Jesus Not a Choice

I am sporting a lopsided grin as I consider what I'm about to write. The world over has heard of Jesus. His name is on the tongues of many. Some say His name as though it were "as honey dripping from the lips" and many use His name in uttered blasphemy, as a curse. Few can deny the controversy that follows in the wake of His presence entering conversation, as though He is in the room, listening. There is fervency in loving Him and equal and embittered rejection of Him and some misguided gals and guys attempt to blend Him in, in an unholy mix of wannabe gods. The prevalent suggestion is that there are many ways to God, that a loving God would never leave out a one. I laugh at this because of the inherent idealism embedded in the concept of inclusion. We humans exclude one another continually. Walk down the street or through the mall and experience the many opportunities to be rejected by passers by. Count the people you cross paths with and then count how many look you in the eye, say hello, smile. Now let's not make the mistake here of comparing God to mere humans. This is the error that humanists make, those who dare to judge God and suggest that He has no right to pick and choose who does and who does not make it to eternity. I will add here that if God were passing me, passing you by Dear One, He would definitely say hello! Now back to Jesus. The Jesus of the bible is knowable and He is not one option, one choice out of many gods. His death on a cross would not could not be of value if all roads lead to heaven. He is not a God, He is God. All suggestions of worshiping anyone other than Christ is fraudulent and repulsive to God, an indulgent lie that makes allowance for idol worship. To know Christ is to know the Father. Believing in Him is the only ticket to heaven. Separation from one another and from God Almighty will happen for those who deny Jesus born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus on the cross, Jesus Resurrected and Jesus walking by your side. God wants none to be lost AND He is clear that Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life. Simple and clear, Jesus is The One and Only. 

Red Letters

Quoting from The Bible is popular for those who read it and oddly enough, for those who are none believers to. I have heard far too many times that the bible contradicts itself and this always makes me skeptical of the speaker. My practiced question when I hear strange statements about the bible is "have you read the bible?", to which the common response, generally speaking, is no. I then state I will not discuss its contents given the fact that I have read it. I could say here that I would have an unfair advantage over someone who has not read it but this is not the reason for my disinclination to debating biblical points. My reason for abstaining from discussion is that the bible is for believers. It is not merely a book to be equated with the many books that may line bookshelves, it is The Book. Having it in hand is a wonder. Gods mysteries unfold with history, our now and the future coming alive, being foretold and unfolding at the same time. Capturing the essence of Spirit in written Word is astounding and it is the eyes of believers that behold, the hearts of the broken that heal and the ones who long for salvation that cannot help but feel convicted and than blessed almost simultaneously by Gods mercy. I have a bible with Jesus's words written in red. There is no mistaking who He is, where He came from or what His plan is for us. He is very clear. As a Christian, I am grateful for the clarity of his red letter messages. In an unbelieving narcissistic anything goes world, it is sweet relief to know what God thinks, what instruction He has for us. Ask God the pressing question(s) you have and dare to pick up the bible for the answer. If you have some fear in the asking, perhaps you already sense what His answer will be? His word is encoded in our hearts. When we feel as though we have gone astray, chances are, we have. Having the courage to ask by seeking Him in prayer and through biblical confirmation takes concerted effort and yet, these are the only ways to know that we are united to Him, the one to whom we owe our everything. The red letters remind me of the blood of Christ, shed for those He loves more than Himself. It is by faith that I state the bible as the Holy Inspired Word of God. John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." No other book has referred to a human as The Word because this claim belongs to The One and while He came in human form, He is God Almighty. When you go bible shopping, be sure to pick up a copy with His words in stand out red-upon reading it, you will have no doubt about the message or the message Deliverer. 

Practicing Done

Have you heard this expression Dear Reader, talk is cheap? Are you a doer, a talker or somewhere in-between? Talking is often a prerequisite before doing, or at least this is what I have learned from attending well timed and structured meetings. In meetings, the hope is that there is a meeting of the minds, a unity in purpose so that once the meeting is complete, the members go forth and produce fruit. Talking for the sake of talking is a strange phenomena and since I am writing this piece, I confess that I am ready to practice being done more readily than the time wasting me of yesterday and yesteryear. Do you remember a time when phones were attached to a cord and a wall? I recall wishing that cord was a lot longer so that I could be out of earshot of my parents, my dad in particular. The phone was for business and he objected fervently when one of us kids occupied that phone for extended amounts of time. In hindsight, I also recall being asked, "What the heck do you have to talk about that takes longer than a few minutes?" Chances are, whatever it was, it is similar to what we talk about with others, still to this day. We all have our mantras, our favourite topics, don't we? What does practicing done mean? When does talking become cheap, as the saying goes? James 2:14-26 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." I will zero in now on talking in excess. How do you know when this is happening? A sure sign is the loop. If you find you are repeating what you have already said or that the person you are listening to is, you must get out of there immediately you time killer you! If no new information is being exchanged, imagine a neon floating card appearing before you flashing the word DONE, followed by move along now. Here is my driving point. We are tasked to take care of orphans and widows. We are tasked to be a redemptive presence in this world by loving God, loving others and changing the world. Time is of the essence and if you and I are not out there doing Gods work, we have cheapened our existence, stolen from our purpose and Gods will for us. I leave you with Gods wisdom from Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" What will YOU do with your God given time today Dear One? 

Who Is Your Master?

My life is not my own. Oh sure, I get to do whatever I want within this body that I call mine but that is the most base usage of the gift of life available to each of us. Abusing the body bruises the soul-is this something you have noticed too, Dear Reader? Taking care of the vehicle you are in offers the benefit of self efficacy, the satisfaction of caring for the you that lives inside of there. We get to choose whether or not we handle ourselves with care and this begs several questions: for what purpose and as an adjunct, how accountable are you for how you live your life? Here I have a confession to make. I have been praying for God to pierce my heart and in gratitude, I report that I am receiving what I have asked for. I am convicted this day with this certainty. The Holy Spirit has been ignored, pushed aside with the volume turned down low for many of my days as a Christ follower. My love for Jesus is my greatest love and yet, I have not conformed to His image. The ways of this world are enticing and engaging and as I write this, you and I both know, they leave us wanting, feeling lack. John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." Then there is this in Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." I have been riding the divided line on the highway of life, changing lanes frequently depending on what I want, what I like, what moves me or how I feel given the circumstances. I am either loving God or loving me. Can you relate, Dear One? Here I must soften, because God gives us grace, His unmerited favour. He knows our tendencies and what can be shiny enough to draw our attention away from Him and toward our own propensities to indulge in worldly pursuits. Thankfully, we are not left to our own devices and God, forever faithful, pursues His children. His voice, in the person of The Holy Spirit, dwells within and we are recalled from our game of hide and seek. God turns on the street lights and calls out ollie ollie in come-free. I am picking my lane Dear Reader. I am on purpose in my pursuit of glorifying The One who made me. I am accountable to honour God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. My life is not my own and my joy is abundant. Who do you belong to Dear One? Who is your Master? Has God pierced your heart recently? If not, won't you consider asking this of Him this very minute? He will not disappoint-He is calling you home.  

Galatians 6:9

Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." While on the highway returning home from a road trip, I looked up at a truck and saw printed Galatians 6:9. Curious, I looked up the biblical verse and read "Let us not become weary in doing good." Working until you are weary and being weary of your work are two different things and somewhere in there, remaining true to the first love of "doing good" must be held fast. So what is good? What do you deem to be "doing good" Dear Reader? Have you ever said to yourself "why bother, no one appreciates what I do anyway"? Here is an analogy. When holding the door open for someone to pass through, a thank-you is always welcome. When one is not forthcoming, the door holder is briefly put in a position to decide whether or not the lack of acknowledgement for the courtesy of door opening is somehow offensive? After all, if I, if you, have taken a moment to be kind, do we not deserve some notice, some appreciation? We could here make the argument that the door opener has the pleasure of having done good and this, with or without gratitude from another, is satisfaction enough. This is a high road perspective, a I don't need thanks for the good I do perspective and yet, there is something missing. There has been an exchange, a gift perhaps unasked for and yet received, taken without acknowledgement. The person walking through the door could have opened it themselves you say? They didn't need the help, didn't ask for it and really, are not obligated to give thanks. All true Dear Reader. Playing both sides of this argument is easy, because you and I, we have walked through many an open door and have also pushed/pulled many a heavy door ourselves, haven't we? My thinking is going in one direction and I will confess here and now that I have been an ingrate. That is to say, I have not always noticed, not always been thankful for the heavy doors that have been held open for me. Taking gifts for granted is easy until we stop and take notice, begin to see with awe struck wonder just how much we have received without asking, without believing we had a need, without ever considering there is someone to thank. If God had tired of doing good, I for one would have been a goner long ago, lost to my own self absorption and ingratitude. The heaviest door has been held ajar for you and me without us ever earning entrance, ever making it to the VIP list because all are welcome and qualifying to pass through the door is impossible. It is by the grace of God alone that we are able to pass over the threshold without ever having to push or pull our way through to the other side. Jesus is the gate keeper and He knows your name. Your entrance has been paid for and all you need do is accept the gift of salvation by declaring Him your Saviour. The good we do, it is for His Kingdom, His Glory and in His Name. May you never weary of doing good and may you reap a harvest by never giving up, in Jesus name. 

Morning Star

Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." The following is an excerpt from a message given by Dr. J.Vernon McGee entitled Bright and Morning Star and the Son of Righteousness: "It was during World War II in the city of New York. One evening a father took his little boy down the street for a walk and you remember during World War II that when a boy had gone from a home, a son or a husband, a star was put in the window. A blue star and than if that boy was killed, that star was gold. And the little fella had a lot of fun that evening as he walked down. It was a crisp cold December evening and as they walked down why he'd say, "They gave a son" and he'd go down maybe past two or three houses and see another star and say "they gave a son" and than he'd see a gold star and say "that boy died" and he would come to another and say "they gave a son" and finally, he came to a vacant lot and when he came to the vacant lot the little fella turned and looked and in the heavens was the evening star thats the morning star, Venus. And the little fella looked at it for just a moment and he says "Look Daddy, God must have given HIS SON because He's got a GOLD STAR in His window."

Does this story move you Dear Reader? What does it speak of to you? In hearing this war time story I wept because of family loss, firstly by sons and husbands given over to war and represented and hoped for in blue stars. Than I wept again as the small child acknowledged the lost, those turned into golden stars, memorialized in window after window. Lastly, my heart trembled in awe as the babe spoke of Gods heavenly window and the golden star hung there, the one that represented the ultimate sacrifice. The Son of God, dying on a cross for the sins of the world. The Righteous dying for the unrighteous. Jesus is known by many names and one of them is The Morning Star. It is His light that we look to for illumination of our souls, Truth told in us, for us, to us. God hung the stars and they speak of His majesty, declare His glory. What is hanging in the window of your heart, Dear One? Is there room there for The Morning and Evening Star? When you look to the stars, what do you see? "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Glory revealed to the hearts of believers. Is Jesus your Golden Morning Star? 

God In Our Midst

When my father died, I could not comprehend never again. Never again would I hear his voice, laughter, stories. Never again would I see his particular head with the sparsely distributed hair or those piercing eyes, seen through thick glasses. Without conscious awareness, my ears listened for him and in surprise my eyes would periodically land, heart racing, on a lookalike. Disheartened again and again, I would recall my fathers gone ness, his no longer existence in this world. I realize this is a strange way to express death and yet does it not describe perfectly, how we experience this odd loss? Someone is and than they are not? Six years after his death, I gave up waiting to hear the sound of the garage door going up, marking his return at the end of a work day. He was gone, never to return. Memories of my father have faded as they are want to do and this leads me to my topic, of God in our  midst. The crucifixion of Jesus was a public event with hundreds of witnesses. The moment He gave up His spirit, His body let go of breathe, of life. He hung motionless and had to be taken down off of the cross His hands and feet had been nailed to. Taken down, this is what death looks like, feels like. A hopeless helpless nothing can be done about it oddity. A never again. Staying with this feeling of never again is devastating in its uselessness. To live and die does not satisfy the soul, there is a thrist and hunger for more of the life part, isn't there Dear Reader? Taken down into the grave is an anticlimax, a disappointment and a ruse. Jesus did die on a cross and He went somewhere but it was not into a grave or even a cave, that is how we humans see the end. His body was placed and while there was grieving and longing for His Presence, the finality of death seemed to speak never again, never again will you see Him, The One you are listening and searching for. Jesus died as a man with The Spirit of God Almighty within Him and no grave, no physical death could contain Him. His body did not rot as yours and mine will if buried in the ground, once the soul has detached from the body. He rose on the third day and people saw Him, touched Him, ate, laughed and talked with Him, marvelling at the reunion. It was then undeniably known Who He Is, Immanuel, God is with us. He is in our midst today Dear One. Allow your ears to listen for Him, He calls to His sheep. Allow your eyes to search the crowds, His gaze is upon you. Allow Him to pull you close, wrap you in His embrace and whisper in your ear, you are my beloved and as long as you have me, you have eternal life. Won't you trust in Him today if you have not already? God is in our midst and finding Him is easy, once your eyes have been opened to His Presence...He is everywhere.  

Subjective Truth as Fallacy

Subjective truth is a fallacy. A bold statement that challenges popular beliefs. Perception is reality is also a lie-this statement may make me unpopular! So what is the measure of truth and what is truth ultimately, you ask? My answer may seem very subjective to you and than there may be some finger pointing from you directed at me when I say that Truth is Biblical. I could make an argument for my beliefs in the form of apologetics, meaning: "reasoned arguments or writings in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine" but many that have gone before me have done such scholarly brilliant work in this area that I dare not theorize for fear of not being equal to the task.  Men of God abound and jump from the pages of history, speaking prophetically with The Inspired Word of God pouring from them for us to peruse, review, use for our edification and spiritual encouragement. I eat, I drink, sleep and awake. I get dressed, work, read, write, play and I day dream and wonder. My soul travels elsewhere into the Heavenlies and I know there is more to this world than what I can see, smell and touch. Dare I say you know there is more too? The Bible explains, implores, encourages, answers questions that you and I have and ones we have yet to consider. The problem some humans have isn't in the asking of questions, it is in the Source and the answers given. God as Director of the Universe is very specific in His responses to any and all questions. I will stop right here or perhaps you will because I ask you now, have you read The Bible? This is the finger pointing opportunity you have been waiting for, the one where you may be inclined to say "There, right there, this writer has been subjected to nonsense and believes it to be true." Except that what I am sharing about the truth and where to locate it does not come from me, Dear Reader. I am ill equipped to match what has been written in The Book and it is not to my knowledge that I am attempting to turn you. Many an atheist, many an agnostic has picked up The Bible and experienced it as The Truth, given to man from God Almighty. I sight C.S Lewis, a scholar in his day and recognized still as one of the greatest apologetics to have graced the earth, as a former atheist who could no longer avoid or ignore Truth while reading The Bible. Questions about money, health, food, drunkenness, infidelity, marriage, lying, stealing, jealousy, greed, sexuality, heaven, hell and anything your wondering heart may be landing on right now is discussed in The Book. There is no escaping what Gods mandates are and for this reason, people don't want to hear about it, read it, let alone consider it. People want what they want and always have, contorting the truth and God with a smear campaign so that whatever their subjective truth happens to be, they can be comfortable with their life choices. For many none-believers (this is what Christians call people who don't believe that The Bible is the inspired word of God), no authority is worthy of their attention let alone their affection. It is the clay jar mocking the Master Potter. Isaiah 64:8 "Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." If your finger is out and pointing in my direction, I will leave you with this; I did not make me, choose my family or place of birth. I did not choose my eye colour or skin colour, height or existence nor will I choose my death date. You, Dear Reader, had no say either and without consulting you, SomeOne took what looked like a lump of clay and crafted marvellous you. He had the first say in your existence and He will have the last. The in-between part is up to you-acknowledging Him and His authority in your life and what is to follow after your earthly stay, is 100% your free will choice. The Bible stands as Truth, whether you like it or not. Done and Done. 

Be About Your Business

What is your business? What are you called to do? That little voice that whispers to you in the quiet, what is it telling you? No quiet you say, how come? While visiting distant relatives I enquired about business. I got the response, "business is slow". I asked one relative in particular, what is your dream job if the family business closes? I heard a short laugh as a response and than our eyes met and time froze for a moment. The smile slipped from his face and I saw something I hadn't seen before, uncertainty. There appeared too, a look of bewildered surprise at having been asked this personal question. I am a Professional Coach and asking this question comes easily and naturally but for my relative, this was clearly foreign ground or at least, unchartered territory that had been lightly trodden upon in private. This was not a topic up for discussion and he turned away from me while the noise and ruckus of the kitchen increased. He was not ignoring me or my question and I did not feel affronted. Whatever was going on in his head and heart had been tapped into and the evidence was in his eyes-What IS my business seemed to appear in a flash? I coach people about money and before we get to this hugely prevalent and prevailing topic, we dance around the issue that feels out of control for many. As a society that is no different from the ones that preceded us, we work for money to eat, drink, clothe, shelter, educate ourselves and others, right? I mean sure it is a grind but we all must carry on and work to get what we need, right? The word right is in vogue and is used as a request for confirmation by the speaker, you know what I mean? This too, is used (you know what I mean) and it is indicative of a need to be understood and accepted, to be told that I'm okay, that you are okay to carry on at all costs to maintain what is...what is isn't always what the whispered voice is advising. I pull you back to the beginning, what IS your business? How can I convince you that your calling awaits you? I love the idea of trying out new ways of experiencing the world. We get to dabble a whole lot if we so desire. Keep working, keep doing a good job and providing for yourself and your family-there is true purpose in provision. In the mean time, ask yourself, what is the more part of life I crave that is missing? Turn your gaze in that direction and ask: am I willing to follow where I am led? The questions beg your attention and thoughtful consideration. Being about your true business is a choice and can be introduced part-time until you are ready to live out your purpose all the time. Dabble a little, what do you have to lose? You have a calling, what is it? 

Gifts of the Heart

What precious gifts have you received? Recall a time when your hands were held open, anticipating a gift being placed there. What was the gift? Had you wordlessly longed for this special present and unbeknownst to you, the giver read your heart, your unspoken desire and than placed before you, the very gift you craved? The gift, it is precious to you, a filling up of what was missing. A need has been met and there, before you, is a stirring of wonderment. How did they know? How could they have possibly understood what the gift would mean, how it would touch the soul? In the moment of connection between what you want and what is given to you, you recognize that you are not alone in this life, that people, perhaps one special someone, wants to give to you, wants to see you filled up, wanting no more. Satisfied. I invite you to look around you until your eyes settle on the Giver, the one who bestows gifts. He has been watching you, listening to your heart whispers, your mumbling under the breath desires. The thoughtfulness of the Giver, that is where your heart lands. Your thoughts swirl in a whirlwind, tornado fast: You didn't have to. How did You know? What made You go out of Your way? You went too far, I don't deserve it. Oh and Thank-You, Thank-You, it means so very much to me. You stop, dead in your tracks and there is a dawning of realization~this precious gift, it is costly, extravagant. You look at the Giver and ask yourself, at what cost? Than you are bold and can't help yourself and you ask: What price did you pay for my gift? What did you give up for me? The eyes looking back at you give you their answer. You wait and than you hear the answer to your question, "Don't you know how much I love you? I love you so much that I would die for you."

What do you long for and yet have not spoken Dear Reader? Your heart wants filling up and needs acknowledgement. Someone, in fact many, watch and wait, hoping and longing for you to receive the gifts of the heart, the fruit of the Spirit. It is the Spirit of the Gift that is precious to the soul. Dare to ask and it shall be given to you. You are never out of Gods sight, He is watching you and knows your need. 

Pitching Your Tent

In which direction are you pitching your tent? I take this idea from a Bible story about a character named Lot. He lived close to a very appealing city that had all the amenities a man could want. Lot pitched his tent so that when he got up in the morning, the city was in view. Eventually, Lot moved to the city he longed to experience and he took his family along with him. The city was gorgeous with beautiful homes, gardens and people. Think of your favourite modern day city and what it has to offer in the form of entertainment and how much you enjoy that city. That was how Lot felt, until he lived there. Have you heard or read the term, vexation to the spirit, Dear Reader? I have been vexed in my spirit. I have felt the sandpaper abrasions that result from my soul being scrubbed vigorously as I look around me. How about you? Back to Lot. Lot was a decent man, a man of God. He had longed to live in the city and found himself there and while there, he saw and heard how others lived and it was grievous to him. I will not describe what he saw, what he was exposed to because you can find the story yourself Dear Reader, if you so choose. I write about this now because of the comparisons, the then and now of Lots circumstances and ours. The self righteous and indulgent me first mentality that abounds and is being encouraged and congratulated. The price the innocent pay by being exposed to the vileness of narcissistic man...the I can say, do, think and be anything I want and who is going to stop me way of rampaging through life is prevalently prolific. And God watches and waits because He is merciful and has promised faithfulness, not wanting any to be lost. Where have you pitched your tent Dear Reader? What is the first thing you see, think of, want when your eyes open to a new day? The sky is filled with darkened clouds as rain is released and it reminds me of another Biblical story, perhaps you know of it, Noah and his ark? Thunder rattles ominously and no man can stop it, control it, make it go away...no matter where you pitch your tent, your days are numbered, your fate is sealed and God decides whether or not you get another tomorrow. Today is the day the Lord made, why not Thank Him for it if you haven't yet, and perhaps change your lot in life?

Down the Nose

Have you heard the expression "Look down your nose" at somebody/something? I spoke to a man today and he had that posture as he expressed his distain for the majority of the population. He had much to say about what people are doing wrongly and I became fascinated and aware that as he spoke, his chin was elevated as he looked down his nose! This was a first for me and as I sat (he was standing) and listened to him enumerating his criticisms of the human race I realized that his list was rather long, well rehearsed and seemingly entrenched. To put it plainly, he is better than the majority of people he encounters and has believed this for quite some time. At first, I was inclined to look for some meaning in what he was saying, a point where we could meet. I tried several times to soften what he had to say and this changed nothing as he would return to his point of view by saying things like "as I was saying". I came to a quick conclusion and decision. I didn't like what I was hearing. I asked him what he was doing to help people, to be a role model? Was he volunteering his time? I told him he had a critical judgemental voice and this caused a blush and some stumbling on his part. Why am I telling you this, you ask? I think it is because we have all been judgemental at one point or another in our lives, haven't we Dear Reader? I know I have. Being critical of others is a sign that there is an emotional edge that needs smoothing out. It is a point of agitation and an opportunity to look at ourselves and what we could work on to be better human beings. I have in my life many people who stop me in my tracks when the voice of judgement takes over my vocal chords. I am grateful for the redirection because I can't always hear myself and I don't always recognize what my impact is, especially when I am emotionally charged and upset. I rely on others to be honest with me, letting me know that I am being nasty and perhaps asking me if something is bothering me and do I need to talk about it? Maybe the man I spoke to just didn't realize what his impact is and maybe no one has ever told him? I don't know. What I do know is that I do not want to be a part of denigrating the human race because we are all created in the image of God. Who am I to criticize Gods handiwork? Looking in the mirror can quickly cause stoppage to verbal rampages. Our faces change when we critize, becoming less attractive when looking down our noses at others. They can see up the nostrils...not always the prettiest of views.