This Is Going To Irritate A Few People But.....

Train children to live the right way,
    and when they are old, they will not stray from it.

Proverbs 22:6 

 

What I am about to say will most likely irritate some, but here goes.....  Children do NOT come first in the marriage. I know that isn't what we are being told, but who came first....the children or the parents?  Remember, God?  Didn't He put Adam and Eve on the Earth BEFORE their children, Cain and Abel?

 

Children learn things by watching and imitating, and they soak it all up like sponges!  Don't think so?  How many times have you seen parents portrayed in the media as idiots who teach their children bad habits or that parents answer to the children?

 

Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest person in Scripture, tells us to train children to live the right way so, when they get older, they will know the right way to live.  And just how are we to do that?  By being a living example for them!  We are to EXAMPLE that the spouse comes first in the marriage.  We must EXAMPLE the proper ways to deal with life's issues.  We must EXAMPLE life for our children.  

If we don't example respect for each other in front of our children, we shouldn't be surprised when they grow up not respecting anyone else. Think about it...

 

 

All Together Now!

Look! How good and how pleasant it is
when brothers live together!

Psalm 133:1 

 

Remember Cain and Abel?  Those two brothers probably had their moments of being close, but the story we remember most is the fact that Cain reached a point where he was so upset that he killed his brother.

 

What about Joseph and his brothers?  Remember them?  They also, most likely, had their times of laughing and playing together, but the stories we remember is the brothers getting rid of Joseph and then having to face him again.

 

Siblings are always going to have good moments and moments of anger and some siblings will step over that line.  But let's face it, when we get along....isn't it much better?

 

So why don't we seek to get along and walk through this life together?

Who Won The Fight?

Not to us, O Lord, not to us!
But to Your name bring honor,
for the sake of Your loyal love and faithfulness.

Psalm 115:1 

 

There is a line in William Shakespeare's play "Henry V" which comes after Henry V has won the battle of Agincourt against overwhelming odds and is given the count and names of those who have been killed.  Henry is asked, "Is it not lawful, an please your majesty, to tell
how many is killed?"  And Henry, instead of being bold and 'Look what WE did' responds with this line: "Yes, captain; but with this acknowledgement, That God fought for us."

Listen 

 

Did you catch that?  "That GOD fought for us."  I will readily admit that I have the tendency to be prideful at times and have the "look what I did" attitude.  We all have that tendency at times.  

 

However, when we remember that it was not WE who accomplished the task, rather it is GOD who accomplished for us, life does get a bit easier to handle.  

 

I also vaguely (ever so vaguely) recall a play where the question was posed to the mighty ruler who thought very highly of himself and is confronted by a priest:

 

"Sire, canst thou force the sun to rise?

Canst thou require the wind to blow at will?

Canst thou demand the earth to spring forth crops in abundance?

Nay Sire, 'tis not thee who controls this life, rather 'tis God alone who rules truly."

 

 It is God who fights FOR us!

What's Stopping You?

No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead

Philippians 3:13 

 

 

I've been looking at some photos of my family from the time my Dad was a toddler.  Whilst waxing nostalgic for a bit, my mind began to wander to some of the events in my own past that still bothered me more than a little.  Yes, I know, "the past cannot be changed."  I've heard, and said, that more times than I can count....so apparently, I don't listen to myself or others.  Or perhaps I do, and then, during times of stress my mind responds by exhuming what I thought had been buried long ago.

 

The more I pondered (being that I like to think about things), a few reached 4 conclusions:

    1.   The past has happened.

                  It may have been painful.

                  It may have been distressing.

                  It may have been humiliating.

                  It may have been horrible.

                  It may have even been terrifying.

 

   2.  The past is no more.

                  The memories may haunt you.

                  The scars may scare you.

                  The lessons may be painful.

                  But the past is not the present.

 

   3.  The past helped shape you.

                   The bad parts act like sandpaper.

                   The good parts act like polish.

 

   4.  If you could change any aspect of your past, what would it be?  

                   This is a trick question: if you change any piece of your past, you would not be who you are now, nor who you will become.

 

Look at the photo....did the bicycle stop the tree from growing?  

 

"Every saint has a past every sinner has a future."

It's All In How You Look At It

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Colossians 3:2 

 

Ever feel as though you were so overwhelmed that you were in a deep hole with no way out?  Ever wonder if there would ever be an end to your situation?

 

I am NOT and never have been very good at math.  I used to dread having to sit through classes which always seemed to take 10 times as long as the history classes (which I LOVED, by the way).  The fact of the matter is each class was 50 minutes, but my perspective of these classes made quite a difference.

 

When I was in college, one of the classes I took was Voice & Diction where we learned how to speak in public.  Here's a little fact: There are many people who would rather be run over by a steam roller rather than give a public speech.  One of the tricks I had heard regarding speaking in public was to picture your audience in their underwear......truth be told that destroyed my first speech because some of my audience looked rather funny in my mind sitting there in their unmentionables (please stop thinking about me in that state of undress).  However, I got a fantastic piece of advice from one of my professors.  He said, "First, only speak on subjects about which you are passionate.  Second, speak as if you were in the audience and say what you would want to hear.  Finally, be brief."

 

That single change in perspective changed how I dealt with public speaking.  And I can attest, as an Introvert, public speaking is a HUGE issue!

  

So, take this a step farther, when we focus on the things of God, we gain a different perspective and God's peace WILL take over.

Who Are You?

And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. So don’t fool yourselves. For if a person just listens and doesn’t obey, he is like a man looking at his face in a mirror; as soon as he walks away, he can’t see himself anymore or remember what he looks like. But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does.

James 1:22-25

Let me ask you a personal question....when people see you, are they seeing the same you that others see?  Yes, we all have our "in public" face, but shouldn't that be pretty close to the same face we show in private?

I heard a story about a country boy who met a salesman trying to sell him a pig.  The salesman just talked continuously for almost an hour.  Finally, the country boy reached up and started walking around the salesman.  Undeterred, the salesman kept up with his sales pitch. Finally, the country boy reached up and started feeling the salesman's teeth.  The salesman jumped back and said, "What on earth are you doing?" The country boy walked around him again and said, "I'm trying to figure out which pig I'm supposed to be interested in."

When we act one way in public and the opposite in private, what are we?  If others saw how we acted in private, would their opinion of us change?  Would we have reason to be ashamed?  God created us for a reason and with the ability to reason, let us be who God made us. 

Long Roots

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

 When water is hard to find, most vegetation and people will die.  However, some will adapt to the environment.  In the Yucatan Peninsula, for example, there are some holes in the ground where the limestone surface has collapsed and the water that is deep underground is revealed (they are called cenotes) and the trees have adapted to this by growing extended roots to reach the water.

Keep this image in mind as you read today's passage again slowly.  Trees with roots willing to reach the water will survive pretty much any situation.  Which begs the question: How deep are your roots?

 

Have We Become Spoiled?

Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

James 4:1-3

If you have ever seen the movie "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" you will remember there was a girl named Veruca Salt who wanted everything and she wanted it NOW!  Some would say she was "strong willed" or a "strong personality" or "just knows what she wants."  But let me tell you the truth about Veruca.....she's a spoiled brat!  Her father was willing to do whatever he had to so she could have what she wanted.  

Don't get me wrong, it is not a bad thing to have dreams, goals, and desires.  The issue comes in how we react when we can't have what we want.  We've seen this over and over, especially as the media has become more and more about unfiltered live coverage.  

And to be honest, I have also been among the spoiled ranks.  I figured because God didn't give me what I wanted, then I wasn't being enough of a "squeaky wheel."  We seem to have forgotten that God has a plan for us and that plan spans from the time before time all the way through the time beyond time.  And.....to be honest, had God given me what I wanted, life would be extremely bad for me.

Here's the point: Tell God EVERYTHING that on your heart; your dreams and desires.  Then let Him put all the pieces in place for HIS plan for you because HIS plan for YOU is always far better than anything you could have dreamed.  And God will take His time to make sure you are ready for His plan.  God doesn't work on our timetable, so don't try to rush it.

YOU Are God's Masterpiece!

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10

When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time wondering what I had to offer the world.  I was not exactly good at any sort of sport (mediocre at best).  I was a mediocre student for the most part.  I was never "tall, dark and handsome." Never was good enough to be part of the clique.  So I kept wondering why God put me on this earth if I had nothing worthwhile to offer.   

As a youngster through high school through college and beyond, the only thing I used regularly was my imagination.  I liked to think.  I could sit for hours just thinking.  Now, thinking is not a real "friend winner", but I learned that thinking leads to perspective (looking at a situation from many sides).  

Each of us has a place in God's Masterpiece Plan.  As a matter of fact, God has set things for us to do since before time was time.  And as we go through life, we will discover that we aren't just PART of God's Masterpiece of Life, God has also made each of us His Masterpiece!  God never made junk.  God never made worthless.  God never makes pointless.  Everything God has created has a purpose and is a wonderful masterpiece!

Take a minute and think about that!
 

If You Want To Be Happy For The Rest Of Your Life...

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

Have you ever noticed how much companies invest in advertisements focused on how you can appear more beautiful, look younger, feel younger, the energy of someone younger?  And the underlying message is that, unless you use these products you are the "before" photo.

 

Several years ago, there was a song called "If You Want To Be Happy For The Rest Of Your Life".  The premise of the song is that if you want to be happy, marry someone who is "ugly" because "beautiful" wives will be nothing other than heartache, while the "ugly" woman will take care of you and stay with you.  I wonder who gets to determine who is "beautiful" and who is "ugly" because humans have their own sense of attractiveness.

 

But look at what the Scripture says: "God has made EVERYTHING beautiful in its own time."  EVERYTHING?  Yes!  I have yet to find anywhere in Scripture where God created garbage or anyone (anything) worthless!  God has made everything for a purpose and for a reason (even you and even me).

 

Think about how destructive a lava flow can be, yet while it will destroy everything in its path, it also creates fertile volcanic soil where eventually nature will thrive!  We may not see the end result, but God has promised that everything has been made beautiful and eventually that beauty will shine through like a beacon!

 

Can You Feel It?

This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.

Psalm 91:2 

 

Remember the first day you started that new job you wanted so badly?  You were excited.  You wanted to do the best job ever!  You did everything so you could learn how to do your job more efficiently!  You had a passion; a drive; and boundless energy!  And you couldn't wait to get our of bed every day so you could go do the job you loved so much.

 

You meet some of the more senior staff members who look a LOT older than they truly are; they don't seem to have a drive or passion for the job, it's as if they're just plodding along until retirement; they have a negative outlook on everything and everyone.  And you promise yourself that you will never get that bad.

 

And 10 years in, you suddenly realize that you're moving slower, you are getting irritated more easily, you seem to just go through the motions, and you cannot wait for the end of the day so you can just get away from this place.  And on the way home you get stuck in traffic, then your spouse calls to remind you of the events, plays, practices, performances of your children you need to attend.  And you have to stop for fuel and to grab something to feed everyone, and you have a major presentation to make in the morning.  And the list goes on and on and on.  You can't sleep; you can't relax; you don't understand why you've become the person you swore you'd never become.

 

Think about this: God did more than any of us could ever accomplish in 100 lifetimes, and He did it in just 6 days.  And then He RESTED!

 

Think about this:  Jesus made if a regular practice to get away from everyone to rest, recharge, and pray.

 

We need to take time to unwind, rest, recharge, and recover.  But do we?  I've said this before and I'll say it again, if your "vacation" is crammed with so many activities that you have to come back to work just to recover from it.....you did not have a vacation!

 

No one can do it all!  God did not design us to work all the time!  God did not make our bodies indestructible. God did not tell us to rest on the 7th day as a suggestion.  God knows that we will burn out.  And when we burn out we begin to make mistakes, our mood changes; our relationships are wounded and sometimes destroyed.

 

Take time to rest, relax, recharge, and be restored!

En Garde!

Be careful what you think,
    because your thoughts run your life.

Proverbs 4:23 

 

Ever wonder why Jesus said, "You have heard it said 'Don't <insert sin here> but I say to you if you think about it, you have done it"?  Why would Jesus want us to guard our minds?  What's the big deal if I'm so angry that I wish someone was dead, as long as I don't actually kill them?  What's wrong with looking at that bikini babe as long as I don't DO anything?  What's Jesus' problem with my thinking?

 

Consider this fact, every single action we physically do begins with a thought.  AND consider this, many of us will give voice to our thoughts which then spreads our thoughts to others.

 

Be very careful what goes into your mind, because at some point it WILL come out (and usually when you really don't want it to). 

Don't Bring That In Here!

Before you go into a house, say, ‘Peace be with this house.’

Luke 10:5

 

When I was growing up (and not out), my woman in my life had this inexplicable need to tell me to "Wipe your feet before you come int this house."  Don't get me wrong, I get the reasoning.  There's no telling what I may or may not track into the house given that I had been playing outside most of the day.

 

Now, here I am a few years later (stop counting), and I'm beginning to see a correlation.  When I was learning some of the very basic rules  about crime scenes, one of the first things I was taught was that when you enter a scene you bring things in from outside the scene. And when you leave the scene, you will take part of the scene with you.  And here's where the Scripture clanged like a gong with that "AH HA" realization.

 

Jesus reminds us that what we should be careful what we bring into the house, thus before we enter a home offer, "Peace be with this house" so that what we bring is peace.  Now to some, that might be like the old Southern tradition of bringing a pie or casserole, and it is similar because both are intended to soothe (except the green bean casseroles with onions and mushrooms).  What we bring into the house we will leave there.  When we leave the house, we will take some of that with us.  

 

Think about it this way:

     -If you have had a bad day and you come home angry and frustrated, what happens to the mood of the house?  

     -If you've had a great day and you come home, what happens to the mood of the house?    

 

     -By the same token, if you have an argument before you leave the house, what are you taking with you?  

     -And, if you experience laughter and love before you leave the house, what are you taking with you? 

 

Just food for thought today.

What Do You Mean 'Get Along'?

¹⁵ When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. ¹⁶ Work happily together. Don’t try to act big. Don’t try to get into the good graces of important people, but enjoy the company of ordinary folks. And don’t think you know it all!
Romans 12:15-16

I hope you'll forgive me, but I rather find it humorous when a member of the "upper crust" finds themselves in trouble and their mug shot is anything but the pompous arrogant persona the had portrayed for so long.

In today's passage, the Apostle gives us the precise keys to getting along with each other!

FIRST, Be happy with those who are happy and when they are sad share their sorrow.  

SECOND, Work TOGETHER! 

THIRD, don't act like you aren't human (just like the rest of us).

FOURTH, stop schmoozing with "important" people.  You'll have to work 1000 times harder to impress the snobbish than you would just being yourself and associating with others you actually like.

FINALLY, you don't know everything about everything, so don't act like you do.  Humbleness is a very good trait! 

"Give What To WHO?"

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. ¹⁶ They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. ¹⁷ Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, ²⁰ he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.
“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
²² His reply amazed them, and they went away.
Matthew 22:15-22 

You have to give it to the Pharisees.....they were bound and determined to trip Jesus up so they could get rid of Him.  And today's passage is no exception.  

Let's look at 5 points here:

   1.   Beware of those who flatter you!  The Pharisees said, "We know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don't play favorites."

    2.  Beware the hook!  "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

    3.  Be prepared to side step the trap! Jesus asked for a coin used to pay taxes and received a denari.  Then He asked the Pharisees, "Who's picture and title are stamped on this coin?" 

    4.  Be prepared to speak the truth!  "Caesar's," [the Pharisees] replied. Then Jesus told them the obvious: "If it is Caesar's then give it to Caesar, if it is God's then give it to God!"

   5.  When the TRUTH is told, "Pharisees" of all kinds will be flabbergasted! 

How Much?

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” ²⁸ When he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” ²⁹ Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
Matthew 9:27-29

I've read this story hundreds of times, and perhaps you have too, and it wasn't until this morning that something in this brief narrative jumped out at me. In this story, Jesus was going about his ministry when two blind men followed Him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"  This in not the part that jumped out at me, but it is interesting that the Bible doesn't mention anyone helping these blind men follow Jesus, it merely states that they followed him.  

Jesus went into the house and the blind men came to Him. And here's the build up, Jesus asked them both: "Do YOU believe that I am able to do this?"  Jesus is asking these men if they REALLY believe Jesus can heal them or are they just looking for to see what they can get out of Jesus.  

Both men say they believe Jesus can heal them.  Then Jesus touched their eyes (and here's the part that jumped out at me) and said, "Let it be done for you ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH!"  What I took away from that is that half-hearted belief is no belief at all!  

How many times have we prayed during a situation expecting God to handle our situation the way WE have it planned?  How many times have we prayed half-heartedly and were disappointed when nothing happened?  Remember this phrase spoken by Jesus to these blind men: "ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH!"   

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Romans 13:1 

 

Respect.  This is something we expect from others, require from others and even demand from others.  But do we show respect?

 

If you've watched the events of the last year, you will see great hordes of people marching, loudly demanding respect and to have their opinions heard above all others.  We have become a volatile society of knee-jerk responses to rumors or tidbits of information.  We are very quick to jump to that boat "Conclusion" and take it to the farthest extreme and demand respect, with no one listening.

 

The requirement remains, if you want respect then be respectful!  If you want to be heard also learn to be quiet and listen. 

Being Tempted?

But people are tempted when their own evil desire leads them away and traps them. This desire leads to sin, and then the sin grows and brings death.

James 1:14-15 

 

I love the pastors of the church my Bride and I attend.  Our Senior Pastor told a story the Sunday:  A Protestant man, we'll call him 'John', moved into a predominantly Catholic community.  They all got along quite well until Lent Season.  Every Friday, John would be found on his back porch grilling steaks, much to the chagrin of his Catholic neighbors.  They got together and decided something had to be done because the smell of those steaks was too great of a temptation!

 

So the neighbors met and decided to convince John to become a Catholic.  They invited him to their men's events and got him involved in their various church activities. Finally, they asked John if he would like to become a Catholic.  John agreed and the priest poured the water over John's head saying, "You were born a Protestant.  You were raised a Protestant. Now you are baptized a Catholic."

 

Everyone celebrated and was hopeful the next Lent Season would be much better not that John was part of the Catholic faith.  However, the next Lent Season, the smell of steaks were back on Friday.  So the men of the church came to see why John was not honoring his faith during Lent.  When they arrived at his back deck, they saw John pouring water on the delicious looking steaks and saying: "You were born a cow. You were raised a cow. I baptize you a fish."

 

The funny thing about temptation is that we are tempted with things we actually want!  Think about it.  Try to tempt me with broccoli, or asparagus, or bungee jumping, and I will have no problem resisting that temptation.  However, if you tempt me with warm peanut butter cookies, Zorba's calabash extra crispy chicken bites, and I will break out in a sweat.

 

Our enemy knows what to use as bait, so we must be learn to be strong enough and well versed in Scripture enough to counter the bait. 

Boosting Morale Does Not Require Beatings

If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.
1 Corinthians 12:15-20 

Morale.....some days we feel it and some days it feels like it's just gone.  Morale is surprising.  Money can only rent morale for a bit.  Time off can give a break to restore a bit of morale.  And, believe it or not, a new job is only a band-aid for morale.

There are lots of temporary fixes that, if graphed, will show waves of morale boosts.  But there is a little secret that we seem to have forgotten.....the responsibility of our level of morale is NOT anyone else but you.  Morale is our decision!  

Yes, you will have days when your nerves are frayed and everyone seems to be stomping all over the frayed ends.  Yes, you will have days when you don't feel like smiling because you are so tired you can barely remember if you put pants on this morning (stop laughing).  Yes, you will have days when you just can't seem to get caught up.  And NO, I am not suggesting that you walk around with a fake smile as if a rainbow unicorn just flew you to work.

Morale is a decision.  I have spent YEARS believing that my morale was based on what someone else should be doing for ME.  I mean, if I am truly a valued employee, should that be made clear to me?  But the truth I have discovered is this, even on the worst day at work, my morale is my decision.  I get to choose!   

Extra Mile

If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles. 

Matthew 5:41 

 

During Jesus' time, a Roman soldier could order someone to carry all their gear (roughly 66 lbs.) for one mile.  As you can imagine, this did very little to make the conquered people happy to have the Roman Soldiers around.

 

When I was in the Army, our full field pack weighed around 65-70 pounds.  The first time we have to march carrying our packs was miserable.  But the more we carried them, the more we became accustomed to the burden.  But imagine how the civilian who may have been 15 years old being ordered to carry a soldier's pack for a mile (and then the civilian had to walk that mile back home hoping no other Roman Soldier was on the lookout for a baggage handler).  You can imagine the resentment and anger and hatred directed toward the Romans.

 

But look at what Jesus says, "go with him TWO miles."  Why did He say that?  Was Jesus telling us to just give up and knuckle under?  Not a chance.  Jesus is telling us to treat them the way we would like to be treated by them.  When you willingly go the extra mile, people will notice, even if they don't say anything, and you will begin to gain the respect of others.  Doing just what is required will 'get the job done' but that's about all.

 

Almost every Sunday after church, my bride and I go to brunch.  We usually have the same servers.  These servers have earned my respect because they ALWAYS go the extra mile cheerfully!  And that's one of the reasons we keep going back.

 

Go the extra mile and see what changes it makes.