There is a quote that goes something like this, "Never, never, never give up." A little bit of digging (read: Googling) pulled up the name Winston Churchill, the famed Prime Minister of Britian during World War II. Churchill is credited with coining the term, "iron curtain" and keeping Britan from falling into the hands of the Nazis. His 1941 quote urging his listeners to never give up came from his own personal experience. Those words weren't just for the boys at Harrow School, they were for Churchill himself.
As those words were being uttered in October of 1941 Europe was falling. Hitler was taking more land, more territories and more countries. In the month of October alone he overpowered the two largest cities in Ukraine, putting him closer than ever to Moscow. By the end of the year he would have conquered more cities and taken control of the entire German army. Europe was in desperate trouble.
In 1941 the outlook for a victory over the Nazis looked bleak. Hitler was the one making the advances and gaining ground. The Nazi army was getting stronger, larger and more emboldened with each city they conquered. Meanwhile Churchill was doing all he could to keep Britain united in spirit and purpose. He made rousing speeches to boost the morale of Britain. He was the unifying force behind the Allied Forces of United States, Soviet Union and the United Kingdom.
For all of his optimism and will, Churchill was in real danger of defeat in 1941 when he spoke about never giving up. But that wasn't a first for Churchill. Before he even made it to military school as a teenager his future looked doomed. He failed the entrance exam...twice. With the help of a tutor he made it through on his third try.
After his military service he became a war corespondent for a newspaper - a career that almost ended his life. In hostile South Africa he was captured and thrown into a prison camp which he escaped by scaling a wall. But he had no plan. By the grace of God he found a British coal miner who helped him flee by hiding him for a few days before sending him on a coal train back to safety.
He soon entered into his political career in parliament where he would make another gigantic mistake that could have been his ruination. He planned an attack during WWI on the Ottoman Empire. To make a very long story short, it was an utter disaster. Many military members were killed, battleships sank and ground was lost. But Churchill persevered.
By 1941 Churchill had seen his share of defeat. Yet he had also seen how defeat wasn't the end of the story. A lost battle wasn't necessarily a lost war. A failed test score didn't have to be the final number on the books. Churchill had first-hand experience in second chances, redemption and victory.
The famous quote, "never, never, never give up" becomes all the more encouraging and inspiring when set in its context. If Churchill could still believe in determination and tenacity in the face of Nazi Germany, what should ever stop any one of us from staying the course with persistence and unstoppable tenacity?
Well, thankfully, we know how the story of World War II ends. You and I are here as a testimony to the defeat of Hitler. He didn't succeed. By the providence of God, the Nazis lost the war for this world. Their conquest fell as Hitler hid in a bunker. Churchill's words rang victorious as good conquered evil.
In the spirit of Churchill I am claiming his words as my own as I embrace his message of never giving up. On July 30 I will be receiving stem cell therapy to treat my MS. Churchill unified countries and bolstered nations as his act of fortitude and hope. This, stem cells, are my act of never giving up. I've tried so many different techniques and therapies in an attempt to overcome my foe, or at least manage its onslaught. But MS has not let up. Like Nazi Germany in 1941, MS has made further advancements and attacks on my body. Flare ups that were once relapsing now seem to be a permanent fixture in my every day existence. But I'm not giving up.
For the past few days I have been repeating Winston Churchill's quote in my mind. I've been writing about it and pondering it on my walks. As nervous and apprehensive as I am about this upcoming procedure, I am determined to keep up the good fight. I won't let MS steal my joy or stripe me of hope for the future. I've been knocked down more times than I can count but I'm not out. No, I'm very much still in the ring, throwing punches and fighting for dear life. The next step in my fight is to try something drastic. This procedure has worked wonders in the bodies of MS sufferers by taking tissue from the person's own body and extracting the healing benefits of stem cells so that they can be released back into the blood stream where they can get to work on repairing damage. There are no guarantees in this therapy, but there is hope. And as the saying goes, "Where there is hope, there is life." (Thank you, Anne Frank - another inspiration figure worthy of an entire post.)
Churchill must have known when he spoke those words that the deck was stacked against him. That fact was pretty much undeniable. But he had a hope that couldn't be extinguished even when bullets were killing his men and armies were threatening his country's security. His hope sprang eternal.
And so does mine because my hope is not in my body or even my health but it is in God. I believe that He has a plan for my life and I have faith in the promise of a hopeful future. God has not abandoned me or left me to suffer in anguish. He has given me a spirit of tenacity and never-ending hope. A thousand times things can fail or go wrong in my body and yet God's grace and mercy still remains on me. When my muscles spasm and pain radiates up my leg I have the solid rock of God that I am standing upon. I will never give up because God is still at work. His plan is underway. He simply isn't done with me yet.
So onto stem cells. Onto more hope for the future. Onto the adventure God has for this next step in my life. Onto never, never, never giving up.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Anchored
On the Forth of July this year tragedy struck on the Ohio River.
The evening started out in a traditional, celebratory fashion. Nine family and friends headed out on their pontoon boat into the familiar waters of the Ohio River to watch the Independence Day fireworks show. But they never did get to see the sky light up in a dazzling light display. The excitement, and horror, of their night came before a single a single firecracker was lit.
The nine companions were enjoying the river and the beautiful July fourth evening when a rushing current slammed into their boat, sending it into the side of a barge. Amazingly, three children were able to grab onto the barge and even pull one of the adults from the wreckage but the remaining five were no where to be seen.
Rescue crews rushed to the scene in an effort to find and save the missing. It didn't take long for those hopes to be dashed. Two lifeless bodies were pulled from the wreckage while the other three were no where to be found. Yesterday a third body was discovered.
The tragedy that befell that family is beyond words. On an evening anticipated to be relaxing and carefree, their lives were turned upside down. With the whipping of a wave and crashing of a current that little boat, swaying calmly on the placid waters, was dealt a deadly blow. Without an anchor to keep the boat firmly secured and stayed, it didn't stand a chance against the brute force of the waters ferocity.
In all stories, even those that end in tragic death, there seems to always be a lesson for life and how to live it. As I read about the way in which this family was torn apart, so unassumingly and out-of-the-blue, I was reminded at just how sudden trials often appear in our lives. One day we are floating along in our little personal water-craft of a body and soul and then bam! A wave hits us and threatens to send us into a barge-sized catastrophe.
The only way to keep our boat upright and out of harms way is to have an anchor. And there is only one anchor that is guaranteed to withstand every storm - every current, wave, gust of wind and bolt of lightening. Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Hebrews 6:19 says that, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." The fact of the sea and of life is that storms will come. That is a guarantee. But not every boat on the waters will capsize when the rains, winds and waves persist. Some boats, some souls, will withstand the onslaught because they have anchors firmly planted in God.
As long as our anchor has found its footing in the Lord we don't need to fear what trials might suddenly appear in our lives. We know that no matter how desperate our situation might appear, our mainstay is unshakable. We may feel swayed and we may get wet, but we will be secure when we fasten ourselves to Christ and never let go.
For the surviving family members of the Ohio River pontoon boat accident my prayer is that they have an anchor for their souls keeping and staying them in this trial. This storm is bound to cause grief and pain but it does not need to cause their hope to sink or their faith to drown in the "whys" and "ifs" of this life. They can choose to hold onto the promises of God and the eternal life that is to come where heartache and mourning will be put to rest in the arms of the everlasting God. This life is but a breath, but it is a breath that we can take peacefully knowing that the anchor we have in Christ will carry us on, through the storm and into the glory of God's perfect Kingdom.
The evening started out in a traditional, celebratory fashion. Nine family and friends headed out on their pontoon boat into the familiar waters of the Ohio River to watch the Independence Day fireworks show. But they never did get to see the sky light up in a dazzling light display. The excitement, and horror, of their night came before a single a single firecracker was lit.
The nine companions were enjoying the river and the beautiful July fourth evening when a rushing current slammed into their boat, sending it into the side of a barge. Amazingly, three children were able to grab onto the barge and even pull one of the adults from the wreckage but the remaining five were no where to be seen.
Rescue crews rushed to the scene in an effort to find and save the missing. It didn't take long for those hopes to be dashed. Two lifeless bodies were pulled from the wreckage while the other three were no where to be found. Yesterday a third body was discovered.
The tragedy that befell that family is beyond words. On an evening anticipated to be relaxing and carefree, their lives were turned upside down. With the whipping of a wave and crashing of a current that little boat, swaying calmly on the placid waters, was dealt a deadly blow. Without an anchor to keep the boat firmly secured and stayed, it didn't stand a chance against the brute force of the waters ferocity.
In all stories, even those that end in tragic death, there seems to always be a lesson for life and how to live it. As I read about the way in which this family was torn apart, so unassumingly and out-of-the-blue, I was reminded at just how sudden trials often appear in our lives. One day we are floating along in our little personal water-craft of a body and soul and then bam! A wave hits us and threatens to send us into a barge-sized catastrophe.
The only way to keep our boat upright and out of harms way is to have an anchor. And there is only one anchor that is guaranteed to withstand every storm - every current, wave, gust of wind and bolt of lightening. Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Hebrews 6:19 says that, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." The fact of the sea and of life is that storms will come. That is a guarantee. But not every boat on the waters will capsize when the rains, winds and waves persist. Some boats, some souls, will withstand the onslaught because they have anchors firmly planted in God.
As long as our anchor has found its footing in the Lord we don't need to fear what trials might suddenly appear in our lives. We know that no matter how desperate our situation might appear, our mainstay is unshakable. We may feel swayed and we may get wet, but we will be secure when we fasten ourselves to Christ and never let go.
For the surviving family members of the Ohio River pontoon boat accident my prayer is that they have an anchor for their souls keeping and staying them in this trial. This storm is bound to cause grief and pain but it does not need to cause their hope to sink or their faith to drown in the "whys" and "ifs" of this life. They can choose to hold onto the promises of God and the eternal life that is to come where heartache and mourning will be put to rest in the arms of the everlasting God. This life is but a breath, but it is a breath that we can take peacefully knowing that the anchor we have in Christ will carry us on, through the storm and into the glory of God's perfect Kingdom.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Happy Independence Day, Christian
Happy Independence Day, America! Today is the day barbecuers get to nearly burn down their decks because they are free to do so. Pool goers can scream till their lungs give out, because they are free to do so. Huge, noisy, bombastic fireworks are set off in mind-blowing numbers because, as a country, we are free to do so. We are free to eat too many nitrate-filled hot dogs. Free to throw entirely wasteful water balloons. We are even free to hand small children seemingly innocent sparklers that reach dangerous skin-melting temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees.
We are free to do all of these (and more) silly, stupid and sometimes just plain ridiculous activities because on July 4, 1776 fifty six brave men signed their names, and in turn their lives, to the cause of making an entire people free from tyranny and the rule of a government.
There is no doubt that this day in history is significant and important, not a day to be taken for granted. The freedoms we enjoy in this country are traced back to this day and the decisive decision made to stand up and fight for those freedoms. But the meaning of July forth goes beyond the border of this country, the fifty six men who signed their names to the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights that would soon follow. As John Quincy Adams famously said, "… Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birth-day of the Saviour? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the corner stone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfilment of the prophecies, announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Saviour and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?"
The importance of a country's freedom, any country, any people, is only a glimmer of the magnitude of the freedom bought and paid for by Christ. Celebrating our country's independence is just a speck of a picture of the independence we enjoy in Christ no matter where we live or what rights we have according to a government or a constitution. Without Christ, without true freedom, July Forth would just be another day in the summer sun.
But thanks be to God that we have the truest of freedoms. We have freedom from the tyranny of sin and the bondage of slavery that binds us to our lust, greed and selfishness. Jesus wrote the ultimate declaration with His blood shed on the cross. He purchased our right to be free with His very life.
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13) We are not made free for the sake of doing our own thing - to be silly, stupid and sinful. Christ didn't pay the ultimate price for our lives so that we could make a royal hash of things just like the Founding Fathers didn't fight for a country only to see it elect a ruthless government that would put them in heavy taxation and stifling bondage once again. They signed their names and drafted the Constitution to give their best human effort to maintaining freedom for the people of America.
Christ bought our freedom and it is a freedom that can never be lost because it is not based in human regulation or the law of man. Freedom in Christ is eternal and heavenly, it is not of this world just as God is not of this world. Because of Christ we are free to live holy, blameless and upright lives, righteous in the sight of God. We are not slaves to sin. We are not at the mercy of our every thought, desire and half-baked idea. Christ has set us free from our foolishness and released us into the glory of eternal salvation.
On this Independence Day those of us in this country have countless reasons to be thankful but two stand out to me and are the cornerstone of my praise today. One is for the freedom to serve God, praise Him and say His name in the public square. Christians all around the world don't know that privilege and would be elated to have the right to express their faith openly. Some still do proclaim publicly the name of Christ and pay the ultimate price for their bold witness.
Secondly, but really first and foremost in importance, I am thanking God that I am eternally and forever free. I was once wrapped in the chains of my sin and shame. I was unable to break free from the guilt of my rebellion and the destructive path I was walking. But Jesus came and set me free. He signed the ultimate Declaration with His body on the Cross of Calvary. Because Jesus lived, died and rose again I am truly free.
We are free to do all of these (and more) silly, stupid and sometimes just plain ridiculous activities because on July 4, 1776 fifty six brave men signed their names, and in turn their lives, to the cause of making an entire people free from tyranny and the rule of a government.
There is no doubt that this day in history is significant and important, not a day to be taken for granted. The freedoms we enjoy in this country are traced back to this day and the decisive decision made to stand up and fight for those freedoms. But the meaning of July forth goes beyond the border of this country, the fifty six men who signed their names to the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights that would soon follow. As John Quincy Adams famously said, "… Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birth-day of the Saviour? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the corner stone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfilment of the prophecies, announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Saviour and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?"
The importance of a country's freedom, any country, any people, is only a glimmer of the magnitude of the freedom bought and paid for by Christ. Celebrating our country's independence is just a speck of a picture of the independence we enjoy in Christ no matter where we live or what rights we have according to a government or a constitution. Without Christ, without true freedom, July Forth would just be another day in the summer sun.
But thanks be to God that we have the truest of freedoms. We have freedom from the tyranny of sin and the bondage of slavery that binds us to our lust, greed and selfishness. Jesus wrote the ultimate declaration with His blood shed on the cross. He purchased our right to be free with His very life.
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13) We are not made free for the sake of doing our own thing - to be silly, stupid and sinful. Christ didn't pay the ultimate price for our lives so that we could make a royal hash of things just like the Founding Fathers didn't fight for a country only to see it elect a ruthless government that would put them in heavy taxation and stifling bondage once again. They signed their names and drafted the Constitution to give their best human effort to maintaining freedom for the people of America.
Christ bought our freedom and it is a freedom that can never be lost because it is not based in human regulation or the law of man. Freedom in Christ is eternal and heavenly, it is not of this world just as God is not of this world. Because of Christ we are free to live holy, blameless and upright lives, righteous in the sight of God. We are not slaves to sin. We are not at the mercy of our every thought, desire and half-baked idea. Christ has set us free from our foolishness and released us into the glory of eternal salvation.
On this Independence Day those of us in this country have countless reasons to be thankful but two stand out to me and are the cornerstone of my praise today. One is for the freedom to serve God, praise Him and say His name in the public square. Christians all around the world don't know that privilege and would be elated to have the right to express their faith openly. Some still do proclaim publicly the name of Christ and pay the ultimate price for their bold witness.
Secondly, but really first and foremost in importance, I am thanking God that I am eternally and forever free. I was once wrapped in the chains of my sin and shame. I was unable to break free from the guilt of my rebellion and the destructive path I was walking. But Jesus came and set me free. He signed the ultimate Declaration with His body on the Cross of Calvary. Because Jesus lived, died and rose again I am truly free.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
White
Back in the days of Genesis, Noah exited his ark after a forty day flood to see a remarkable sign in the sky: a rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet were painted in the sky as a promise to Noah, to you and I, that God would never again destroy the earth in that way again. As is apparent by the existence of the earth, God has been true to His word.
Color is a common theme throughout the Bible. Blue is named over fifty times, often associated with royalty and riches. Crimson is usually referencing sin. Moses was instructed to use scarlet and purple in the construction of the tabernacle and its detailed adornments. As is true with all things created by God, colors were not created by accident. They each have meaning and a message.
Sadly, the holy beauty of color has been distorted by Godless men. The rainbow, a beautiful symbol of a covenant made by God and kept by God, has been turned into a symbol of man's corruption of love and marriage. Parades fly rainbow colored flags celebrating homosexual relations and love for the same gender - far from the original meaning and symbolism associated with the rainbow painted in the sky for Noah. The rainbow flag waved by man has come to mean nature, healing, spirit, sex and harmony. Seven colors originally associated with God's grace, mercy and love have been twisted to mean whatever man can think up. But one color remains separate, untouched and uncorrupted by man.
White.
The color white stands pure and holy in a world that has lost sight of God, pushed Him out of their lives and completely rebelled against His commands. But the redemption and sanctification of white still pierces through the sin. God is still alive, showering His children with mercy just like He did for Noah and his family.
In Revelations white is used a number of times pointing towards the promise of Jesus' return. Our Lord and Savior is coming back and He's coming with power, strength and glory. For all the attempts of this world to shut-up the Almighty God, He will not be silenced. At the appointed time He will come again.
The date of Jesus' return is not for you or I to know. God has purposely kept the hour of His coming a secret, a mystery to every man. But He has given us the promise of His return and the color white as a reminder that the Savior of the world is set to make a grand re-entrance to claim His own and set right all that has gone wrong.
When you and I look at the rainbow, the messages we receive will undoubtedly be mixed thanks to a culture that embraces sin and mocks God. But we have a color that won't be in that rainbow; a color that outshines the brightest, boldest of flags. We have white. We have eternal salvation. We have a King in Heaven who is watching over us, protecting us and preparing to come again. We have a Prince of Peace and He's coming in robes of pure white.
Color is a common theme throughout the Bible. Blue is named over fifty times, often associated with royalty and riches. Crimson is usually referencing sin. Moses was instructed to use scarlet and purple in the construction of the tabernacle and its detailed adornments. As is true with all things created by God, colors were not created by accident. They each have meaning and a message.
Sadly, the holy beauty of color has been distorted by Godless men. The rainbow, a beautiful symbol of a covenant made by God and kept by God, has been turned into a symbol of man's corruption of love and marriage. Parades fly rainbow colored flags celebrating homosexual relations and love for the same gender - far from the original meaning and symbolism associated with the rainbow painted in the sky for Noah. The rainbow flag waved by man has come to mean nature, healing, spirit, sex and harmony. Seven colors originally associated with God's grace, mercy and love have been twisted to mean whatever man can think up. But one color remains separate, untouched and uncorrupted by man.
White.
The color white stands pure and holy in a world that has lost sight of God, pushed Him out of their lives and completely rebelled against His commands. But the redemption and sanctification of white still pierces through the sin. God is still alive, showering His children with mercy just like He did for Noah and his family.
In Revelations white is used a number of times pointing towards the promise of Jesus' return. Our Lord and Savior is coming back and He's coming with power, strength and glory. For all the attempts of this world to shut-up the Almighty God, He will not be silenced. At the appointed time He will come again.
The date of Jesus' return is not for you or I to know. God has purposely kept the hour of His coming a secret, a mystery to every man. But He has given us the promise of His return and the color white as a reminder that the Savior of the world is set to make a grand re-entrance to claim His own and set right all that has gone wrong.
When you and I look at the rainbow, the messages we receive will undoubtedly be mixed thanks to a culture that embraces sin and mocks God. But we have a color that won't be in that rainbow; a color that outshines the brightest, boldest of flags. We have white. We have eternal salvation. We have a King in Heaven who is watching over us, protecting us and preparing to come again. We have a Prince of Peace and He's coming in robes of pure white.
Friday, June 26, 2015
King of Kings
The past two days have been sad ones for America. The Supreme Court has handed down two major rulings confirming the overwhelming suspicion that many Christians have had about the direction of our country. This nation founded on Christian principles has completely abandoned the truth and authority of God. The very bedrock of our country's establishment has been crushed by the heavy weight of evil and corruption. Sin has entered in and launched an all out assault on all things Godly, Biblical and Christian.
With the ruling of the healthcare law the nation was handed a blow to freedom. The government just grabbed more of our independence, forcing individuals to pay for abortions and medical intervention that they don't believe in nor want to take part in. But now, with this ruling, we answer to the state - a state that is attempting with every law to take the place of God in the lives of individuals.
And then today marriage was formally, legally ripped apart. This day has been building and few court watchers believed the ruling would go any other way, but the reality of the verdict has made it all too real. The God ordained covenant between a man and woman joined together by God for the purpose of honoring Him, procreating and protecting one another, was trampled. The institution of marriage has officially been hijacked by man and turned into a human experiment as disposable as a lease agreement. But marriage has nothing to do with the laws of man. It was created by God, ordained by God and established by God. Marriage isn't a route to tax cuts or a convenience for housing arrangements. Marriage is God's design for the continuation of mankind. Man and woman are to become one to be fruitful and multiple. Men are to love their wives like Christ loves the church, protecting them as the physically weaker of the partnership. And women have the role of being supportive, submissive counterparts to their husbands. Marriage isn't a human invention that can be tweaked by nine robed sinners. Marriage is God's and, even in light of today's ruling, is still God's.
Christians have been dealt a serious blow by the verdicts of the past two days but none of this is to surprise or concern us. What we stand for, the Bible and the truth of Jesus Christ, is not of this world. This world is one of sin but those who are born of the Spirit have died to sin and are aliens in this world. Jesus said in John 17:14 says, "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world." Truth has been attacked ever since Eve took a bite of the apple because truth threatens Satan and Satan doesn't sit back and relax when threatened. He fights back. And today he was in full-on battle mode.
The dissolving of Christian principles hasn't happened overnight in America, it happened slowly and steadily. The rationalizing of sin has turned into the celebrating and legalizing of sin. And still there are those of us who cry out, "Abba! Father!"
To those who weep with me for the future of our country and the lost souls of its citizens I encourage you to take heart; don't despair. God is not done yet.
With the ruling of the healthcare law the nation was handed a blow to freedom. The government just grabbed more of our independence, forcing individuals to pay for abortions and medical intervention that they don't believe in nor want to take part in. But now, with this ruling, we answer to the state - a state that is attempting with every law to take the place of God in the lives of individuals.
And then today marriage was formally, legally ripped apart. This day has been building and few court watchers believed the ruling would go any other way, but the reality of the verdict has made it all too real. The God ordained covenant between a man and woman joined together by God for the purpose of honoring Him, procreating and protecting one another, was trampled. The institution of marriage has officially been hijacked by man and turned into a human experiment as disposable as a lease agreement. But marriage has nothing to do with the laws of man. It was created by God, ordained by God and established by God. Marriage isn't a route to tax cuts or a convenience for housing arrangements. Marriage is God's design for the continuation of mankind. Man and woman are to become one to be fruitful and multiple. Men are to love their wives like Christ loves the church, protecting them as the physically weaker of the partnership. And women have the role of being supportive, submissive counterparts to their husbands. Marriage isn't a human invention that can be tweaked by nine robed sinners. Marriage is God's and, even in light of today's ruling, is still God's.
Christians have been dealt a serious blow by the verdicts of the past two days but none of this is to surprise or concern us. What we stand for, the Bible and the truth of Jesus Christ, is not of this world. This world is one of sin but those who are born of the Spirit have died to sin and are aliens in this world. Jesus said in John 17:14 says, "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world." Truth has been attacked ever since Eve took a bite of the apple because truth threatens Satan and Satan doesn't sit back and relax when threatened. He fights back. And today he was in full-on battle mode.
The dissolving of Christian principles hasn't happened overnight in America, it happened slowly and steadily. The rationalizing of sin has turned into the celebrating and legalizing of sin. And still there are those of us who cry out, "Abba! Father!"
To those who weep with me for the future of our country and the lost souls of its citizens I encourage you to take heart; don't despair. God is not done yet.
"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." (Revelations 12:11). This is not the hour for us to back down or give up our beliefs under the pressure of an ever demoralized culture. This is the hour we were made for. Stand up, put on the full armor of God and be strong in His might. Do not fear or shrink back. Speak the truth of the Gospel with love and authority because our land is perishing and hearts are in desperate need of redemption, rebirth and restoration.
The world will hate to hear the truth but, despite the laws on the record books or the opinions of politicians, truth will reign. God will stand at the end of this age as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. SCOTUS may have a say in the agenda of this land and this nation but those nine lawyers have nothing on God. In the end God will show His mighty rule and He will forever reign.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Falling on faith
There are two ways to fall. One is to fall in failure or, two, to fall on faith.
The first type of fall is accidental and, unless done as part of a theater act, unintentional. No one walks hoping to trip, stumble or somehow end up face flat on the ground. Any sane and rational walker hopes to complete the exercise on two feet and without bumps, bruises or scraped knees. On the walk of life we are all hoping for the same accident-free outcome. We want to make it through college without falling behind; to the alter without falling on our wedding dress or, worse, falling out of love with the man at the end of the aisle. We all want to walk through the ups and downs of relationship woes without falling apart. Parents want to raise their children without having them fall off the straight and narrow path. Falls create pain and pain is never to be desired. So we all try our hardest to avoid the fate of the fallen.
Yet, many - most - of us will at some point (if not many points) fall. Some people will lose their job, others will lose their children. Marriages will end in divorce and friendships will dissolve in hurt feelings. Sickness will strike and death will separate. The falls of life are too numerous to number. Seemingly out of nowhere, a rock of a circumstance is in our path, tripping up our plans and dreams, sending us cascading downward with nothing to break out fall.
What if I told you that you could avoid this accidental, traumatic type of fall altogether? It seems almost too good to be true, doesn't it? Well, before you get your hopes up let me clarify a few things. Full disclosure: I am not promising that by eliminating the fall in failure your life will be free of the painful situations and unpleasant circumstances. What I am about to propose will not guarantee your happiness. Marriages will not become immune to arguments and divorce. Children will not suddenly become angelic creatures who never talk back and always take out the trash (without being asked). Nor am I guaranteeing that your job will be "fire proof" or your body "illness proof." What I can guarantee is this, what I am going to propose will transform your attitude and heart towards the very act of falling and whatever stimulus or situation that came about and tripped you up.
To escape the fall in failure you must learn to willingly and purposefully fall on faith. Embracing this kind of fall means getting down low before anything can knock us to that humble position. You and I are meant to fall but not because we've been kicked, pushed or tripped. We are meant to fall willingly as an act of surrender and obedience before the throne of God.
Paul, a man well acquainted with struggles and suffering, practiced the art of falling on faith. In Ephesians 3:14 he wrote, "for this reason I fall on my knees before the Father." Paul was speaking of purposely falling. Ending up on the ground, on his knees, was Paul's act of obedience. Nothing caught him off guard that sent him to the ground. He chose that position because in that position he was fully relying on faith to be his strength. He was fully dependent on God when he was at his lowest, even his physical lowest.
When life throws us a curve ball or sticks its foot out and causes us to trip we do have something to hold onto, something to break our fall: our knees. Even while we are mid free-fall we can decide to make that fall on purpose and that fall one that will land on faith. Sometimes the things that knock us down will come so unannounced that we are indeed mid fall before we realize something has hit us. No matter how last minute the decision, we can choose to land in a position of surrender and obedience that is only possible through an unwavering faith in God.
For those of us who see the fall before we even stumble, choose to go down gracefully and humbly before God. Fall on purpose. It may seem like a weak and cowardly move but falling on faith is none of the above. To fall on faith is to trust wholeheartedly in the strength, omnipotence and will of God.
Our strength is never found in trying to stay upright when life serves us a blow or throws a rock in our path. Fighting to stand in the face of such an onslaught will only make our fall more painful. But if we choose to take the fall our knees our spirit will be grateful. The impact won't hurt so much. We will still end up on the ground but it will be a restful position, one where we are cradled, not scrapped, left worse for the wear.
Today we can choose how we will fall. Falling on faith won't make our lives immune to pain and sorrow but it will unite our heart and soul with our Great Comforter who will carry us through our trials. Learn to love the humble position of being on one's knees because it is there you will find that God will shower you with His strength, love and mercy.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Alone in my Principles
"Oh, there he goes off to his room to write that hit song, 'Alone in my Principles.'"
I can't help but crack up every time Lenny says that line in my all time favorite movie, That Thing You Do. Despite the fact that I've watched the movie upwards of fifty times, that short one-liner never fails to hit my funny bone. It's comical relief is due in part to the impeccable timing and perfect vocal inflection - the hallmark of all humorous one-liners. Lenny, Steve Zahn in real life, has the technique down to a science.
It's been quite some time since I've watched That Thing You Do but I can hear that line in my head as if it were just replayed on my TV a moment ago. I can see Jimmy storming out of the hotel restaurant, presumably up to his room where a new hit single is about to be born. As I watch the scene play out in my mind I am struck not by the comedy or humor of the events taking place but the honesty of the principle. "Alone in my Principles." It isn't necessarily the catchiest of song titles, but it is often reality for anyone who holds firm in their beliefs. The person that won't renounce their convictions or compromise their standards often finds themselves very much alone.
Alone isn't one of those words that conjures up warm and fuzzy feelings. Unless, that is, you are a Mom of five who is getting "alone time" on a Saturday afternoon at the spa. But take that same Mom and turn her "alone time" into a stand for moral principles and Biblical truth. That kind of "alone" doesn't sound like a relaxing day at the spa.
Being alone in our stance for Christ should never surprises us. The day we signed up to be a soldier in the Lord's army, proclaiming Christ and committing our lives to His service, we signed on to a life of standing alone. The ways of the world are not in line with the principles and teachings of the Bible. The world rejected Jesus to the point of nailing Him to a cross. He stood very, very alone. He stood so alone in His principles that He died for the sins of the world at the hands of a mocking crowd. It simply doesn't get any more alone than that.
Before Jesus was crucified He told His disciples and anyone else who would chose to follow Him, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." (John 15:18). Although in this world we will often find ourselves standing alone we are never truly alone. When we stand apart for Christ we stand with Christ. We have company in our principles and a faithful friend to support us when the world abandons us. We can stand firm knowing that our feet are planted in the unfailing, everlasting truth of God. Standing alone in the world is actually standing right with Christ.
This world and all of its sin and corruption will one day pass away but the Word of the Lord will last forever. Even on days when it feels like you are utterly alone, remember that Jesus is with you. The stance you are taking for truth today will undoubtedly separate you from the wayward world we live in but it will, at the same time, unite you with the eternal Kingdom to come. We are living not for the fleeting pleasures of this world or the sinful ways of wayward living but the glory of Heaven that will never pass away.
Dear Reader, don't be ashamed or afraid to stand alone in your principles. Go off into your bedroom and write a song about it if that helps to calm your anxiety and strengthen your spirit. Go to the Good Lord's Book and find encouragement for the narrow, deserted path you are walking. Cry out to the Lord who has all the power in His hand to carry you through the droughts of lonely days and solitary seasons. In Christ alone you will find that you are never actually alone. The world around you may cause you to feel like an outcast or, worse yet, it might press up against you with hostility and enmity. As you stand alone hold fast to the principles of the Bible, the salvation of Jesus Christ and the eternal glory of the Almighty God.
I can't help but crack up every time Lenny says that line in my all time favorite movie, That Thing You Do. Despite the fact that I've watched the movie upwards of fifty times, that short one-liner never fails to hit my funny bone. It's comical relief is due in part to the impeccable timing and perfect vocal inflection - the hallmark of all humorous one-liners. Lenny, Steve Zahn in real life, has the technique down to a science.
It's been quite some time since I've watched That Thing You Do but I can hear that line in my head as if it were just replayed on my TV a moment ago. I can see Jimmy storming out of the hotel restaurant, presumably up to his room where a new hit single is about to be born. As I watch the scene play out in my mind I am struck not by the comedy or humor of the events taking place but the honesty of the principle. "Alone in my Principles." It isn't necessarily the catchiest of song titles, but it is often reality for anyone who holds firm in their beliefs. The person that won't renounce their convictions or compromise their standards often finds themselves very much alone.
Alone isn't one of those words that conjures up warm and fuzzy feelings. Unless, that is, you are a Mom of five who is getting "alone time" on a Saturday afternoon at the spa. But take that same Mom and turn her "alone time" into a stand for moral principles and Biblical truth. That kind of "alone" doesn't sound like a relaxing day at the spa.
Being alone in our stance for Christ should never surprises us. The day we signed up to be a soldier in the Lord's army, proclaiming Christ and committing our lives to His service, we signed on to a life of standing alone. The ways of the world are not in line with the principles and teachings of the Bible. The world rejected Jesus to the point of nailing Him to a cross. He stood very, very alone. He stood so alone in His principles that He died for the sins of the world at the hands of a mocking crowd. It simply doesn't get any more alone than that.
Before Jesus was crucified He told His disciples and anyone else who would chose to follow Him, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." (John 15:18). Although in this world we will often find ourselves standing alone we are never truly alone. When we stand apart for Christ we stand with Christ. We have company in our principles and a faithful friend to support us when the world abandons us. We can stand firm knowing that our feet are planted in the unfailing, everlasting truth of God. Standing alone in the world is actually standing right with Christ.
This world and all of its sin and corruption will one day pass away but the Word of the Lord will last forever. Even on days when it feels like you are utterly alone, remember that Jesus is with you. The stance you are taking for truth today will undoubtedly separate you from the wayward world we live in but it will, at the same time, unite you with the eternal Kingdom to come. We are living not for the fleeting pleasures of this world or the sinful ways of wayward living but the glory of Heaven that will never pass away.
Dear Reader, don't be ashamed or afraid to stand alone in your principles. Go off into your bedroom and write a song about it if that helps to calm your anxiety and strengthen your spirit. Go to the Good Lord's Book and find encouragement for the narrow, deserted path you are walking. Cry out to the Lord who has all the power in His hand to carry you through the droughts of lonely days and solitary seasons. In Christ alone you will find that you are never actually alone. The world around you may cause you to feel like an outcast or, worse yet, it might press up against you with hostility and enmity. As you stand alone hold fast to the principles of the Bible, the salvation of Jesus Christ and the eternal glory of the Almighty God.
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