Swimming upstream

Have you ever floated down river on a raft?

It can be a very relaxing experience.

As soon as you read that, you probably imagined it.

You probably pictured a gentle current.

The warm sun on your face.

Trees overhead, giving you shade.

Maybe you even imagined the sounds.

The water lapping at the shoreline.

The chirping of birds.

Soothing to think about, isn't it?

You don't have a care in the world.

Everything around you is calm and peaceful.

But then the current picks up.

Everything begins to move by more quickly.

You sit up and hold on to the sides as the current drags you between the large rocks.

You try your best to guide your raft out of harm's way, but truth is, you have very little control over it.

After all, the current is going to take you wherever it pleases.

You're merely going along for the ride.

"Going with the flow," as they say.

Your greatest fear is tipping the boat, so you attempt to ride it out to the best of your ability.

Now, jump out of the raft and attempt to swim back upstream, trying your best to dodge whatever might be heading your way, dragged along by the current.

The waves keep pounding against you with seemingly no end.

You're finding it hard to even catch your breath as you're dragged beneath the surface, trying your very best to reach the top, but you're feeling as though you might just drown. 

You might even cry out for help, feeling as though it's just too much to handle.

This brings up a very different feeling from the previous one, doesn't it?

Maybe you felt your stomach tighten as you pictured it.

Maybe your breathing changed a bit.

It's funny how, even though you weren't floating down a peaceful river or fighting the rushing current, your body reacted as you imagined it.

At first, you felt peace and calm.

Just seconds later, you felt tension.

Truth is, no matter where you might find yourself in life, you're somewhere within those two extremes.

Either things are going well and you're floating down the calm stream, things are not going well and you're fighting through something with all your strength, or you're somewhere in the middle.

That's simply our life experience.

Truth is, whether the battles in your life are real or imagined, you've felt the same physical responses to being faced with them.

But what if - in the midst of all of it - none of it really mattered?

I'm not trying to minimize any stress you might be feeling.

We all go through difficult times, and the way we respond to them is important.

But what if we knew beyond any doubt that someone far more wise and powerful than us was ultimately in control of every single situation we might face?

What if we knew every calm, peaceful day on the river was a gift?

What if we also knew every turbulent, troubling experience we face was also a gift?

What if we knew we had been brought to that place intentionally in order to make us better, stronger, and wiser than we'd be had we not faced them?

What if the only path to a far more beautiful, peaceful, fulfilling place ran directly through the rough waters?

It would change our entire perspective, wouldn't it?

It would give us a true sense of peace and contentment, no matter where we might find ourselves.

This is what a genuine life in Christ leads to.

As Paul said:

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:12-13

Btw, he wrote this while imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel.

He had every reason to complain about his circumstances, but he didn't.

He had been imprisoned for doing everything right.

He had gone where God told him to go.

He had spoken the words God told him to speak.

And yet, there he was.

What made him content - what gave him the secret to being content in any and every situation - was his faith in someone who was ultimately in control.

Christ Himself. 

It's more than likely we'll never find ourselves imprisoned for following Christ.

But how should we view our current struggles, whatever they may be?

As followers of Christ, we need to understand we're there for a reason.

Not our reason.

Not in a way we might wish we'd be.

In the midst of all of it, we can always pray to the God of all things, asking for guidance, wisdom, and direction.

If we do, He will answer.

Maybe not today.

Maybe not tomorrow.

But at some point, He will.

He'll bring us through it, whatever it is.

We're not called to float peacefully down the river.

We're called to swim upstream, in the opposite direction of those who are content in allowing the world to take them for a ride, knowing that God will give us the strength to do so.

Who wouldn't want to live with that kind of assurance?

What do dogs know?

I feel the need to start by saying I am, and always have been, a dog lover.

While I don't have any now, I've had dogs in my home for many years.

I truly love everything about them.

They're faithful, loyal, loving, and are always happy to see you when you walk in the door.

For me, they're just a joy to be around.

We had an interesting experience in our family lately.

A family member brought a dog home.

Seeing as how family is very important, she wanted to ensure her new dog got along with everyone in the family.

In this pursuit, she's invited many people to her home to meet this new addition and see how things went.

From what I've heard, things have gone very well with just one exception.

The dog apparently has an issue with my wife, the matriarch of the family.

She couldn't understand why this animal doesn't seem to like her very much.

But, being around dogs as often as I have been, I have an understanding of why this might be happening.

You see, the moment she saw a picture of it, my wife was afraid of it.

There was just something about the dog's appearance that frightened her.

When they first met, she had that fear in her heart.

Here's the thing about dogs:

They have an uncanny ability to sense fear immediately.

While I'm no expert on the psychological makeup of dogs, I know this:

When they sense fear, they tend to react to it in ways we might wish they didn't.

They can become suspicious, and as a result, can act a bit more aggressively.

This, of course, can lead to even more fear.

This experience got me thinking about the impact of fear in our lives.

How many times, over the course of your lives, has fear caused you to react in ways you wish you hadn't?

How many opportunities have been lost due to fear?

How many times have all of us chosen to not speak up for what we know is right due to the fear of being ridiculed, insulted, or rejected, only to regret not speaking up later?

Fear is an incredibly powerful emotion.

Within our natural "fight or flight" instincts, it can cause us to do the unthinkable as well as allowing the unthinkable to happen to others as we sit idly by, afraid to speak out against it.

No matter the ultimate cause, there's is almost always deep regret felt within us afterward for having those fears.

Whenever fear is mentioned in the Bible, the teaching on it is always negative.

In it, we are told repeatedly, emphatically, to rid ourselves of fear.

The examples of this can be found throughout, and are far too vast and overwhelming to list in their entirety.

It's been stated that the words "fear not" appear 365 times in the Bible.

How odd that there'd be a reason for us not to fear for every day of the year.

Here are just a few examples:

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will withhold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power, of love, and self control." - 2 Timothy 1:7

And in one of the most well known bible verses, we read:

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Of course, all of these verses assume one thing.

They assume we are trusting God, seeking His guidance, wisdom, and direction on a daily basis.

One day at a time.

There's one last thing I feel I should mention.

People can also sense fear in us.

Governments and politicians can sense it, and will often use our own fears against us in an effort to control what we think, do, and say for their own benefit.

They'll use it in an effort to either gain or achieve power over us. 

They'll use it to manipulate us and divide us.

And, of course, the media will do the very same things.

If you find yourself in fear of what's going on in the world around us, in our countries, in our governments, or even in our communities, know this:

There is nothing happening in this world that God isn't aware of.

There is no shift in any balance of power that didn't first pass through His hands.

God is absolutely, positively in control of all things.

No matter how bleak things may appear, everything that has happened in the history of the world, or will happen in the future, will all lead to the ultimate goal of His will being accomplished in our world as well as in our individual lives. 

All we need to do is trust Him.

Checking motives

Why do we do what we do?

What motivates us to do those things on a daily basis?

These questions can obviously cover a wide range of topics.

 - Why do we act the way we do in our marriages?

 - In our families?

 - In our business dealings?

 - In our communities?

 - Within our wide array of relationships?

 - And, of course, on social media?

I've often joked that social media sites such as Facebook, X, TikTok, etc., are public marketplaces where narcissists go to hang. 

We rarely see the realities of everyday life when it comes to the things posted by others.

Instead, what we see tends to be geared more toward how we'd like to be seen by others.

It's been said that depression in younger people can largely be traced back to how they see themselves in comparison to the images seen on a daily basis with regard to those they believe are cooler, prettier, or more famous than them.

Social media influencers reach literally hundreds of millions of people worldwide, 24/7.

But why are we so enamored by them?

Why are they held in such high esteem?

It's because their image, profile, and lifestyle are highly crafted to make them appear to be something they're not.

 - They always look beautiful.

 - They're always visiting beautiful places we'd like to visit.

 - They're always surrounded by other beautiful, successful people.

 - They always appear to be happy and healthy.

We'll never see videos of them waking up with a bad case of stomach flu, stubbing their baby toes on a large piece of furniture as they desperately rush toward a bathroom.

In other words, it's all just smoke and mirrors.

Politicians do the exact same thing.

But going back to my original question, why do we do the things we do?

Is it because we want fame, fortune, acceptance, power, prestige?

If that is the driving force behind any or all of our actions, we're on the wrong page.

I've often said if you want to get a clear picture of your own motivations, look back over your last 20 social media posts. 

 - What do they say about who you are?

 - What do they say about what's important to you?

 - What do they say about how you'd like to be seen by others?

Believe me, I ask these things just as much about myself as I do about others.

From a biblical perspective, our number one motivation in all we say or do should be to show love to others.

In it, we read:

"And now these three things remain - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love."     - 1 Corinthians 13:13

I would challenge you to create a list of three things we can focus our attention upon that would have a greater positive impact upon our own lives, the lives of others, and the world around us.

In all of our thoughts, desires, words, or actions, we should first ask the following:

 - Will doing this inspire faith in others?

 - Will doing this give greater hope to others?

 - Will doing this show love to others?

This is also why the Bible tells us:

"...and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:5

Christ is, above all things, love.

Does this mean we should be constantly wringing our hands in distress, worried that our thoughts or actions might be out of line?

Of course not. 

We are to enjoy life to the fullest.

But in doing so, it's crucial that we make a regular effort to check our motives before speaking or acting.

Social media, relationships, business dealings, and all the trappings of modern society will fade to nothing at at some point.

But "Three things will remain..."

You're here for a reason

Regardless of our background or where we come from, we've all asked ourselves similar questions at some point in our lives.

 - Why am I here?

 - What am I supposed to do with the life I've been given?

 - Why am I alive during this point in history?

 - Why wasn't I born in a different era or even a different country?

 - Why here? Why now?

For every person alive today, there are different answers to all of these questions.

The reason is simple. No two people are exactly the same.

I've collected an enormous amount of tools over the years.

For the most part, they remain in my garage, neatly tucked away until I need them.

Some are similar, but they're all different in certain ways.

There is, of course, one thing they have in common.

When used for their intended purpose, they're all very effective.

If I want to loosen a bolt, I'll use a wrench. 

But even within that application, there are different types of wrenches.

Some are adjustable, and some are fixed sizes.

Some will give me more leverage, and some less.

Regardless of what I might need to accomplish the task at hand, I probably have a tool for it.

It's important, however, to use the proper tool for the job.

I wouldn't use a hammer to tighten a screw any more than I'd use a wrench to drive in a nail - although I have been guilty of attempting to do the latter with often disappointing results.

We, like these many tools, were all created for a specific purpose. 

When called upon by God, we're used in ways that fit perfectly with our original design.

We all have different gifts, talents, skills and abilities wired deeply into who we are.

Have you ever noticed you have an uncanny ability to accomplish various tasks that others find extremely difficult?

Have you ever wondered why others don't have the ability to do these things that seem so elementary for you?

Have you ever responded to questions about how they're so easy for you by saying: "I don't know. I guess I was just born that way?"

Yes, you were.

Yes, there's a reason for this.

A trap we've all fallen into at times is wishing our gifts were different.

We'll see someone else do things we can't and wish we were more like them in that regard.

But what if my hammer wished it was a wrench?

What if it believed it should be a screwdriver?

What if the tools I don't use as often as others refused to leave the toolbox unless they were promised to be used more?

Chaos would ensue.

In the book of Esther, we read the story of a high ranking official who designed a plot to kill all  the Jews in his land.

Esther - a Jew herself and queen at the time - was told about this plot by her cousin, who pleaded with her to speak to the king and ask him to stop this from happening.

But there was a problem. 

Anyone who dared to approach the king in such a way - even the queen - would more than likely be killed on the spot for doing so. 

She resisted at first, not wanting to risk her own life.

She then received the following message from her cousin:

"Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" - Esther 4:13-14

In the end, she did approach the king about this.

She was not killed for doing so, and the lives of the Jewish people were spared as a result.

Here's a very important point:

Esther was not born into royalty.

She was a simple Jewish woman the king brought into his kingdom because he thought she was beautiful and wanted her to be his wife.

I'm certain she never imagined she'd find herself in that situation.

But there she was, in the perfect place, at the perfect time, having been created with the perfect gifts and skills needed to complete the work God had intended her to do long before she was even born.

An interesting side note is her cousin said that - if she didn't act - deliverance would come from someone else.

Just because someone has the perfect skills, at the perfect time, to be used by God in great ways doesn't always mean they'll step up when called upon.

But refusing to do so will mean missing out on the opportunity to be used in amazing ways.

 - This is you.

 - This is me.

 - This is all of us.

We may not ever be involved in such a dramatic story involving the lives of so many others.

We may never have our stories written about and passed along to other generations over thousands of years.

But we are all tools God wants to use.

He might not pull us out of His toolbox every single day.

He won't use us for every type of job.

But when He does call upon us, we can be certain He's already designed us perfectly for the task at hand.

What did God create you to do?

How does He want to show His strength, His wisdom, and His power through you in ways that impact the world around you?

If you don't know, just ask Him. 

Global warming or biblical prophecy?

We've seen it all over the news for many years now.

It dominates discussions by world leaders whenever they meet.

It's difficult to go through a week without hearing someone in the media talk about it.

It's an obsession on both sides of the issue.

People are passionate about it for many reasons - either arguing our world will soon cease to exist or claiming it's all just a hoax.

I'm not here to argue either point, as it would be fruitless to do so.

I do, however, question those who would look to blame mankind for these developments.

We're told storms are becoming more frequent and severe.

We're told crops are failing, causing food shortages and hunger in various places.

We're shown videos of devastating, violent meteorological events occurring all over the world.

It's truly frightening to watch.

We would all agree we'd like it to stop.

No compassionate person wants to see others suffer.

Our hearts break when we hear of someone who's lost everything they own.

But what if I told you this was all predicted thousands of years ago?

What if I told you this is all part of a much larger plan?

What if I said there is a light at the end of this tunnel far more brilliant than anything we've ever experienced?

From the proper perspective, this is very similar to what women experience just before giving birth to a child.

Don't get me wrong. 

I couldn't possibly understand what women experience during labor, but I do know this: What begins with excruciating pain and difficulty on every imaginable level eventually leads to the most wonderful feeling known to mankind.

Holding that newborn baby for the very first time.

How do I make the connection between global warming and childbirth?

I didn't.

Jesus did.

While I'm no scholar on biblical prophecy, I do have enough common sense to see the obvious.

When asked what signs we should look for regarding the end times, Jesus said:

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:6-8

Just the beginning of birth pains...

How do birth pains progress?

They begin with contractions being some time apart and less intense than those coming later.

As the birth of a child draws near, they become far more frequent and intense.

Later, Jesus says:

"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken." Mark 21:25-26

Does any of this sound like what we're seeing going on around us?

I believe it does.

If it's true what we're seeing pertaining to climate change was all predicted in biblical prophecy thousands of years ago, wouldn't it also be true there's nothing we can do to prevent it?

If so, why are so many nations bankrupting themselves by spending trillions of dollars to stop it? 

Why is the topic of conversation always based upon what we're doing to the earth to cause this?

I believe it's being done to distract us from what's actually coming - the glorious return of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

When Jesus was speaking of these things, he wasn't just talking about future events pertaining to the earth.

He was, instead, leading up to his eventual return, saying:

"Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened." Luke 21:32

Again, birth pains...

To some, this might seem like pure insanity.

You may ask how I'd dare to make a connection between some old book and what's happening with the weather in the world today?

However, when we realize these words were written over two thousand years ago in a book that has never once been wrong in it's predictions of what will occur in the future, it might be a good idea to ensure we're prepared. 

So how should we prepare?

Pray.

Ask God to speak to your heart on these things.

Ask Him to teach you what you need to know.

If you do, He will.

Things will seemingly star popping up out of nowhere. 

You'll hear people saying things that all appear to be somehow connected.

It just happens. 

You don't need to fully understand it when it does.

You only need to trust Him with whatever He gives you for this day. 

Want to change the world? Love your wife

Allow me to begin by saying there are truths here regardless of your marital status. 

They can be applied to many other relationships, no matter what they are.

We talk about love all the time. 

Odds are every one of us uses the word on a daily basis.

So much, in fact, it loses its meaning.

We say we love various foods.

We love music.

We love our homes.

We love our families.

We love our cars.

We even say we love a certain pair of shoes.

But what is genuine love as it was intended to be?

How should it be expressed?

There are some who would insist it means to applaud another person's beliefs, words, and actions, even if they are different from ours.

There are some who believe it's all about acceptance.

After all, they'll say, your truth is your truth, and mine is mine.

Well, math is absolute truth.

If you choose to live in a world where your truth means 2 + 2 = 5, and I choose to live in a world where my truth is 2 + 2 = 4, suffice it to say my world will contain superior construction. 

So, what about love?

What is sincere, genuine love, and how should it be expressed?

The apostle Paul writes the following:

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians - 4:31-32.

Living this way toward others must become both a decision and a commitment.

This isn't a one-time occurrence.

It is a mindset we adhere to, sometimes on an hour by hour basis depending upon who we're dealing with.

If we reach a point where we've been able to do so, we're only at the starting gate.

Only from that foundation are we able to show true, sincere love to others.

The key part of the scripture above is "...forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

This carries over into Paul's advice on how husbands are to treat their wives.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." - Ephesians 5:25-27

That, my friends, is true, genuine, sincere love.

What wife wouldn't want to be loved like that?

What human being wouldn't want to be loved like that?

So, you might ask, how would doing so change the world?

Simple.

A wife, knowing she is loved to that extent, will naturally feel empowered to become everything God created her to be. 

She will not feel worthless, neglected, or beaten down.

She will instead feel strong, capable, and adored.

As a result, their children will witness the love shown between their mother and father, and they will want the same for themselves.

Friends will see it.

Neighbors will see it.

Communities will see it.

They may not even fully understand where it came from, but they'll know its there.

The best part is you don't need to be married to show that kind of love to others, and just as is true within a Godly marriage, people will notice.

People will want that for themselves.

They will want that for their families.

They will want that for their communities.

They will want that for their countries.

Finally, they will want that for their world.

Judging others at their worst

One of the most difficult things to do is to forgive others.

I'm not speaking of shrugging our shoulders and disregarding their wrong actions.

I'm talking about truly forgiving them.

When we think of how others have wronged us in the past, its easy to place them under judgment.

Instead of our focus being on their few sins against us, we can condemn them in their entirety.

We can view them as simply being bad people, undeserving of any form of redemption.

They don't even need to sin against us.

They can sin against someone else.

They can sin in lifestyles, beliefs, or generalities - ways that don't necessarily impact us personally, but instead impact what we see as society as a whole.

Many times, we don't even need to witness the sins in question.

We can simply hear about a sin they're guilty of through others.

We can hear it through gossip, rumors, social media, or many other sources.

But before we begin to judge others, we need to ask ourselves a question:

 - Have we ever been guilty of sinning against others?

 - Have we ever been guilty of sinning in our lifestyles, beliefs, or generalities?

Of course we have.

Maybe not to the extent others have, but also to more of an extent than others.

The apostle John wrote:

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:8-10

In recent years, we've seen an enormous uptick it what I'd consider judgment from the masses.

People are cancelled.

People are doxxed. 

People have their entire lives and careers destroyed - often by others they've never met.

What if someone judged your entire existence based upon one horrible decision you've made?

What if they decided to choose the worst thing you've ever done, and judged your entire character - your entire worth as a human being based upon it?

But we tend to lean that direction when it comes to the sins of others, don't we?

I'm not talking about using rational judgment when it comes to who we'd prefer to stay clear of.

There will never be a shortage of very dangerous people in this world.

That's just common sense.

What I'm speaking of is a general rush to condemn others we believe have committed worse sins than ours, or more of them. 

There's one major problem with this approach. 

We're all sinners.

Every last one of us. 

Believing we're better than others in this regard is the height of hypocrisy.

In Ephesians, Paul wrote:

"For by grace you are saved through faith. And this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

We're not saved due to our own good works.

How, then, can we feel justified in condemning others for acts we consider "less good?"

We simply can't. 

If anyone sins against us, the healthiest thing we can do is to forgive them and move on.

Doing so protects us from harboring anger and resentment. 

A very wise man once compared holding onto these feelings to drinking poison, hoping the other person will die. 

The Lord's Prayer says "...forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."

Just as it's true about the Lord forgiving us, forgiving others is a daily occurrence. 

It's also one that will bring more peace into the lives of everyone involved.

Couldn't we all use a little more peace in our lives?

Are you afraid of the end?

We've all seen it happen many times.

Most of us have suffered through it.

A relationship seemingly full of promise at the beginning crashes to the ground far too soon.

Words can be difficult to find when this happens to someone we love.

They can also be impossible to aptly express when it happens to us. 

A wide variety of memories we once thought of as beautiful can become nothing more than painful reminders of how deceptive life can be.

Many times, we see it coming long before it happens.

There are countless signs we either miss entirely or simply choose to ignore.

Had we been given the opportunity to see into the future even for just a moment, maybe we would've done things differently.

Then again, maybe we wouldn't.

Maybe there still would've been things we loved very much about that relationship.

Things we loved enough to give up on the idea we'd find something better.

Something happier.

Something healthier.

Maybe our pride would've been too much for us to admit we were wrong at the very start.

Maybe, deep down inside, we didn't believe we deserved better.

This happens quite often within abusive relationships.

The abusive person convinces the abused they're not worthy.

Not all at once, mind you.

This will usually happen over time with the abused suffering apparently minor blows again and again.

These can be emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual in nature.

They can be all of the above.

The most common reason people who are abused stay in those relationships is fear.

 - Fear of more abuse.

 - Fear of being publicly humiliated.

 - Fear of financial desperation.

 - Fear of the unknown.

This is how life and the world around us can treat us.

We can find ourselves holding tightly to the life we have simply because we're blind to the possibility of finding a better life.

 - A beautiful life

 - A meaningful life

 - A life far beyond anything we imagined possible

 - A perfect life

No, I'm not suggesting that anyone is capable of living a perfect life.

Not here on earth, that is.

Not in our current form

We are, however, as followers of Christ, promised a glorious, beautiful, unimaginable life once this life comes to an end.

It won't be even remotely similar to the bad relationships we once thought were everything only to be greatly disappointed.

In fact, it will be the exact opposite.

As wonderful, amazing, and beautiful we may think it will be, we're not even close. 

But as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." - 1 Corinthians 2:9

But this is not only speaking of the afterlife.

This also applies to the life we're living right now.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Luke 11:11-13

So, if all of this is true - which it is - what keeps us from asking?

The answer is simple.

Fear.

 - Fear of change.

 - Fear of the unknown.

 - Fear of receiving what the world has always given us.

 - Fear of being disappointed like we have been through bad prior relationships.

Fear comes in countless forms.

But what overcomes fear?

Faith. 

Faith in all of the following:

 - We can be forgiven for any shortcomings we may have.

 - We can trust in the one who created all things.

 - If we ask, He will answer.

 - We will not be abused by Him the way others, and the world, have abused us in the past.

 - We can embrace the end, no matter what it means, as not just an end, but a new beginning. 

It doesn't take an extraordinary amount of faith to get things started.

It only takes enough faith to ask. 

It all begins with that first prayer.

Why not start now?

Do you have faith in your government?

There are many different forms of government in our world today.

Some are obviously better than others for a variety of reasons.

I'm not here to debate which form is best.

With every form of governance in place, there are both proponents and detractors, largely due to the experiences of those living under each regime.

In many cases, it's not the form of government people tend to oppose, but rather the political leaders controlling it. 

People don't like being lied to or manipulated by their officials.

Sadly, this appears to be happening more often than not regardless of where you're from.

Why?

Because all of these leaders, at their core, are merely human.

Power and control can be a very strong elixir. 

The harder someone works to gain these things, the less willing they are to give them up.

This can lead people to do some horrible things, believing that doing so will serve the common good.

My point here is not to shame government officials or condemn whatever form of governance they choose.

It is instead to ask one simple question:

Do you have faith in your government?

If so, why?

If not, why?

Have you ever found yourself eagerly anticipating a regime change only to end up horribly disappointed by the results of those changes?

I know I have.

So why do we repeat the same cycle time and time again even though we've been through it before?

Because we're putting our faith in the wrong things.

As Christians, we need to take a step back and realize where our true citizenship really lies.

No matter what country we live in, and no matter what form of governance we're under, we belong to Christ's kingdom first and foremost.

Does this mean we should disregard the laws our country puts in place?

Not at all.

Doing so could result in being jailed or even worse.

We should all obey the law to the best of our ability - with just one caveat:

If any law forbids us to practice or share our faith, it should be considered irrelevant.

Why?

Because we belong first to God's kingdom.

We are citizens of a kingdom above all others which has the power to remove or replace any government or political leader at a moment's notice, no matter how powerful they appear to be.

We are called to "...seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness..."

Moreover, we're also taught that God himself decides who will lead the nations.

In Romans, Paul says the following:

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended." - Romans 13:1-3

Of course, this is the same Paul who was arrested, jailed, and killed for sharing his faith in Jesus. 

So, you see, there is a line drawn here.

Paul obeyed his government in all things until that government forbade him from teaching the gospel and sharing his faith with others.

His faith was not in the government.

His faith, first and foremost, was in Christ.

We need to have the same mindset.

No matter how dark things may appear, God is ultimately, completely, decisively in control. 

He always has been, he is now, and he always will be. 

If our faith is firmly grounded in him, and our first citizenship is in his kingdom, we can trust he will never fail or abandon us. 

Okay, I'm a Christian. Now what?

People all over the world make the decision to follow Christ on a daily basis.

After making that decision, they are often faced with the same question.

Now what?

They know their lives have just changed.

They know their entire focus has shifted.

What troubles them is in knowing what to do next.

A number of years ago, I earned a degree in culinary arts.

I did so because I love cooking for others, and to be honest, I also love eating good food.

It was a great experience for me.

I learned more about food and how to prepare it properly than I had learned over decades of cooking at home.

I also learned quite a bit about how to cook safely, avoiding contamination that could lead to making myself and others ill.

When I walked off of that stage, diploma in hand, I was very aware of two things:

 - It was a great feeling of accomplishment

 - It was also only the beginning

Had I walked away from that school with my degree and never cooked again, what good would that have done anyone?

What if I only practiced the basics and never attempted to learn more?

Naturally, I would stagnate.

While nobody would be able to take that degree away from me, I would miss out on any benefit I might experience had I pushed myself to learn more and to hone my craft.

The Christian faith works very much the same way.

Although we can take no credit for being given that faith, it still feels like a bit of an accomplishment.

We've made a decision that nobody can ever take away from us.

And yet, it's only the beginning.

Even though I have a degree that says I know how to cook, I still follow recipes.

 - I still own cookbooks, and I continue to buy more

 - I still watch cooking shows

 - I'll continually try to learn more from chefs who have far more experience than I

 - I understand that I can learn just as much from someone who's also still learning as I can from a seasoned chef.

All it takes is to maintain a desire to get better

There are countless resources out there that can help us to grow in our faith.

We have opportunities - on a daily basis - to learn from others on how we can move forward.

Some teachers are very good.

Some, well, not so much.

But we can even learn much from the bad ones, as their teachings will eventually fall apart.

After all, if we follow a few recipes published by a bad cook, we'll know they're bad as soon as we taste what we've prepared.

Most importantly, we have three unfailing resources that will never steer us wrong.

 - Jesus, who gave us a clear example of how to live and treat others

 - The Holy Spirit, who teaches us truths we can feel down to our very souls

 - The Bible - or in other words, the ultimate cookbook.

Making a commitment to Christ is not a one time event, it's a lifelong pursuit.

We will never be perfect in this.

The goal is to become more like Christ one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time.

It would be easy to become overwhelmed at the thought of committing the rest of our natural lives to anything, but that's not how we're supposed to look at it. 

In the Lord's Prayer, we ask "give us this day our daily bread."

This is part of what that's all about.

We don't ask "make me perfect right now and for the rest of my life."

We're asking to be given what we need for now.

 - for this day

 - for this moment

While speaking about the needs any of us may face in the future, Jesus himself said:

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:33-34

How much time have we all spent worrying about tomorrow?

Far more than we'd care to admit.

So, now what?

Seek first His kingdom, one day at a time, and let tomorrow worry about itself.

How do I know I'll end up in heaven?

Please bear with me as I begin with a short story.

A young man was contemplating what he wanted to do with his life.

He thought about a career path he'd like to pursue, what he'd like to accomplish, and what kind of person he'd like to be.

He believed becoming a doctor would eventually lead to "the good life" he yearned for.

 - It would allow him to become wealthy, respected, and admired in the eyes of his community.

 - It would allow him to help others - even the most needy - who would have no ability to repay him.

In short, it would give him the opportunity to experience the joy of leading a life well lived.

Of course, this would require him to attend many years of college, maintain a respectable GPA, and remain committed to his career path during some very difficult internships.

It would require him to let go of that which he considered less important to focus upon the more.

And then there was the expense...

 - Being of meager means, he saw no way he could afford the high cost of tuition.

 - There would be student loans he'd have to repay for many years, assuming he'd be approved for them in the first place.

 - There would be countless evenings and weekends of hard work and struggle in place of hanging out with his friends.

Feeling an overwhelming sense of discouragement, he decided it would be best to give up on this dream.

The more he considered the cost, the more impossible it seemed.

He believed it would be more practical to merely focus on his work as an employee at the local hardware store.

Maybe, he thought, if he worked hard and long enough, he could work his way up the company ladder and eventually carve out a decent living for himself.

One day, as he was making his rounds, a well-known physician approached him. 

This was no ordinary physician.

Those who knew him well considered him to be the best of the best. 

"I've heard around town that you've been considering going to medical school," the good doctor said quietly.

"Oh...yeah," the young man replied hesitantly, surprised that he'd spark up a conversation with him. 

"I was, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, it just doesn't seem very practical. I mean, to begin with, it would take years of college I can't afford and, to be honest, I don't even know if I'm smart enough."

"Nonsense!" the doctor blurted out.

"That's easy for you to say," the young man replied. "You've already done all of that."

The doctor stepped back for a moment, giving the young man's dilemma some thought.

"What if we tried this?" he said.

"I have every medical degree I've ever wanted. I have a very successful practice, and over the years, I've experienced more in the medical field than you can imagine."

"Yeah, so?" the young man replied, thinking the doctor was a little full of himself.

"What if you quit your job right now, and come with me to my office?" the doctor said with a smile.

"Why would I do that?"

"Simple," the doctor replied. "I'll have you sit in my office with me, and when patients come in, I'll tell them to direct all of their questions and concerns to you."

"That's insane!" the young man replied. "I don't know the first thing about medicine!"

"Don't worry. I'll be with you the whole time, and I'll tell you what to say."

As crazy as all of this seemed to be, the young man took him up on his offer. He immediately quit his job and began working for him the same day.

He didn't give much thought to what might be asked of him the next day, the next month, or the next year. 

He simply took one patient at a time, one day at a time, and kept his eyes on the doctor for guidance.

Over the years, the young man treated thousands of patients. 

 - He performed countless surgeries

 - He helped people he never knew, many of whom being unable to repay him

 - He became well respected in his community

 - He was eventually awarded many honorary degrees, including doctorates

 - He was able to afford a beautiful home and provide for his family

And all that was asked of him was to trust the doctor.

It made no difference where he had come from or how many mistakes he had made in life.

Faith was the only requirement.

This is exactly how salvation works.

The very moment we turn our eyes to Jesus, trusting him with all we are, we are immediately promised eternity with him. 

It doesn't matter where we came from.

It doesn't matter what we've done in the past.

It doesn't matter what talents or abilities we have.

No matter how hard we try, we can't earn our way there.

Evidence of this can be found in the story of the thief on the cross who turned to Jesus before he died.

After hearing the other criminal with them insult Jesus, he said:

"We are being punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. 

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:41-43

This man wasn't asked to go back and correct all of the wrongs he had done. 

He wasn't asked to jump through any hoops.

There were no conditions.

He simply believed.

As was the case with the young man and the doctor, there would be no place for pride or arrogance.

There would only be thankfulness for all he'd been given, and what he had been given far exceeded anything he could've dreamed of.

Not to be misunderstood, I'm not talking about material wealth, fame, or notoriety. 

I'm talking about a life, and an eternity, that will be far greater than anything you could imagine.

Right where you sit at this very moment can be the place and time where all of this can be given to you. 

There doesn't need to be any bold pronouncements or steps that must be taken before accepting it. 

Just say this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I believe you are the son of God. I know I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. Thank you for dying in my place so I might be saved. I ask that you would forgive my sins and that you would guide and direct me. Please help me to follow you to the best of my ability for the rest of my days. 

If you just prayed that prayer, congratulations! You now have a seat reserved for you in heaven. 

How do I know this? From Jesus' own words:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7

 

Is Child Sacrifice Alive and Well?

We've heard horrific stories of ancient civilizations involved in child sacrifice.

So much so, in fact, we'd rather not think about them.

We can't help to wonder why any civilization, no matter how ancient or uneducated, would consider doing such things.

The reasoning behind such practices vary to some degree, but there seems to be an underlying theme.

At its core, those involved in such practices believed they'd benefit from doing so.

The Aztec people, for example, believed that doing so would bring favor upon them from their god, both individually and as a society.

Being pleased with their offerings, he would bring them health and wealth.

Looking back, most of us would agree that believing these things is not only shortsighted and ignorant, but would be considered evil.

Who believes sacrificing children would lead to positive results?

My friends, we're not far removed from these beliefs.

According to the W.H.O.,  there are approximately 73 million abortions worldwide every year.

73 million...annually.

While the reasons behind these abortions can vary, the overwhelming majority would fall under a "health and wealth" umbrella, as vague as that definition may be.

Sound familiar?

We've heard the arguments:

 - I can't afford to have a child right now

 - The financial burden of doing so would be overwhelming

 - Having a child would negatively impact my career

 - I don't want to experience the physical toll this would take on my body

 - I'm not ready for this emotionally

Of course, I'm not speaking about those cases where rape, incest, or a very real threat to the life of the expectant mother is involved.

But again, those cases are extremely rare in comparison to the reasons listed above.

For those who would argue it's not really a baby - its just a fetus - I would refer to what God, the giver of life, has to say about this.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, where as yet there was none of them."

                                                                                      King David - Psalm 139:13-16

We have the choice to either believe these words.

We can chose to believe that, since King David lived from 1035 - 970 B.C., he clearly didn't have the scientific knowledge we now have.

But he sought whatever knowledge he had from the Creator of all things.

Not believing it to be true doesn't make it any less true.

In conclusion, I would like to make two important points.

 - The expectant fathers of these children are every bit as responsible for the child as the mother.

 - Those who firmly believe that abortion is wrong should do whatever they can to help those who might struggle with the expense and responsibilities of raising a child.

We don't live in a moral vacuum that allows us to suggest that others do what we believe to be right without coming alongside them with help and encouragement.

We are called to love others, not condemn them.

Is Jesus a liberal or a conservative?

The more we scroll through social media posts, the more we see it:

    People who claim Jesus must be in favor of one political bent or the other. 

Oh, they'll give ample reasons for why they believe so, and many of their conclusions may make sense on the surface.

It's only when we dig a little deeper that these arguments fall apart. 

They'll state emphatically that Jesus would never associate with people who do this or that.

They'll insist, since he would never be a part of such things, he must instead be in support their party of choice.

But here's the problem...

    Jesus doesn't have a political affiliation.

    Jesus is simply Jesus, and he stands far above any of that.

To catch a brief glimpse into the heart of his earthly ministry, we have to ask the following questions:

    Who did Jesus spend time with?

    Who did he reach out to?

He was regularly criticized by the leaders of the church due to the company he kept.

In Mark 2:15-22, we read:

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

In fact, he chose a diverse group of disciples, guilty of committing various sins. 

    Pick your sin.

    It doesn't matter which one. 

It can be the reason we believe someone else is unworthy of salvation. 

Here's the problem...

    We are all unworthy.

    Every last one of us.

From the guy in the back corner of the bar, to the well-dressed couple in the front row at church. 

    We are all saved by grace, and grace alone. 

A very wise man once said when we get to heaven, we'll probably be shocked at who we see there...

    And who we don't. 

We can feel justified in condemning an entire group of people simply due to their party affiliation - this is absolute arrogance. 

    Jesus never once played politics, and neither should we. 

    He came to save, not to condemn. 

    We should strive to have the same mindset.

Within any political party, no matter how liberal or conservative, we don't have to look very hard to find people guilty of horrible things. 

    But we're not called to point out the sins of others. 

    That's easy. 

We're called to recognize, confess, and repent for sins we find in ourselves.

    It doesn't matter which political party we choose.

We're all sinners who, given the right set of circumstances, are capable of committing terrible acts.

Am I suggesting we ignore the horrendous things we see going on within political parties?

    Not at all. 

We need to show wisdom when making these choices and cast our ballots based upon our personal convictions.

But it really comes down to this:

    Do we want to make this a better world?

    Of course we do.

The best way to begin, is for each of us to try to be better ourselves.

So, in answer to the question: "Is Jesus a liberal or a conservative?"

    The answer is no...

Living Right Side Up in an Upside-down World

Have you found yourself looking at the world lately, feeling as though you don't even recognize it?

It's happened to me quite a bit.

Things have just changed. 

We've all seen the headlines coming at us day after day - a barrage of news flashes explaining stories we once believed unthinkable. 

It's as though the world we once knew has somehow been replaced by one from another realm.

There's a very good reason for this.

It has.

Not entirely just yet, but significantly. 

With every new development, it changes a little more.

Being honest with yourself, do you feel as though it has changed for the better?

I, for one, do not.  

I don't believe any of us would disagree that we've all witnessed these dramatic changes, but we might disagree as to why this is happening. 

Suffice it to say that the world we all once knew will never again return. 

Do I say this because I'm some brilliant historian or claim to have immense psychic abilities? 

Not even close.

I say these things because they were written about thousands of years ago, and the ones who wrote about it have a pretty remarkable track record when predicting what would happen in the future.

Perfect, in fact.

In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul writes:

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power."

If you were to compare these words with what we're seeing in the world today, do you see any similarities? 

Do you see these attitudes in our politics, our media, our schools, our entertainment, and yes, even in some of our churches?

Do you see them at the core of many social issues we're being forced to accept as "normal" while knowing in our hearts that they are not?

All of these things are the absolute antithesis of what Jesus teaches us we should do, who we should be, or how we should act.

So, what are we to do with all of this?

The answer is very simple...

On a very personal level, we all need to get back to the basics. 

The main reason the world feels so upside down to most of us is because our world has gone to war against the Christian morals, beliefs, and teachings we used to accept as the bedrock of society.

What was once viewed in the public square as good, right, just, and true has been replaced by the immoral and depraved.

Our world has truly reached the turning point where evil is now called good and good is called evil. 

But we are powerless over what the world does. 

The only thing we have control over is what we decide to focus upon with our own lives, in our own hearts, and our own minds.

Do we trust the world to teach us right from wrong, good from evil, or truth from lies, or do we look to Jesus to teach us these things?

Which path will do more good to the world around us, and which will do more harm?

For me, personally, I know which path I'll follow. 

No good deed will go unpunished

 Have you ever found yourself in big trouble for doing good things?

I mean, there are so many good things out there we can do which, for the most part, can go completely unnoticed...

We can be honest...

We can be trustworthy...

We can be faithful to our husbands or wives...

We can provide food and shelter for the hungry and homeless...

We can protect our friends, families, neighbors, etc., 

We can show love and respect to others, even if they're complete strangers...

We can work hard, day in and day out...

We can avoid killing other people...

Doing these things on a daily basis should be no reason for anyone to think less of us, right?

So why is it that when a normal, ordinary individual states that he or she has decided to follow Jesus, who taught us to live by these standards, they're met with insults and ridicule?

Why do they suddenly find that others who don't share their beliefs are now watching them very closely, waiting for them to screw up so they can jump up and say "See??? I knew it was all fake!! And you call yourself a Christian!!"

This, of course, makes about as much sense as seeing someone who decides to learn how to play a musical instrument mess up a chord and jumping up to say "See??? I knew it was all fake!! And you call yourself a musician!!"

 I have a theory...

When someone claims that they're now a Christian, those who know them can tend to think about what that means for them, not the Christian. 

It's as if, by making that bold move, the new Christian will begin to hold expectations about how others should live their lives. 

It also holds that any non-believer who spends time around a Christian will have a nagging feeling about what all of that might mean for them. It can unearth the fear of "Well, if that's really what God wants from us, where do I stand?"

That can lead them to the conclusion that this new Christian is now putting themselves in a position of judgement over them. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. 

If anything, the very basis of why they've come to this decision was coming to a place spiritually where they began to judge their own behavior, their own lives, their own spirituality, and decided that they wanted more.

While there are times when we can all get ahead of ourselves, every truly sincere person who turns to Christ does so because they feel an intense need to draw near to God. 

That's all. Nothing else.

That decision had absolutely nothing to do with anyone else. 

If you've decided to turn your life over to Christ and you're starting to feel some pushback from the people in your lives who disagree with your decision to do so, don't be alarmed. As Jesus himself said:

"Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ ^b If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." - John 15:20