Tuesday, June 25, 2013

REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN. . .

Three sisters sat around a hospital bed reminiscing about their childhood. Their mother lay on the bed listening to everyone and at the same time, transitioning from this mortal world and into the spiritual. Of course, they would mourn her passing, but at the moment they were rejoicing in her life and their history with her while growing up.

I sat and watched this beautiful scene with tears in my eyes. Like my mom, who was already with Jesus since 2004, Charlotte was a wonderful mother who had lived a hard but faithful and serving life for her children. As laughter permeated the room it no doubt filtered into the hallway, as passerby’s probably thought the three sisters were crazy and insensitive to their mother’s passing. One even shut the door. I felt it was like an old Irish wake, celebrating life instead of mourning death. To me, it was biblical.

A very wise man once said, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” This same wise man also said, among other things, that there was, “A time to be born, and a time to die. . .” -- Solomon [Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 KJV]

So many people generate problems for themselves trying to redeem the time and attempt to dwell in a past season instead of embracing the current time in their life. The objective is to live through each season, differentiating and working through both the good and the bad moments of each current season, and then to move on [Ecclesiastes 11:7, 8].

Each season in one’s life presents its own challenges, victories, and growth possibilities, and as we live in each moment we can treat it in such a way as to attain growth in our lives [Ecclesiastes 3:11]. However, unless God is involved in each season of our lives, then what we are going through and what we are trying to accomplish, is nothing more than a house of cards [Psalms 127:1, 2].

Death is a season of life and as such it is just the beginning of a longer journey. Charlotte and others before her are on that journey now clearing the way for our own entrance in the Kingdom of God. God is preparing a place for us as we speak. It has many mansions (John 14:2). Death does not mean the end of things or that it is the end of the road, nor is it something that becomes the past needing us to forget.

On the contrary, shedding this corporeal body is not just a season that ends up in the past and forgotten, but in reality it has just moved to our future because one day, we will see them all again when Christ comes for our own Spirit [Ecclesiastes 12:7].

So yes mom and Charlotte, we will see you again. Oh, and by the way Charlotte, I remember the time when we were at your home and . . .

Monday, June 17, 2013

HOW WELL HAVE I LIVED?

The angel of death seemed to be hovering around my family of late. I left Brad’s service with mixed emotions. Brad was my granddaughter’s husband’s grandfather. Brad was a great guy, person, and role model. He was a good husband, father, and grandfather. He was intelligent, respected by his co-workers, soft-spoken, and a kind-hearted individual. He was also active in his church and known for his generosity. I knew and really liked the man.

I have to wonder as I look back on the sum total of my own life, and my own mortality, did I make a difference by being there? How many would show up at my service. How many lives have I left better off by being there?

My dad was another great man. If he were in a room with 50 other men, he’d be the one that you gravitate to. He and Brad both had a presence. Brad and my dad were definitely two men with which a person could emulate.

I’d like to share a snippet from Brad’s announcement that prompted me to reflect on my own life. This snippet encapsulated both of their lives.

A man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of his wife and children; who has met his goal and accomplished his tasks; who leaves the world better than he found it, who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.

We all, no doubt, have had someone in our lives with who we have looked up to and with whose presence has made things better for us simply by their presence. Given the above snippet, that thought made me think about whose lives I’d made better simply by my presence. My dad and Brad gave those around them many reasons for looking up to them. How well had I lived?

According to the snippet, I’d fallen short in a couple items but one thing I proudly leave for this world, is my kids. They are my legacy and it is what I’ve done to make this world a better place.

How many of us can say, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith [2nd Timothy 4:7]? However, it is never too late to get back on track and to recapture our course. We can do this through our faith in Jesus Christ who is the ultimate person to emulate [Romans 8:28, 29, 1 Peter 2:21].

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life [John 14:6]. He is the answer to everything [Philippians 4:19]. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord [Joshua 24:15]. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and He will save you [Romans 10:9].


Sunday, June 2, 2013

SO A MAN THINKETH. . .


Note: Just a little long but I pray it will be useful and that it blesses you in your walk, everyday living, and how you feel about yourself.

No matter if we are a soldier or a civilian, the prospect of battle is a scary thing, and that is how it should be. The unknown is always a little apprehensive. We are to have confidence in our leader and mission. There is a difference between guarded and being afraid. The second we become afraid, is when we can die (both physically and spiritually).

Remember when, under God’s direction, Moses sent out 12 scouts to explore the land of Canaan. They spent 40 days scouting the land and they finally came back with their report. Ten of the 12 returned and reported that, “. . .and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight [Numbers 13:33 KJV] .”

As were the scouts. . .so are we.

. . .For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh [Matthew 12:34b].

Two of the 12 scouts, Joshua and Caleb, were the only ones who gave a good report while the rest forgot that God promised them the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey [Exodus 3:8 KJV]. They all spoke what was in their heart, whether it was positive or negative.

Did not God deliver them from Egypt? Did He not provide food, water, and protection? Even after all the Lord had done for them, they still complained. They began thinking about how small they were instead of how big their God was. They began thinking of what they didn’t have instead of what they did have. They compounded all that by saying, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die [Exodus 14:10-12 NIV]?”

It would appear that they did not learn anything from their deliverance, for the people rebelled against God [Numbers 14:2, 3].

How many times have we given into the enemy and acquiesced to his lies about what we can and cannot do, with just such a report? I know I have. We say things like, “Lord, I can’t do this, because I’m not [smart enough, strong enough, good enough, pretty or handsome enough, agile enough, organized enough, or spiritual enough], or we say, “The opposition is too strong and there are too many against me. I am as a grasshopper in my Eyes and theirs as well,” and on and on and on ad nauseam.

What we think and say about ourselves can be self-destructive or character building. We can speak blessing or we can speak cursing. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof [Proverbs 18:21]. God hears our words, but so does the enemy. What we speak, we project onto others as in Numbers 13:33. Our projected weakness gives a foothold to the enemy in our lives. If we don’t like ourselves through self-deprecation and I can’t do attitude, how do we expect others to like us?

We can learn many things from the 13th chapter of Numbers, namely verses 25-33. In our daily lives, we should not be like the 10, but we should subscribe to Joshua and Caleb’s mentality and faith.

Again, God had promised the land of Canaan to the Israelites, a land flowing with milk and honey. The 10 did not believe the Lord and said upon their return scouting trip that they were as grasshoppers in their own sight. Listen to Caleb as he addresses the people,

Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it [Numbers 13:30 NLT]!”

All the promises of God are yea and amen [2 Corinthians 1:20]. They are money in the bank. (Cliché? Yes! True? Yes!)

The process of speaking up and standing is just that, a process. The closing point of Ephesians 6:13 is “. . .and having done all, to stand.” Admittedly, it is difficult at best sometimes to be rejected, hammered, belittled, berated, and feelings of inadequacy, and NOT be self-deprecating and dejected. I’ve been there. Nevertheless, for our own sanity and health we have to stand in the faith and believe the promises of God. God does not make any junk. Now that is not scriptural, but you get my point.

So, are we a Joshua and Caleb, or are we one of the 10? Do we believe in God’s promises or not? We as a body have lost sight of our identity and our destiny. We have lost sight of who we are “In Christ” and who “Christ is in us.”

The Genesis judgment still plagues the body. We have lost sight of our perception of the significance we hold with God. The reason for this is because our inherited sin nature caused a misconception of how we perceive God to feel about us, and we filter that conception through the guilt and shame of our disobedience. Just remember,

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken
[Proverbs 3:5, 6, 26 KJV].

More edifying Scripture: Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:37; Psalm 3:3; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Psalms 73:26; Galatians 3:29; Psalms 119:133; Psalms 30:5b; Proverbs 15:13; Proverbs 17:22; Psalms 30:1; Psalms 3:3; Psalms 147:6; 1 John 4:4; Psalms 27:14; Psalms 31:24; Psalms 39:7; Psalms 44:5; Psalms 71:14; Romans 8:25, 35, 36-39; Luke 10:19, and thousands of more.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness
[2 Peter 1:2, 3 NIV].