words of wisdom

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THE MYSTERY REVEALED

(1 Corinthians 2:9&10) However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

In these verses, the Apostle Paul refers to the great mystery that had been hidden from the beginning of time and now revealed by his Spirit.  The advent of Jesus the Christ is the beginning of this great reveal.  God in his wisdom, that is far beyond what we can conceive, has always had a plan for our redemption. A baby, born to a common family, lying in a manger made for feeding animals, is the beginning of this astonishing miracle.  Jesus came that we might have new life, eternal life.

The great love of our Creator did not allow him to abandon us.  He would give his one and only son unto a torturous death, allowing him to take on the sins of the whole world.  But Jesus did not Just come and go; he grew up like a regular human child, and he spent his adult years teaching us a new way to live. For those of us who have received him, we have been given new life guided by the infilling of his Holy Spirit.

Christmas is a celebration of the reveal. A mystery that was long hidden until the time was ready for its release.  We are all given invitations to what God’s love accomplished for us in his redemption plan.  Don’t miss out! Receive this great gift that our creator has offered us and join in on the everlasting celebration!

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WHEN TROUBLE COMES

(John 16:33) I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.

(James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

A young man, taking in the wonders of nature, runs along a secluded path through a beautiful forest.  The early morning sun shoots rays of light through the budding new leaves of spring. Ahead there is a bend in the path, and he wonders what delights he will find there.  As he approaches the bend, a stirring in the brush draws his attention to the right just as he starts his turn to the left.  His distraction causes him to miss the large branch across the path, and down he goes.  He reaches out to catch himself with his left arm, and he hears the snap of his bone breaking.  Then his head hits a rock, and it all goes black.  Now imagine as he begins to regain consciousness, feeling the throbbing of his head and the excruciating pain from his left arm, his first thought is “Why did God let this happen to me?”

Jesus tells us, “In this world you will have trouble.”  It is part of living in this world.  This world is what we humans have caused by our sinfulness.  Death and decay are a part of our life.  Decay probably caused the fallen branch that tripped our young man.

Now James reminds us that the troubles we face test our faith and help us mature in faith.  This leads me to believe that there is genuine value in our struggles.  The counting it all joy probably comes toward the end of trouble, for then is when we can see the value more clearly.

I am saying these things to myself because I am facing trouble.  I have had cancer in the past, and I was about to celebrate seven years of being cancer free when a new type of cancer invaded my body.  It is curable, but a series of what has turned out to be rather torturous chemotherapy is required.

 Facing this again has caused me to be on my knees and in the Bible looking for strength to endure the process.  Looking for answers has led me to this conclusion.  God has not forsaken me.  He is right here with me.  I have been reminded to take it one day at a time and to not fret about the future.  I am very grateful for all my family, friends, and prayer warriors supporting me through this.  I am very blessed.  Gratitude goes a long way in enduring the struggles.  I spend a lot of time remembering God’s continual blessings throughout my life.  Troubles come, but we never have to face them alone.  I feel encouraged to carry on.

I will close with Jesus’ enduring reminder, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

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LIVING IN THE PEACE OF GOD

(Philippians 4:4-7) Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I love the challenge of these words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians.  Over the years, I have found an ever-increasing understanding of what he was saying.

Paul starts with the word rejoice; then he emphatically repeats the word, rejoice!  Our rejoicing is in the Lord, how often, always.  Our Lord has forgiven our sins and provided us with eternal life.  This is worth always rejoicing in the Lord.  As we walk with the Lord, he continually blesses us with reasons for rejoicing.

Paul next tells us, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”  What I gain from these words is that we don’t have to get riled up when circumstances aren’t going our way.  Why, because: “The Lord is near.”  Now this could mean because God is watching our every move, and we don’t want to mess up, but what I think it means, is knowing The Lord is near provides us with comfort and peace in all situations.  We never have to face difficult times alone.

Paul adds the instruction, “Don’t be anxious about anything.”  Well, being anxious and worried seems to be inherent to us humans.  How can we learn to be calm in the storm?  Paul tells us, “but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  We mature in Christ Jesus as we surrender ourselves to him.  Walking with him opens the door for God to increase our faith.  As our faith increases, our trust in God grows.  The more we put out trust in him, Our peace increases, and our hearts and minds are content, guarded in Christ Jesus.

 Eventually, we find ourselves at peace during a time when we could have been scared, worried or deeply distressed.  Ah, that’s when we are experiencing the peace that goes beyond understanding.  Within God’s peace, we don’t respond to situations as those who don’t know Jesus might respond.  That makes us a light shining brightly to those around us.  Being content, especially in times of trouble, is quite appealing.

When we rejoice in what God has given us, give thanks to him, and call out to him in all circumstances, that is when we find the peace of God that transcends all understanding.

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JESUS IS GOD

One of the main premises of Christianity is that Jesus is fully man and fully God. People seldom deny that Jesus was a man, yet his deity is often the point of controversy.  Jesus was born to a woman, but he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and his father is God.  In his time among us, he did much to demonstrate that he is God the Son.

The first supernatural event that Jesus presented, when he was about to begin his ministry here on earth, was to turn water into wine (see John 2:1-11).  He was at a wedding banquet, and the wine was running out.  He ordered servants to fill 6 stone jars with water.  Each jar held twenty to thirty gallons.  When they were full, he instructed them to take some to the master of the banquet. The water had become fine wine.

Water is as you know H2O.  Its elemental make up is two hydrogen and one oxygen atom.  Wine is about 84% water, and 13% ethanol.  The other 3% is a complex combination of glycerol, organic acids, amino acids, sugars, other alcohols, phenols, minerals, aromatics, and sulfur.  Not only did Jesus turn water into wine, but he made the best wine. 

Other supernatural events occurred frequently during his ministry proving that he is not just a man, but also God.  The gospels are full of miraculous stories of Jesus’ miracles.

For example:

He fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

He walked on the water of a stormy lake.

He commanded the waves and wind to be still and they obeyed.

He healed multitudes of people with various infirmities.

He raised people who had died back to life.

He commanded demons to leave inflicted people, and they had to obey.

Jesus demonstrated his supernatural authority over the basic elements and over all other aspects of creation. Only God has this kind of authority over creation.  And then came the final demonstration. His Godly love for us.  Jesus did not use his power to protect himself but humbled himself and allowed men to take his life so that he could pay for our sins.  Then his Father raised him from the dead and gave him all authority over heaven and earth.

The evidence is clear.  Jesus is God!  No other can claim this truth.

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TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

(Romans 12:2) Do not conform to the patterns 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.

I’ve always loved this scripture from Romans talking about transforming and renewing the mind.  However, I’ve recently come to a different understanding of its meaning.  I used to think of being transformed by the renewing of your mind as some miraculous change brought about by the Holy Spirit.  Then there would come this amazing new level of understanding and a greater connection to God.  It turns out, I was over spiritualizing. 

Yes, the results will be the same, a new level of understanding and a greater connection to our God, but this is simply the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.  He guides us through our day by day walk from the moment of salvation.  We are continually renewed until we are called home.

(John 14:25&26) All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the advocate, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Before we gave our lives to Jesus, we conformed to the patterns of this world.  Hatred, bigotry, self-indulgence, greed, sexual impurity, etc. are the patterns of this world.  When we became disciples of Jesus, The Father gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us into an understanding of the righteous words of Jesus, which are the opposite of the patterns of this world.  The transformation by the renewing of our minds then began, and it is still proceeding.  With this transformation comes an ever-increasing understanding of God’s will for our lives, his good, pleasing and perfect will for each of us.

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GOD REALLY LOVES US

(Psalm 139:13-17) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, God!  How vast is the sum of them!

From the very beginning of creation, God took great interest in bringing forth mankind. He bent down and formed man with his own hands, and then he formed woman.  Each one was formed from the earth he had created.  King David recognized that God involves himself in the creation of each one of us as he knits us together in our mother’s womb. And isn’t it interesting that he has knowledge of each day of our lives from the beginning of our existence.

There is an intimacy between us and God that transcends our understanding, but his great love for us was revealed when he sent his Son to redeem us.  When we consider these things, it becomes apparent that God is continually working on his desire to have a relationship with us.  Remember, God did not create us and then walk away.  We walked away!

In my own life, I stayed away from God in those early years.  I wanted to do life on my own terms.  I had an awareness that he was there, but I kept my distance.  When the realization of how badly I had messed up my live came crashing in, God, who was waiting patiently, received me with open arms.  I deserved punishment, but through the work of Jesus, I was granted grace.  From that moment on, I began to live a life of blessing in the arms of my God.

I now know that the greatest foolishness in this life is to try to live it without the one who created us and loves us.  The greatest fulfillment in this life is to seek God and his will for us.  Nothing is better than a relationship with the one who calls himself Our Father.

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THE BEAUTY OF WORKING TOGETHER

(1 Corinthians 12:27) Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

I woke up this morning to begin my seventh day at Clovis Community Hospital.  It has been a long stay, but I’ve found that the time I’ve been here has afforded me a grand opportunity to observe the daily routine of those who work here.  From the men and women who clean and sanitize to the doctors who bear life altering decisions, there is a beauty to behold.

I’m not sure what the governing mission statement of Clovis Community Hospital might be, but what I see is an intense desire to bring healing, comfort and hope to their patients. Each member of the staff, no matter what their job might be, makes a vital contribution to the outcome.  Like a puzzle, every piece is necessary for a completed picture.  As I’ve observed the ebb and flow of each day, the sights and sounds of the hallway traffic seem to resolve into a rhythm of teamwork and cooperation.

These hospital workers, working together toward a common goal, provide a beautiful example of what the Apostle Paul is describing as he talks of the body of Christ.  We have a common goal of leading the unsaved to Jesus, along with mutual encouragement, prayer support, and loving each other as Jesus loves us.  We each have gifts, a call from the Lord, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  We also have an enemy who works very hard to keep us distracted from our common goal.  We work best when we stay close to the body and do our part.  The body provides a haven from the enemy.

Well, in light of this hospital experience, I’m encouraged to stay focused on our common goal, and to work on staying in flow with the body of Christ.  Of course, each of us can only do that by staying connected to the head, Jesus Christ.

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THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY

(Proverbs 22:6) Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

I was a child in the 1950’s.  Even though my family did not consistently attend church, I was well aware of the Ten commandments and Christian morality.  I was disciplined when I did wrong, so there was a clear understanding of what was acceptable behavior. All the people around me were aware of what was right behavior. Since then, our society has greatly diminished moral training and discipline. What do we have in place of these things?

My answer to this question is the government.  It seems to be the goal of the liberal agenda to replace God’s laws with the government’s confusing definition of morality.  Right and wrong placed in the hands of sinful man spells disaster and opens an opportunity for Satan to carry out his evil plans to kill, steal and destroy.  The lines of right behavior have already been greatly blurred.  We have created an environment of confusion for our younger generations, and the daily news is full of the results of this confusion.  The government is supposed to support correct behavior not define it.

This world belongs to God, and he is the ultimate authority.  He has defined for us the right way to conduct ourselves.  We cannot replace God and expect a good outcome.  God alone is righteous, and he alone has the ability and the right to define our morality.

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EVERYDAY CHRISTIANITY 3

 (Colossians 4:2-6) Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.  Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.  Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

(Colossians 4:5&6 MSG) Use your heads as you live and work with outsiders.  Don’t miss a trick.  Make the most of every opportunity.  Be gracious in your speech.  The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Last week we talked about praying for those who are in full-time ministry.  Here in verses 5 and 6, the Apostle Paul transitions to talking about how we ourselves should approach opportunities for sharing the Gospel. 

Paul tells us to be wise in our interactions with non-believers.  We should maintain a positive interaction that will allow us to take advantage of any opportunity to share about Jesus.  Our conversation should be full of grace, which means kind, non-judgmental, and avoiding a “holier than thou” attitude.  As The Message puts it, “The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.”

The humble place of remembering that we were once outsiders is always the right demeanor for approaching the unsaved. The saying goes, “But for the grace of God, there go I.”  Genuine love, compassion, and understanding is what people need from us. Judgement is in the hands of Jesus who is the perfect judge.  

 I like to think of non-believers as being in a temporary situation.  They are just a prayer away from being a brother or sister in the family of God.  How wonderful to think that God would give us the honor of leading them to Jesus and eternal life.

Paul gave the Colossians sound advice in how to lead a daily Christian life.  Isn’t it an amazing blessing that we still have the advantage of his words today. 

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GOD DOES NOT ABANDON US

(Hebrews 13:5) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

When we go through a time of struggle, does God abandon us?  For example, a struggle can be with our faith, our situation, or our emotions.  There are many things we can struggle with in our walk with God.  I recently struggled through an emotional stretch.  At times, I couldn’t even feel the presence of God.  I eventually discovered, God was there all the time.  He was just waiting for the right time to help me.

As an object lesson on what I went through, I have a kitten story to share.  It helped me understand God’s timing, and why he sometimes delays his intervention.

I have three kittens growing up in my garage.  They are very cute, and their antics are quite entertaining.  They have now reached the time of introduction to the backyard.  While exploring the backyard, they have discovered trees. They’ve discovered that climbing trees is easy; getting down is much more problematic.  Two of them have worked that out, but the third one got scared and needed to be rescued.  Her first three climbs ended in a rescue mission.  However, on the fourth climb, I just pulled up a chair and watched her struggle.

She made at least a half dozen attempts, moved forward then backed up.  Finally, she made it.  Since then, I’ve seen her do another tree and come down all on her own.  The lesson has been learned.

 I think in my case, God pulled up a chair and watched.  He was right there to save me, but he wanted me to learn how to handle the situation.  I gained a great deal from the experience.  The best part was that I recognized God did not abandon me; he just gave me time to learn.

God never leaves us or forsakes us. He is always there.  However, he might just wait in the background giving us time to learn.