation

Paul says that he has seen the risen Christ just like many others, only a little later, as if he had been born at the wrong time. The words in the New Living Translation say "born at the wrong time" but I think the words of the NIV may resonate with us just a bit differently. Instead of “the wrong time” it says “abnormally born".

Maybe your life seems the same – as if you were abnormally born? You may feel trapped and without choices. This life seems like your legacy has already been written and you need to fall into place. I guess that I should say that I am speaking from my own personal thoughts and experiences. I often think that my life is a series of poor choices and mistakes, and that this is the best God can do with me considering the circumstances. And, I think I have over inflated my state of affairs.

As cliché as it might sound, I think God is in control. The scripture says that God has predestined those that believe in Christ to be his sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:3-5 NIV). In plain English, that means that we believers are within the control, protection and the love of God. As wonderful, weird, and occasionally unpleasant that this life is, we who find our identity in Christ are in good hands. And, if life hurts so bad that you cannot see God's hands, trust His heart.

Trust in the Lord

Trust in the Lord "I have spent years trying to reconcile the belief that Jesus Christ's death on the cross redeemed the entire world with the idea that millions of people - including millions who had never even heard of Jesus - were suffering forever in hell." -Chad Holz (Former Pastor) Chad’s comments are based on the Rob Bell book “Love Wins”. Rob’s book attempts to answer the question “Who’s in Hell?” And by Rob Bell’s account, the answer is everybody. Reverend Bell and Chad are grappling (ineffectively I might add) with the same theological questions we all have. I think Reverend Holz and Pastor Bell have a lot of problems, but I will stick with what might be the most urgent... they do not trust God. Consider this saying, "When you cannot see God's hand, you can trust His heart." We don't need to understand (and can't possible begin to fully grasp) God's decisions on such things. If you are filling in the blanks, you have forgotten to trust God's heart. Rob Bell suggests that all people, no matter what you’ve done, go to Heaven. Now if I could talk to either person I would ask one question; "If everyone goes to Heaven, then why do we need Jesus?" There isn't one Bible verse that says we can be with God because we ascribe to some preconceived idea of good (today’s standard of good is to be non-judgmental, polite and amenable). Scripture never suggests that God’s love outweighs his righteousness. We get near to God by Christ. "No one comes to the Father except by me", says Jesus (John 14:6). We all know the verse, John 3:16. The word "believe" in that verse isn't as simple as "just believing". I think the word implies belief, action, internal change and tenacity. All of the aforementioned are God-inspired, God-led and God-fulfilled. Ultimately all of these things are always (and only) accomplished by God, in Christ, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This whole discussion is proof that a college education does not make you impervious to foolishness. You can never depend on your intellect or success as a measure of faith and spirituality, it is by faith that we live in this world (2 Corinthians 5:7). You have to start and end with Christ. Everything else is foolishness. Consider this quote: "Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God." - Martin Luther Sometimes... probably more times than not, Faith will overrule anything else. And these types of people are showing tell-tale signs of losing their faith. But I would like to remind you that God can be trusted with the things we don’t understand. We can’t reason our way to God, we have always had to trust our way to Him by the shed blood of Christ.

What is Believer's Freedom?

What is Believer's Freedom?

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive.
1 Corinthians 10:23 New International Version

I know what it is like to be stripped of freedom. I know what it is like to be handcuffed. I know what it is like to be incarcerated. Well, I know what it is like to be locked up for approximately forty minutes. I can say that will be the last time I will ever drive my car with an expired tag! Though I was only behind bars for less than an hour, I had a brand new appreciation for my freedom once released.

With my newfound freedom I wanted to shout to everyone that I was “free”! I wanted to celebrate my liberty, without limits or borders. But with my freedom came restrictions. Well, sort of. I was indeed free. I could do what I wanted, when I wanted. I was free to break more laws and land myself right back in jail. I was also free to respect the rights and freedoms of others.

When I became a believer in Christ, I gained spiritual freedom. I gained inalienable spiritual rights that only God can provide. With freedom comes the right to sin, frequently. I have the ability to ignore the freedom of other believers in favor of my own. I have the right to create turmoil in my spiritual life. I have the right to live against any and every spiritual law that has been carefully laid out in scripture, but not everything is beneficial or constructive.

I believe there is more to freedom than liberty from oppression. One type of freedom is Grace. When we are followers of Christ, we live in a state of grace. For God has not given us what we deserve. Grace is an aspect of God's generosity and His character. And God’s grace gives us freedom to live in peace and with joy. True godly freedom is our freedom to serve each other. True freedom is our willingness to give up a few personal rights in order to celebrate freedom with others. When is that last time you were free?

Can I Have A Glass Of Wine?

Can I Have A Glass Of Wine?


We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.
Romans 15:1-2 New Living Translation


I was at a mini family reunion. I came from Pennsylvania, my brother Scott all the way from Germany, my mom, sister, Cynthia and brother Curtis from Indiana and several other nieces and nephews descended upon my sister Kim and my brother Jerome in Stone Mountain, Georgia. It would be the first time I had seen some of them in almost ten years. It was a great time. There were hugs, smiles, bizarre looks, arguing, disagreements and complaints. I missed them so much. I really did!

The Montgomery family has never been against the consumption of alcohol and this mini reunion would be no different. Just as the drinks came out I remembered our family cookouts when I was a kid. On one such meeting I remember finally making twenty-one, the legal drinking age. My dad asked for a beer. I got two of them. I handed my dad one and cracked open the other for myself. Goodness me, why did I do that . . . ? My mom, dad, and the rest of my siblings dove all over me and took my beer! Apparently, I am the Nazirite in my family. I am surprised they let me cut my hair! Anyhow, there I was, at this mini family reunion. Out came the spirits and I wanted to have a glass of wine. Enter the other spirit, God’s Holy Spirit. As they all grabbed a glass of joy juice, I was having trouble with God. It was not about getting drunk. It was not about what my family would do to me if I tried again to drink in front of them. It was about one of my nieces. Her name is Tahi (pronounced tah-he). Tie, as I occasionally call her, was what I would call a teetotaler and a young Christian. I felt like it was important to be accountable to her. Yes, there were other Christians there, but they all had a glass of wine. Tie stood out to me in her convictions and I wanted to stand with her. I pulled her aside and asked if I could have a drink and she said, “Uncle, its okay if you have one, but I would rather you didn’t. I don’t know what message it would send to the rest of the family.”
I told her, “Well then, let’s go and get us some virgin cocktails right in front of everyone else.” She smiled and nodded in approval.

That was one of the few times I had recognized my having actually lived out the scripture. I was not consciously thinking of Romans 14 and 15. I was also not thinking of God’s being proud of me for remembering Him in the midst of so much merry in a glass. I was only thinking of my niece. As for me, I know that drinking can lead to poor decision making. I’ve seen it firsthand and I am fairly sure I have the same gene. But I also enjoy an occasional glass of wine, and as long as I do not lose my character, I think it is okay. But at the same time, I have to admit that my niece encouraged me to better behavior that day. She showed me that a good time could be had, even if the only spirit we were enjoying was the Holy Spirit.

A Spiritual Birthday Dream

A Spiritual Birthday Dream

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 New International Version


Not long after the death of my father, I had a brief series of dreams about him. One of them seemed more like a memory of a Hollywood film than a fabrication of my subconscious or a message from God. In fact, I remember it more vividly than I remember him.

I dreamed that my dad was walking on a dirt road. He had a familiar pair of brown corduroy pants, a pin striped white dress shirt and a matching brown sweater. He carried his cane for balance and a beam of expectancy on his face. His old shuffle was present as he held the hand of someone I could not identify. As the two continued to walk, my dad dropped his cane and pulled off the sweater. The shuffle turned to a stride and they both quickened pace. Then the strangest thing appeared right before my dream eyes, dad began to reverse in age. It was strange to see the bright colors of a sunset change and watch him devolve to a young boy of maybe thirteen or fourteen years. In a brief time, I saw him as I was accustomed to seeing him. I saw his age, frailty and his perishing body. Then, in this spirit dream, if it was such, saw his body fill with youth and take on strength in a spiritual way.

By the end of the dream, he was much younger than I was at the time. It was sort of odd to be present with your father when he looks younger than yourself. And even though his appearance was unlike anything I would have ever seen, I still recognized him. I awoke with tears, excitement and longing to go back to sleep so I could talk with him. I never had any more dreams about him after that. I imagine the reason is that he was now sown or birthed into the spirit world; a place where we no longer wear out, take ill, age, or die. If my Spiritual Birthday will be anything like his, I’m looking forward to it.

Are You Done Trying To Fix Yourself?

Are You Done Trying To Fix Yourself?


You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Colossians 2:20-23 New Living Translation


I have a few besetting sins that I hardly talk about. I guess I am too embarrassed to come clean on their nature. Over the years I have tried books, prayer, setting up roadblocks to prevent myself from getting involved, and then, I sin again. I feel stricken and beaten down by my recurring sin. Many times I wonder what is wrong with me that I struggle with the same things over and over again. I quoted Bible verses to myself like Romans 6 where it says that I have died to sin, been freed from sin, was a slave to sin and am now free from sin and a slave to God and righteousness, that the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin. I wrote a verse from Revelation on a piece of paper and pinned it to my nightstand and to my heart. Revelation 1:6 says that the one that loves us has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father. Okay, even with an apparent freedom and a new title, I still found my way to sinning even deeper than I thought I would go. I wonder if my depth of sin was not rising, but that I was just more aware of it and how inbred it was (is) in my being. None of the Bible quotes or obsessing over my sin made me better.

I realize that what I am mostly doing when I quote the Bible verses is depending on them as if they are a magical spell. Say this verse three times and all your troubles disappear. No, not really. Follow the rules and act spiritual and your desire for sinful behavior will dissipate. Mmm . . . don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, we should try; we should follow God as best we can; we should read the scriptures so that we can know the heart and mind of the Father and what He wants to do in us, and we should set boundaries of accountability. But none of those things are the end-all for our sin disorder. God intends to use those sins in the sanctification process. He intends to use the guilt we feel after joyfully committing those sins to work maturity into our lives. And guess what, over time you will find that you are better than you used to be. It wasn’t you or your rules; it was the work of God’s Holy Spirit causing the changes. Coming to this conclusion is what I misunderstood in all the Bible verses I quoted; God sometimes speaks in terms of completion, but for us, the work is ongoing until the breath leaves our bodies.

Prayer: Dear Father, please don’t stop! Please finish what you’ve started in me, so that in the end, we can be together. I can’t make it or even get better without you. I need you, Father. Amen.

Anytime Anywhere

Anytime Anywhere


Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don't forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I'm locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I'll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.
Colossians 4:3-4 The Message


I marvel at the juxtaposition of preaching freedom from sin while confined in a jail cell. Martin Luther King penned his philosophy for nonviolence, Letter From Birmingham Jail while incarcerated. Likewise, Paul did the same with his letters to Colosse, Philippi, Ephesus, and to a fellow believer, Philemon. While in the worst circumstances, and seemingly in the worst places and absolutely at the worst time we can still share the Good News. No matter if we are free or imprisoned or wherever we are, God is with us and enables us to share the message of Christ. The freedom Paul preached had nothing to do with freedom from troublesome circumstances but had everything to do with unfastening the chains of sin from our lives. As a result, you can be free while in jail, rich while impoverished, or strong when weak.

I think we should be prepared to help someone anytime, anywhere. The Bible says that we should be prepared to give an answer for every inquiry of God (1 Peter 3:15). Are you ready to share the revealed secret that God loves us and wants to redeem us? An even better question is are you prayerful and prepared to share the Good News even when your own life seems unstable at the time?

Guilt By Association

Guilt By Association

"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 Remix

One word that I hate is the word Christian. I think my disdain for the word is that it conjures certain expectations and so few live up to its perceived moniker. From my personal experience, many self proclaiming Christians confound me by their lack of Christianity. I expect forgiveness and I am charged. I hope for respect and am marginalized. To quote a book on my reading list, “What happens when bad Christians happen to good people?” I wonder why so many call themselves Christian by their own admission, even though they are hardly ever accused of it.

This verse says that people, in some way, become recognizable as those that belong to Christ. And in my opinion, the only way that happens is to spend so much time with God that a person picks up on his ways, thought patterns and spiritual demeanor. I think we become authentic Christian accomplices when we do supernatural things like forgive the unforgivable or loan out trust to the questionable and when we esteem others higher than ourselves. We keep this command to love when we love those that are unlovable.

In my opinion, we should reclaim the moniker of Christian. I think we should live lives that are so God-connected, so God-centered, that we are blessed by others with the best compliment ever, “You must be a Christian…”

Final Thoughts on Love

Final Thoughts on Love


After thinking about love for so long, I find myself wanting. I have learned that there are areas where I need more lessons and more experience in God styled love. I find that I am amateur at best when it comes to love. I now realize that I have been taking baby steps into something that has been unknown and mysterious for far too long.

I have learned that love, in God’s style, is hugely improbably if not impossible unless His Holy Spirit causes it to happen. I have learned that it is a gift to us from the one that created love and us. I have gleaned the idea that God’s type of love does not have an expiration date. I see that love is not merely a kind gesture, but a command. Love acts as an ID tag so that others will know we belong to God. Love is a GPS device that has only one destination; the Father. Love is the stuff that activates the gifts of the Holy Spirit and it is all-consuming. In fact, love is knitted into our very DNA. It is what we were meant to do, receive, and be.

But you know what is most awesome about love? To me, the grooviest thing about love is that we were designed to be objects of God’s love. What greater gift can you think of? What can you think of that would compare to being the object of your Heavenly Father’s affection? And He longs to pour His adoration out on us in abundance. Do you believe that? You should, for he sent his son to a cross just to do one thing, make us objects of His affection.

Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so. Amen, Lord and help me to ALWAYS know that truth. Amen!

Consuming Love – How do you do that?

Consuming Love – How do you do that?


He answered: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:27 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

There is a book titled Hard Sayings of Jesus by F. F. Bruce. From what I have read about it, this verse is not addressed in Mr. Bruce’s book, and I sort of see why. That book is dedicated to dealing with cryptic statements from Jesus. But the above statement from Jesus is not so much hard to understand as it is hard to do. If I wrote such a book, I would call it: Hard Stuff That Jesus Wants Me to Do, But I Don’t Know How.

Jesus gives no instructions on how to love God with heart, soul, and strength, assuming that maybe His audience already knows how to do such a thing. But I am lost at how to pull this off. And I don’t even know exactly what a soul is, much less how to love at maximum capacity with it.

I am sure a better person can help me make sense of this verse, but to the best of my knowledge, I think this verse means that we should intimately know God and cherish those around us.

How does one intimately know God? Maybe it is sort of like finding out where God goes for evening walks, and then join in. Maybe it is like making a lunch date with God and sticking to it. Maybe we intimately know God when we sing songs to him in the car. I think knowing God happens when we scream at him in full throttle anger or when we go running to Him in tears. I think we grasp more of the father when we trust Him with our pain, failures and disappointment. I think we snuggle in with God when we sit with Him in silence and He gets to do all the talking. I’d like to think something intimate happens when we study His word, when we pray and when we serve others. I think we know God better when we live outside our comfort zones. When we step out a bit; it is an opportunity for Him to show up and be Himself. I think that time spent with God makes us just like Him. And when we are like Him, we can’t help but love our neighbor as ourselves.

Intention of Love

Intention of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

Whenever I think of love, I always imagine my perspective to be somewhat askew from others, and I do not think I am alone in my perspective. While various people confuse love with lust, others have come to the conclusion that love is soft, sweet and overtly feminine. If love could be seen, it would be pink, frilly and have white lace on its trim. I imagine love would carry a parasol and wear a petticoat under a poofy outer garment like an antebellum Southern Belle . . . yuk!

It seems to me that love is much more than butterflies in the stomach or a funny infatuation. According to this verse, Love is a catalyst for other gifts or works to come to a Godly purpose. Love seems to be the fuel that makes the supernatural gifts of the Spirit run at peak performance.

The sort of love God showed in the Old Testament was anything but froufrou. To me, the most opulent display of love in the Old Testament was spelled out in the life of Hosea. God had Hosea go and purchase his prostitute wife back from her pimp as a display of how God would buy us back from sin. There is no frilly pink stuff with lace on that sort of love. In the New Testament we see the culmination of what Hosea’s purchase hinted at. We find God’s purchase of us in the death and resurrection of His son.

Yes, love is a lot more than it seems, but there are probably some frilly things on it too.

Gift of Love

Gift of Love


Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

I like to think that I do things with no one’s help. As an example, I became a follower of Jesus, and I have always figured I did that on my own. I remember hearing an old saying: If you take one step toward God, He will take one step toward you. But by the time you take the next step, you will realize that it was God who made the first. In other words, God was in hot pursuit of us way before we started pursuing Him. Our relationship with God is His gift to us.

Well, this verse speaks of another Godly gift, the ability to love. If you ask me, I think love is a rare and somewhat abnormal thing. If it was common to mankind, I imagine love would erase the majority of wars, murders and negative evening news. If love was common to us all, it would not need to come from God, or for that matter, work as an ID card so others know we belong to Him. When we act in God styled love, I don’t think it is a natural thing, I think it is a supernatural phenomenon.

I’ll be honest, I don’t really know how to use this love stuff, but I get the feeling that God will direct me on how to express His style of love. I think His love is what allows a victim to share Jesus with their attacker.
I think God helps us when we express His style of love for the loveless, the unlovely and unlovable. I think this gift from God is what enables us to forgive those that hurt us. And I think this type of supernatural love is what helps others see that God must be real.

Command to Love

Command to Love


"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.“
John 13:34 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

I used to think that Paul was hard to comprehend. He ain’t got anything on Jesus! Jesus’ words seem so simple at first. If He were on earth in our time we might think Him a burned-out hippie; always speaking of love and to just love each other. That seems simple enough. Though I think most people pick easy love situations. We express love for a spouse or family and friends. Now-a-days, the love word is so overused that people love their house or love their jobs or love someone’s new hair-do. We love everything. And oftentimes people love animals and things more than other people.

But Jesus’ teaching takes on a whole new meaning in this same verse. Jesus lays out an example, which throws a monkey wrench into the whole love experience. He says that we need to follow His example, and then love each other in the same way He loves us.

Okay, I don’t know about you, but there are some hard people to love out there. And some of those hard to love people may sit next to you at work, at church or even sit at the same dinner table. Jesus’ love enabled Him to call a group of deserter types His friends. Jesus’ type of love led to a cross, for there is no greater love than that a man would lay down his life for a friend.

I do not think Jesus is looking for us to die on a cross or in front of a firing squad to show love. But He is expecting us to die to ourselves a bit so that we can lavish love and commitment on God and each other. Besides, this type of love we lavish on each other is how the rest of the world can tell that we belong to Christ (John 13:35).

Definition of Love

Definition of Love


And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
2 John 1:6 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

I got it wrong again. I have had to adjust to things working in the other direction. I sort of have a dyslexic way of processing things. I sometimes write the letter B backwards or write a D when thinking of a B. Well, this dyslexic interpretation of things seems to have traveled to the way I live the faith. My mind makes me think that keeping the law is love.

I like keeping the protocol and rules. I like following each step, one at a time. I like the idea of checking each one off of my list and feeling a sense of accomplishment. I like to feel right with God because I keep the rules. And that is my dyslexic heart at work. I know I am living in reverse when I place protocol in front of someone’s need. I know I need adjustment when I refuse to forgive or when I forsake kindness for absolution. And after all of this, I suddenly see my spiritual bankruptcy, my inability to keep God’s laws. You may be able to do it, but I am seeing that I do not have what it takes to keep God’s commands.

The fact is that the only way to keep God’s commands successfully is to follow Jesus’ condensed form of the Big Ten: to Love God fully and love your neighbor. As Paul says, love really is the greatest command!

Unending Love

Unending Love


The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:

“He is good!
His faithful love endures forever!”

At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 5:13 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION


I’d like to think I know what love is. I would like to think we can see love in the eyes of a new dad, or the way a mother holds her child, or in the way newlyweds dance on their wedding day, and even in the embrace of friends. But I fear these are pale comparisons to God’s love because the aforementioned can change in a moment. A father may not be there for his newborn. A mother may not want the child she bore and some marriages, like friendships, drift apart. But this love God has, according to the scripture, it endures forever. Why does His love continue when ours comes to an end?

I consider myself a novice at such a complicated thing as love. But one item I have noticed about God Styled love is its commitment. The mushy feelings can come and go. For us humans, most of us have maximum tolerance for disappointment, failure and denial before love fails or simply moves on to some new fixation.

But God’s love for us never hinges upon our performance or intellect or talent or even our commitment. His loves hinges upon who He is, not who we are or what we do. God’s love for us is a testament to His integrity, His commitment and to His highest priority, which happens to be us! And His commitment never changes, it endures forever.