Don't Let Others DefineYou!

Most of the great men and women of the bible weren't flawless people. Paul is such a great example to study. Prior to his real conversion to Jesus Christ, was heavily involved in religion. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews and had all the right credentials of the culture to be a religious heavy weight. He enforced religious law and persecuted people who did not practice the law and he was ruthless. Yet one day on the road to Damascus he had an encounter with the risen Christ in a vision and his whole life changed..

He had allowed the religion of the culture define him, but somewhere in his heart of hearts he thought he was doing it for God. His education and prestige meant nothing in comparison to who he was to become.

Acts 9:4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

When he heard the voice of Jesus, I think it is interesting that Paul responded to to Jesus's question by saying "Who art thou LORD?" and further along in the conversion he asked,"LORD, what would you have me to do?"

When Jesus used the phrase, "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks", he was was using and illustration of the goad that farmers used to keep their animals in line when plowing the fields. The goad wad a stick with a pointed piece of iron on the end of it. The farmer used it to poke an animal in the right direction. When the animal kicked or rebelled against the goad it drove the metal piece into the flesh of the animal. This how evil works.

When a person rebells against God, life gets harder and harder because that person has decided to live without God. The world is full of hardship and problems because of the evil influence that exists since Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve chose to follow another voice in the garden of Eden.

God allows freedom of choice. Man can choose good or evil. Paul had a lot he could feel guilty for. Once Jesus Christ entered the scene he was pulled up and out of the quicksand and was redeemed. His past life could no longer define him. He had something that could really help people. He wrote some of the most important books of the Bible explaining the reality of having Jesus Christ as his Lord.

God wanted Paul to move forward from his past. Evidently God knew his heart and knew he would be the one he wanted to explain grace. When the Christians of that time saw the big change in Paul and heard him teach, they knew something big had happened in his life. He made Jesus Christ his Lord and understood the meaning of the the resurrection of Christ. He tossed aside his great credentials and religious authority as a law-abiding Hebrew to become a new Paul defined by God.  

Strength in the Challenges of the Times

 The most recent election in Virginia proved that something very important is going on in this country.  The election wasn't really about Republicans or Democrats. The real heroes of this election are parents who regardless of their political affiliation or lack there of made their voices known with a righteousness that reverberated across the country. Parents are responsible of their children! The government has no right to determine what is right curriculum for children.  Developing curriculum is an educator's job but it's has its boundaries. Teachers should be aware of what their boundaries are. Teachers are not to force students to accept their ideologies. 

God expects both father and mother to teach their children how to live a godly life and encourages children to listen to them:

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Proverbs 1:8

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.Ephesians 6:1-3

Raising children is especially difficult today in light of the culture we live in.  Anti-God  propaganda  pops up in school curriculum, throughout media programs, and TV shows. How often do TV shows display virtue and morality or give us the answers we need in life.  No entity or  person should take the place of a God-respecting parent who loves God in teaching their children. Sadly  friends or relatives may even disagree. The individual family unit is bombarded with well-meaning advice from many directions.

It is pure joy to see parents standing up and declaring their rights, because they are God-given rights. There is a very strong group in the state I live in and these people may be just what the state has needed for a long long time. One candidate for governor is standing up for parent rights and individual freedoms.  The existing governor just repealed a bill making it ok for minors to keep their parents in the dark about an impending abortion. Such legislation is so wrong on so many levels. It hurts children, disrespects parental care rights, and displays the hubris of government officials who think this is the right thing to do.

It is so great to me that God makes the gift of holy spirit available to every believer in the New Testament era we live in.  In the Old Testament, spirit was give to certain men and women who led God's people. During this wonderful age of grace, men, women, children, dads, moms and people in all walks of life have the ability to hear from God about whatever the situation they are presented with. The whole purpose of God sending his son was to destroy the works of the adversary.The holy spirit is our connection to both God and his son and each other to continue this purpose!

Luther and Justification

 October 31 is Reformation Day commemorating the day in 1517  when Martin Luther tacked up his '95 Theses' on the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. In this document was strong denunciation of the sale of indulgences purported to release people from the penalties of sin. This activity was nothing more than a greedy guise for gain on the part of the corrupt church at that time. The love of money produces all sorts of evil even in ecclesiastical environments. 

Luther took a stand on the principle of justification by faith (Romans 1:17) alone. All the money, indulgences, works, adherence to the law or religious piety in the world could not provide salvation for even one soul. 

We are made whole by believing in God's finished work in Christ. Luther wrote:  
"Sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the Law. The Law reveals guilt, fills the conscience with terror, and drives men to despair. Much less is sin taken away by man-invented endeavors. The fact is, the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual living, however, it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God." (Commentary on Galatians)

Romans 7:4-6 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

There is such freedom as we walk in the newness of life God has provided. We live 'exceedingly abundant' as Ephesians 3:20 relates and we become a breath of fresh air to others when they see our excitement  and confidence in knowing the one true God.

A Deeper Look at the Good Samaritan Parable

Recently I have seen a many articles relating the parable of the good samaritan to some of the cultural issues going on in our country. The border crisis, Afghanistan, Covid 19 mandates, masks, vaccines all seem be topics of many of these articles.

The Good Samaritan parable is actually about the religious law and religious attitudes. The context in which this parable is written is a significant framework for this parable. Chapter 10 in the book of Luke starts out with Jesus sending out the 70 to speak the word and heal people. There are some great instructions about helping and healing people that are interesting to read. The 70 saw great success applying the instructions they were given. Jesus taught them about their attitude in light of what they saw:

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:19-20

Next in Chapter 10, Jesus was questioned by a lawyer who, in that theocratic culture, was a religious leader. Jesus knew that the man was challenging him and responded by putting a question to the lawyer. The Hebrew culture had developed a whole system of laws to hold God's people to the law. This lawyer was fully aware of the Hebrew law. Jesus shared  the parable of the good Samaritan with him and in it, he included a priest and a levite (both religious positions) that had passed by a man who had beaten by robbers. Finally a Samaritan came by and immediately helped the man.

Samaritans were looked down upon in the culture. During the time of the captivity, they had married pagan wives and that was frowned upon of the legalistic religious leaders. Jesus made the point in getting the lawyer to admit who the real neighbor was. The lawyer had wanted some rule to justify himself as to who his neighbor was. Jesus brought out the truth. The good samaritan parable focus is on the lawyer and what Jesus was saying about attitude.

Our attitude is important in everything we do. In the last section of chapter 10 following the samaritan parable, is the story of Martha and Mary which is one of my favorite records (having been at times a Martha and at other times a Mary myself:

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38-42

Mary wanted to hear Jesus and what he had to say because she knew what it meant for her life and others with whom she came into contact with. Sometimes we work too hard at doing the right things.  We obscure where the greatest treasure lies and is what the greatest reason is for why we do things. Our service to others is very often about what we think we should do for others and then using rules and regs to govern actions. It is really about what God wants us to do for others according to his Word. If you really want to be given the opportunity to genuinely and in a godly way help others, this is the mindset to have! It is a thread that runs through the chapter.

Such As I Have Give I Thee!

There was great excitement at the Temple on the morning of the day of Pentecost in 3 BC. Jesus Christ had recently died, but was raised from death and had just ascended to his rightful position at God's right hand to be Lord of the church that was being raised and continues to be raised today on this earth. 

The events of that day are recorded in Acts 2. Peter and the apostles sat in the temple and received the gift of holy spirit.  Peter delivered the first sermon explaining the significance of the day to all that were there. He invited all who were in the temple to join in:        

38 Then Peter said unto them, "Repent (change your mind), and be baptized (immersed in the gift of holy spirit) every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." Acts 2:38-47

Well, we still have an untoward generation, but we who were afar off from this scene in both time and distance were invited in to look away from untowardness too and receive the same grace from God. The people were excited and gladly wanted to know more:

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized (immersed in holy spirit): and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

People were brought into the family of God and started immediately seeing grace (God's favor):

43 And fear (awe and respect) came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Of course signs and wonders popped up all over their community.  There is no formula or 'how to' to get this to happen.  God WANTS to shower us with grace . We just have to receive his love gladly:

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,47 PRAISING GOD, and having favour (sharing their power of God) with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (made whole).

A couple of days later Peter and John went back to the temple for prayer and a lame man asked them for help. Peter made it clear that what he himself had could be shared. Peter shared the love, grace and power of God.!!:

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.  Acts 3:3-8 

This got a lot of attention round about and many people had a lot of questions and marveled at what was going on:

12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; Acts 3:12-13a

The Seal of Ephesians

An incident popped into my mind that happened many years ago. I was walking through a dark thick woods very late at night. It was difficult to see since there were no street lights  in the area. The path that I was walking on was overgrown with bushes. Suddenly, in the quiet night, I heard a crunch and a snap, that sounded like the sound of a snap of a branch or twig.  My heart  jumped and seemed to skipped several beats. It was so-o-o dark, damp and chilly! I wondered what was behind me, in front of me or beside me as I could not tell from which direction the sound was coming from. Immediately I stepped up my pace, haphazardly pushing away branches and bushes, unsure of my footing.  Finally I reached the front door of our cottage and slipped inside. With the door shut and locked, I was immediately sealed off from the outside.  The darkness and the unknown slipped out of my view and was replaced by the comfort, warmth and safety of our living room and was thankful to be with my family.

In Ephesians 1:13 Paul writes about us being sealed with the holy spirit of promise.  In the Word of God, the word 'sealed' is basically used for 4 things. First, it is used to represent security like the seal in a tomb (Matthew 27:66), The Christ inside of us is not a dead body, but a living reality because we have been sealed, secure and enclosed in the living room of God's love.

Second, it is to hide and preserve the contents of a letter.  (Revelations 5:1)

Third, it confirms or establishes the presence of the holy spirit (II Corinthians 1:22 )

Finally, it indicates ownership. (Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 1:13)

The book of Ephesians completely expounds on the love of our father God for his family. Our job is to bring our minds to what has made given to us. We have been locked in the comfort and warmth of the security of God's love. We have been hidden, enveloped and encased in that love. We have been established and confirmed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Finally, we were bought with a price. We are purchase possession and Gods kids. We got the whole ball of wax. Knowing all this and renewing our minds to our rights and privileges as sons of God we rest safely in God's love.

We can be so thankful to God for everything he has  done for us:

20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. NASB

Freedom to Believe

Romans 1 is officially the opening of the 7 church epistles specifically to people of this time In this chapter God explains that the creation is design to show forth who he is. We can study the structure and functions of a tree and learn great lessons about God. It has always impressed me how the leaves of a tree are flat and set up so they can receive the light of the sun to carry on photosynthesis. When the sun isn't out the flat bottom of the leaves have openings that let carbon dioxide and water out. When the sun is out these pores provide oxygen to the atmosphere for us to breathe in.

The human body is 'magnificently and wonderfully made' (Psalm 139:14). God's design of the body is purposeful and provides for the greatest maximum care.  I majored in Biology in college and developed an even greater thankfulness to God as I continued to study. My favorite system, at the present time during the corona virus onslaught, to take a good look at, is the immune system. The body is designed to defend itself at many levels. We have T-cells that defend and develop memory for pathogens that attack the body. There are other types of related cells that come on the scene and work to rid the body of undesirable invaders. Other bodies are produced that are called antibodies that fight off germs at the time they arrive. 

The immune system is quite a complex system and quite remarkable. The human cell itself is quite complex and you need a microscope to see all the fascinating structures and types of cells. There are many different shapes and functions in cell. I pictured to the right are red blood cells with a white blood cell moving among them. Below is a body cell. 

Man has invented medicines and many times God has inspired those remedies. Often, in the name of science, man, has worked to fight off invaders by other means using drugs and therapies which have deleterious side effects. Man also uses and abuses the human body in ways that are detrimental.

I am thankful to the God I know for what he has provided.  I am thankful for doctors and researchers who are specifically tuned in to the way God's  human protection system is to work. When someone takes aim at God's creation design in a detrimental way, it is difficult to understand. 

So does the constitution of this country support my freedom of belief? It most certainly does! The first amendment guarantees it and also guarantees the same freedom to people who don't agree. A very loving God gave us all freedom of choice to either believe and know him or choose not to. 

Does God Know What Is Going On Down Here?

What a crazy chaotic time we are living in! It is hard to believe all the things going on, but one thing is for sure! God knows exactly what is going on and he is at work.  He is exposing all of it, the curtain is being pulled back wide open.  I pray for this country. God always answers prayers! He doesn't control people. We need to respond to his answers and and it looks like people are. Righteousness is the passport to living above the fray and wielding the power of God.

In the Matthew 5:20, Jesus said to the people who followed him:            

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes and Pharisees were big law pushers and even wrote laws to keep people from breaking the law. I guess you might say they were religious and politically correct at the same time. Their law contained so many extra jots and tittles, people could hardly breathe. As recorded in Matthew 5, Jesus  taught that righteousness was so much bigger than jot and tittles. The grace and power to live for God goes way beyond the righteousness by the law. Righteous by grace is relational to God. Righteous is all about knowing God for real and acting accordingly.

The effectual fervent (energized, inwrought) prayer (for a personal need) of a righteous man availeth (power to prevail) much. James 5:16b

Recently I read some articles by parents who are upset with current educational policies that clearly violate the rights of parents.  This is nothing new under the sun, it has been going on for a long time. Parents have a right to have a say in what is taught to their children. This is a simple point that falls under the auspices of the1st amendment to the Constitution. It is a right in God's eyes for every parent to bring their children up according to God's principles. This is what freedom of religion assures us. 

When people say that the constitution 'separates church and state' they are wrong. They use this phrase to twist and cancel our rights. The constitution never says that. The phrase 'separation of church and state' came from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote the Danbury church in 1802. It actually was reassuring them that the government could not interfere with the 'free exercise of religion'. The government has no right to interfere with our right to teach our own children the difference between right and wrong. the government is to protect the rights of the people. ( https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html )

God knows what we are dealing with. He has absolutely given us the power and answers we need to handle the gaslighting and twisted schemes that arise when people attempt to control the beliefs of others. Righteousness is a huge powerful gift from God to be used to stand up to any violation of our God-given rights.

The Sword of the Spirit

Jesus Christ's purpose was to reveal the presence of evil and expose opposition to God.   Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to the adversary.  Evil can be blatant or subtle. Evil penetrates this world through  suggestions, philosophies, ideologies, idolatries and a lust for power. We see it in the media, education, politics and even in religion ('Genesis 3- 'Did God really say?'). There is no little red demon with horns and a pitchfork; the devil is a spiritual force of evil that is a parasite on words and ideas. The success of this force depends upon being believed, that is why evil often uses religion to sell its wares.  The closer to truth the adversary gets without being truth, the greater the success at dragging an individual into its traps.

The world is in a bit of uneasiness to say the least; there is a lot of hypocrisy, lying and accusation, which eats away at our trust in things going on; BUT:

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 PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6

Trusting God who is faithful to his word is so refreshing and real. We are not wrestling against flesh and blood in this present world. God has supplied protection and weaponry to battle the dark areas we face:

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 4:14-17

Truth is our safety belt. Our hearts are protected by righteousness (God's) and our feet are protected by peace. We have a shield that comes from believing God which can move around to fend off the evil aimed at us. Some of the evil that presents to us is in the form of subtle attacks as well as the more obvious hits. The sword of the spirit which is the word of God, is a singularly unique weapon. The spirit of God can so work in us to detect things behind the scene and make a direct sharp hit. It may involve thoughts within our own heads as well as from others. 

The greek word for 'word' in this verse is the word 'rhema'. The are two major words for 'word' in the Bible: 'rhema' and 'logos'.  'Logos' refers to the doctrine of God, 'rhema' refers to specific saying or word that applies to a time and situation. 'Rhema' is surgical, that is why the 'sword of spirit' is used in this verse. We just don't throw verses at the wall to see what sticks, we allow the spirit of God to inspire our thinking; the right thought for the right attack. It might not come immediately but it will come at just the right time which is crucial and incredibly exciting!

Broken Toys

God is our Father. He is the perfect father and yet many people still blame him for the ups and downs and injustices of life.  When they pray and they don't seem to get the answers they want right away, they may get angry or may even doubt God, his love and existence.

As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend,

I brought my broken dreams to God, because he was my friend.

But then, instead of leaving Him, in peace, to work alone;

I hung around and tried to help, with ways that were my own.

At last, I snatched them back and cried, "How can you be so slow?

"My child," He said, "What could I do? You never did let go." 

Author unknown

God does so much better than we could imagine and as we grow, we learn to yield to what's best. Yielding to God's love brings great peace to our lives.

There are some things we hang on tightly to for a lot of different reasons. Our environment and culture exert certain pressures on our minds to cause us to be unsure, lack confidence and commit to 'quick fixes'. The bottom line is fear. But!:

There is no fear (terror, panic flight) in love (Godly love) ; but perfect (mature, completed) love casteth (with force and effort) out fear: .1 John 4:18a

The "toys of this world" come and go.  As we mature, some things get old and we move on hopefully not clinging to the childish things that need to be left behind.  God replaces our fear with power, love and a sound mind which are the faithful solid tools of life and with these tools we have peace that exceeds our expectations.

Darkness and Gloom - Turn on the light!!!

This past week has been rainy and cloudy. It can feel gloomy when weather like this drags on so long. The dark gray clouds seem to exert a heavy pressure on the air.  Finally the sun blew it all away yesterday. It was so nice to see bright light again!

Light can be physical and it can be spiritual. In John chapter 9 there is an interesting record that seems to parallel both:

 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation,Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. John 9:1-7

Jesus and his disciples passed by a blind man and the disciples asked an interesting question about how this man's blindness originated. They wanted to know if it was caused by sin. Sin occurs when a person ignores God and sets out to do something he shouldn't do. They wanted to know if it was his sin or the parents sin that was responsible for the blindness. Jesus said 'Neither'. 

There is one main reason that bad things happen in this world and that is because there is evil in this world. God doesn't cause blindness so he can show a miracle. Since Genesis 3, the adversary has had opportunity to mess up God's original creation in many ways. Sickness and disease entered after  Adam and Eve transferred power to the adversary and he has been messing up everything ever since.

Jesus explained that he was to work the works of God who sent him (it is interesting that Siloam means 'sent'). The blind man received his sight. Darkness turned to light for him.

Spiritually when things get bad, dark and gloomy, Turning to God's word turns on spiritual light. Spiritual light causes spiritual gloom to flee!

Projection And Mis-Judging 2021

 This is a repost from 2017 that I still think is very timely:

This morning, I got to thinking about a wonderful verse in Ephesians:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:18

It had popped into my head when I was pondering a phone conversation I recently had with someone when she called me back after I left a message to have her call me. When she called back, she immediately started talking to me about something I had no idea about. All I could figure out was that she was worried about what I was thinking in regards to something that she was handling. It was not what I was thinking about at all!  When I realized what was going on and a significant pause opened up, I stopped her and explained what  I wanted and assured her that my brain had not gone that way. In the end each of us was blessed. It is great for relationships to work things out like this when there is misinterpretation. Too often people run to others who don't even know what is going on and unload and cause further chaos and division. Many situations can be solved by talking to each other personally and not about each other. (Matthew 18:15)

'Projection' is an image in our mind that we 'project' on a situation when dealing with others based on our own thoughts within ourselves.  It happens a lot since we humans have busy minds. We can do it in both a positive and a negative sense based on the way we are feeling at the time. It is a form of mis-"judging". It is very prevalent in our news cycles, and all over political and religious circles. You can find examples of projection everywhere. 

This is a great reason to listen carefully to what people are saying and help free them from misconceptions about what they might be thinking if you get the opportunity. Sometimes people are so busy thinking thoughts they don't really have time to listen. What a great thing to pray for!

People often project their thoughts on God too! It is something to watch out for. It is possible to think God is mad at us, when he isn't. It is possible to think God doesn't even think about us or that we have no place in his heart. All you have to do is look at the beautiful spring gifts he has made to remind us of all the loving touches he put in this world to bless our lives.

The verse above in Ephesians came to mind and is very apropos to the spring cleaning that needs to go on in our minds periodically. (It's the first day of spring! Yea!). It is actually a prayer and it is a good one.  In fact it is beautiful! It is an effective prayer to pray and believe. Let in the light, open the windows, breathe and clear the cobwebs of our minds out!

Be The Person God thinks You Are

Recently I saw a quote on line that read ;"Be the person your dog
thinks you are". I have known a few wonderful dogs in my time and the dogs I have known have been loving, loyal friends. One thing I remember most about the dogs we have owned was seeing their eyes light up and their wagging tails that always greeted us when walked towards them on especially tough, tiring days. It was so heartwarming. Our Katy and Maggie could always make us smile.  

God made animals to bless us and they do offer us amazing lessons in life.  All of God's creation teaches us about how much he has provided for us and loves us. Getting back to the quote, I chuckled at the the spelling of the word 'dog'. It reminded me about being the person God thinks you are. God looks upon us as sons and daughters. Ok, maybe he doesn't wag his tail when we enter the throne room of his love, but he is certainly happy, loyal and excited when we do.

I didn't always know God as I do now and I'm very thankful that I know him now better than I ever did. Last night, I read a few of David's psalms after a very long day. Now don't get me wrong, the book Psalms is filled with beautiful prayers to God, but the ones I was reading didn't light up for me or chase away the gray cloud that was hanging over my head. David lived in Old Testament times, we live in the times of the New Testament which is all about Jesus Christ and what his life means to us in our connection to God. If you really want to know who God thinks we are, read the book of Ephesians, Colossians or I, II or III John! just as a start. 

God is faithful, loyal and he invented love! If we focus on our shortcomings, failures, and  downright sin, we tend to run away from God and hide like kids do when they mess up. Well, God even tells us that we all sin and come short of the glorious life God has for us. We should never hide from God because the minute we step into his light, our lives change and he remembers nothing about our sin. If he had a tail it would be wagging faster than a helicopter blade on a supersonic jet!

How do we step into his light? Read Ephesians, pour your heart out to him and make a list of things he has done for you. One day when I was feeling schmucky, I bought a little yellow spiral notebook and wrote down all the things I could remember of how God had blessed me. The list grew and grew and grew. I started remembering things from my childhood (and that was long ago). I remembered people who specifically taught me how much God loves us. Other things kept popping up and I'd write them in my book. Everyday something pops into my head.  It often occurs when I read a record in the Bible and it reminds me of an incident.  I get my yellow book and write it down so I don't forget.

There's a lot of garbage floating around this world to try and push us to forget God and what he has done for us, so it is good to go back and read these lists.  When I reread my list, I am amazed at the miraculous life I have lived! Forget the sin, the negatives and ask God to remind you of his work in your life. The only thing sin will remind us of, is its utter futility and distraction and traps. God himself, on the other hand, constantly reminds us what he thinks of us and lifts our heart.

Vision

Have you ever just come to the point where you have felt where there is just no solution in sight to where you are headed. You might even blame yourself for being just so stupid and deserving to have the word 'failed' stamped on your forehead. Probably everyone has frequently experienced such pressure. That's why we needed a person who felt all our pain to lift us up and out of this trap. That man is Jesus Christ. He is not a fairy tale, a myth or fable. How do we know that? We can know it by what is written and by experiencing it in the here and now because he still lives and he is God's right-hand man.

6 Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Have you ever noticed in the bible when Jesus is referred to, he is Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ  or Christ Jesus. Christ is not his last name. It is a title. When the title 'Christ' is first it emphasizes his risen Messianic position meaning he delivers and rescues as an agent of God. He is a savior.

We have been given the gift of holy spirit as a result of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.  We have an internal receiver that can hear the voice of God deep within our heart. In that gift are included word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, miracles and gifts of healings among other things. Evil can stealthily dish out vision that can be quite deceiving, but  God's spirit in us can separate good and evil. Worry and fear can be pretty noisy, but God's quiet calm will shut them up. That's a miracle.

So how do we get us out of trouble and anguish, even trouble that we deserve? We have to look to God's word for our answers. We can also pray to God to know what to pray for and then we have pay attention to the answer. God provides answers many ways. Things may just happen right away or it may take some time. God can give us vision to see ahead and have that peace that passeth understanding if we have to wait. It may be in the form of assurance or comfort. It is supernatural light piercing through darkness and settling a new calm on the heart. We may not have all the specific details (just the details we need), but the peace is so different than just ordinary 'chillin' that it guards you from anxious thoughts. All you have to do is ask:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally (generously, simply and sincerely), and upbraids not (without rolling his eyes -my definition); and it shall be given him. James 1:5

The more we do this and experience God's peace that passes understanding over and over the quicker, we will ask each time when we are presented with a negative situation.  God's peace will cause us to thrive and excel.

Morning by Morning

 Morning by morning, evidence of the deeply compassionate love of God never never fails to show up:

25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.26 It is good that a man should both expect and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Lam 3:25-26

 

Comfort -able?

Are we comfort-able? Can we receive comfort from God?  In 2nd Corinthians (the heart of reproof, 1st Corinthians is the head of reproof), the first chapter opens with much to be said about the comfort of God. It is a beautiful section of scripture and drives home the compassion that God has for us. We know that grace is undeserved favor, power and abounding blessings. Mercies refer to God withholding punishment for what we do deserve as a result of the weaknesses in our lives.

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings (things to endure) of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual (active, efficient) in the enduring (remaining steadfast) of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. I Corinthians 1:3-6

Below is a list words used in this section from verse 3-6: (each color represents  the word being derived from the same Greek root)

mercies - God's deep feelings about someones's difficulty, compassion

comfort  -  a calling near or alongside of used 6x

consolation - counsel, comfort, help, advocate  used 3x

tribulation, trouble, afflicted - mental pressure, to be pushed into a narrow strait

salvation - wholeness (mentally, physically, spiritually), deliverance

Several years ago, when I would pray, I would pray specifically for a certain outcome. I would prescribe to God how something should work out. I would even use a list. In later years, through experience, I learned how limiting this can be. Many times now I just pray, especially in complex situations and challenges, for God's outcomes for everything and everyone involved. God has better answers for our prayers than we do.  Putting one foot in front of another, taking one day at a time, keeping thankfulness and patience in our hearts and staying away from negative influences and events is how we keep above the fray and not limit God. God's 'coming alongside' us means we want to stay alongside and not wander off.

We, as believers need to recognize how much God loves us so that we do look to him for our comfort, consolation and salvation.  The clearer the perception of God we have, the more we allow him to work in our lives. Our relationship with God is based on our trust in him.

Strong Women

There are many great examples of powerful women in the Bible. They did some amazing things despite the cultural attitudes of that time.  They simply want to be able to use their abilities and strengths to make a difference and glorify God. They loved  the  men who encouraged them, stood up for them, fought for them and appreciated their strengths. Today, I am not sure we fully understand 'woman power' in terms of what gets accomplished in our culture today.

The book of Judges has a wonderful record about a woman who was directly involved in a great victory for Israel.   It is the record about Deborah who judged in Israel during the era of the judges. She was the wife of Lapidoth. She engaged military leaders who depended on her judgement and believing to dispel the enemies of Israel. She was a remarkable woman who sang God's praises when she accomplished what God had her to do.

In Genesis 1:28-29 is additional understanding of how women of God were an integral part of God's community:

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

The image of God  is 'spirit'. The presence of God was with them. God expected them to have dominion over the earth. This authority did not end with the New Testament, it only became greater. Women have authority as well as men.

Godly authority is not competitive. That is where the word 'submit' fits in. It refers to a properly ordered arrangement. As relationships grow, maturity and confidence drive 'together' decisions. In today's fast-paced culture where both mom and dad work, a lot of active communication and mutual respect are  required. It takes time to weave these elements through a marriage. Hearing the truth in love is as important as speaking the truth in love. 

There is no question in my mind that Deborah and husband had a lot of pressure to work through as did Barak who led the army. Barak asked Deborah to go with him into the battle or he would not go. Barak was not a weak man and his respect for Deborah is inspiring. Deborah knew God and trusted and relied on him to save her people. Her strength and love for God is a strong motivator.

The Here and Now

Jesus did many amazing visible things when he was here on earth. Miracles, signs and wonderful deliverances were everywhere and in full view. Many people believed in him as a result.

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 

24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. John 2:23-25

Was the end result of these magnificent works, the miracles themselves or was there something bigger?  Many people believed him but where did it go from there?  We love miracles, but was that the point?   The miracles made Jesus a celebrity. That was not his goal. His heart, vision and determination was in glorifying the love that God had for them.  He still teaches us today how much God loves us through his resurrected life.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

God is interested in reconciliation. Confession of sin is not a prerequisite for reconciliation. God really doesn't dwell on our failures. Reconciliation is an exchange of love.  He wants our love. He wants to shower us with with pure grace!  As we get to know God and his son and the love they have for us, we can love others with the same love. I John 4 says that the reason we love God is because he first loved us. 

It sure would be heaven on earth if everyone knew the love of God. For now, heaven on earth exists in the hearts of those that know and love God. God has given us a lot of props to tell the truth: the word, Jesus Christ, the creation, the spirit that has been gifted to us and our own victories as a result.

Just because we have been reconciled to God doesn't mean we are perfect but that we have repented.(which is a religious word referring to changing our mind about God). God really doesn't dwell on our failures. When we truly get to know him, we are lovingly thankful for him.

It takes effort to find out who God is in reality, but it is well worth the time. Of course we have the option of looking at all the world offers too. Most of that stuff is temporary and limited and can be full of traps, but God gave us that decision to make for ourselves. Freedom of choice is part of love.

 

Vengeance ?

So often people equate 'vengeance ' with 'vindictiveness'. According to Merriam-Webster  both words are in the top 1% in popularity. According to today's use, these words represent  resentment, anger, spitefulness and a desire to hurt or at the very least, celebrating when someone gets his or her comeuppance.

We see a large amount of vindictiveness and vengeance in today's world. When we look into God's word it may be hard to understand vengeance in the proper way biblically if we read into it from current cultural understandings of its meaning.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:18-21

The word 'vengeance' in this verse is translated from the Greek word: ekdikesis:

There is no darkness in God; he is a just and loving father.. When I looked at the definition of ekdikesis, the result was vengeance and vindication (exoneration from  accusation.) God's justice is greater than any of us could ever imagine. He knows exactly when, why, and where to apply justice not with resentment or spite, but with love and redemption, grace, mercy and peace. That is why we leave it to him. He has a much bigger picture all that is involved than we do.

Many people in  our world today persist at challenging, confronting and acting like judge and jury to anything they disagree with.  'Virtue signaling' is at a premium as evidenced through the millions of memes and quotes all over media sites. God, however says to us that IF thine enemy hunger we are to feed him. It says IF he hungers whether it be for food, love, or kindness.  IF he thirsts for answers, answer him by speaking the truth in love. By doing so we're warming his head (mind), leaving the rest to God. It is a very peaceful and successful way to live.

It is easy to be angry with lies, hypocrisy and disrespect, but going after these things at the wrong moment or in the wrong way can start a hornet's nest buzzing. When we wait on God, we learn so much and our capacity to love grows bigger. Prayer dispels the anger while we wait.

When there is no justness in the sense of fairness and rightness people grumble and stumble and strike out at each other. When true justness abounds, when people are enjoying God's path, peace and joy abound. It brings God pleasure (enjoyment) and it blesses everybody who come into contact with it.

7 When a man's ways please  the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7

The Significance of the Resurrection

Son -  Rise
Ephesians 2:4-7

One Race

 Biologically, God created one race. The human race started with Adam and Eve. So why don't we all look the same?  Man in the middle to late 19th century began to understand the genetic material known as DNA and have continued to  learn much about how different traits came about. We have learned about dominant and recessive genes. The various combinations of genes can produce a variety of hair color, eye color and skin color. God built into the DNA of Adam and Eve different types of genes to provide the variety of human beings that we see today. 

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: Acts 17:24-27

So where did racism come from?  There is so much depth scientifically in these verses about the times and bounds of habitation. Never the less there is still one race in God's eyes. The Bible says we all descended from one blood. Man has come up with the idea that there may be as many as 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 races. Racism didn't come from God's creation of one blood/one race. Racism has arisen because of the differences in the way men see things based of color of skin. Humans are responsible for racism.

Many years ago, my husband and I were involved in a fellowship in an urban community outside of Chicago. We were running a class on how to understand the Bible. We were the only ones in the room with white skin. I sat next to a wonderful lady who was very quiet at the start of class. During one session, the verses above in Acts 17 were taught and this beautiful woman elbowed me and then threw her arms around me smiling with joy. She got it and she knew I got it! It was something I will never forget. I realized then how powerful the Word of God is when it comes to dispelling racial issues. 

Many groups down through the ages of history have been marginalized and persecuted due to color of skin, religious beliefs, culture, status, wealth, profession and many other unsound excuses for men to divide against each other. There are racists in every culture, black, brown, white and red and yellow.  Jesus Christ was supposed to have dark skin. Does that mean that if a group doesn't have dark skin they have less of a relationship with him because they are white? That is silly. Human nature causes divisions not God.  We are all equal in God's eyes and everyone has the responsibility to believe and act accordingly. Life is pretty simple when it is viewed from God's point of view.

 

Individual Freedom

The Bible says quite clearly the 'the truth will set you free'. What does that mean to us really?

31 Then said Jesus to those Judeans which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:31-36

Jesus was addressing the Hebrews that recognized who he was. He told them they had to continue to soak up the word he spoke. He told them to stay at it.

Worldly wisdom offers "Yes, buts"  to the truth. The Hebrews asked a question that sounded like a "Yes but".  Jesus answered their question with the reason he was there. Abraham wasn't going to carry them, he was/is dead, but Jesus Christ was there now and after his death he was raised and is alive forever. God's word should not go in one ear and out the other. We need to think about enduring truth and find out what we can about how to apply it.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Matthew 13:13-17

Also in Matthew 13, Jesus speaks the great parable about the sower that sows seed. It a great record why some get it and some don't; why some hearts wax gross, have ears that are dull to hearing, and have shut their eyes.  The fowls represent the adversarial worldly wisdom that competes with the truth for our minds and tries to steal it away.. The seeds are the truth.

Birds on alert for food

There are some people who get excited hearing the truth but they fail to keep it and when something negative arises they just give way to the negative. Another thing that really chokes the truth is the 'deceitfulness of riches' when people get lulled into a self-sufficient sleep and are too busy for truth. There is nothing wrong with having money, but the love of it is a trap.

God does not offer traps! He wants us free and he wants us to see those things ahead of time that take us down a thorny path. He sent his son to help us live life to the fullest. Gloom, hurt, guilt, depression, anxiety, anger, frustration, fear are nasty weeds that need to be pulled. When we truly understand the reason for Jesus Christ we will be unequivocally free INDEED! (Matthew 13 is a great read in its entirety)

Christian Individuality

Recently, I saw a beautiful video on how snowflakes are formed. No two of these beautiful crystal formations are alike.  At one point in the video, a long-haired dog runs through the snow catching  the small white sparkly patterned pieces of frozen water molecules in his fur. The author described this cute frolicking canine as a literal art museum of thousands of works of divine art.

Humans are also very individual in design. We all have unique patterns of DNA arrangements. Our minds are all different and compounded by a variety life experiences.  I have three sisters and even though we were born into the same family, all four of us are uniquely different. We don't have the exact same pattern of DNA nor do we have the the same exact life experiences.

Every born-again believer in the New Testament era has the opportunity to receive the gift of holy spirit. Through Jesus Christ we have full access to this gift and it uniquely resides in each of us. Each one of us develops as a member of the body of Christ to worship God and love others in very unique ways (I Corinthians 12:11-27). Through the spirit, God works within us to do his works of love.

Our individuality to God is priceless. God loves to speak to the heart of an individual. He loves to strengthen  and encourage individuals.  In the Old Testament God spoke to people through others. God speaks to us now through the spirit and through His word. He can still talk to us through others when he needs to, but God prefers to come to each of us.

The 'church' of God is not a building but a collection of those who are tapped in to God. 'Church' can be at home, in school, at a playground, on the beach, in an elevator, even on the telephone, in texts and zooms or just about anywhere those who love God gather. The 'church' lives within and around the hearts of his spiritual sons and daughters.

Know ye not that ye (plural) are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

The groups of people who gathered around God's word at the time of the 1st century were very different from some of what we see in some 'churches' today. Jesus said that where ever 'two or three are gathered in my name' that he would be among them (Matthew 18:20). People in the time of the book of Acts  got together daily. The word was interwoven in their lives and conversation often was in the form of thankfulness. Each person in the community had a unique contribution to each other. When people support, encourage, and remind one another how involved God is in their lives, people absolutely flourish, increase in strength and enjoy life more.  That is what the 'church' is meant to be.

God's View And Our View

God's view is bigger than ours

In the Old Testament, there is a familiar record of the man who owned a coat of many colors. His name was Joseph and he  was a member of a large family.  His father, Jacob, had 12 sons by four mothers.  Family dynamics provided fertile opportunities for sibling rivalry to abound. Joseph was a favorite son and as a result was thrown into a ditch and left to die by his brothers. Could a God who gives all men free-will, stop them? God saved Joseph by another route, since he could not by force the brothers to change their minds. A traveling caravan rescued Joseph and took him to Egypt where he rose to the top becoming the Pharaoh's right-hand man. Joseph, who had the spirit of God working with him was very resourceful in agricultural and economic wisdom to prepare for a future famine that would change the known world at that time.

When the famine eventually came and reached his family back home, they had to find sources of food. They heard that Egypt was doing well and traveled to Egypt for help. They did not know Joseph was alive and prosperous leading Egypt through the crisis. Though several interactions, his family realized who he was and they were thankful for his help. He lovingly responded:

20 But as for you, you meant (weaved) evil against me; but God meant (weaved) it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20

Did God cause his brothers to do evil so that good could come? Did he allow it to happen? People interpret God's role in many different ways.  A closer look at this verse and looking at the word "meant", which is used in verse 20, clarifies what happened. While it is recorded that the brothers devised a plan to get rid of Joseph; we read that God devised a plan and weaved all the circumstances together to produce good. God did not have one thing to do with the evil that was imposed on Joseph.

Strong's Concordance shows this word to be the Hebrew word 'chasab' and they define it as: "A primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate;...."

Many people question the goodness of God when they don't understand the writings of the Old Testament. They discredit the Bible because of misunderstanding. This particular point about the meaning of a word in another language is just one of the ways misinterpretation of the Bible occurs. Other examples of language confusion result from not understanding Hebrew idioms like the 'idiom of permission'. There are also other categories like historical background, oriental culture, or understanding God's point of view versus man's point of view. However when we just sit down and read, we become distinctly aware of how loving God is. Why would the Bible declare so much about the goodness of God? There is no evil in him or darkness or heavy pressure in his love. The Bible does not contradict itself.

God is also the author of freedom.  Free-will choice is a big deal to him. Over and over in the Old Testament, there are stories of men and women who freely chose to walk with God and those who chose otherwise. There are also records of imperfect people who did things that were contrary to God and God continued to help them when they chose to do things that God recommended for their best interest. David is a great example.

God doesn't cause evil! Evil is not omniscient. God has a heavenly view of all things and works things for the good (Romans 8:28) for those who love him and look to him for help. Human nature hasn't changed through the ages, and, more importantly, God hasn't changed. If we see the things going on around us through the media's eyes, politicians or even each other, we lose. Religious opinions will also fool us: 

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Romans 10:2

When people don't humbly look to God for answers things spiral out of control and we miss out on the genuine joy and other fruits of trusting God. Read the rest of chapter 10 of Romans, it is very enlightening to the heart!