The Butterfly Effect

I am neither a physicist nor a mathematician, but from what I have read about the “butterfly effect” is that it has to do with a seemingly inconsequential event or incident having momentous consequences.  The “ripple effect” is similar in that it states that a single incident or occurrence may have consequences and ramifications beyond the scope of the original phenomenon.  Apparently, these two concepts are part of “chaos theory.”

When God created the universe and everything in it, He created from nothing.  There was no chaos before, during or immediately after this creative act.  Yet, we now live in chaotic times–times of confusion and disorder.  What caused this chaos?  It was something that we would now consider insignificant.  A woman was conned into sampling some forbidden fruit, which she then shared with her spouse.  The result?  Generations of mankind were separated from God.  Instead of tending a garden that provided all he would ever need and sharing the world in harmony with every living thing, now man would be brought into the world with pain and agony, and then have to struggle to survive in a world that would groan and quake under his feet.  Somehow I don’t think that Adam and Eve understood the ramifications of that one piece of fruit when they decided to ignore the one rule God made for their lives.

Abraham, who is revered by Judaism, Christianity and the Muslim world, had two sons, Ishmael the son of Sarah’s handmaiden and Isaac, the son promised by God.  His grandsons were Jacob and Esau.  When Jacob connived to get Esau’s birthright and later his father’s final blessing, the stage was set for the enmity between the God’s chosen people and the rest of the Middle East.  Little did Sarah know that offering her handmaiden in her effort to have a son would create a constant war that still goes on today.

Why do events like these end up having such a profound effect generations later.  It’s because God has everything under control.  And I mean everything!  Indeed the very hairs on your head are numbered. (Luke 12:7)  So when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and when Abraham and Sarah tried to accomplish God’s plan in their own way, God was still able to accomplish His plan to provide a way for man to eventually be able to see Him face to face.  So, no matter what evil thing we fall into, God can and will turn it to good  to preserve many people alive. (Genesis 50:20)  So when we fall into sin ourselves or we suffer some painful calamity, remember that God has everything under His control….and He gave the authority for that control to His son, Jesus, that He would remain supreme over all things. So give the sin in your life and the problems of this word to Jesus who has been given authority by His Father to save you and to provide you with a way to help you through those circumstances.

 

Run Away!

When I was younger, I used to love running with my  cross-country teams during each practice.  It provided an incentive to beat the old” guy and encouraged them to get the best out of themselves (If coach is able to do this, then I should be able to.).  We were fortunate that the area surrounding our school provided a plethora of woodland trails on which we could train.  One year, we actually did a different workout for each practice for the entire season.

One time in particular, we were running through the woods during bow hunting season.  To avoid the danger of an errant arrow we would make a lot of noise.  None of my runners were hunters and didn’t want to become one later in life.  So they would run through the woods shouting, “Run away!  Run Away!” in high-pitched falsetto voices-ala an old Monte Python skit. We thought is was hilarious.  The deer hunters?  Not so much.

I wrote all that to lead up to this.  Some Christians seem to think that getting saved is the end of the experience with God–that they are now equipped with everything they need to continue to successfully follow God for the rest of their lives.  They feel that they can handle anything.  Yet, how many times does God’s tell us to run away from something?  Our spiritual “pride” can lead us into dangers of all kinds.  Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!  I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’  “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)  Proverbs 16:18 says, Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

In fact, we are told to run away from certain things.  Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. (I Corinthians 6:18)  So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. (I Corinthians 10:14)  Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. (II Timothy 2:22)  People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things.  I Timothy 6:9-11)

We are to run from these things because they appeal to the natural man.  They are the traps lying in wait when we become overconfident in our self-righteousness.  They are so subtle that we may not even notice them.  But after time the traps that have ensnared us, begin to separate us from God.  Think of Samson.  Dedicated to God at birth, he was to never cut his hair.  The strength that he was given was to help set Israel free.  But his life eventually began to spiral downward to the point where Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.  Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!”  When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.  So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison. (Judges 16:19-21)

So are we to be frightened of all these things?  Not at all!  So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)  Because  I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)  Just remember that He is the one with the strength, not you.

 

A Battleground, Not a Playground

When God created the heavens the earth, He meant it to be the perfect place for man to live.  Global warming did not exist.  There were no holes in the ozone, no earthquakes, no volcanoes, no hurricanes, no cyclones, no tornadoes,  or tsunamis.  There were no floods or droughts.  There were no rogue waves and no sinkholes.  There were no contagious diseases or biting insects.  There was no hunger or thirst.  There was no poverty or greed.  Nothing was in danger of becoming extinct.  In fact, death didn’t exist.  War and homelessness weren’t even part of the vocabulary.

So what happened?

 

Man entered the picture.  Man, a creature made in the image of his creator–just a little lower than the angels–, had the free will to live by the grace of God and the ability to worship Him with every part of his life.  For the LORD is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. (Isaiah 45:18).  And with everything in its perfect place, man needed nothing more.  But God gave one caution,  The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

Then the serpent, Satan, showed up and tricked Eve into eating the fruit.  Adam soon followed.  despite their perfect lives and location, they descended into sin.  And God dealt with their sin.  Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth.  And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.  And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you.  All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.  It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.  By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:16-19)  And the God who walked with them in the garden, then sent them out of that garden paradise and barred them from ever coming back because of the sin that had separated them from Him.

If the story ended there, it would be the most depressing story ever told.  It is, however, merely the prologue, or the back-story of the complete tale.  The remainder of the story tells us how God made a way to bring us back into His presence.  A price needed to be paid to free us from the deserved curse that God placed on man.  Jesus was that payment.  His death opened the way for man to be reconnected to God.  For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

Because of sin, remaining in that direct contact with God is not easy.  Faith in Jesus Christ “ain’t for sissies.”  Jesus said, Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.(John 16:33)  He didn’t say that you might have trials, or that if you aren’t a good person, trials will come your way.  Jesus flatly stated that you will have trials.  It is as certain as growing older.

But Jesus makes a wonderful promise in the second half of John 16:33, but take courage; I have overcome the world.  Because of Him, through Him and with Him, so can we.  It doesn’t get any more perfect than that.

Thrown Under the Bus

In a moment of self-evaluation, it recently occurred to me that I have been existing under a cloud that I wasn’t even aware of.  I couldn’t understand why I don’t seem to be progressing in many aspects of my life.  I don’t seem to have the drive to accomplish difficult things that I did when I was younger.  I just assumed that it was un unfortunate result of getting older.

I stay busy and, to all appearances seem to be accomplishing a lot.  I read my Bible every day.  I do a short devotional in the morning and at night.  I’m actively involved in my church as part of the worship team and as ministry manager for CCADA (Cornerstone Christian Artists Day Apart).  And I write this weekly blog.  I’m faithful in attendance and in tithes and offerings.  I volunteer to help our local library and also our town’s historical society.  And these things are not just solo activities; they all include my wife of 43 years.  We’re not rich, but we own our own home are able to go on nice vacations.  So why did I have this nagging feeling of failure in my personal life?

God has probably been providing me with the answer since “Day 1.”  But I simply haven’t been in a state of mind to hear Him.  For many years, I was blessed by being able to work as a teacher, coach and youth pastor.  I loved what I was doing and looked forward to going to work every day.  Then one day, while I was in the middle of teaching a class, I was abruptly summoned to the school office.  Someone on the girls’ basketball team had accused me of touching them inappropriately.  Understand, that I had no idea what they were talking about.  But because the accusation had been made, there had to be an inquiry conducted by the school administration and the State Police.  I had to hire an attorney.  After many meetings, none which allowed me to meet with my accusers or their parents, everyone realized that I was never alone with any of my accusers and that when I was with them as a group, nothing ever occurred which could be misinterpreted as improper behavior.  Yet, to placate the families involved, I was forced to finish the season out with a female observer to make sure I behaving properly.  Strangely enough, the female they chose was one of my former players and my next-door neighbor.  This was despite the fact that everyone but my accusers realized that the accusations were unfounded.  The girls involved were never reprimanded for their accusations.  I continued to coach for a few years after that, but I had lost the joy that I previously enjoyed.  Because there were no consequences for these girls and kids being kids, the story of my “problem” was spread from  female to female, leading to more issues as time went on.  Eventually, I retired, worn out from trying to “prove” myself.

I don’t know if things would have been different if the girls had been held accountable for their actions, but I believe that my life would have been a lot easier my last few years of teaching.  Instead, fearing the possibility of a civil lawsuit or even criminal action, they “threw me under the bus” and left me dangling all by myself despite my innocence.

I thought I had gotten over it, but I hadn’t.  I had buried it in the back of my mind, where it had remained, festering, and affecting everything from my thoughts about myself to my actions.  So instead of having peace in my heart, I had pain and bitterness.  Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord:  watching lest there be any one who lacks the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

I Peter 3:16-17 says it best, Keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.  For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.  Not only should I keep a good conscience, I have to remember that Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

God has always had everything under control–me, my accusers, their parents, the administration, the state police, and even the “bus.”  God gave them authority over all things. Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. (Hebrews 2:8)

For all these years I had forgotten that.  I won’t anymore.

Short People

Whether you’ve been called short, vertically challenged, half-pint, small fry, pipsqueak, squirt, or oompa loompa, if you’re less than average height, you have been made aware that others have noticed it.  I’ve discovered that over the years I have shrunk an inch.  Since I was only 5′ 7″ tall to begin with and with the average height of American males being just under 5′ 10″, I guess I definitely fall into this category.

                              

Back in 1977 Randy Newman wrote a humorous (and totally politically incorrect) ditty that got a great deal of airtime.  One part really stood out for me:

Short people are just the same as you and I,
A fool such as I.
All men are brothers until the day they die.
It’s a wonderful world.

Criticisms of various aspect of our lives is something that we have all faced at one time or another.  Someone is too rich, while another is too poor.  Someone else is too loud, another is too quiet.  That one is too affectionate, another is too standoffish.  One may dress too flamboyantly, another ‘s clothing is too drab.  There’s an athletic sports star next to a reclining couch potato.

These extremes occur in every facet of every life.  Fortunately, as Peter noted to the Gentiles, I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.….…(Acts 10:34-35)  Paul wrote, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  To the Galatians Paul wrote, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)  To the Colossians he wrote to those who have put on the new self who are being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him–a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

So regardless where you are on the spectrum of physical attributes, mental acuity, personality, or talent, God loves you and sent His Son to die for your sins.  He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. (II Corinthians 5:15)

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.  (James 2:17-18)  But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.   You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. (James 2:22)

 

God will give you the exact amount of intelligence, beauty, size, personality, finances, etc., for you to accomplish the works that He has set for you.  To Him you are perfect.  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)  Even if you’re short

In other words, “I’m not too short…my feet reach the ground.” (anonymous child)

 

And that’s the rest of the story (Paul Harvey)

I recently came across a short essay by Paul Harvey, conservative American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks.  He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous “The Rest of the Story” segments. From the 1950s through the 1990s, Harvey’s programs reached as many as 24 million people a week. Paul Harvey News was carried on 1,200 radio stations, 400 Armed Forces Network stations and 300 newspapers.  Written in 1996, this was an update of a broadcast he had done in 1965.

             

If I were the prince of darkness, I would want to engulf the whole world in darkness. I’d have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — thee. So, I would set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first, and I would begin with a campaign of whispers.

With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.”

To the young, I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. I would convince the children that man created God instead of the other way around. I’d confide that what’s bad is good and what’s good is square.

And the old, I would teach to pray after me, “Our Father, which are in Washington …”

Then, I’d get organized, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting.

I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquillize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves and nations at war with themselves until each, in its turn, was consumed.

And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.

If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellect but neglect to discipline emotions. I’d tell teachers to let those students run wild. And before you knew it, you’d have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

With a decade, I’d have prisons overflowing and judges promoting pornography. Soon, I would evict God from the courthouse and the schoolhouse and them from the houses of Congress.

In his own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I’d lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.

If I were the devil, I’d take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

What’ll you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich?

I’d convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun and that what you see on television is the way to be.

And thus, I could undress you in public and lure you into bed with diseases for which there are no cures.

In other words, if I were the devil, I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.

While these are not my own words, I can’t think of anything more succinct and prophetic than the words he wrote.  All around us we see the devil’s handiwork.  The end of everything as we know it today is coming quickly.   Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.  Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.  (Matthew 24:4-7)  If that weren’t enough,  Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.  And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.  And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.  Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:8-12)

But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13)  If we focus on Him, the world around us won’t matter.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)

And that’s the rest of the story!

The Perils of Paul(ine)

 

The Perils of Pauline was a 1914 American film serial shown in weekly installments, featuring Pearl White as the title character. As the old-fashioned damsel in distress, Pauline was menaced by assorted villains, including pirates and Indians. Unlike today’s weekly programming (and even some of our movies, Pauline never used the so-called “cliffhanger” format in which an episode ends with an unresolved danger that is addressed at the beginning of the next installment. Although each episode placed Pauline in a situation that looked sure to result in her imminent death, the end of each installment showed how she was rescued or otherwise escaped the danger.  It was such a new and unique idea that, years after, it was placed in the national archives as a cultural icon.

     

The apostle, Paul, had many such harrowing experiences.  Only he wasn’t like the “damsel in distress.”  He wasn’t cute and cuddly and looking for a hero to save the day.  The trials and dangers he faced were deadly and continuous.   In  II Corinthians he writes,  I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.  Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.  I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.  I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.  Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? (II Corinthians 12:23-29)  He had enough trials to create a long-running series.  Yet God always rescued him.  Not some human hero.  No matter what the circumstance or situation, God was there with him.

Paul made these statements to a church he had already visited twice and was planning a third visit.  This letter was dealing with the fact that the Corinthians were being mislead by those who claimed to be followers of Christ, but who were taking credit for what Paul and others had accomplished.  They mislead the people into believing that Paul was not an apostle.  They said that he had no authority, was too timid, and that he did not speak with flowery words.  Paul responded to these accusations by writing, We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.  We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient. ( II Corinthians 10:3-8)  He was an apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by God. (II Timothy 1:1, I Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1) and as he continually exercised his faith, his life was filled by signs and wonders.

Today there are many that claim to be followers;  A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”  Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this.  But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”  Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. (Acts 19:13-16)

In the end, all those who have appeared to be “angels of light” will be destroyed.  And so will those who chose to follow them.  The difference? Look at the obvious facts.  Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do.  I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.  (Corinthians 10:8)

As Christians, we have this authority.  I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.  You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.  Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! ( John 14:12-14)

Is your faith accompanied by signs and wonders?  Not necessarily the “show-stoppers” like being raised from the dead, but the daily things that take place in our lives?  Does it build up individuals and the body of believers?  If it doesn’t, exercise it or lose it!

Either/Or?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the expression either or is used to refer to a situation in which there is a choice between two different plans of action, but both together are not possible.  Today’s world has become a place of countless decisions for each of us. 

 

       

I remember that as a child there always seemed to be that there were only two possibilities for each decision;   right or wrong, black or white, in or out, yes or no, hungry or not hungry, good or bad, behave or misbehave.  It was easy to know the difference by how my parents reacted to whatever I said or did.  That was the beginning of developing my conscience–that little voice inside my head that reacted positively or negatively to what I did or said.  Now it even influences what I think.  Or at least it’s supposed to.

As an adult, we face even more decisions.  Some are of great impact; do I marry this person or not, do I have children or not, do I take this job or not, do I buy this house or not.  I met the girl I would eventually marry while in the 7th grade–not even a teenager yet.  We became friends because we hung out with the same group of kids.  By the middle of our junior year, I knew I wanted to date her.  And before we graduated, I knew she was the girl I wanted to marry.  She was already a Christian and I was not.  During my sophomore year in college, I got saved.  Then she knew that I was the one she should marry.  She was following her conscience that moved her to decide not to marry me until we were on the same page spiritually.  God has blessed us with 43 (as of this June) years of wedded bliss.  As a good Catholic, I had initially had planned on attending Holy Cross with a major in pre-law and a minor in political science.  I was planning on becoming a lawyer and would make a lot of money using my natural skills in arguing.  Then I got saved and began working kids at my wife’s church.  I stayed at Holy Cross as one of two non-Catholics (a Jewish young man and me).  But I switched my major to education.  And you know much money they make.  Over the years, I  became a teacher, coach, and youth pastor and had the chance to influence many young people.  And I enjoyed every minute of it.

But those were big decisions.  What about the small daily decisions we make?  Can I sneak in late to work, or should I go over the speed limit to get there on time?  Can I “borrow” some office supplies to help fund my at-home office?  Should I claim the income from my second job on my income tax?  Should I watch the exciting new TV program that pushes the bounds of decency?  Should I avail myself of the many things that the internet offers?  These are the things that we rationalize as not being important.  But in God’s sight, they are.  Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming! (Solomon 2:15) It’s these little “foxes” that sear our conscience.  And once we give in to these little temptations,  God says,”These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.” (I Timothy 4:2)  Like church deacons,  We must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.  (I Timothy 3:9)

What happens when our conscience become seared and no longer helps direct our path?  God sees us like the church at Laodicea; ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,…(Revelation 6:15-17) How does this affect our spiritual life?  For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.  For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.  The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. (Luke 6:43-45)

I don’t know about you, but I want to be a tree that bears good fruit.  And I don’t want to be bad-tasting spit in God’s mouth.

Lost in a Dream Come True

The old Yiddish proverb translates as “Man plans, God laughs.”  Equally old is the statement by the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, “Live not one’s life as though one had a thousand years, but live each day as the last.”  So, should we live life completely in the moment with no thought for the future?  After all, God does say, So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.  (Matthew 6:34)

     

 

I have a friend who is a great guy who loves his family.  But he’s constantly working at his job.  He has a flexible starting time, but he almost always works late into the evening.  He rarely sees any of his family, except on weekends.  And on many of those, he wants to be able to relax or concentrate on his special hobby.  He is so concerned with the day-to-day need to earn enough money  to take care of his family financially, that he’s missing the whole point of having a family.  This is not unusual, even among today’s Christians.  Yet the Bible warns us of the rich fool who kept working and planning for his eventual financial goal of retiring and taking it easy.  The result?  God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?” (Luke 12:20)

Many workers are now even working during the time the are allotted for vacation.  According to a study by the online career site, Glassdoor, the average U.S. employee used only half of his or her eligible time off in the past year.  Overall, 40 percent of those surveyed took less than a quarter of the vacation time they had coming to them. The research shows that just 25 percent of workers use all of their eligible time off.  Even those who do take some vacation days have trouble truly getting away from the office. More than 60 percent of the employees who took paid time off in the past 12 months admit doing at least some work while on vacation.

So why are today’s workers so concerned with today or only as far as the next paycheck instead of thinking about the future–whether it’s tomorrow or retirement or forever?  It’s work, work, work. Day after day after day.  Too many of us have turned our jobs and our money-making capability into who we are.  Our job and success at that job defines who we are.  We forget that no one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)

It’s really simple.  Why kill ourselves (sometimes literally) trying to make a living in a way that diminishes our family relationships and our connection to God?  All we have to do is seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  (Matthew 6:33)  Decide to put Him first in your life.  Do what He intends for you to do.  Get lost in His love.  Plan for eternity with Him, but live each day as if it were your last.  Some day it will be.  And in His presence, you will be lost in that eternal dream come true.

You can’t unscramble an egg.

From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,  and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”   Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.  The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” (2 Samuel 11:2-5).

But God can make a wonderful omelet.

Just like “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard,” (Romans 3:23) there are things in each of our lives that force us to live out the consequences of our past actions.  In David’s case, he let the vision he saw with his eyes become a reality by first sending for and then by sleeping with Bathsheba.  When she then became pregnant, they had a problem.  Her husband, Uriah, was a soldier who had been away fighting for David and who certainly couldn’t have been the father.  Instead of owning up to his indiscretion, he then had Uriah returned in an effort to have him sleep with his wife to explain away here pregnancy.  Uriah felt so guilty at being home while his fellow soldiers still fought, he refused to accept the opportunity to sleep in the comfort of his wife’s arm and instead slept with the servants.  So, Uriah was sent back to the front lines.  But David wasn’t done yet.  In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest.  Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”  So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were.  When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. (2 Samuel 11:14-17)

Soon the prophet, Nathan, came and showed David his sin.  David’s response to Nathan was “I have sinned against the Lord.”  Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.  But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.” 2 Samuel 12:13-14)  David’s sin was forgiven, but there would be painful circumstances.  And this was the same man who replaced Saul as King of Israel when God called him “a man after his own heart. (1 Samuel 13-14)

So think about the things that may have tripped you up in the past.  They may seem great (like David with adultery and murder) or they might seem small (like skipping a church service because you were up late the night before).  I have a sweet tooth and love to eat candy just before I go to bed.  My wife is trying to help me lose weight and tries to keep a tight rein on the candy eating.  Still I manage to sneak some into one of my nightstand drawers.  Invariable she finds out.  Now the problem becomes more than a habit of eating sweets.  It now has become a sneakiness that can erode the trust in our relationship.  She always forgives me, but the trust issue is tougher to rebuild.

The situational “eggs” we may have scrambled will always have consequences–some very painful.  But God is always able to take those “scrambled eggs” on our lives and make a beautiful “omelet,” using all the events of our lives–both good and bad–to transform us and make us beautiful in His eyes.  Does your life still seem scrambled or have you allowed God to begin to turn you into a wonderfully made “omelet?”