Author: Brother Brian

Brother Brian currently serves within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic School System. He is currently in his twentieth year of teaching.

Reflections 6: When We Let Go

 “13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13).

Have you ever become so filled with fear that you forsake everything you have worked so long and hard for, or forsake those you love, or forsake the plans you have made that would have bettered yourself and maybe your family? Have you ever accepted help from someone thinking it was a God send, then you hit turmoil which kicks up your own personal fear, then you react by letting that person slip from your life because of your own fear and confusion that the help may not have been genuine? Does the word commitment send tiny little shivers down your spin? I have written on the sin of fear, and the sin of placing fear into someone else’s hearts for their own gain. But this reflection I want to direct ones attentions to how we can lose our souls if we let go of God because of fear.

Too often the paralyzing reality of our actions and of their consequences come back to play tricks with our mind. I would like to subscribe that the very thought which brings this torrent of fear into your life is placed there not by God, but rather by Satan. If you are separated from God when this suggestion is placed you will become confused, hurt, scared, even begin to second guess what you already know to be right. Days become longer as you contemplate every signal angle, but are left empty. That emptiness eats away at you until finally, you’re feeling of being scared blooms  into full-fledged fear. Notice I place the blame on both Satan and the one who allowed themselves to be separated from God in the first place. Go back and count how many times the word you or a variation of the word is mentioned. Satan has no place in your heart if you have the door closed to him and opened to God.

“7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of sound mind” (Timothy 1:7).  

In order that this is brought into context, God is often blamed for giving fear to those who suffer from it. But in reality God does not make you fearful, rather he gives love, and love gives sound of heart and of mind. With God we begin to see reality, see the truth in a way we have never experienced it. I have personally known people who live their lives from moment to moment, seeking but never finding, because they maintain the old practice of following God ten paces from behind Him. They can barely make out the whispers of God in their ears, and suffer inwardly because of it, always wondering what life would be like if only they had a personal relationship with God. Instead of holding fast to His hand, they follow from a great distance. The word commitment is so scary that they seek to do everything on their own, which leads them to seeking things of the world, in particular money. These people say stuff like, “If I could only win the lottery!” or “I want to merry a millionaire.” They seek the easy road, because down deep in their soul they know that sacrifice will be part of their life if they hold onto and are committed to a life walking with God.

“28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” ( Matthew 10:28).

Our priority’s get so screwed up that we let go of God, and take hold of the world. Forgetting that even though people can hurt you, blame you, persecute you, and even kill you, they do not have dominion upon your immortal spirit. But when contemplating these thoughts, who created you, who gave you life, and who is the only one who has the right to destroy that life, and the soul which it was attached the answer is always God.  It’s pretty silly that it was that same eternal, loving, nurturing God that you let go of. It is this which makes it holy to have a healthy fear of God, but also surcome to a rewarding and healthy relationship with the one most powerful, most holy, of spirits that is trying to mold you into the more perfect you.

In my personal life I have seen people who have sought to tear down all that which I have built up. I have experienced people who would read a paper, or listen to a slick talker and believe all the wicked things said against me with their ears instead of their hearts. I have had relationships with people who say they love me, but their actions are exactly the opposite of their words. Most notably I have had dealings with people who appear to be helping when in fact they are placing fear into the life of the ones I love most for their own personal gain, to satisfy their own need for power. Satan introduced fear, and people weld it like a weapon. It is no lie I have suffered panic attacks in the bulk of such treachery, and have allowed fear into my heart when I probably should have allowed Gods love to vanquish it forever. The point is that we are all human, we are all sinners, and we all make mistakes. God has no problem taking hold of your hand that from time to time has slipped from his.

“3 The Lord shall give rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the bondage wherein thou wast made to serve” (Isaiah 14:3).

I have found no better rest at night from my worries than when I pray, and ask God to take from me my pain, my suffering, my anxiety, my hatred, my disbelief, my frustrations, my anger, my sins, and my lack of faith in my family, friends, loved ones, and in Him. That is something you will not hear many people of faith admit, let alone write it and publish it for the world to see. But our God wants us to shout out his name, preach to the world of his slender, of his love and forgiveness. That is a message that Satan wants to destroy. It is because of that very message that he places fear into our hearts, because fear gives way to doubt. God sets the example of love and forgiveness; it was the very message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“25 And when you stand praying, forgive, if you hold anything against anyone; forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25, NIV, Pp. 1550).

In short, fear makes us let go, makes us turn hard of heart, become unreadable, unpredictable, moody, feeling constantly guilty, clogs our minds with contemplation, sow the seed of distrust, builds walls of anger, and sending our souls into torment and despair. When we let go, we let go of more than of the thing we fear will happen, but immerse ourselves into a hell built from fear, where our worst nights will play out.

Challenge question: If God will forgive us of our sins, then what do we have to fear? Why would we ever let go of Him?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Reflection 5: I Am Like Your Father

“Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordon River to be baptized by John. After Jesus was baptized, he prayed and the sky opened up. The Holy Spirit came to him as a dove, and a voice came from the sky saying, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your father” (Lost Gospel Q, Q5, 1999, Pp.38).

As a teacher of children at the elementary level, I have always found great pleasure in my mission that God has called me to. I was lucky to have been anointed with oil in this mission of educating children. I take what I do very seriously, thus I follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Likewise, God bestowed upon Jesus his mission upon being baptized. Just as God bestows upon all teachers and ministers to be protectors, role models, educators, even mentors of his children. Interestingly, God also has bestowed these same responsibilities and more upon all parents. It is the seriousness of this topic to which I want to address.

The “mission” of raising children, educating others, and being a worthy example of a life lived with the promises of God is, (if you take it seriously), a vocation according to Apostle Paul.

“4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.  4 There is one body and one spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called, – 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:1-6, 2002, Pp. 1835, NIV).

As written by Moses we all are charged to the following;

“6:4 Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 2002, Pp. 252-253, NIV).

The role as teacher and as a parent I have found at times to be draining, exhausting, sometimes leaves me unfulfilled, and even lonely. This is mainly due to the internal struggles of will-power the children will attempt to use against me in their attempt to get what they want, or to test the boundary-line I have set for them, whether they realize the true forces behind my reactions and linking that to what is happening as a consequence at times is a real struggle. In truth many children I teach come from broken homes, they have no real discipline of their own because the environment they are being raised in, based upon their parents ability, or inability to provide a stable home, one that follows the commandments I have listed above. But if you take the word discipline as what it is supposed to be, then it is nurturing, staunch, filled with wisdom, and exudes love. It builds character and bestows respect. I have always said this to my children that I teach, fully realizing that if I was a public school teacher I would be fired due to unfortunate legalities which are supported by every state in the union;

“I love each and every one of you… I am here for you…I want nothing more than you to succeed. I am like your father, (meaning like God) in that I demand your respect, and in return you shall gain respect a thousand fold, you will gain the knowledge you need to be successful, and you will always have a place that is safe. I promise to listen to you, if only you first speak respectfully. I promise to be fair, if you first always speak the truth. I promise to never lie to you, if you first put forth the effort to find the answers to your questions.” Then I pray with them the Lord’s Prayer.

It is amazing how fast tough kids crumble when they hear that there is someone willing to be there for them, to help them, guide them, to love them. So there is no misunderstanding what so ever what I mean and what is implied by the term “love”. It is always used in the Christian context and is prefaced as the love from God, shown to all people by Jesus Christ. The children understand I am not their biological father, and that I am not God. They look up to me because I hold them accountable. I do not waver or spoil them, but reward them when they do well by giving them the grade they deserve. They earn everything in my classroom and this allows them to feel safe. Everything is said out loud, as I hate secrets. In the totality of my professional career as a teacher, it is the respect the children automatically begin to give that I guard with every fiber of my being. I am like their father as sadly many of them have none.

It is this “love” that which God is demanding from all of use to show one another. With the right kind of discipline children respond positively, ironically so do adults. In fact as an adult we first and for most desire respect from those we deal with, be it from a friend, loved one, neighbor, child, or stranger. Respect comes from the willingness to listen to the other person. This willingness comes from discipline, or more over how you were raised, by the example your parents set. If they showed love towards each other and to all they encountered then the offspring would follow suite. Thus, “love” is the root to all things, and “love” comes from God.

“6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6, 2002, Pp. 989, NIV).

As I did my research for this reflection, I found an awesome manuscript entitled “The Duties of Parents”, originally updated and revised by Tony Capoccia in 1998, based upon the work of J.C. Ryle (1816-1900). In it I found one line I thought was extremely true and is an issue all teachers and parents face today, that which is based on the above scripture;

“Hint #1. If you want to train your children correctly, train them in the way they should go, and not in the way that they want to go” (Ryle, J.C., Capoccia, T., 1998).

I also believe that we love as a direct response to the fact that we care about a specific outcome. We follow the commandments set forth by God, as all the lessons I teach are based upon biblical scripture, dealing with discipline, such as;

“24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him” (Proverbs 14:24, 2002, Pp. 977, NIV).

“18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death” (Proverbs 19:18, 2002, Pp. 985-986, NIV).

“15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15, 2002, Pp. 990, NIV).

“13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death” (Proverbs 23:13-14, 2002, Pp. 991, NIV).

“15 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother” (Proverbs 29:15, 2002, Pp. 1000, NIV).

“17 Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul” (Proverbs 29:17, 2002, Pp. 1000, NIV).

Note: The over use of the term son, him, or he, is a direct translation from the bible, but should be meant and include the female gender as well. So please insert the words, “our children” and “they” where applicable.

Thus my students inherent response is to respect what I say because I model what I teach to them. I truly care about their future education; one could say I am invested. The children become invested in their own success because they now have a set of guidelines to follow, and they care about what I think of them. Just as all good teachers, ministers, and parents should be invested in upholding the commandments set forth by God, as these words of wisdom produces successful children.

The perfect example of how we all should look at raising children falls back to how God loves and treats us, his children.

“16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, 2002, Pp. 1632, NIV).

To be a good parent, role model, teacher, or guardian is akin to being a good Christian, as our children learn from our example and it is this very reason why God chose Abraham to so bless the world as the father of nations, for God knew that Abraham would follow his commandments. Thus, Abraham serves as an example of parenthood, of wisdom, and of how to follow God.

“15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, ‘I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” (Genesis 22:15-18, 2002, Pp. 1632, NIV).

We cannot ignore that as parents and teachers we have modern laws which bind and restrict our behavior around children, some of which is needed, some we can do without. It is the manner of in which we interpret the current laws which decide the fate of our nation, as our children are truly our future. We only have to look at what influences them to see the overall impact. The further away from God our laws become, to less respect our children will show to each other and the world population. The further away from morality the further away they are from a two parent home, a Christian life style, and life filled with God, because everything which fills their hearts is center around their own wants and not on the needs of others. The less we tell our children that we love them, and the less time we spend with them, the more they seek that love and attention from someone else, somewhere else, most likely from those who do not uphold the teachings of God and or are willing to break and defile our children’s innocents . The more we allow the decay of the two parent model, the farther we are from obeying God, the farther we are from raising our child in the ammunition of the Lord. Ironically, the closer they are to becoming lost souls; dead to the world even though they walk, talk, and go about their daily routine, their soul in the eyes of God are dead. The farther they will sink, fall, stumble and search, hoping to find the right answer, to fill that vast emptiness they have inside that which is unquenchable. Sadly they will fall prey to those who will convince them they are like their father too, but in truth they are more like Satan, the great deceiver.

The true test of those who follow God and do for their children as God commands will most certainly fulfill these words of Jesus Christ;

 “12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:12-14, 2002, Pp. 1659, NIV).

So what did Jesus do? He loved all the children, even the ones that where hard to love. He loved all of us, just as his father in heaven loves all of us, even the most unlovable, most disgusting, over baring, bossy, impatient, and cantankerous members of the human race, for he found it within his heart to love us all. Therefore, as a parent we start teaching our children with the bible, by reading to them the stories which are filled in morality, truth, and wisdom. We spend time with them, even if that time is short; we make the time to tuck them in, to listen to their fears. Teachers who spend more time with our children than we do, must uphold these same values, and be a positive mentor, through both daily words and actions. Finally by providing each child a safe place in which to fail and learn, knowing they have a steady hand to guide them in the truth of all things in their world, to be like their father who is in heaven.

Challenge question: If we follow God’s commandments as it relates to the raising of children, aren’t we really aspiring to be like God?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Link to “The Duties of Parents”: http://www.biblebb.com/files/ryle/parentsjc.htm

Reflections 4: Damnation

“11Then I saw a great white throne, and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  13And the sea gave up the dead who were in it; and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  14Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  15And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15, NKJV, Pp.1188).

Damnation: 3. “Theology . Condemnation to eternal punishment as a consequence of sin” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/damnation ).

The living and the dead whose names are not written in the Book of Life, according to the Holy Bible are damned, and will burn forever in the lake of fire and brimstone. Forever damned for ones sins against God. When I read this I think about those people who have rejected God, rejected the teachings of our Lord and Savior, reject morality as it is so described in the Bible, and who think there is no consequence to their actions, I want to scream out loud, “Fools wake up!” Satan as described in Revelation will burn in the lake of fire. So if this is true my logical-self demands me to believe anyone linked with Satan, doing his bidding will also parish in the lake of fire and brimstone, not for a day or two, or a week, or a month,  or a year, but forever. Is this wicked behavior worth it? I dare say “No! It’s not worth it!” But for those among us who are truly lost will be blinded by their sins, which mount into a multitude, stacked so high they themselves have lost count, lost all feelings and emotions, and will burn in Hates forever. The told sum of sin-debt Jesus talked about and which the Apostle Paul wrote about so eloquently in I Corinthians bears enough testimony for the logical thinker to turn about and rethink ones actions while here on planet earth.

“8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the kingdom of God.11 And such were some of you” (I Corinthians 6: 8-11, NKJV, Pp. 1102).

The most dramatic of these things which are of the wicked, according to the Bible and where supported by Jesus can be found in various New Testament Books such as Mark;

“18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments; Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother” (Mark 10: 18 – 19, NKJV, Pp. 979-980).

In the above verse from 1 Corinthians, Paul supports Jesus as found in Mark, by mentioning specifically, adulterers, thieves, and extortioners, or in the words of Jesus defraud.

Moreover, the unchanging word of God is supported by Jesus and Apostle Paul in the following verse from Leviticus as it relates to homosexuals and sodomites;

“22 You shall not lie with a male as with a women. It is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22, NKJV, Pp. 111).

For those of you who require a less known voice as it refers to all sexual sin which permeates throughout the entire bible, and which supports the word of God, Moses, Jesus, and all the Apostles, then this one verse from Jude, a bond servant of Jesus and brother of James,  sums it up nicely;

“7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality, and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7, NKJV, Pp.1173).

For it is these people to which is being referred too, that will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible is vast with a plethora of sins, all which are seen by God as an abomination. There are so many who live lives divorced from God, who will speak in a manner as to try and convenience the people of God that these sins mentioned above are not sins, but rather man’s nature, thus is not punishable by God. There again, my logical-self argues violently against such immoral arguments, as again God is unchanging in his will and is perfect, thus needing not to change. However, the words from Jesus as it relates to those who boast in their own works, in their own defense, and who argue matters which come from Satan because they are blind to their own sin, is indeed the most telling;

“42 Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murder from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God” (John 8:42-45, NKJV, Pp. 1035).

Jesus also points out that their will be those who will be expecting to be saved but are not;

“21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord.’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord,’ have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23, NKJV, Pp.941).

Damnation if taken seriously is a punishment that will last forever. It is shared by those who have been fooled by Satan, which is one third of all the angels, and all those who are blind, rebellious, hard of heart, staunch in their attitudes, with the conviction they shall suffer not. It is the most twisted joke which is being played upon humanity by a master deceiver, one who has indeed deceived himself. By virtue the path of the damned is wide, but the path of the righteous is narrow. To be sure God’s judgment is final and righteous. It is absolute without blemish or flaw. There will be neither argument nor rebuttal. For God’s judgment is eternal and fair.

“23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?”  24 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die” (Ezekiel 18:23-24, NKJV, Pp. 818).

It so completely amazes to me that so many people rather live for their own wants and desires, all of which are a sign of contempt and selfishness. The road signs are clearly marked we only have to read where they are leading too. Jesus was very specific on this point, as is God. Our immoral behavior will be judged according to their own works. The real fear I have every time I read Revelation, Leviticus, or any passage that I recognize where I have sinned against God, I have to stop and ask myself, “Where am I when my life is done?  Am I in the Lake of Fire, or am I with God?” Each time I contemplate this question it takes the breath from me, because though I have not sinned as much as others, I have sinned, and I have no other choice but to own it, as does the rest of humanity.

“23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Romans 6:23, NKJV, Pp.1089).

It is all too easy to say that if we just ask for forgiveness then we are forgiven. When hearing this message some of us nod their heads and reply, “Right… I have heard that all before.” All while discounting the simplicity of God’s love, compassion, and want for all of to join him in eternal life in the kingdom of God. But never the less, if you are sincere in you’re asking God through his son Lord, Jesus Christ for forgiveness, your name will be written in the Book of Life and your sins forgiven. The truth is there is no sin which God cannot forgive.  But be warned, you must mean it, because when your sins are forgiven you can feel it deep down in your soul, and you begin to express this in your everyday life, much like Apostle Paul. However, the first step as outlined by Jesus, as written by Matthew if followed, will radically change how you act, and what you believe in;

“22 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’ ” (Matthew 22:37-40, NKJV, Pp. 959).

Challenge question: If we don’t ask for Jesus’s forgiveness and live a righteous life now, then when?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Reflections 3: The Test of Love

“47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47, NKJV, Pp.1000).

Last week, and in many other posts, I have said that there is one requirement that we Christians have before God. This requirement is to have absolute faith in Jesus Christ no matter where he should lead us. In fact my exact words where, “To follow Jesus we must commit our souls to Him completely, lay down our own wants and desires and follow Him with absolute faith, without question of where He is leading us.” In addition to making this point, I also gave many examples of how some people just can’t come to grips with this, and in fact one of my readers commented to me personally, “God also wants us to question and not follow along like a blinded sheep.” Admittedly, after reading this comment I was somewhat taken aback. I wondered where I had gone wrong, so after a full week of contemplation I want to bring all of you full circle on this point.

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” 41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty, 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:40-42, NKJV, Pp.1000).

I ask, “Did this forgiving of debt have anything to do with mercy, with love?” Simon is being given a test that it took Apostle Paul half a lifetime to learn. Paul prosecuted Christians in the beginning. He was actively hunting them down watching them die at his own hand. His heart was filled with anger and violence, so much so his life was overflowing with such torment. His love was little, thus he loved little. What did it take to bring Paul from this pit of darkness, and give him a new lease on life? It took a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. It took Paul the very breath of Jesus in his ear, the blinding of his eyes, in order to instill and wipe away his old habit of hatred and persecution of others, and allow himself to be persecuted in order for him to truly find faith in God. Paul’s conversion was a new found unquestionable, unshakable faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  What a radical transformation from the old angry Christian hater to the new Christ follower. Like Paul, Simon is faced with the one true test of love.

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then he turned to the women and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this women has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this women has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore, I say to you, her sins are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:43 – 47, NKJV, Pp.1000).

This woman had a choice, she had free will, and she could have chosen not to accept Jesus in this manner. As the story unfolds we find not only did she completely surrender to Jesus, but she sought Him out, and she faced the many men of so-called faith who accused and cursed her. The word forgiven could have been replaced by accepted, but then the granting of forgiveness would have been mute. The table was prepared, the house filled with Pharisees, Jesus could have said you are accepted, and avoided criticism, but his purpose would have been unfilled. What a shame all that would have been, what a great opportunity would have slipped by unnoticed? The question, the criticism, which sparked this great test of love was one filled with scorn.

“39 This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of women this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner” (Luke 7:39, NKJV, Pp.1000).

But I ask, “Are we all not sinners?”

Yes, we are all sinners, yes; we all have free will, and yes; God wants us to question why we believe what we believe. If our God was not such a forgiving God, He would not have forgiven us our many indiscretions. If our God was not a loving God he would not have given us free will, coupled by an inquisitive nature that often times gets us into trouble. If our God wanted us to be blind automatons He would not have sent His only son Jesus to open our eyes so wide to His most perfect grace, His most perfect unconditional love.

It is because we are sinners we need God’s forgiveness, His divine mercy. No matter how hard we try, we cannot save ourselves. Without being tested by love, we love little. Without God showing us love, we would never know God. Apostle Paul would have forever been blinded by his hatred of people of different faiths, Simon would have never seen the light of day, the Pharisees would have never been moved to question God in the manner they did, and our daily struggle would be unbearable, as we would truly be forsaken. Historically speaking, Rome would never been converted to Christianity, and if that didn’t happen, you and I would not be having this conversation.  Without questioning our faith, our journey with and too God would be meaningless, for we would cease to seek, and we would never find. The only right answer is to do what the sinful women did before Jesus; the only action we need to show is our gratitude. The daily walk through our lives is filled with meaning when we surrender completely, and demonstrate with every breath in our bodies’ absolute faith in Jesus. Only then are we truly set free of our earthy shackles and begin to live the many blessings God had in store for us all along, but first we must pick up our cross and follow Him.

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the women. “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:48 – 50, NKJV, Pp.1000).

Challenge question: Where would we be if we did not have Gods love, if we were never tested by that most perfect love? Then without Gods love wouldn’t we be even more lost than we currently find ourselves?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Reflections 2: When We Follow Him

“24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24 – 25, NKJV, Pp.952).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is so direct, so cunning with His words I think sometimes we hear them, read them, and can even feel the emotion behind each and every phrase that he spoke, but somehow we fail to allow his message to sink in and really touch our souls. I feel we erect a barrier, a shield of shorts around our hearts that allows nothing good in, which prevents His healing touch to really work the miracles in our lives in the way they were intended too.  As I reflect upon Our Lord Jesus, His message, His longing for us all to put down our troubles and worries and pick up our cross, I have to also suggest that the faith Jesus exhibited in God is what gives meaning to His words, to His message, to His command to Follow Him.

I am also led to the conclusion that Jesus’s message was delivered in such a way that for those men and women who heard his voice, touched his skin, and who had the privilege to hug and interact with Him, they understood exactly His intent, for the message was crystal clear. Some of them, as some of us today just refuse to submit to Jesus. In fighting this unwinnable battle of wills we are also fighting against God our father in heaven. In propagating this strength test of sorts somewhere down the line we make a conscious choice. Some of us rebuke God because it is an easier road to follow, leaving our cross to rot where it is. Still others are so horrified that it is our very life we are required to willingly sacrifice that we simply panic and do everything imaginable to save it, condemning ourselves in the process.  But the majority of us are like Apostle Peter, we have no problem with the sacrifice of our own life, if it would mean Jesus didn’t have to die, and as innocent as that may sound it was against the very purpose of Jesus Christ being here in the first place, because through our death, we die a sinner, a rebel, and are ultimately separated from God Our Father. So to Peter, Jesus replied the only way he could and in doing so he also was talking to every man, women, and child that would ever live on this planet.

“22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ 23 But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:22 – 23, NKJV, Pp.952).

To follow Jesus we must commit our souls to Him completely, lay down our own wants and desires and follow Him with absolute faith, without question of where He is leading us. It is this requirement that separates the people of God from every other people in the world. It is this one prerequisite that keeps the people of God focused on the end game, thwarting any distractions.   Yet, some of us can hear His calming voice, but with our eyes we see the enemy coming closer and like Peter, we become fearful which leads us to become irrational and then we sin before God.  I find this response to be ironic, because Peter knew as did the other disciples, as we all know today, why Jesus was headed down the road that he freely chose. Yet, even armed with this knowledge Peter still allowed fear to momentarily blind him making him unable to accept the truth of Jesus’s mission. In retrospect Peter was coming from a place of earthly concern, fooled into believing this concern for Jesus was coming from a place of love. In allowing this Peter momentarily allowed Satan in, and Jesus saw it, heard it, and was responding to it. In that moment, Our Lord was also responding to each and every one of us each time we allow Satan in, speaking directly to our immortal soul as he cast Satan out.

“26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26, NKJV, Pp.952).

As I have stated before and will state again, it is righteous to have a healthy fear of God and a massive amount of respect for Him. For it is with His grace we continue to multiply, to live, and be so blessed. It is because God loves each and every one of us that we exist at all. It is so mind-boggling to me that some of us are so lost, so hungry for God’s love and yet run so fast in the opposite direction. Grant-it for many it is out of ignorance, but for those unlucky people who continue to practice willful disobedience in living an immoral, offensive life that which is chalked with sin, so much so it physically destroys them and hurts everyone around them, while ignoring God’s many pleas, for them we must pray for Gods mercy. For in all they do, in all their efforts they have accomplished nothing, for we are nothing when compared to God, as all things are accomplished through Him and by Him alone. I know God must really shake his head in wonder every time He looks down from heaven, hearing our many complaints, requests, and cries for help, only to turn the other cheek when He presents us the answer. Truth is Jesus asked this very question over two thousand years ago when He frustratingly announced;

“26 But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46, NKJV, Pp.998).

Jesus went on to explain the many differences in a person’s heart that does what he says, from one who does not in the following two verses, and as straight forward as His commandments are, none of them was as direct and as skillfully aimed at our human hearts as when he said over and over to the multitude, “Follow Me.” He said it because we are lost, and within Him, through Him we are found.

I am constantly inspired by those of us Christians who confess their faith and live a day-to-day life filled with God’s commandments, but I morn for those who live their lives as they see fit, absent of remorse while skillfully executing their own set of faulty morality. I can tell the unmistakable difference in a person who is filled with love from God, from one who is filled with love of self. The person filled with the love of God is peaceful, and holds a heart that strives to do good not for themselves, but for those who are around them. In their presence you feel safe, secure, and at peace, because they are humble before our God. But the person filled with selfish ambition and blind, reckless greed, well for them they betray their own self-serving intentions by the words that come from their diseased hearts.

Challenge question: Now that you know what is required what will you do in your own life today to honor God our most deserving Father?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Reflections 1: Instructions from Our Creator

“28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, NKJV, Pp.1485).

It brings me to tears every time I feel anger and resentment, especially when faced with someone who has hurt me deeply for no apparent reason other than they wanted something I had, or perceived that I had. In the act of taking this perceived object or status, they fueled their own selfish need for power while realizing their ultimate motives and agenda. It brings me to tears because I don’t want to feel that way about anyone and in the act of hurting me I have to ask this question, “How much more pain and anguish they must be in to do the things they have done, or are doing?” It is a sin to deliberately bring pain to another human being, to hurt them on purpose. This flies in the face of God, it tempts God, it demeans all that God stands for, and above all it puts God to the test, all of which we are instructed not to do.

“Then the Devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and made him stand at the top of the temple, “To prove you are God’s son,” he said to him, “jump down from here. And remember, it is written: ‘He will send his angels to guard you and to catch you in their hands so you won’t even hit your foot on a stone.’ Jesus answered him, “It has been said: ‘You must not put God to the test’” (Lost Gospel Q, Q7, Pp40).

Oddly, armed with this knowledge, like Jesus, the temptation to not forgive can be strong and within that knowledge I am moved to forgive them, to forgive the unforgivable. It might take great amounts of time and contemplation, but the results are always the same.

How lucky we are to be placed upon such a world where we have been saved by the most power entity in existence. How lucky we are to have been given step by step instructions on how to meet him in heaven. How lucky we are to have but only one thing to fear in life and in death, none of which is Satan. It is righteous to have a healthy fear of God and a massive amount of respect for Him.

“20 You shall fear the Lord your God, you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name” (Deuteronomy, 10:20, NKJV, Pp.258).

For it is found within His glory and His grace these instructions His wisdom that leads us, His children, back to Him. For the Lords promise to always be with us continues to hold fast no matter whom shall tempt Him by bringing harm to us. It is in this fact those who have lost their way can now find the path they once were on. It is because of His love those who are lost, having no faith, seething from no hope, can now pickup their own cross once more and find Jesus, if only they say,

“6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Palms 118:6, NKJV, Pp.922).

For indeed I ask, “What can man do to me, you, or anyone living?” Thus the power of man is not equal with that of our creators, nor is the power of Satan equal with God. Therefore, it is holy to worship God, to obey God, to follow Him.  When we do we are blessed abundantly, we are loved, we are cared for, and we are saved.

God’s instructions are far more superior to that of man’s and that of Satan’s. In truth there is no logic in what we do, how we live, and behave. For our lives are filled with rebellion and disgrace in the eyes of God, yet he still loves us. Thus, it is righteous to proclaim loudly,

“1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever” (Palms 118:1, NKJV, Pp.922).

In retrospect, I find it very comforting that God loves us as he does. It is this awesome amount of love which he freely gives, which we can choose to accept, and when we do our lives are forever changed. The greatest commandment or, set of instructions, which God handed down unto all of mankind, is that we should all love our neighbors.  But to follow this simple guiding rule would mean that we would also have to forgive each other our many indiscretions, honor each other’s wishes, work hand in hand for the shared fruits of the collective labor, and we would take care of our elderly. There would be no murder, hence no war, no reason to kill or to steal from someone else. If we obeyed God we would have no reason to become jealous and thus covet another’s house, wife, car, money, career, lifestyle, and or material belongings. We would not want those things in the first place. My personal favorite is that if we loved and I mean truly loved one other then we would never bear false witness whether it be in a court room, or in a school room, for there simply would be no need to lie and keep secrets. If there was no need then to keep secrets, there would be no adultery, for if we loved one another as commanded by God, then we would honor marriage, the family unit, and the great wealth which that brings. Our laws would protect the sanctity of this most holy union before the eyes of God, thus those who wed would truly be in love and take their vows seriously.

“Then taking him to a high mountain, the devil showed Jesus in an instant all the empires of the world. “I will give you the power and glory of these kingdoms, for it is mine, and I can give it to anyone I want. All you have to do is worship me.” Jesus retorted, “It is written: ‘You must worship God and serve Him alone.’ Having exhausted all these ways of tempting Jesus, the devil left him, to return at a later time” (Lost Gospel Q, Q8, Pp41).

Challenge question: Knowing we are commanded to love one another, to love our enemies, and because we don’t, is that proof enough that there is a God and that we all need his simple set of instructions to eternal salvation? Why else would we rebel so?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you. Amen.

Reflection 3: The Choice of Love

“22 And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them and You in Me: that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17: 22-23, Pp. 1046, NKJV.)

In this life we are lead down a path which at first glance tricks our eyes into believing that God does not love us, that we are alone in our pain, in our suffering, in our wants, and in all our trials and tribulations. We question God on his promise, his integrity, and his resolve in his absence in our life in being that all forgiving, merciful god his so called son, (Jesus Christ) talked about in the Bible. Under our breath we rebel against other Christians who have this unbelievable, unshakable faith and become jealous because in our heart of hearts we feel an inexplicable void which permeates our minds and souls, and forces us to ask the following set of question;

How do I rejoice when there is no real reason to in my life to do so?

How do I see the positive things in life when all there is are the negative day-to-day happenings?

Are there some people just born more positive than others? Is there some secret only a select few know about?

As found in John 17, Jesus was describing in graphic detail what he wants for every human on Earth.  He was not however making any promises that you will always feel his love, for that is a matter of faith, a choice to believe in love, and that God loves you beyond all measure.  Jesus was talking about a faith so strong  that there  would be no doubt that God loves you, this is best illustrated by his words, “I in them and You in Me” (Jesus, Pp. 1046). Subsequently there is no scripture which promises that you will always feel loved. Rather each circumstance in your life, within each trial and tribulation you will find if you have faith an unshakable connection with God. Allowing your doubts to vanish into thin air, for the negative things in life will always bring you closer to God. That journey or lesson then becomes unmistakable, exceedingly obvious that you are loved, for that is God’s simply promise. It then becomes your choice to believe in love, to believe in Him.

I told my daughter once that, “the more you love someone, especial your children, the more important that person becomes, the larger role they begin to play in your life. Because of this you cannot replace, ignore, no longer feel love for, or stop thinking about those people that you have allowed to become that important to you, no matter how badly they may have hurt you.”  So, if God made us in his image, allowed us to feel such love for each other, then it becomes an undeniable fact that His love is all around us, even if we do not feel loved by Him. It also becomes a fact that because Jesus said His Father loved us with His whole heart, so much so that God would send His only son to suffer and die to redeem man’s sinful nature, within that singular act it become apparent that God Himself has thus allowed all of us to become so unimaginably important to Him. In that, logic dictates that we are more important to God than we could ever imagine.

So, to answer these questions that make us doubt more completely we must first ask the following questions, “Why allow the negative things to have such an impact on us when we have a loving, forgiving, merciful relationship with God? Why allow such rebellion to seep into our hearts that we would give it such an important place in our life?”

As I travel the world and meet people from other cultures I am always fascinated to find how people are more willing to focus on the negative, annoying, problematic, complicated, agonizing, and even destructive situations in their life rather than to first search for the good within the bad? We as a race chose to first find fault, the proverbial “Why” behind the happening. We need to have a story, a fall guy, a person or people to blame for our own problems. The selective process we go through stops at nothing as we quickly point our fingers and utter the words that hurt feeling, start wars, and even destroy relationships. Few of us can stop before we blame and ask, “What did I do to cause this event?” Or more profoundly,  “What was it that I did wrong or perhaps not wrong but not what I should have done?”  If this was the process we clung too before playing the blame game maybe just maybe our world would be a better place to live in.

“26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty: 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; 31 that as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1: 26-31, Pp. 1099, NKJV).

Thus, through God we have the power within us to choose to build bridges that will last forever, or to destroy them before they are ever finished. Our choices in this life show more about you, how you handle unpleasant situations, and even how much you complain and moan about things you have no control over. This will ultimately unleash the truth of your character in ways your words would never be able too. In fact if the truth be told, it will be your actions here on Earth that which you shall be judged by more than your words. “Why?” you ask, because, it is your actions that are a reflection of what is truly in your heart. The sad thing is we have a choice from birth, just as Jesus did. We can chose to look at all the wonderful things in life as a daily blessing, even amidst the negative stuff. Instead of getting all down we can chose to say instead,

“Ok, I know there is something good in this pot of bad events dealt me….”

For when we make a conscious effort to find the miracles we find God’s love. No matter how small the miracle is, together they all make one big blessing from God. When we retrain our minds our spirit will take over, and the miracle in this will become apparent…trust me I know from experience. The need to have someone to blame goes away, the driving force to become the enforcer, the judge, jury, and executioner dissipates. The weight is suddenly lifted as it becomes almost effortless to see the good in any situation, just like our Lord and Savior; Jesus Christ did when being nailed to a cross.

One of my favorite stories that illustrates’ this best is the Book of Job. Here is a man who Satan unleashes all of Hell on Earth on. He lost his money, his children, his wife, his animals, his servants; more over his friends mocked him when he refused to blame God for the river of torment within his life. Job instead chose with boils on his skin to fall down before God  and warship Him, thanking Him for all the blessing he saw that God had granted. The real question here is could you do this in your life? Are you strong enough to be a Job?

Another character from the Bible which just amazes me is Moses. Here is a man who was simply born disadvantaged, as a slave. By the grace of God was he plucked from the river and raised as a Prince of Egypt. He learned all the ways of his people’s oppressors, then fell from grace. He found his way in the desert never once blaming God for his misfortune only to find favor, find a wife, have many children, and be so blessed.  As an old man Moses was called by God to free his people, (God’s chosen people). He argued with God, and according to the Bible, Moses had a love hate relationship with God and the people he was sent to free. Throughout the entire process as he was being transformed from being a mere Sheppard into God’s chosen profit Moses was a flawed, doubtful, and very much a sinful man. Throughout his life he had many reasons to curse God but never once did, rather, Moses searched for each miracle of God.  Are you strong enough to be a Moses?

However, the one greatest example God has given to us is that of Jesus. Here is a man who was given a task and carried it out faithfully, even though he knew it would lead him to a disgraceful, hideous, painful, and agonizingly brutal death. Yet there is not one word which that Jesus ever utters which would curse God. All of Jesus’s actions are peaceful and can even be described as being completely filled with love. In fact it is this love for others which Jesus spent more time preaching about more than anything else in his ministry here on Earth. If you take the time to read each passage where Jesus speaks even when he is angry, you can plainly see the love, the forgiveness, the peace within his spirit. It is so profoundly obvious just before he dies on the cross when he asks our Father in Heaven to forgive those who have crucified him. Jesus was willing to ask God for forgiveness of not just those who judged him, beat him, spit upon him,  disowned him, turned him in, and for those who did not believe in him, but he asked God to forgive every last one of us here on Earth. Jesus showed us how to look for the blessings, the miracles in all the bad events of our personal lives. He illustrated how to chose positive expression, to look at our own actions first, to put others first, to be completely beholden to God, to walk with God confidently. There is no other more perfect example found.

When we chose to look at these examples of how to live, how to act towards others we begin to see and to believe in the hidden power of God, the grace of God, and we begin to see each miracle happen, even if we have to experience something negative first. We fulfill the one true commandment left by Jesus Christ,

“35 Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36, Pp. 998, NJKV).

Therefore, we rejoice in the love of God because God’s love gives us purpose and a profound meaning. In doing so we obey God’s law of “Agape Love”,

“10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10, Pp. 1095).

Simply put it is through this good news of God’s never ending love for us do we find the reason to rejoice. When we look within all the dark places of our lives do we receive the insight, the reason God so loved us.  Rest assured the miracle of God is there, but we must make the choice to look for it, look for God’s love, to believe Christ is in us, as God is in Christ. In the face of this evidence I now ask, is there a special knowledge needed, to think positively? Are there just some people born being positive or did they chose to be positive? Within that choice are they freer, happier, and more satisfied with their lives? Thus, with this new insight into God’s mercy, do we now see we have a choice to love each other because God first loved us? He chose to redeem us first?

So for your New Year’s Resolutions I challenge each and everyone one of you to become positive, to make the choice to become more satisfied and let Jesus fill your hearts with his peaceful spirit of God’s most perfect love. Amen

Special Thanksgiving Message 2010: The Gospel of Giving

“If a woman has ten silver coins, what will she do if she loses one? She’ll light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully. When she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found the coin that was lost” (The Lost Gospel Q, Q72, Pp. 107).

This morning when I awoke, I took a drive early in the morning. I saw the streets where empty and few cars on the road. It was as if everyone was still asleep and or already at their relatives houses where they were to spend this most special of days we call Thanksgiving. As I drove I remembered how I used to get up early and would make my way into the kitchen, letting my noise lead the way. Upon arriving there I would find my mother and grandma preparing the day’s feast. Their warm smiles as they looked down at me filled my heart with love. I remember being greeted with a tight, good-morning hug and wonderful smells of delicious foods. My grandmother would offer me some of her prized rolls she had just finished cooking and they were piping hot and the heat would instantly melt the butter she would spread on top of them. For most Americans Thanksgiving is about delicious foods, carefully prepared, served with love. But most of all Thanksgiving boils down to time spent with one’s family. Spending time with those whom we hold most dear. In the years following as I grew older and family either moved, or went to meet God, Thanksgiving was never really the same. As time passed I guess I have been searching for a place, a smell, and hug, even the warmth I had felt when I was a boy. In the many Thanksgivings since, I have spent many of them alone, far away from family, at first because I was serving my country in the United States Navy, then because I was married and lived to far away to be present with my parents and sisters. Then in the many years after my divorce I would spent time with my daughter and never had much money to make Thanksgiving as special for her as it had been for me. In this past year and a half of strife with my ex-wife the time with my daughter became nonexistent, which was all very unnecessary. I allow you to see my life through a window, not to gain sympathy, but rather to illustrate my search, this journey I put myself on, one which left me longing for that one most basic of human needs throughout the holidays. A search which has left me more alone than words can express. It was as if I had ten silver coins and had lost one.

Human nature drives us to look more closely at what we are missing than to be thankful for what we have. As hard as it is to admit my lonely holidays where spent searching for the love I still had, but I was more concerned about the physical celebration of that which I perceived I was missing out on. In truth I have become spiritually blind to the presents of God in my life during the holidays. I put way to much importance on this notion that the room was empty, the morning smells of food being prepared was not there anymore. My house was devoid of laughter and good cheer, when in fact God was calling my name, to which I never responded, partly out of anger for God allowing me to be so alone at such a joyous time of the year. I now can see how mistaken I was.

I write this because I know there are many people who are not going to spend the holidays with their loved ones, for a myriad of different reasons. I know your pain; I know what you are thinking and what you are feeling. Know I have been there, to that dark place of emptiness and despair. So the first part of this message is for you. God is calling you, he is reaching out to you, and it does not matter where in the world that you are, God loves you, cares for you, and wants to comfort you. Don’t make my mistake and reject his call this Thanksgiving or holiday season. Don’t allow yourself to fall into that great temptation that everyone should be together before you feel that holiday spirit. Because in truth no matter who is with you, be them friend, co-worker, or stranger, lift up your head as if you found that missing silver coin. Celebrate and rejoice in what you have, and God will fill your spirit, he will lift you up and give you that warmth you crave.

“Give, and there will be gifts for you. A full measure of grain, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back” (Lost Gospel Q, Q18, Pp. 51).

As I drove this morning another thought came to me, one of the history of Thanksgiving. Each year I take great joy in teaching this to the student at my school. I love showing them websites and videos that illustrate the giving spirit that allowed enemies to become vast allies. In truth, as I say to my many students, “The American Indians did not have to take pity upon the pilgrims.  They did not have to show them any kind of mercy what so ever. After all it was the pilgrims that was invading their land, there sacred space, but the natives did anyway.” I think in the back of my mind for as educated as the pilgrims thought they were they had no clue how to survive in the wild places of the Earth. They left Europe because of religious principals, but when their stomachs grew hungry, the many diseases set in, and the chill of the long winter nights began to claim lives, it was the Indians who showed more christian attributes than did the pilgrims. How strange I think for a native people who had never been thought the word of God, to be more christianly than those who fleet their own country because they felt others were not being christianly towards them. But it was through the hardship, God worked out a wonderful miracle, for as one people reached out to another a bond was formed and a nation grew out of that bond. God truly blessed it, and Thanksgiving is that great celebration we all hold dear in remembrance of that bond of charity. It is very true, what you give to others in need you will be given back a thousand fold.

If you are a follower of Listening Faithfully you know I normally don’t endorse websites, or ask for money or donations. I try very hard to stay away from that on this site. However, in the spirit of this Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday I would like everyone to simply go to a new blog I am writing, one that is very much in the spirit of giving to those who have not or less than. This new blog is called, The Gospel of Giving, and can be found @ http://gospelofgiving.wordpress.com/. This blog is dedicated to raising money for special causes and I pray that these are shared with everyone whom you know, and that if there is something extra you can give you take the time and give in remembrance of these two special sayings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I also simply ask that if you have a cause that will greatly impact the lives of children, the elderly, or any persons who are in need of relief from tyranny or abuse to please feel free to email me @ listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com. Also stay in touch with Listening Faithfully and The Gospel of Giving through Twitter @ http://twitter.com/Listeninfaith.

Happy Thanksgiving to all whom have been present in my life over the years and to my daughter to which I love and miss greatly. I want to take special note and thank those at my College whom have held my hand through all my strife and misfortune. Thank you for never giving up, never wavering, even for a moment. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many words of encouragement and for constantly finding radical new was to support me throughout my journey through the vast world of Higher Education. I also want to thank all those whom are already giving to the private elementary school in which I have so faithfully served for over four years of my life. I think you all know that we serve through good times and bad not for the monetary reward, but for the many tiny blessings bestowed upon us each time one of our children smiles in recognition of the lessons we spend so much time in trying so desperately to teach them.  A special blessing goes out to all those teachers whom I have worked so closely with over my entire professional career in education in all three elementary schools to which I have poured out my heart for. Last but not least, to my mother, father, sisters and nieces and nephew, and to my most special new found love and her family, there is no greater joy than to see each one of you, to hear your laugh, to see your smiles, and to feel your love through each warm embrace. You all have helped to shape me into the man I am today, and I thank you for all the time it took. I also want to call attention to my closed of friends whom are within my inner most circle that which has bestowed upon me great joy, I thank you for being there through thick and thin, for making me smile when I was sad, for being taught with me when I wanted nothing more than to give up. It is these bonds which I cherish more than any of you shall ever know. I also want to thank each and every follower of this blog, I put so much time and energy into it, and hope you gain from my labor of love. We all have many things to be thankful for in this life, but mainly for having each other.

May God bless you all and keep you safe this holiday season.

Amen

Reflection 4: When God Listens

“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” (John 11:41-42, Pg. 1039, NKJV).

Sometimes it feels like God isn’t anywhere to be found especially in the loneliness of the cold and still night. Deep within the gloomy recesses of our mind we feel a darkness come over us, a terrible nagging feeling that can only be described as being alone. For most people this is a scary thing, the realization of being alone, and being isolated within it. As this feeling slowly emerges and  then swells taking over our inner most thoughts we become convinced that we are in fact truly alone. But the truth is though the room is dark and there might not be anyone around, you’re not alone. Your husband or wife may not be physically with you, holding onto to, sharing the best parts of their day, the truth is you’re not alone. Your child or children might not be with you, smiling, laughing, playing, or listening to your bedtime stories anymore, all of which warms a parents heart to no end, the truth is God is with you. We sometimes lack that spiritual confidence that Jesus had in abundance. He knew his father in heaven heard every single word, he never second guessed it, he never shied away from that special reassuring knowledge that God was with him, in everything he did, in every word he spoke, and in every action he took. When Jesus prayed he was reaching out to his Father that which yes, “technically”, was not physically present where He could be seen by everyone,  but God is there spiritually. Jesus talked to God as if he could see Him, hear Him, and feel Him. Each word exuded confidence that he in fact was being heard. So it is no wonder that when our Savior prayed to God, he was also giving Him praise.

It is a wonderful thing I think, that we have such a loving God, that he does listen to each and every word we utter, how we uttered it, and what was going on in our mind that was responsible for how those words where selectively chosen before  they came out of our mouth. God hears every whisper, every wish, and every salutation that is in our hearts. God listens so intently that He knows precisely how to calm each fear and He is ready to do so at a moment’s notice.

What so many of us fail to realize is that God only intervenes when we are ready for him to do so. That means we must give all we have, all our worries, and frustrations of this life willingly to him. We might pray and say, “Hello God…I am ready…where are you?” But he knows we are not ready even when we have convened ourselves that we are. Our words give us away; they betray our inner heart, and our doubts that God can’t possibly help us. The longer the perceived silence, the angrier we get at God. We get so worked up and over powered by the world, our life in the world, we stop believing, we stop listening, not to just God, but to everyone else around us. When we do this we become weak, and spiritually starved, because God can’t help you until you really want Him too, until you give it to him.

“43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with gravecloths, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:43-44, Pg. 1039, NKJV).

Lazarus died and Jesus was nowhere to be found. His sisters looked everywhere for Jesus and he did not come to heal Lazarus his good friend, before he died. The sisters became angry at Jesus, that he after hearing of Lazarus’s illness still took his time in coming. In fact it was if Jesus didn’t care about Lazarus at all. But Jesus had a plan. The salvation of the world was Jesus’ mission, and he used the death of Lazarus to bring so many people to God. Jesus didn’t raise Lazarus from the grave to please his sisters, to answer their prayers, but yet their prayers were answered because Jesus did come; Lazarus was resurrected from the dead. Jesus could feel their pain, their anguish, he heard their cries at the realization that Lazarus had passed away. When reflecting on this, the truth of the miracle comes to light. The one unshakable truth is that we are never alone. For God knows all things, and has power over all things. To think we are alone, is akin to losing faith, the loss of faith brings forth doubt, and doubt is Satan’s favorite weapon. So it was so perfect of Jesus to pray confidently to God, before raising Lazarus from the dead.

I was reading this book called, God Is In The Hard Stuff, written by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, who wrote, “If you mistakenly assume that God is not present, you’ll be spiritually blind to His presence. But if you take God at His word and expect to find Him in the darkest hours, you’ll be surprised that you see Him all around you. Suddenly, the severity of your problems will shrink in comparison to the magnitude of God’s presence in your life. God doesn’t remove the difficulty and pain. But He will be there with you through it all” (Bickel & Jantz, 2005, Pp14-15). Moreover, it has been within my own personal experience that God purposefully places people in your life when you need them to be there; they are there to help you through those difficult times.

So God might not answer your prayers directly as in the example of Lazarus, but he will use those prayers to bring you and thousands of others closer to Him. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care. He wouldn’t listen if he was not interested in your prayers, your words, your wants and desires. God wouldn’t have sent his only son to die on the cross if he didn’t love us so much. This very point ties so perfectly into last week’s reflection, “Paying Attention to Detail”.

“We love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Challenge Question: If Jesus hears our prayers, and God knows our deepest desires, and our prayers get answered but not directly, our we to then assume it was meant for us alone, or for thousands of others who had prayed the same prayers?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you. Amen.

Reflections 2: Paying Attention to Detail

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:18-22, Lost Gospel Q, Q30, p.64).

It is no accident that when we look at the human spirit we all have a common need to know God. It is no accident that Jesus chose to come as a sheep to be slain, only to rise on the third day. I say it is not an accident because God chose to give us all free will, in doing so He knew we would sin, and fall away from Him but our God did it anyway. God is so magnificent, so perfect in all His works that He was so precise that He paid such close attention to detail in the creation of us that which He had already made room for our sins in His overall plan for humanity. It is no accident that our creator made us in His likeness took such delight in giving Adam his first breath of life, as He does for each and every one of us. God paid such close attention to detail that He recognized when Adam was lonely, thus He created Eve. The miracle is in the fact there is no difference to how closely God observes us, each one of us, and knows when we need Him, answers our prayers, and plays such an active role in our individual lives once we have accepted Him into our hearts, under that most perfect design called free will.

Simon Peter could have said no, as well could have Andrew. In fact each and every one of the twelve disciples could have said no. But because each one of us has that built in need to know God, they followed him, they made a choice. They walked away from their lively hood, their families, their worldly responsibilities, and made the choice to follow him. To their credit they listened to Jesus and followed him upon blind faith that they were making the right choice. The most compelling aspect to this was Jesus knew they would slip in their faith while following him, he knew they would argue, complain, have many doubts, even question him on topics they all struggled with, which we all still today struggle with. Jesus knew they would abandon him in the end, run away in fear, deny him, and even betray him. Jesus knew this just as his Father in heaven knew Adam and Eve would sin, but instead of fixing this one trait, our Lord and Savior used it to our greatest benefit, through his death on the cross. Perhaps the greatest of Jesus’s acts took place during the last super as found in John 13: 1-5, when he washed his disciple’s feet. The attention to detail was so perfectly executed that Jesus did not hesitate to wash the feet of Judas Iscariot, knowing that within moments of him doing so, Judas would betray him.

“2 The evening meal was being served and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13: 2-5, Pg. 1656, NKJV).

How do you reconcile the example of doing for those who would do you ill? In truth I don’t know anyone who could have washed Judas’s feet if they had the forward knowledge that Judas was going to betray them. Moreover within hours from that moment such torture and pain was going to be unleashed upon him. But it took the unyielding, agape love of God to become the servant, to wash the feet of his betrayer. But yet we are all called to do this. In retrospect it is no different from when God gave Adam life, knowing Adam would eventually sin against him. In fact every human on Earth has sinned against God, but yet He still pays such close attention to detail as to love us anyway, to show us His grace anyway, and to choose to send His son Jesus to save all of us from eternal damnation anyway.

Jesus still chose out of free will, the twelve flawed, conflicted, non-patient men to be his disciples, and they accepted his invitation through free will and blind faith. Some of the most powerful words Jesus ever uttered in his ministry were his most simple of words, “Follow Me.”

Often times we get so wrapped up in our own lives we forget to do for others as Jesus so plainly gave the most perfect of examples. Some of us have such brilliant excuses as using the lack of time as the culprit in not obeying God. The simple miscalculation of this is found in the fact there is no one busier than God, but yet He so passionately spends personal one-on-one time with each and every one on planet Earth. There is no excuse for not showing others kindness, love, mercy, and forgiveness. Worse yet some of us openly betray God, in all their words and actions. They harm even those they love, and call this twisted pool of lies and rebellion love. But such is free will, we are free to think, feel, react, learn, and breath, as we choose. But we all have a choice, we all make our own destiny, we all have a loving forgiving father in heaven who is always there waiting, watching, hoping we will call upon Him, to ask for His forgiveness. Such is the very nature of God, as so expressed by John,

“8  He who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8, Pg. 1170, NKJV).

Furthermore John explains,

“16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:16-19, Pg. 1170, NKJV).

Because we are left with the unyielding love of God, we are never alone, never left without hope, never subject to fear. Within our faith we are made perfect in God, we are molded and shaped by God. He takes so much pleasure in each wrinkle, every scratch, every pour and cell in our bodies, for He alone pays such great attention to such details. Ironically this takes vast amounts of time, and this is what God does for us just like He did for Jesus’s twelve disciples. One of the greatest reliefs is that whenever there is a huge worry, a meeting, assignment, or task that is life changing and a bit scary to face, know God is in our life and that there is noting to fear. For if we know God in our heart, we know love, in that love cast out fear and we then have perfect confidence our task will be completed just as Jesus faced down death, only to rise on the third day with God’s perfect confidence and love.

Challenge question: Knowing we are commanded to love one another, to love our enemies, to wash clean their feet, to show mercy and forgiveness, then when we choose not to do so aren’t we really in rebellion? Aren’t we really telling God we know better? Then if this is the case aren’t we all very lucky to have such a forgiving God who has paid such attention as to give us the agape love we need to come to him once we realize our mistake, our sin?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you. Amen.