Reflection 1: Foundational Relationships pt1

“14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” ~ Psalms 145:14, KJV.

There are many types of friendships; however the ones that are the most foundational and rewarding are those which an immense amount of work has gone into them. Like anything else in life where your heart is so there will you find all your efforts. Foundational relationships are those which are built upon unconditional love, trust, understanding, a willingness to forgive, commitment, the ability to allow your friends to make mistakes, and above all the giving of time and allowing others in under the radar. In so many ways this is the same relationship that God wants to have with each one of us. It goes without saying that true friends can prop each other up, can support each other when times are hard, and can even say that they love each other without there being any misunderstanding, controversy, or adverse effect on the relationship, rather those words build and strengthen the relationship. Much like the relationship God asks for and so freely gives, foundational friendships lift each other up and lends a steady hand when required with no questions asked.

“18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” ~ Psalms 145:18, KJV?

God offers his hand, he pulls us close, he is ever-present in our mundane life, and he is always available. In retrospect our God took many risks in creating us, loving us, and saving us as he did. He set the example of what it means to be a perfect friend, perfect shepherd, and perfect savior. So when we look at the foundational relationship we must also follow in His footsteps and take many risks. I think it very appropriate to also include the idea that each friendship we make will not become a foundational relationship because the closeness that is required is not present in all of our friendships. But it can also be true that one can have a foundational relationship with a person whom they have not spend very much time with and are separated by vast distances if there is that closeness present in the conversations when and were ever they may occur.  When we take risks, and reach out past our comfort zone we create the opportunity to find and build foundational relationships in every corner of the world, regardless of our imperfect man made traditions, religious practices or beliefs, and personal stigmas. When we look upon our brothers and sisters in Christ color fades away leaving behind the person who God sees, a perfect representation of your friend standing there before you, and the person of no color, no sin, and no falsehoods. For God sees that shining light within each one of us and it is that person who we need to celebrate. There is no shame in connecting, helping, propping up, loving, supporting, and even having disagreements with people in your life that are vastly different from you no matter from where they come, for God loves all of us equally. When we reach out our hand, swallow our pride, look past ourselves, and openly accept others for who they are then we also become like God and set the perfect example;

“24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” ~ Probverbs 18:24, KJV.

Foundational relationships are built upon stone or granite which supports the load with unyielding firmness, never to be moved or shaken. If you counted all the friends in your life which ones would pass this test? Indeed, few if any people in reality fall into this category by default. In this examination we also must understand the characteristic which makes people fall directly in line as a foundational friend, after God has so molded them to take on this personage. But to do this we must also understand that the first friend you have that automatically falls into this category is Jesus Christ.

The first characteristics of foundational friendships in these kinds of relationships are found in the qualities of Christ, the chief among them is obedience and loyalty. This is in direct reference to being friends with Jesus, because we should not be completely obedient to the flesh, rather to the spirit, but we are all called to be loyal to both. For instance, if God tells you to sacrifice your first born then obey as did Abraham, but know that God would never ask you to follow through, as he sent an angle to stop Abraham, much like he would send an army of angels to lift your burden.

“10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” ~ Genesis 22:10-12, KJV.

Therefore, in the figurative speech if a friend tells you to sacrifice your first born, know then this friend needs your help. This falls directly back to unconditional love, loyalty, support, acceptance and the propping up of your friend, but in a way that you are not entangled or seen to be condoning or otherwise supporting their position. In this you are much like an angel of the Lord, and thus showing your obedience to God the Father only.  Always know that our God would never ask you to truly sacrifice your only child, and neither should your friends, (figuratively speaking: the flesh), place you in such hard circumstances. Being obedient and loyal to Jesus is the first step in making yourself available to becoming a foundational friend to others. Remember the only person you can change is yourself.

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“12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” ~ John 15:12-14, KJV.

Found in John is the only condition Jesus places upon His disciples and the rest of humanity. Jesus’s friendship is contingent upon doing what He has commanded, in that love one another, and protect one another to the bitter end as Jesus has also done for you. Friends do not attack one another, they do not bare false witness against each other, and they do not seek to harm or embarrass each other, nor harass each other for selfish gain for Jesus did none of these things. Making Jesus your rock which you build your friendships and relationships upon makes you complicit to God and fulfills this command or condition found in John. Moreover, you become his disciple, and as such worthy of His truth which will set you free.

“31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, ‘If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.‘” ~ John 8:31-32. Jesus also added, “51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” ~ John 8:51, KJV.

The second characteristic is found in accepting people as they are, showing compassion in tough situations, and being equitable to all whom you meet. There are so many teachings found in the Bible which supports this, but again taking from the perfect examples of Christ,  center your focus totally on this one most perfect instance which so many missed.

“4 They say unto him, ‘Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” 6 This they said, tempting him that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.‘” ~ John 8:4-7, KJV.

The qualities that Jesus exhibited were first and foremost central to the commandment, “13 Thou shalt not kill.” found in Exodus 20:13. This was also at the center of their test for Christ, for the Mosaic Law was hinged upon the very next commandment with the punishment that violated the first, “14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.” ~ Exodus 20:14. Therefore, because the law required stoning for violating the secret womb, (which was the baseline for marriage, and the first commandment given to Adam and Eve, as in propagation of the human-race), the voiding of love and compassion if both the adulterer and adulteress was caught in the act was seen to be saving their souls as the Law called for the shedding of blood to atone for the sin debt of adultery. The crowd expected Jesus to uphold this law, to condone and thus condemning the women to death. But that is not how Jesus saw it, in fact our Lord and Savior took the exact opposite view point. Upholding with compassion Exodus 20:13, while condemning no one, rather accepting, loving unconditionally, supporting, and forgiving without question the human nature to sin. With Jesus the crowd would learn a valuable lesson which brought controversy and division within man’s law. Thus Jesus knew his Father in heaven as a loving God, therefore Jesus reacted with love, taking a man-made law that voided love and made it into one filled to the rim with compassion, for Jesus responded with;

“7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’ 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” ~ John 8:7-9, KJV.

The bedrock which Jesus laid was so deep, so poignant, and perfect that no one even the Pharisees could argue with it. Through compassion we find we are lifted up to a higher standard, one which demands that love be part of every act we do, compassion be the first thought in our mind and soul. When we open ourselves up to this belief then we release our need to judge or be and act in a judgmental way. Instead we lay down the reigns of control and give it all to God. No one need die for their sins, rather Jesus showed us that repentance is the new law.

“10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, ‘Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?’ 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, ‘Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.’” ~ John 8:10-11, KJV.

The third characteristic Jesus exhibited is found in his acceptance of sinners, openly if not defiantly associating himself with the lowest of people. The ability to walk into a mud hut and see it as the occupants see it, to eat their food, to drink their water and wine, to open ones heart and share with them without a since of superiority or judgmental attitude is at the most basic levels an act of love. This one deed penetrated Jesus’s heart, was in ever act he committed, and reverberated around the world touching millions of people long after his ascension.

“5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.’ 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” ~ Luke 19:5-7.

Jesus made every moment painfully public as he took his ministry of love to the people, always seeking the best opportunities which were sure to upset the establishment. He seized the most effective ways to enforce His new law in the most peaceably manner possible.

“36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, (This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.)” ~ Luke 19:36-39, KJV. 

In every regard Jesus accepted the worship of sinners no matter their sin. He always made a point to forgive them, no matter the day of the week, or physical place he found himself, he always forgave.

Amen

May God be with you always, and grant you everlasting peace. If you have been moved by this reflection please feel free to leave a comment and press the “Like” under the “Like This” heading found underneath the posting

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Special Reflection: Loyality 2012

“3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” ~ Proverbs 3:3-4

The words used in the Bible are written in such a manner to invoke an inner locking oneness to God, in much the same way some words are locked together and used in concert painting beautiful portraits and wonderful spectacles. Love is a root word God uses throughout creation, from it he bound the angels to himself with the word loyalty. God saw that Lucifer had been disloyal and cast him from heaven. Lucifer was disloyal because he saw how much closer God had bound the human race to himself with the word faithful. We are Gods children, his faithful flock, and we too are bound by loyalty. Faithfulness and loyalty are two binding words which ripple throughout all time, but find their roots in the word “love”. Therefore, it’s no accident these words be spoke with such reverence to God, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you.” For God is love, and loyalty and faithfulness is written upon the tablet of your heart.

Enter Job was the apitemy of both loyalty to God and faithfulness to God to the bitter end. God saw the written evidence upon Job’s heart. Thus he had no reservation in suggesting to Satan to test him as found in the first chapters of the Book of Job.

“6 When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the Lord, Satan was there among them. 7 The Lord asked him, ‘What have you been doing?’ Satan answered, ‘I have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth.’ ‘8 Did you notice my servant Job?’ the Lord asked. ‘There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships me and is careful not to do anything evil.’ ‘9 Satan replied, ‘Would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it? 10 You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns. You bless everything he does, and you have given him enough cattle to fill the whole country. 11 But now suppose you take away everything he has, he will curse you to your face!’ 12 ‘All right’, the Lord said to Satan, ‘everything he has is in your power, but you must not hurt Job himself.’ So Satan left.” ~ Job 1:6-12

According to God, Job was loyal. According to Satan Job was loyal and faithful to God. In accordance Satan exclaimed how much God had blessed Job and it was these many blessings which was the source of Jobs loyalty. Take it all away and he will curse you Satan bet. God swift in his faith in Job knew Jobs heart, saw that tablet of love, faithfulness, and of loyalty written upon his heart and bound around his neck, never to leave him

In the time shortly before King David, Prophet Samuel, another faithful and loyal servant of Gods is told by God to go to Bethleham and to anoint with olive oil one of Jesse’s sons. Saul was still King at this time, thus to follow the very words of God would have proven Samuel disloyal to Saul, but written upon Samuels heart was love, loyalty, and faithfulness to God.

“4 Samuel did what the Lord told him to do and went to Bethleham, where the city leaders came trembling to meet him and asked, ‘Is this a peaceful visit seer?’ 5 ‘Yes’ he answered. ‘I have come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.” ~ 1 Samuel 16:4-5
When Samuel saw all the sons of Jesse, he did not know what to do, but again he relied on his faith in God to show him his next path, his final acts on Gods behalf.
“7 But the Lord said to him, ‘Pay no attention to how tall and handsome he is. I have rejected him, because I do not judge as people judge. They look at outward appearance, but I look at the heart.” ~ 1 Samuel 16:7

Samuel found great favor in God. It was for this purpose God chose him to speak on hi behalf. God found no favor in King Saul who had disobeyed God, thus God rejected him. David a boy showing great faith in God did the unthinkable, in demonstrating blind faith in God in the face of certain death at the hands of Goliath.

“45 David answered, ‘You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people.    He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.” ~ 1 Samuel 17:45-47

Again God saw what was written in David’s heart, saw his faith, his loyalty, his obedience which was far superior to that of the Philistine giant Goliath, and far superior to the faith of King Saul himself. The least of things David won that day was the victory over his enemy, the Kingship of all of Israel, and the greatest of things was that of the favor of God.

In these two examples, Job suffered greatly at the hands of Satan, but did not lose his faith, his loyalty, his faithfulness to God, neither did King David have an easy life once he became King, but he too suffered and never lost faith in God. Both men where greatly blessed in their time by God, and in His sight won great favor. These two men where but a small sampling of a larger community of people who had written upon theirs hearts and lived a life filled with love, loyalty, and faithfulness to God, the Almighty.

They as did others like Moses, Isaac, Isaiah, Samuel, Ezra, Ruth, Joshua, Esther, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John where human examples of absolute faith, absolute loyalty to God our father in Heaven. It can also be said they accomplished their mission which God ordained by having the proper attitude, which gave them their collective enthusiasm, freedom from fear, increased creativity, exciting joy which engulfed all that interacted with them, and blessed them with the greatest of potential. Jesus, the Son of God embodied the pure, unblemished love and loyalty to His father unto death. It is the reason their names are etched into history, and serried into our hearts for all time. God our father prizes loyalty, faithfulness, and love above all other qualities and it this which he peers into our heart, ignoring the glamor of the outer appearance, and looks so readily  for those words which bid us so closely to him. It is this which He is so moved to show us so much favor, and is so will to give us power over all the evil in our lives.

Amen

May God be with you always, and grant you everlasting peace

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Special Message: Forgiveness 2012

“23 He did not forget us when we were defeated; His love is eternal; 24 He freed us from our enemies; His love is eternal. 25 He gives food to every living creature; His love is eternal. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven his love is eternal”(Psalms 136: 23-26, GNT Bible, Pp.566).

Our selfless and ever vigilant God in heaven is the source of forgiveness and of hope. His most perfect love is wrapped around each and every one of us and when we ask Him for His most perfect grace He bestows upon us His perfect mercy. God is everywhere you look from the many grains of sand beneath your feet to the plants and animals in the wild, to the water that we drink, to the massive oceans he keeps in their place. God is in the air we breathe, He is in the smiles from strangers we meet, to the words you hear from unexpected sources that cheer you on when you need it most. God lives in your heart, mind, and soul, and He alone fills that empty void within us completely. Within these truths we bow down to God, we marvel at His perfect nature, His perfect love, His perfect mercy, and we keep the knowledge that only He is the master of all things explained and unexplained, physical and supernatural. We give him thanks for handing to us his perfect salvation. In its entirety from beginning to end the most spectacular mystery of our one true living God is found within His power over forgiveness and the giving of hope. There is nothing which exudes more perfectly His love than His promise to always be present in our lives and because He loves us all the same we are all saved through His son Jesus Christ.

Therefore, this reflection is centered on God’s forgiveness and His giving of hope.

About Forgiveness;

“Jesus explained to His disciples, ‘If a companion does something wrong to you, go to that person and point this out. But do it privately. If your friend listens and says, “I’m sorry”, forgive and your bond will be strengthened.” ~ Lost Gospel Q, Q77.

The magic secret of forgiveness if there is one can be best expressed by simply saying this; by giving others the opportunity to make amends is both showing them respect and concern for their position and therefore showing them love. Forgiveness cannot be given from any kind of heart other than one which is filled completely with love, because forgiveness is an act of love. Jesus stated that we need to confront those who have wronged us, telling them how we feel about the action they took which brought forth anger. He commanded this to be done in private, keeping this between the two parties that are involved because people have a tendency to judge others without the proper facts and in the end condemning who they happen to side against from a political or person tie. The simple act of private, respectful, confrontation is another sign of respect, and when added up in total there is no real reason the problem cannot be resolved peacefully, leaving everyone with honor.

In my personal life I have known people who when I have confronted them a wall goes up. They become confrontational spouting words that cut like knives. I have also known people who simply refuse to discuss the matter at hand leaving no room for a resolution that is within the best interest of everyone involved. I offer these two examples to show how selfish and immature people can sometimes be, within this we are called by God to be mature in our faith, in our dealings with others, taking the high road less traveled. I realize that sometimes this road is lonely much like a desolate road in the dead of night. A road in the desert where there is no other traveler that you can see for hours and or days at a time. It may also seem as if the other person is getting their way at your expense, which can leave you feeling more hurt, upset, and even angrier than you where originally. The injustice paid to you is a blessing in disguise because God knows your effort, He knows your pain, He alone knows your suffering, and though your mortal heart shouts out to him for vengeance, your Christian soul should be disciplined enough to also know that revenge is not yours to take.

“20 The anger of man or the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God.” ~ James 1:20.

Therefore, be quick to forgive, being fair and equitable with everyone in your life. Remember as a Christian first you are commanded to forgive, even if the other person refuses to hear your case against them, or they refuse to tell you why they are upset at you first. Be quick to apologize for the part you may have played even if they do not forgive you. In this action you are being mature in your faith, and taking the high road, which leads to higher rewards in heaven.

“12 You are the people of God; He loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. 14 And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity”(Colossians 3: 12-14, GNT Bible, Pp.1291).

I know again from personal experience how hard it is to forgive someone who has continuously sins against me. I know how angry the heart can become, but in the act of expressing this anger your heart also becomes hardened. Forgiveness is a practice in humility; it is an act which honors God in heaven. Because when you forgive the unforgivable you first set yourself free of the pain of not forgiving, and second you abide in the greatest of commandments set forth by Jesus in the temple when asked by a Pharisee,

“36 Teacher,” he asked, “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus answered “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind. 38 This is the greatest and the most important commandment. 39 The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ 40 The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments”(Matthew 22:36-40, GNT Bible, Pp.1095).

In the end our journey through this life is one marked by how well you followed God, by the moral lessons you have learned along the way, and how much like God you became as He molded you into a more perfect you. Our endeavor should never be marked by selfishness and greed, rather by asking ourselves this question each and every day, “For as a sinner in this world who am I to condemn another? Who am I to through the first stone?”

“6 If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done.”(Matthew 6:14-15, GNT Bible, Pp. 1074).

Thus the spiritual benefits are heavenly, but the earthly ones are awesome too. Remember when you let go of your bitterness and allow yourself to forgive others of their trespasses you will cleanse your heart making room for compassion, kindness, and peace. Forgiveness leads to healthier relationships, greater spiritual and psychological well-being, less anxiety, less stress, less hostility, which leads to lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression, and lower risk of substance abuse. We are made in God’s image, therefore we are built to forgive. That is why it hurts so badly when we don’t.

Amen

May God be with you always, and grant you everlasting peace.

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Special Reflection: New Year's Message 2012

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

I have said this many times before in past writings, but I think it is always good to repeat some things, especially if the message is an important one. So by giving your life over to God there is nothing you cannot do, for God has promised to always be there for you. In addition and more to the point I think sometimes we get so wrapped up into making the “Grand Plan” for our own life’s that we fail to see the plan God has for us. He brings people into your life not by accident but for a reason. He gives us challenges through some of those people which I will address later, while others we learn a great deal from. I have always told my students to always be watchful of those people who are in your life and of those who you meet and who become a part of your life whether their role is large or small, because God allowed them to be there exactly at the appointed time and hour they arrived.

The greatest example I have is my closest circle of friends, which numbers all of three people. One I meet many years ago and found to be extremely interesting, very talented, though they did not think themselves talented. This friend made lots of money and became my greatest of alley, a person who I would never betray as I know they would not betray me either. However, this friend has a few pet peeves which is extremely irritating and we have had our fare share of ups and downs within our friendship, but despite this we remain strong in our friendship which has yielded so many blessings I can not begin to write them here in this blog post.  In addition I must confess that God brought this person into my life at a time I desperately needed someone to count on, someone I could trust, someone who would help me fight the good fight when my marriage went south for the long cold and dark winter. This friend showed me that life isn’t as hard as it seems, and that I can accomplish great things, this person showed me that I can have happiness in my life and that I deserve happiness in all parts of my life. I have learned and am still learning so much from this first friend and I feel so blessed every day for God’s good grace to have shined on me as it did when He ordained our friendship. At this moment I feel it necessary to state for the record that this friend has chosen a life of solitude, one absent of having a family which is our greatest difference coupled with the idea they are extremely private, which from time to time strains our friendship exceedingly so because I do not believe in keep secrets, and this friend lives a very secret life, so much so I will never fully know them any deeper than that of being friends.  My second friend I knew for only six years and he was there for me to toughen me up, to mold me and to make me stronger, he showed me that not all women are like my ex-wife, and because of his friendship my pain and shame of being a divorced man was more bearable, as he knew what to say and how to say it because he too was divorced. We would spend time talking about our past as children for here too we had lots in common, and I looked up to him as like the big brother I never had. He is a man whom is driven by much of the same wants and desires as myself, and when his girlfriend kicked him out of the house I was there to pick him up and give him a bed to sleep on, just as he would have done for me. My third friend I have not known for very long. In fact one could say I have never meet her, in person, but the stories we share and the time we spend has so deeply impacted me I often times find myself reflecting on our wonderful conversations which always brings a smile to my face. When I am sad I can tell her all about it and know she is not judging me as I would never judge her. In our conversations she always comes up with things that I would not expect from her, because her words that she carefully chooses always makes me think very hard about my situation or whatever I was sad about. I have come to see how wise she is, and in that knowledge she holds I feel safe and secure. Our correspondence has made me a better father, as she gives me very good advice in all things relating to raising a teenage daughter, which again is extremely surprising because her child is still very young. Her life’s story, though I will not go into detail, is very inspiring and I treasure every second we spend chatting, and I hope one day soon I will be able to meet her face-to-face so I can look into her eyes and say thank you for being such a wonderful person and for being so kind to me.

I offer these three examples in the hopes you can reflect this year on those people God has placed into your own life, the awesome roles they play, and see exactly how great God is and how many miracles He works daily through the people who are there to enrich your life. Ask yourself, “What would my life be like if I never meet these people and became such close friends?”

I also wanted to comment on what comes from true friendship, for when true friendship is established there is also born the sense of loyalty, and from that loyalty is born love. When we care about those we call our close friends it is not shameful to recognizing these deep emotions as for what they truly are. However, before there can be any kind of love there first must be friendship.

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” ~ Philippians 3:13-14

There is exceptional correlation to the second part this posting which is driven home most notably by the Apostle Paul who wrote 13 letters, which accounts for one-fourth of the entire New Testament. These writings are known as “Epistles”, Philippians being one of four prison epistles as he wrote it while being imprisoned by the Romans. I chose this one as we reflect on our good friends we must also reflect on those people who have placed great challenge and sometimes great pain in our life’s as we must learn to do what Paul did and what he wrote most about, that of forgiveness. For forgiveness shines like a beacon throughout the entire Bible, it was the message our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke most about. It is the topic we hear most often and is the hardest of things to do.

As I told you about my greatest of friends, which I admitted to placing within an inner circle of only three friends, I have many friends of varying degrees. I also have those people who I cannot call friends but rather I look at as people who have hurt, and or have betrayed my trust, loyalties, and who have destroyed a one time friendship.  We all have people in our lives who fit this description to some degree. I would be lying if I did not say my ex-wife is chief among this group, but I also in admitting to that truth will also say that the challenge they pose is not the loss of a friendship or the pain they afflicted that caused the friendship to end, but rather in the act of finding a way to truly forgive them for the pain they have caused. So in light of this stark reality Paul calls all of us to forget the past, and to look forward to what lyes ahead. This is the greatest of desires and hopes I hold for all of you this New Year 2012. I will pray to God to give us all the strength and courage to forgive those who have hurt us the most in the past and who may have gone out of their way to continue a brutal punishment upon us for whatever their reasons. May God grant us the love it takes to forgive them anyway. In so doing may God give them peace and show them a better way through his absolute forgiveness.

Amen,

Happy New Year 2012

 

Special Posting: Jesus the Miracle Baby

“18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.) ~ Matthew 1:18

The birth of Jesus is a miracle because of the many events which led to his birth and all the preceding miracles which followed. The greatest of these miracles was that of love which allowed Mary to say yes to the Arc-Angel Gabriel when she accepted God’s will. It was love which allowed Joseph to finally look past the laws of man and comply with God.

 “19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” ~Matthew 1:19

The story however really begins with the prophet Jeremiah who states;

“5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.” ~ Jeremiah 23: 5-6. 

Jeremiah lived some six centuries before Jesus.  In fact there are more than 300 prophecies which talk about the messiah.

“6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” ~ Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah consequently was even further removed on the timeline living some  700 years before Jesus.

According to the prophet Daniel who provided a chronology of events that included the revelation that the Messiah would be rejected before the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem. His prophetic prophecy was extremely clear  as it relates to the Romans who destroyed the Temple in 70 AD, some 40 years after Jesus was crucified, all of which is found in the Book of Daniel,

“25 Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” ~ Daniel  9: 25-26.  

Daniel lived some 500 years before Jesus.

This list goes on and on, as it relates to those who talked about the future and for those prophetic prophecies which came true with the birth of Jesus, all leading to the idea that they indeed came come from God. But despite this basic evidence we also have the events of why Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem in the first place. In fact one could argue the taking of a sinus was inspired by God so that the prophecy would be fulfilled. Never the less on the night Jesus was born Angels from God came down to announce his birth to the shepherds in near by fields as found in Luke,

“8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” ~ Luke 2:8-20. 

As all these events where taking place the star shined high in the sky and reportedly grew in intensity as the night wore on. It was this star that led the Three Wise Men to Jesus as found in Luke who writes,

” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” ~ Luke 2:9-12. 

In researching all these events everything as it is written is inspired from start to finish by God. Each person who was involved was affected in a deep and personal why most of them being touched by Angels in dreams. In the fabric of the birth of Jesus is miracles guiding the way. Miracles are the only way to explain  Jesus from the start of his life to the end, but He at birth fulfilled every major prophecy and it cannot be denied that Jesus is the son of God. It is for these reasons and hundreds of which I did not mention that we celebrate His birth, and celebrate this miracle babe.

Amen,

Merry Christmas 2011

Reflections 2: The Source of Happiness pt.2

” 1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on”(Luke 21:1-4, NIV). 

It is the attitude of most people who when told to give money they ask, “Why?” or they ask, “What is it going to be used for?”  Some ask blantelty, “What do I get out of it?” Then again others may say, “But I only have a dollar… sorry.” If this sounds familiar then odds are you too have said or felt like saying these words. It is so tempting to ignore our real responsibilities to God. But Jesus found the perfect way of making this same point without making it adversarial in how he chose to reveal the differences between giving freely of yourself, which is indicative of giving over everything you have without any motives guiding your actions, and that of giving because you are comfortable, having more than you could ever need. In truth, this kind of giving is done not because you need to give back to God because God gives to you, but out of a matter of statues and for the ability to brag among the movers and shakers the powerful and elite. This story harkins back to last weeks posting in-which I laid out the fine line of what makes a person truly happy verse what does not. How to begin that journey and some of the pitfalls one needs to look out for. Truly I say to you money is not the instrument that makes people happy, nor can it buy Gods loyalties, love, and forgiveness. So to continue with this great lesson of happiness I want to make this point perfectly clear, what makes a person happy as it relates to money should be found in the vast amounts of giving to those who do not have any, helping those who can not help themselves, and to give back to God because he has so blessed you. Putting God first in your life is where it  begins and where it will end, everything in between is on you, whether or not you listen faithfully to God or not.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you”(Hebrews 13:5, NIV). 

True contentment is found in the knowledge that God has so blessed us by choosing to giving us life. His most important of miracles is that of the miracle of man.  Life is what needs to be prized above all things and is what we do not have the authority to take from anyone. Again, money can not buy life, as created by God, for only God can make it, grant it, and thus take it away. Only God can destroy your immortal soul. Again, no amount of money or material wealth will save you, and all the efforts by man to do so will be cast down and be in-vain. God does not want money or material things, he wants a real relationship with you. Perhaps the most important relationship we will ever have will be that personal relationship with God Our Father.

So am I advocating that money is evil? That rich people are evil? Or the rich are inherently damned because they are wealthy? Absolutely not, for there have been many rich people who have been the most holy of persons. In doing research on this topic I was surprised to find out that a number of the Catholic Church’s Saints where wealthy, some coming from noble families. They however knew that their money or statues was not the thing which really mattered rather they used their resources to spread the word and blessing of God, money or statues just made it happen faster. What really mattered was the contentment in their heart by the act of their charitable giving and the intrinsic rewards given back to them by God. Through these means where they enabled to share with the disadvantaged, with people who needed their most basic of needs to be met, and the most noble of acts the construction of churches and cathedrals which became the instruments in bring millions of lost souls closer to God.

I have personally known people who where very wealthy, well connected, popular, and or people who on the outside would have been perceived to be snobbish or prudish. But for as much as they seemed this way their heart was made of pure gold, and the blessing of God where all about them. The power of God’s love, mercy, and grace was within everything they did and in one case  in particular a true friend of mine had gone through much of the same ordeals as I have and she overcame it all by showing her love, mercy, and understanding. She used the love of God to give her strength in the hardest of days, and her beautiful smile and most enigmatic support she freely gave to others was both unselfish but also refreshing to say the least. She once was rich and now she is poor, (monetarily speaking), she is still rich with the love of God. What I find to be truly inspiring is in the way she over came a grave illness and not once but three times within this past year and a half almost died. When others counted her out she over came it. When her voice was robbed from her because of her illness she found other, very creative ways,  to communicate always very loving and nurturing. The power of God is so strong in her nature she shines with happiness and love every-time I would look upon her, it was so strong in her it was infectious. Her poor health robbed her of her job, her savings, and still she shined with the blessings of God. She lost her apartment and her hair, but it seemed not to matter at all. She once was a star, a true talent in her time, but because God is centered in her life nothing but the fruits of Our Lord is what really matters. My mother always says, “Life can take almost anything away from you, but you can not loose sight of who you are as a person and within that you must hold onto your faith because without this you have nothing and are in real trouble.” (This message I truly want to dedicate to Johnie who true is a real source of inspiration. May God continue to bless you all the days of your life.)

“Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God”(Ecclesiastes 5:19, NIV). 

Therefore, the need to see your blessing from God is where you find your happiness, each time you see the gifts set before you, there you will find your riches, and each time you wonder what to do with it all, he is there urging you to share your wealth with those people you know and love, and also those you don’t. Because in reality everything belongs to God, your money, your home, your wife and children, even your family belong to God, but most of all your soul was created and given freely to you by God. Thus there is no real reason on this Earth that we should be depressed and blind to our blessings, there is no reason why we should abandon our faith and live in darkness absent of God, for Our Father has promised to always be with you, to helping you, to love you, and to guiding you every step of the way. So run the race, never stop, never give in, run the race straight to Him who is in heaven waiting for you and for me and all people under the sun with his arms loving outstretched. Living your life this way will bring you absolute, miraculous, fabulous, outlandish  happiness….

Amen

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A HEALING CHANT

Sing this softly / hardly making a sound exhaling with each individual breath emptying your lungs of air, letting it penetrate your heart.

“To you my Lord in heaven this I pray… I want to learn how to love you to the end of my days…I want to embrace you fu-l-ly. I need to learn how to be m-or-e like you. I need your un-de-nia-ble peace. I want to know you so that my sins are washed clean… I want to walk with you in your king-dom.”

Close your eyes singing… for the Lord relies

“Take my hand that I offer to you…Take the fruit of my sp-i-r-it too. Ask for forgiveness so shall it be done. Healing your heart…renewing your soul. For I accept you just you are. Take my hand that I extend now to you…take now my blood of sal-va-tion too. I will love you to the end of all time…I will embrace you because now you are mine. I will love you un-con-di-tion-al-l-y…My peace is in you and shall never de-part. I will walk with you giving you a-l-l of my str-en-gth. I will love you to the end of all days…I will embrace you because you sing my praise. Your body now is clean…for I have also washed your face…all because you have a-s-k me. For I am with you now and always.”

Reflections 1: The Source of Happiness

“You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.” ~ Matthew 5:13

Jesus Christ stated that we are like the salt of the earth, for in us we preserve His glory, His love, His mercy, and His forgiveness, much like salt is used to preserve foods for our consumption and nourishment. I find it hard to talk about happiness without first making the correlation between Gods glory, love, mercy, and that of His forgiveness to that of the source of our own personally happiness. For when I read the Bible it becomes perfectly clear that we find happiness not in others, not in our own deeds;  it cannot be found in the pursuit of money, lust, or in any other type of greed. But rather true happiness is found and sustained in our spiritual growth, in our belief in God, it is found within our heart as we should first center our lives on Gods teachings and his Words and less on ourselves, our wants, or our ambitions.

In this reflection I want to illustrate how we often times look to other people to make us happy, we look to things, or accomplishments, and sometimes some of us look to the approval of a good deed waiting for the assurance that comes with the serenade of a job well done. The Happiness series I hope will guide you on a different kind of path which redirects your source for happiness from that of self, to that of living a life directed by God. It has been through my own personal experiences that which I testify through this series of posts that has lead me on a trek where I seek not to please others, myself, or to satisfy some inner craving based solely on the desires of this world, which will pass away, but rather on acting on behalf of God, doing his work, impacting others in a positive manner daily and the inner happiness I have found no matter the situation because I have based my life on Our Father in heaven. This path in which I speak is the source and the starting point to finding your true self, but I must warn you, it is a hard road, it is devoid of any kind of easy attainment and it is not for the weary but for the people of God who are ready to put away the world and pick up their own cross.

The first sin we must deal with on this road to personal happiness is the bad habit of judging others for it is written;

“1 Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, 2 for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others.” ~ Matthew 7:1-2

Because of this, I tell you to put away your judgmental heart. For how can you be truly happy when like children you see what your neighbor has done, or not done in following a rule or not following a rule and then behind their back you complain saying to others, “If it was me I would have done…”  For I ask, “How do you know you would or would not have done something unless you ware that persons shoes and lived and experienced life as they have, unless you assumed their place,  who are you to judge the actions of another person?” Be happy for those who faced the test and that passed it. Let nothing of ill words come forth from your mouth. For in putting this into practice you will guard your tongue against any kind of false witness, from lying, cheating, or steeling another person’s glory that has been assigned and or blessed by God. In the observance of this you will show respect, receive respect in kind, you will show yourself honorable, and receive grace in return. In this you will find happiness.

Secondly,  the sin that must be dealt with swiftly is the compulsion to want to punish others for what you have perceived they have done to you. For this is revenge and goes hand in hand with a judgmental heart. For the Apostle Paul wrote very clearly;

“17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay’, says the Lord. 20 Therefore, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him: If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coats of fire on his head.’ 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” ~ Romans 12:17-21

For in observance of this you shall find hardship within the judgments of man, but will find great favor with God. For where there is great favor there is great happiness and even more love.

Thirdly, cast away with all sincerity the trapping of this world. Throw away the beast inside you which clutches to things which you cannot take with you when you die. Stop measuring others worth to you in terms of usefulness or of money. People are not valued by God in this manner, and to be like God you must resist the temptation to measure others, both in their personage and their deeds. Again it is not up you to judge, to take revenge, to punish, nor is it your place to measure with an inadequate scale for it is written;

“1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” ~ Romans 12:17-21

Therefore, it is just that you turn around and leave this place of the judgments of others, and look into yourself and ask, “Am I not a sinner too?” If one has the compulsion to measure, then measure one’s self. I often times find this exercise helpful when I feel the need to spout a judgment onto someone who has made me upset or mad. Walk into a room at work or at home, looking around at everyone who is present before you and then ask yourself, “If this room was on fire and I had the key to unlocking the door that leads outside and away from the heat of the blaze, who amongst these people would I save if given a choice?” If the answer is anything less than everyone then you failed the test. Because God wants to save every last person on this earth who has ever lived, or will live. Happiness is found in the pursuit to being as much like God as we can be. You cannot be happy if you are judgmental because within that action you have thus become angry and rebellious. Angry and rebellious people by design are not happy people.

Fourthly, find it within yourself to let go of those things people have done against you, give it to God, be merciful to those who are without mercy, be forgiving to those who refuse to forgive you of your transgressions for it is written;

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven.” ~ Luke 6:37

I am constantly reminded how often Jesus forgave others, how fast he was to forgive. He was quick on his feet in pardoning the women who committed adultery found in John 8:3-11, or the women who bathed his feet with her tears found in Luke 7:47-50, and let us not forget the murderer who was being crucified with Christ found in Luke 23:41-43. These three references are but a small sampling of Jesus and the acts of absolute forgiveness that he had demonstrated openly. I testify that forgiving is the key to happiness, because within it; do you then find absolution. When you pray ask God to forgive others who have hurt you first before yourself as it is written;

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that you’re Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” ~ Mark 11:25

In the observance of this you find humility, and in humility do you find your humanity.

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

Amen

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Special Posting: Growing in your Relationship with God

I believe that God wants to communicate directly to each and every one of us here on earth. I believe that God brings about new methods for us to communicate with him and each other so that we can build our faith in him, through the collaboration with each other. I also believe that there are so many of you out there who have been asking for a way to communicate directly with me, so you can learn more and grow more in Christ Jesus. I think everyone knows I am first an educator and I love the idea of using technology to accomplish everything I have stated above for the sole purpose of bring people to God. Therefore, I am happy to announce that I have created a Facebook page so that everyone can collaborate, can send me personal messages, and so we all as one community in Christ can help each other lead a more Christ- centered and Christ-directed life. As we continue to grow spiritually I ask all of you who read weekly to use the new Listening Faithfully Facebook page as a way to help cleanse or purge your personal sins through confessing them as you seek help for those sins which have placed a massive burden upon your shoulders. In doing so you will claim the fullness of the Spirit, and I believe that you will experience a deep relationship as you walk closer to God that in short will enable you to grow in Christ. I hope everyone enjoys this new Facebook page and I am excited to be able to offer it to all of you first.

If you have troubles finding it on the Internet  then please send me your email address and I will send you a personalized invite.

Send your emails to: listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com

Subject Header: Personal Invite to Listing Faithfully Facebook Account
God Bless,

Reflections: Thanksgiving Message 2011

“Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” ~ Mark 3:34-35

What does God really want from us? Why would Jesus deny his own mother and brothers in public and instead elect to keep teaching in the temple? What is Mark really saying to us? Finally what does any of these things have to do with Thanksgiving? Well to be certain Jesus was very much about his father’s work. He was very much about teaching and healing and spreading the word of God. So much so he would be twice found in the temple with his family asking for him to come out and go with them. Once when he was a young boy and then again on this Sabbath day. The miracle he had worked had less to do with the act of healing a man with withered hands and more to do with his message, the meanings found within the symbology of his actions and words. Jesus knew he was surrounded by men with hardened hearts, supposed teachers of the Mosaic Laws. He knew they would be questioning him at every turn, testing, and judging everything he did. In many ways trying their best to trick him and find fault within him. But our Lord and Savior was too clever for them, as his message was about the old versus the new. The Pharisees now have become guardians of the old and outdated and Jesus the fresh and the new, representing the new agreement with mankind. In retrospect Thanksgiving is about this very thing, the old ways of Europe put down and the new ways of living had been found within the cultivation of the pilgrims’ relationship with the Indians.

The first of all new commandments is to love one another. The pilgrims knew this, they taught the Indians this, and on many levels the Indians taught the first pilgrims the meaning of respect and love in their kindness in helping them to survive in a harsh environment, all of which the Indians did not haves to do. Just as Christ Jesus did not have to forsake his place next to God and elect to become a servant and the sacrifice for all mankind.

I think it is very evident to what God wants from us, what he demands from us, and I am very thankful that we have set aside a day in order to celebrate all the things in our life we have to be thankful for. Because when we do this we celebrate God, we celebrate the message, the symbology behind the story of giving to each other freely not expecting anything in return.

So Mark was making the point that even though the law was interpreted as being one way and against common human decency then we need to reach out and find the spirit of the law which is of a higher nature. So in this instance it was believed one does not work on the Sabbath, even if it is to heal the sick, tend to the dying. But in the example Jesus clearly showed the hypocrisy of this and how this directly contradicts his first commandment, of loves one another. Healing the sick on the Sabbath was not work, but an act of kindness and love.

So on this Thanksgiving day I want everyone to look deep down at what you have, the food you are eating, and the warmth that surrounds you, and remember that God is with you, remember that he made all things possible and what you have he granted. Take this day to thank him first, take this moment to ask his blessing on your life and that of your family. Show your mercy through your actions and help those who can not help themselves, love one another as God loves you.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

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

Amen