SHE SAYS: Refreshing!

As these hot days drag on, may the truth of these verses refresh our souls:

"The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them righteous."

Psalm 19:7-9

 

HE SAYS: So, You Think You Want to be Like Jesus?

Most nights when we go to the YMCA to exercise, a certain television show is on one of the screens.  It is called “So, You think you can Dance?”  I will reserve my opinion of the show.  Also, we have been studying the book Radical, by David  Platt.  My brain somehow put these two together.

If you want to be like Jesus, please consider the following scripture:

a)      They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.

b)      When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

c)       At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

d)      Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,

e)      When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

f)       and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.

g)      Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.

h)      Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.

i)        And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

j)        When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.

All References are New International Version.

a)      Luke 4:29 (NIV)

b)      Mark 3:21

c)       John 8:59

d)      John 10:31

e)      Matthew 2:13

f)       Matthew 26:4

g)      Luke 19:47

h)      Mark 15:19a

i)        Mark 3:22

j)        Luke 23:33

HE SAYS: The Lesson of the Mockingbird

I arrived at work yesterday in a bad mood.  As I walked into the building, the only thoughts on my mind were negative, defeating, and critical.  Then, I heard the mockingbird.  He was perched on the top rung of a roof access ladder on the side of the building, and he was singing non-stop.  Occasionally, his joy would overflow, and he couldn’t sit still.  He would fly up into the breeze and float back to his perch, never pausing a moment in his song.

I stood and watched for a minute.  His joy was contagious.  I walked away saying to the Lord, “Point taken!”

We are called to proclaim the love of Christ to the world.  We are called to be a light in darkness.  We cannot however, expect our witness to be welcomed with open arms.  I met a woman who hated mockingbirds.  I was surprised to hear her statement, so I asked her why.  Her simple response was, “They never shut-up!”

This animosity toward joy is not only directed at mockingbirds.  I was surfing YouTube the other day, and came across a Jim Carrey standup comedy video.  In his routine, he makes the statement, “I want to be one of those gospel singers on the PTL club.  Those guys are just happy no matter what.”  He crudely parodies a couple of gospel singers and complains about happy people.  He postulates that happy people are so annoying that people will “tunnel under the street” to avoid them.  He then explains his frustration with the statement, “Of course, if I wanted to be that happy, I would have to forget all my problems…and the only time I forget all my problems is when I'm right smack-dab in the middle of a…” moment of peak physical pleasure with another partner.  (I paraphrased the last part at Sharon’s request.)

I’m sure Mr. Carrey’s statement is mostly intended for the shock effect of comedy.  Regardless, he helped me understand why some people despise joyful people.  When something you desire with your soul is impossibly out of your reach, people who have obtained it are a painful reminder of your unfulfilled yearning.

So, why are Christians so joyful?  How can we truthfully be that happy?

John 15:11 (NIV)”I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. “

John 16:22 (NIV)”So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

Acts 8:7-8 (NIV)”For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.  So there was great joy in that city.”

1 Peter 1:8 (NIV)”Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,“

Our joy is inexpressible and unexplainable, because it is a miraculous gift from God.  Alleluia!

She Says: Take the Ultimate Taste Test

Most of us take our ability to taste for granted, yet what a wonderful gift the Lord has given us to experience flavors that range from sweet to salty, sour to bitter. 

Around 350 BC, Aristotle postulated that the two most basic tastes were sweet and bitter. Much study has been given to how the tastebuds work and how other senses like smell and touch (texture) impact the perception of taste.  All basic tastes are classified as appetitive or aversive.

People are most sensitive to bitter tastes.  Bitterness is often perceived as unpleasant, disagreeable, or sharp.  The intense reaction of most people to bitterness makes it a great deterrant.  In 1958, researchers discovered that denatonium, a synthetic chemical was the most bitter substance known.  Because of its aversive characteristics, it is commonly added to toxic substances to prevent accidental ingestion.

On the other hand, many people derive a pleasurable sensation when they eat sugars and other substances that are classified as sweet tasting.  Think about some of the best food memories you have, I bet there were some sweet ones! 

In Psalm 34, we are invited to participate in a taste test like no other.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8

If you've never experienced the Lord, I challenge you to take this "Ultimate Taste Test".  To get started, I suggest you ask God to remove the blindfold (only He can). Next, open your heart to Him and ask Him to pour Himself into you and show you who He is.  If you have a Bible, begin reading it.  Psalm 119 describes what God's Word is like:

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"   Psalm 119:103

There is a very interesting parable in Isaiah 5:1-7 about God and His Vineyard (House of Israel).  God took every effort to provide His people with all the care, protection and provision that they would ever need (A sweet deal, don't you think?).  However, in verse 4 He ponders: 

“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?

Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

Has God given you care, protection and provision?  I know that He has for me, but what has it produced in us? 

The passage goes on to proclaim how God turns the House of Israel over to their own destruction (a bitter ordeal to say the least) and announces woes on those who reject His goodness, truth, sweetness and wisdom.  Here are some of His reasons for doing so:

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!" Isaiah 5:20-21

And yet, in verse 25, His hand is still held out to them.  God does not want any to perish.  He exhibits this again when He pleads with the people through the prophet Ezekiel:

Say to them, ‘ As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’ Ezekiel 33:11

These people created their own relative truth, their own understanding, their own standard of goodness, and their own wisdom and the Sovereign Lord deemed them wicked.  There is little difference in 2012, and it is my prayer that God teaches me (and you) His truth, His holiness, and His wisdom.  This same God is still the Master of the Vineyard and in His infinite love and mercy He pleads with us to "Wake Up, Turn Back, Taste and See that I am Good."  Take refuge in the Lord and He promises you Eternal Life.

HE SAYS: How NOT to entertain yourself.

We threw out our television about 5 years ago because of the lack of anything worth watching.  We occasionally watch a video in the evening in the hopes of a story which enlightens, uplifts, or instructs.  We are often disappointed.

Last night, we watched two videos.  The first was a G rated Disney movie titled:  “The Princess of Thieves”.  The second video was for after Chelsea went to bed.  It was an R rated survival adventure titled: “The Grey”.

The princess of thieves was the supposed illegitimate daughter of Robin Hood and Maid Marion.  It was a marginally entertaining and somewhat predictable Disney story.  As usual, the story sought to teach our daughters that they can never be truly happy unless they are a man.  Ugh!  Of course, the flip-side of that message is that our sons can never be a real man unless they are feminized.  The story contained some good examples of forgiveness and sacrifice for greater good, but the overt message of female masculinity ruined the story for me.

The second video was the more disappointing of the two.  We are seeing more and more movies where the language is blatantly crude and offensive, and “The Grey” was an excellent case study.  The foul language was so pervasive, I threatened to watch the movie again just to count the instances of blasphemy, and the number of times the words f**k and s**t were used.

The title of the movie should be “Wolves’ Revenge”.  The body of the story is dedicated to a pack of wolves dominating a group of men, the leader of whom is a professional wolf hunter hired by the petroleum company which employs all the characters.  The script is realistic and believable. (don’t read this next part if you want to watch the video, because I’m giving away the ending!) However, this movie is presented as a survival adventure, but there are no survivors.  This part really disappointed me.

(Ok you can start reading again)

In my humble opinion, the only redeeming quality of this story is its accurate portrayal of the hopeless condition of lost humans .  God and faith are discussed several times in the movie, and some of the characters proclaim to have faith in God.  Others, especially Liam Neeson’s character, Ottway, are irreligious.  The movie openly embraces the idea of a supernatural connection with the souls of other people, but rejects the idea of a supernatural creator who controls our universe.  In one of the final scenes of the movie, the lead character, John Ottway, played by Liam Neeson is near death.  In his frustration and fear, he cries out in anger to God.  He curses at God and demands a sign, but his plea is met with an ominous silence.  He finally says, and I am paraphrasing, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

The words of Jesus in response to a demand for a sign came to my mind:

As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here. Luke 11:29-32  (NIV)

HE SAYS: Who’s your Boss?

I was frustrated and complaining today about some events at work, and my colleague threw my words, from a couple of months ago, back in my face.  He said, with an inscrutable smile, “A wise man once told me that he doesn’t worry about that stuff because he knows who his boss is.”  The wise man part was obviously tongue-in-cheek, but I needed to hear those words.

The reason for my frustration was because I had spent the week trying to make my boss successful.  Then, events conspired to negate everything I had been working on.  Any smart employee works to make his/her boss successful, but who really is the boss?

I think Jesus’ intent was clear in these verses:

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

This passage is known as the Great Commission, and I can think of no one for whom I would rather work.

HE SAYS: Who is Jesus?

This is the question which has troubled humankind for 21 centuries.

I won’t go to the trouble to list all the guesses which have been made in an attempt to answer this question.  I call them guesses for an important reason.  When one reads what the bible says about Jesus, one can only arrive at one answer:

Jesus was God in human flesh.

Sharon spent the better part of last week writing a letter which answered the question “Who is Jesus?”.  She did not spend so much time because she struggled to find evidence.  Her struggle was with what evidence to not mention in order to keep the letter a reasonable length.  She commented in frustration one evening, “I don’t know how I read the bible for so many years and did not understand the deity of Christ.  The bible is full of verses which proclaim Jesus to be God.”

My experience was the same, and only spiritual blindness can explain our inability to see and understand.

This problem is not new, and it is not limited.

I had never heard Billy Graham speak, so I played one of his sermons on YouTube.  The title of the sermon was: Who is Jesus, hence the title of my post.  In his sermon, Billy mentioned some of the common mistaken beliefs about Jesus which were prevalent at that time (1971).  I was struck by the similarities of the confusions about Jesus then and now.

He mentioned the rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar.  In one of the final songs, the choir sings these lyrics:

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ

Who are you? What have you sacrificed?

Jesus Christ Superstar

Do you think you're what they say you are?

The real question is not for God.  The question is for humans: “Jesus Christ, do you think he is who he says he is?”

 Jesus was very clear about who he is.  His Jewish opponents had no trouble understanding his claims.  They just could not believe.

John 8:58-59 (NIV) “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”  At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 10:29-33  (NIV) "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”  Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

HE SAYS: Who is my neighbor?

We volunteered to help do some yard work for people in desperate need this week end.  We were not told where we were going until we arrived at church.  I was surprised to learn that we were going to a middle-class neighborhood in the middle of town.

When we arrived at the house and I saw the cluttered and trashy condition of the property, my first, self-righteous reaction was: “What a slob!”

Then we knocked on the front door, and the people of the house were not even dressed yet.

“Lazy!”  I thought to myself.

The back yard needed about an hour of intense work from our group.  About 10 minutes after we started, the “man of the house” came outside.  He was wearing a pair of exercise shorts and nothing else.  His belly looked like he was in his 5^th trimester, and he had a huge open-heart-surgery scar running down his chest.

Once again, my thoughts were judgmental.

The lady of the house came outside a few minutes before we finished, and we were all gathered around them.  One of our pastors asked if we could pray for them, and if there was anything specific for which they needed prayer.

They reluctantly shared their story.  It was not a feel-good story.  It was filled with loss and need and pain.

Then was when I learned why their property was in such bad shape.

Then was when I was convicted of my judgmental attitude.

Then was when I started noticing all the other houses in the neighborhood.  Those families had more than they needed.  They had health, wealth, and opportunity, but they had not taken a couple of hours to help their neighbor.

Neither have I.

 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:36-37 (NIV) 

HE SAYS: My Failure with Ernie

We stopped at a filling station while on vacation last week, and I was approached by an old man who had the softest hands.  He said his name was Ernie, and he was hungry.  He wanted some money to buy food.  I told Ernie that I was not comfortable giving him money, because I felt that he would go buy more booze with it.  He had already had more to drink than he needed.

This is a shortened version of our conversation:

Ernie confessed, with tears in his eyes, that he had been a US Marine and had been young and strong, but he had drunk everything away.

I told him that he needed Living Water instead of Fire Water, and being a Native American, he thought that was pretty funny.  I asked him if he knew Jesus, and he exclaimed, “Oh!  I love God!  I love God!”

I reemphasized, “Not just God, do you love Jesus?”  I was concerned about a confusion with Native American gods and the one true God.  Then Ernie asked me if I had a Bible.  We all had our bibles in the car, and we even had a new bible with us for the purpose of giving away to someone who needed it.  I thought about this, but my response was wrong.  I did not know where the bible was packed, and I did not want to unpack our car in the parking lot of a filling station looking for it.  So, I said, “I have one, but not one I can get to easily.”

We talked while I was filling the vehicle, and I offered to buy him a sandwich and chips in the convenience store.  Ernie agreed with that idea, but when I walked into the store with him, the store manager told me that Ernie could not be in his store because of a past history of panhandling.  I asked Ernie to wait outside while I bought some food, but the man wouldn’t even allow me to buy food for Ernie.  Instead, he called the police to report Ernie.  Ernie was angry and started to threaten the manager, so I shepherded him out the door.

Ernie asked me, “Do you know what we were taught to do in the Marines?”

I said, “To do good things?”

Ernie laughed and said, “Good try.  No, we were taught to kill.” Then his eyes flooded with tears, and he said, “I killed a lot of people over there in Vietnam.”

The only thought I had, I shared with Ernie.  I said, “Jesus died so you can be forgiven for that.”

Ernie took my hand and kissed it and thanked me profusely for saying that.

I ended up giving Ernie five dollars to take across the street to a fast food taco restaurant.  The last time I saw Ernie was as he walked up the drive way of the restaurant with the 5 dollar bill held in his hand.

When I got back into the car, the new bible was sitting in my seat.  Chelsea had found it for me so I could give it to Ernie.  It was then that I remembered that we had just purchased our own supper at Wendy’s ,  and my sandwich, fries, and drink were sitting in the car untouched.  I could have easily given Ernie food for his body AND food for his soul.

My efforts to show God’s love to Ernie were terribly inadequate, and I pray that God will send someone who can help Ernie better than I did.

For myself, I pray that God will give me the ability to be a better helper the next time he sends me a needy soul.

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. ”

Matthew 25:41 - 46 (NIV)