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.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, March 11, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, March 4, 2011
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?
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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)