Ten Years Gone: The Start of Reflectionary

 

2020 Reflection:

This post was first published on Saturday, October 5, 2013 - ten years ago, today. Initially, I would draw a variety of samples from the day's lectionary readings. I would seek the common theme, or if there were none, then find a way to connect them all together. At first they would simply be called "Reflectionary," followed by a Roman numeral, in sequence. 

It's remarkable, how it all reads, with the experiences of the past ten years behind us. Since writing it, both of my daughters graduated high school and college (one earned a Master's Degree). One is getting married in two weeks. 

Obama finished his second term. Trump served his one. And then 46 held the Oval Office. 

I became a full-time building substitute teacher. My Dad died. I had exciting long-term substitute jobs in the Michigan Virtual Charter Academy (on-line), as a Dexter Schools long-term Band, then Choir sub. I held a regular permanent teaching job in a private school, briefly. I taught in Perry Schools for half a year. 

The Hudson Music Center grew rapidly, to revenues topping $100,000 in 2020. But then under the weight of lockdown excesses, it reduced itself back to pre-2012 levels. 

I had the normal experience with catching whatever bugs were going around, every year. 

I came to terms with the Anderson case, and probably the Nortel case in my professional career.

Ten amazing years. As good as my childhood was, then college, and then the first fifteen years of my career, still the 2010s up to the present had many of my best moments. 

But the world . . . in looking at my thought ten years, has continued rapidly down the spiral that I described then. I can only imagine the world . . . in 2033. 

No Deceit

Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit! 

 - From John 1

Imagine that:

No deceit!

Of all the reasons to remember one of the Apostles, with their foibles, their frailties and faults - Nathanael gets chosen to be remembered for his sincere and honorable habits. 

We don't get much else about Nathanael. No big dialogues between him and Christ, a la Peter. No arguments between him and one of the Twelve (and they were brothers even) a la John and James.

We learn that Nathanael was, just, a really good guy. Jesus made a point of it. Of all the public pronouncements Jesus could have made about you . . . wouldn't "He has no deceit" have to land near the top of the list?

And I repeat - it means essentially the same thing as "What a good guy!"

In pop culture, I know of two characters from TV that may be said to have no deceit: The first is Marshall Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke. On almost a weekly basis, Marshall Dillon is given difficult choices between doing wrong but increasing his wealth or power; or doing right and maybe getting half the town mad at him. 

The other example is Commissioner Frank Reagan in television's Blue Bloods. Commissioner Reagan makes the right choice so frequently, that in the real world he probably would have been fired many times over. 

That's right - - - the morally and ethically sound decision will often get you in trouble (and it's probably true more often than not). You'll lose your rank, your job, your friends, your family. 

Of the two whistleblowing experiences in my life, one directly led to the loss of my job, and probably the break-up of my marriage. The other one made me distrust authority figures, to a dysfunctional degree. I believe I made the moral choice, the ethical choice, both times. But it cost me, and others. 

You wonder if Nathanael had problems keeping a job, or holding on to his marriage. 

When a society begins to loosen its grip on the supremacy of ethics and morality, it can swiftly decay into disorder and dismay. Simply put - human society aggressively, and constantly pressures people to do wrong. It offers rewards for choosing selfishly or corruptly; and severe punishments if you choose the right. 

Political seats of power are notorious for harboring massive corruption just under the surface. It even occurs in local politics. And in the corporate world, despite it's protestations to the contrary, political maneuverings are a fact of life. 

Society have to push-back without letup, without taking a break, if it hopes to give honest and guileless people a fighting chance. 

This is what Nathanael was like. He just made the right choices. That's all he did. His quality of life did not matter. Neither his wealth, or his influence counted, in the Lord's eyes. 

He had no deceit. He was honest. You could trust him. And he would stand up to the rich and the powerful.

2023 is running out of men and women without deceit. 

Beautiful Feet

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! 

 - From Romans 10

One of the most compelling moments in my Christian walk, since my re-commitment in the summer of 1980, was the first time I heard this praise song. I'm pretty sure it was at North Texas State University, during the year 1983-84, when I was there for grad school. I began attending a weekly Bible Study, and during the praise set, the first time I went, they sang this. 

The entire crowd there, of probably over fifty people, filled the room with a loud rejoicing in song, as they proclaimed OUR GOD REIGNS!

The chorus is set up with the words repeated by Paul in the letter to the Romans: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

Even the feet are beautiful. 

Now, I am not a fan of feet. Let me be totally candid and risk getting condemned by the three people that will read this: It's one of the few things I don't like about summer. I'd rather not see people's bare feet. Sorry, that's just me. 

What if God was thinking about people like me, when inspiring these words: Even their feet are beautiful!

Not just any old set of dirty, scaly feet! No . . . the feet of a weary traveler, walking from place to place . . . with Good News of the Christ!

Today, the world needs Good News. And it needs beauty! The news today will be stark. It will be discouraging. A paraphrase of the nightly news in 2023 might be accurately rephrased in this way:

Leading off tonight's news - today the world saw the ranks of people that share Good News decreased by another 20,000, as more people left faith in Christ, to adopt the new Woke agenda of sex, sexuality, exhibitionism, and voyeurism. 

The self-absorbed, instant gratification of modern political "reforms," that emphasize feeling good and it's corollaries: You Be You, Make people respect your boundaries, and You Deserve (fill in the blank), really is not Good News. None of these things have any connection to permanent happiness. They have nothing to do with anything eternal. A quick surge of happy chemicals only leave you hungover, moments later, craving more. 

We need Good News. And the Good News is that we don't have to FEEL good to be happy.

We've had enough of temporary beauty, like that of modern celebrities that obsess over fake means to remain "youthful." How about real beauty - the beauty of weathered feet . . . that share Good News! 

Radiance

 . . . the radiance of your holy Name.

 - From Canticle 13

The Book of Canticle comes from The Apocrypha, a set of writings that, as I recall, were recorded during the Babylonian Captivity. They are considered to have been too much influenced by pagan philosophy and culture and are held in a level of suspicion as to their efficacy in one's spiritual walk. 

There is one line in particular, in chapter 13, that is a give-away to its apocryphal nature. But I am not going into that today. Rather, I want to focus on this concept of God's holy Name being "radiant."

A name is not a physical thing. You can't touch it or feel it. It's a word. A concept. An intangible abstraction. It represents something (someone) that you can touch and feel. As such, it takes on the qualities of that person. When you hear the name, the image of the person so named, enters into your consciousness. If you know more than one person with the name, it is elevated into an even more abstract category.

If I were talking about a person that you do not know, nor have ever seen, and said that the person's name was "Igor," you might immediately formulate an image in your mind, of what that person looks like. 

When I was a kid, my family traveled to North Caroline for Easter break. We stayed in the home of some friends of theirs, which they had not seen since before they got married. This family had a son a few years younger than I - maybe about seven years old at the time. They called him "Hoss." Perhaps their hope was that, by giving him that name, he might grow to be like the gentle giant of the Bonanza television show: strong, powerful, no one to push around . . . but very kind.

It didn't work. The boy Hoss was a squirrelly, skinny, short, and not at all tough-looking kid.

A young woman found out that she was going to give birth to a boy. In selecting his name, she and her husband narrowed the names down to two, one of which was "Anthony." But the woman's grandmother protested, as the name "Anthony" reminded her of someone she didn't like. 

It was if the boy didn't have a name - - - rather, the name had a boy. We attribute an awful lot of significance to a name.

Again, names do not have physical properties . . . except in the case of The Lord God. There are plenty of examples, but in the case of today's reading, we have the Name of the Lord described as "radiant." And "radiant," of course, is a visual construct.

God said "All things are possible." Of course they are! God's name itself shines brightly. When, one day, we finally fully experience eternity, we will experience it in real time. Just mentioning the name of the Lord result in a flash of light. 

It's something like the words "Hocus Pocus." When stated, something visual and unbelievable happens. Except when God's name is mentioned, the visual outcome is not sleight of hand. It's real.

God's very thoughts are more real than we are. His name is more real than we are.

God is where things get real. And in a way, without Him, we aren't real either. Just call out to Him. Call on Him, by Name.

Burdens

. . . you laid heavy burdens upon our backs. 

 - From Psalm 66

Why would God allow evil to happen on the earth?

I think that the answer might be found in Psalm 66. This notion of God "allowing" this or that evil to happen, is addressed right here. It seems almost entirely to be about the bad things happening to the author. We think of Psalms as being all about praising God for all the good things He has done. We worship Him for the Good and Loving God that He is. 

But here, the psalmist (maybe David) lists a set of bad things that happened to him, and thanks God. In the sample above, "You laid heavy burdens upon our backs," he treats it as though even that is a good thing.

Thank you, Lord, for providing for me, taking care of me, healing me, helping me, blessing me. 

Thank you, Lord, for these struggles. Thank you for the sadness, for the down times. Thank you for the burdens up our backs.

Have you ever had a sore back? Who hasn't? It gets in the way of your entire day. It makes things difficult to do; it makes it hard to enjoy the moment; perhaps more so, than aches and pains anywhere else. The back is the hub of your entire body. If it hurts, everything hurts. 

But God puts something heavy upon it, that we have to lug around. When we're done lugging, we will have a backache for a few days or more. 

But the Psalmist is happy for it. 

Why does God allow evil on the earth? 

Maybe because He expects you to do something about it!

There's a lonely, angry little boy living within a quarter mile of you. His mom has to work, and his Dad is completely out of the picture. He is a very gifted soccer player, but his mother cannot afford it. He has no supervision. Nobody, except his weary mother, gives a rip about him. 

Why do you allow this to happen?

(And don't give me politics, taxes, government programs, social services, and bumper stickers. I asked, what are you going to do about it?)

God allows the sunny, warm day. He also allows the cold, rainy night. 

Thanks be to God. 

Your Own

. . . as even some of your own poets have said . . . 

 - From Acts 17

The Apostle Paul connected with people. He found a way, some way, any way, to find common ground with others, so that he could witness to them and build God's kingdom. And he was able to do this, so often, without violating some fundamental commandment of God. He did not become drunk, in order to relate to alcoholics. He didn't become a fornicator, in order to empathize with hedonists. He didn't start lying everywhere, in order to build solidarity with most of the rest of us. 

He simply befriended others. He sat down with them. Had coffee with them. Listened to them. Noticed them.

People only do those other things (fornicate, drink, use vulgar words, lie, etc) because they need someone to notice them, to treat them, (even if in a phony way) as though they mattered. 

It has been said that, if you're feeling lonely, a bar is a better place for you, than a church. And this sounds harsh, but it's probably mostly true. People need to relax today, to let go. To have a moment of laughter, or even of human touch of the most base variety. They might do almost anything to attain it. 

A friend of mine, that had been raised pentecostal, recently shared with me that she has visited a Catholic church. She is not a catholic. Many of their practices are near anathema to her. But she described her need to be where God is taken seriously, and worldliness is resisted. And so far, only the Catholics seem to be taking much, in the spiritual realm, at all seriously. 

She is going where she can connect, where the people seem sincere, where the word of God is taken seriously. And where the Kingdom can grow. She found that, of all of the beliefs she finds most critical in our times, at least in a Catholic Church she will be accepted. It can be a safe place, away from so many mainstream churches that are more interested in being "accessible" to "seekers."

At any rate. We must put all of that aside, and learn to just . . . accept . . . others. 

I say it again: listen to them. Treat them like they matter. Notice them.

That would be worth a million examples of having the right doctrine, or performing the right rituals. 

He Will

If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

 - From John 14

We have another troublesome passage here, like the one that caused my friend (described a couple of posts ago) to lose his faith, almost entirely. 

Jesus has just promised Philip, and the rest of the Apostles, that He would do whatever they asked, if they did so in His name. And today, people will say "I've asked Jesus to do things for me, my entire life, in His name. He almost NEVER gives me what I asked."

Well, there are a couple of ways to look at this. Jesus may have been making the promise to The Twelve (or perhaps, just the Eleven - after removing Matthias from the list) only. And the biblical record is replete with examples of the Apostles, in the first generation of the Church, doing greater miracles than even Jesus Himself. This is an easy way to get around this particular problem.

An objection may come up: "Why didn't they ask Jesus to prevent all illness from ever afflicting all of humanity, ever again?" Maybe they did.

Or how about: "In the Name of Jesus, I ask the Lord to make His return right now!"

The possibilities are endless. Why didn't even one of them make such a request to the Lord?

Again, maybe they did. Which was obviously answered, at the time, as "NO."

Or perhaps the Apostles, being so close to Christ, had developed His sense of being rather loathe to do too many miracles. When you think about it, life really would not be so great if everybody went around with access to total omnipotence, manipulating nature (including other people) to bend to their every whim. Life would be boring if we never had opportunities to learn, to change, to grow. 

This present Universe seems to be a training ground, where God is preparing us, via endless troubles and sorrows, to be ready for something infinitely wonderful. I mean, how would we know it's so wonderful, if we had never experienced devastation and loss?

The skilled skeptic will find none of my explanations persuasive. "Oh come on," they would say. And it would be logical for them to do so. 

There's an element of pure faith involved here. When Jesus says "I will do . . . " something . . . and we never see it in our lives; it is easy, (logical, actually) to conclude: "Jesus did not do what He said He would do."

At the time Jesus made the statement to Philip, he was already in place, in His eternal, glorified body. He had become an eternal being. He no longer occupied space in our temporal realm. When we say "I will," it's supposed to be something that everybody can count on. You have committed to doing something that, eventually, we will be able to look back and announce "it's done."

But what does it mean, when an eternal creature says "I will"? 

It means that, in His time and space, it's as good as done. "I will" can mean the same thing as "I have done." And this would be something very difficult for us to grasp, in our own limited, mortal lives. 

When Jesus says "I will," that doesn't mean we should put a time on Him. 

Pure

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 

 - From I Peter 2

There it is: Perhaps the most ignored, misused, under-appreciated, and yet fundamentally essential word (culturally) of our times.

Pure.

Although I eschew the very idea of church membership, nevertheless by default I am a member of the Dexter United Methodist Church. For years, many of us have observed that it is an excellent church to which to invite friends, family, and other seekers. 

It is a "safe" place to take them. The people of this church will not get in your face with faux kindness. They will give you space to get what you can from Scripture, without telling you what to think about it. They will invite you to participate, right away, if you're willing, into highly practical and relevant local or global ministries. There is a focus on serving the truly needy in our communities. 

The sermons and other teaching hew pretty close to what Peter is talking about - the spiritual "milk" which is perfect for the developing bodies of newborns. We live our lives, probably, closer to newborns in the Christian walk, than to seasoned elders. 

Milk will always be right for us. It's easy on the stomach. It requires very little active breaking down, on the part of the entire digestive system.

 . . . if it's pure. 

But if it's not pure - and a lot of the milk we buy from stores today isn't - we wind up with physical impairments. Spiritually, it's no different. What constitutes new, pure, spiritual milk for a new (or old) believer? Simply, the same stuff that drew you to Christ in the first place: kindness from others. Emphasis on our need for Christ, as He is the only path we have, to get beyond death (and isn't death the very essence of all of our problems?). 

But there's a lot more to the word "pure." Yes, pure is easy on the stomach. But it represents basic, well-rounded nutritional soundness that is good for all of our lives. Spiritual milk is all about love. But love is the hardest thing of all. Paul called it "The greatest" of all spiritual virtues. 

It is not easy to love. But real love represents the fullness of purity. 

As we go into situations today and in the weeks following, that challenge our faith; that attempt to draw us into bitter arguments, remember that our entire point is purity. And purity means, simply, love - real love. Godly love. Simple love. 

And pure love is the basic thing driving everything that we do. 

Ten Years Gone: The Difference Between the Testaments

 This entry was first published on Thursday, April 25, 2013

Still

. . . and leads me beside still waters. 

 - From The Twenty-Third Psalm

As a child growing up in the Penfield Advent Christian Church, in the 1960s, I became very familiar with Psalm 23. During the regular church service, they would recite it once every week, at the same spot in the service. I think it may have been something that they said, chorally, at the end of the sermon, immediately prior to the closing hymn.

It was like The Lord's Prayer. We said it every week, as a congregation. That way, they had a pinnacle-type passage that became memorized, and stated in unison, from both the Old and New Testaments. 

This was a calming, re-assuring practice. Psalm 23 rejoices. It builds. It inspires. The Lord's Prayer surrenders. It does something with our troubles, by handing them off to the Lord. 

What a nice tradition!

I recommend the same practice today, in churches, in homes, and in hearts. Recite the 23rd Psalm. Commit it to memory. Remind yourself of it every day. It covers all the bases. It has an eternal impact.

The world needs more stillness today. It needs love, yes. And it needs peace. But perhaps, before we can have any of that, we need to be still. Our Shepherd, the Lord, leads us beside still waters . . . water that does not threaten us with rushing. Water that doesn't carry us away into dangerous zones. Water that doesn't freeze. Water that does not storm. But rather, water that hydrates us. Water that cools us. 

Still water. 

We need to be still. Right now. Be still and listen. Be still.

Sell

. . . they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need . . . . 

 - From the Second Chapter of Acts

Just yesterday, I reflected on this notion of great wonders and miracles being performed by people that simply believed in Christ. 

Now, it may be stated that the Church needed to have such power backing it, in the early days. It was necessary that it grow, and that it grow, rapidly. The Romans, as well as the local religious leaders in Jerusalem, had what it takes to wipe out the movement before it could get a foothold. The early Church was few in number. It also had this problematic pacifist impulse. It was, literally, a lamb rife for slaughter; and was expected to put up as much of a fight as the typical sheep. 

But here in Acts 2, we have perhaps a key ingredient (several, actually) that must be present if you want to see signs and wonders performed - things like healing the sick, drinking poison, handling snakes . . . bringing the dead to life. 

It may be argued that a growing community of people praying and supporting each other is miracle enough. We should not discount this. Considering the propensity of humanity to operate according to political intrigues, to be self-oriented, to be prone to exhibitionism and voyeurism, to mis-define the concept of "love", etc. . . . it indeed is marvelous for a movement devoted to serving others, to grow. 

The secret to rapid Church growth and the practice of great miracles is listed in Acts 2. And one of the points is that the believers literally went out and sold all of their possessions, and then shared the proceeds with the entire community. Everybody was taken care of. And everybody took care of everybody else. 

In 2023, that means more than just making sure others are fed. You must also house them. You care for them when ill - - - meaning, you do not hide from, nor cover your face while in the presence of, a person that may have an infectious illness. You get them health insurance. You be present for them. You commune with them. You be their friend. 

If we all would do that. Or . . . even if only 10% of us did that . . . I am persuaded that you would see miracles on the order of the first generation Church. 

But who is willing to do that?

Will

And these signs will accompany those who believe . . . 

 - From Mark 16

 Here's a passage of Scripture that is commonly just passed over quietly without discussion. The Lord says, plainly, that them that believe, and preach in His Name, will also perform great signs and wonders. They will handle snakes, drink poison, heal the sick with a touch of the hand. 

There is no gray area here. Jesus says that these things will happen. 

And, well, they do . . . . in remote spots. Like for instance, The House of the Lord Jesus in Squires, West Virginia. The last time I checked, they were still in operation. In their services, the preacher would routinely handle a live copperhead during services. And members would drink strychnine. I don't know about their record in terms of healings. They have a Facebook page, so I think they may still be in business.

But virtually every believer you or I know, would never come close to attempting any of those practices. 

And yet, Jesus said that believers would do these miracles and wonders all the time. All it takes is the belief, and then just doing it. 

Or does it?

When the Adversary tempted Christ, He was rebuked by the Lord: "Thou shalt not tempt God!" In 2023, there would be a certain element of "daring" involved in deliberately forcing these signs and wonders. And where there's a dare, there is the wrong motivation. There is a lack of faith. And then there's the case of the Apostle Thomas - who required a sign or miracle before he would believe that Jesus was alive. It was a lesson on belief, and faith. 

Just believe. Without the signs. 

My go-to explanation for any passage of scripture, asserting that something will happen, that doesn't, is that of course anything God prophesied will indeed happen. It just doesn't happen on our timeline. And if we're looking for it, obsessing over it . . . it most likely will not happen in our timeline. Think about the first generation of Hebrews escaping slavery and leaving Egypt. Except for a couple of exceptions, they did not live to see the Promised Land . . . because of their unfaith, their griping, and their complaining. 

The point is: just go ahead and preach the gospel. Build the Kingdom. God will protect you. You might suffer harm, injury, or even death. God still watches over you. He's got you. And remember that the word "will" is future tense. Have faith! It will happen. All of it!

When we are in the eternal realm, of course we will handle snakes. We might even have them as pets. In eternity, our opened eyes will see a whole of wonders and miracles, things that we thought were impossible. 

It will all happen. 

Eyes Opened

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him . . . 

 - From Luke 24

Some scriptural passages are just impossible for us to totally get. We may read them over and over in our lives; study them; attend classes about them; hear sermons preached on them; pray for understanding, have life experiences specifically addressing them. 

But while we live on this side of eternity, we can never really, truly understand some things. That's where faith comes in. That's why faith is essential. 

Like the simple statement from Luke. The resurrected Jesus had been walking and talking with two of His disciples all day, one named Cleopas, and the other unnamed. 

Why didn't they recognize Jesus all day? How different does a resurrected person look, from His appearance in mortal life? Was His voice different? Did He have a glow? Did His presence put them at ease? Was He instantly a person they knew they could trust?

First, He was a great listener. He asked them to tell Him what they had been talking about. At the time, their eyes were closed. They could not see Who He was. And so He listened. He did what we all should do when we encounter others. Let them talk first. Let them say their entire piece. Let them finish. Withhold your judgments and comments. Perhaps as they talk, they will talk themselves into whatever viewpoint you can't wait to correct them with. But Jesus listened. 

And then He began to share with them, His perspective. And they listened, because they were done talking. 

Their eyes remained closed. 

Who closes our eyes so? It must be God. For whatever reason, God puts a veil over our eyes at times when we are not ready for the truth. Sometimes He veils the eyes of others, often very smart others, so that they cannot see what we see clearly, for He has uncovered our eyes. It drives us crazy when this happens. How can they be so stupid? But of course, at that point, our faith, and our love has failed us, and arrogance has taken over. 

When we see a thing clearly, we must not assume that others can, likewise. God covers eyes. He does it for His reasons. And it is not for us to question. 

Even today, this morning . . . I must revisit my relationship with an online friend, a fellow believer, a person with Scriptural and chronological authority over me. A person I must respect. We are at a loggerhead and seem totally incapable of seeing a certain issue with anything approaching common ground. Without common ground, common sense becomes elusive. 

I am going to have to just let it go with this guy. Move on. Drop it. As I have said many times in over ten years of blogging: What if they can't? 

For me to force it, when it is impossible for him to see what I do (because God has covered one or both of our sets of eyes), is the opposite of treating him with love. 

Sometimes they just can't.

Genuine Love: Introducing The Lovesters

Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love . . . . 

 - From 1 Peter 1

Love is a real Word of the Century so far. People pepper it everywhere - in their expression of devotion to one another, in their definition of marriage, in their policy statements. It's as if, by touting "love" as my goal and motivation, I absolve myself of all the harmful deeds I may commit to others, in pursuit of these aims. 

Love is so vague a concept today, meaning so many different things in so many different contexts to so many different people, that it has come to mean nothing at all. It is a hollow concept, used without any real teeth, in debate and the creation of society's corporate vision. But if I toss "love" into my intercourse with others, I am aiming to make myself immune from logical or ethical attacks. 

I'm a lover, not a fighter. 

But, what if we elevated love to a high pinnacle of human endeavor? What if we let it soar above the clouds, where it belongs? What if it held a position of unattainability to the average human? What if it became an ideal to strive for, and not just a base description of whatever routine activities we're conducting in this moment - to make the mundane holy so that by all means we may all be known as "holy" without even a smidgeon of effort?

Consider the Apostle Peter's characterization of genuine love. Note the three qualities that must be present: 

• Purity
• Obedience
• Truth

In 2023, the people that scream the loudest about "love" and whatever it means to them, are often not the same people advocating for purity of any form. They advocate for attitudes that are anything but obedient (neither to other humans nor to God Almighty). They have even removed the word "obey" from the marital vows, having made it into a bad concept. You also never hear the modern "lovesters" reference the idea of "truth." Truth, to them, is transitory. It's a social construct. It changes all the time. It means different things to different people (but they can become violent if you ever challenge their personal definition of truth).

A society practicing real LOVE can't help but thrive. The pursuit of happiness is easy to them that truly LOVE. Life and Liberty also are automatic, where real love is present. 

Is it love or not? Look at the fruits. And compare the behavior to Peter's description of genuine love. 

Heard

I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication . . . . 

 - From Psalm 116

Godly love is an impossible practice for us. It requires us to put all others ahead of ourselves. It requires that you be all in, for the good of others, when they are present. It requires you to sacrifice everything, in order to serve others. 

You must be a perfect listener, in order to love as God does. 

Godly love is total proactivity. God doesn't love us because of how lovable we are. He loves us because He loved us first. Without even knowing us (although He knows everything) God loves us still. 

But our response to Him may be to love Him. When He loves us - first - it presents itself as a model to us. We had no clue what love even was; but then when God loved us, we understood it right away. Oh, that's love. I see now. 

I tell students all the time: the most difficult skill you may ever learn, is the skill of listening. It's so hard to listen to others. Our heads are full of so much noise. We lack filters that enable us to drop everything else and focus on the person before us. Real listen requires us to actually watch the person talking to us. An eight-year old may say (and they do. All the time) "I can read and listen at the same time." Or, "I can pay attention and listen to my music at the same time." But they can't. These kids, that were born innocent and without any wickedness in them, will stand there and lie to your face. 

Because they'd rather not listen. Because listening is hard. And at the end of the day we don't want to admit it. At the end of the day we want to reframe everything so that we're still not a good listener, but we're good people anyway. 

But without good listening skills, you will never be any good in the practice of love. Real love. 

The 2023 generation injects the word "love" (but not the actual concept of love) into every social issue. "I'm a lover not a fighter." "Summer of love II." "Marry who you love." 

But in arguing their values and political objectives, they fall far short of actually listening to anybody.

And if you want love in the world, you'd better start by improving your listening skills.  

The Gift

. . . you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

 - From The Second Chapter of Acts

When people receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, they often seem to know it.

Some people that have once had this experience, will later on drift away from the faith. But since we're such a feeling-driven species, why would someone do this? Why would you attain such a level of elation once in your life - the kind most people long for but hardly ever experience - and then decide later on it's not for you?

Wouldn't someone that has had a few mind-blowing adventures with LSD continue doing it throughout life, as long as it were legal and not harmful to you physically? Isn't that why virtual reality has such a promising future? Don't we live for great experience that feel good?

Why not stay active in Church, and even accelerate-increase your involvement, in hopes of continually renewing that initial surge of joy and contentment, that accompanies the filling of  the Holy Spirit? Why not just keep doing whatever you have to do, to stay so plugged in to God, the Creator?

The Holy Spirit works miracles, predictably and frequently. Why don't we want more of that?

We go to concerts and sporting events, costing us hundreds of dollars a pop; so that we can ascend to such emotional heights. Why not just get the same, for free, from God's Holy Spirit?

We like receiving gifts. The Holy Spirit is a gift. Is that not quite a handsome present perpetually offered us by the Father?

What's our problem?

In late July of 1980, I was at Camp Texas in Southlake, near Fort Worth. Midway through the week, the Evangelist, Cameron Ainsworth, had an altar call. I moved to the front, with a sense of a physical force pushing, or pulling me forward. I had no idea what I was going to say. But I did say something, and by all accounts it was powerful and effective. The feeling was unlike any other. It was not brought on by booze. It was not a feeling of total nervousness like being in love. It was not a fist-pumper like when your team wins a big rivalry game. 

The Holy Spirit-filling is its own category. There is nothing like it. 

We live for moments like that. Why don't we act like it?

Elders

When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders.

 - From John 8 

The people of 2023 need to hear this. Read it. Reflect upon it. 

First of all, look at the behavior modeled by who?

 . . . The elders. 

There are so many gaps to this narrative of the woman caught in adultery. The Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman (drag her?) to Jesus . . . demanding that He tell them what to do about the woman "caught" in adultery. 

Where did this happen? What were the Scribes and Pharisees doing there? Who was she committing adultery with . . . and why is nothing done about that person?

There is a very real likelihood, just from reading between the lines and considering basic, predictable human behavior, that the man committing adultery with the woman was a respected member of the community; maybe himself a Scribe or Pharisee. When he got caught . . . it was very obvious, that something would have to be done about it. 

How like modern people, particularly modern leaders. They go about their corrupt practices. They commit their crimes. And then, before they can get caught, they blame their opponents. A group of American politicians collude with Russia . . . but before they can get caught, they blame their opponent for doing the same. 

There's a weird component to human nature, that makes this type of maneuver easy. For whatever reason, if I go on and on about how evil another person is - because they are doing, or will do, what I am already doing . . . you develop a sort-of teflon against being accused of doing the same. And you're the one doing it!

This is what the Scribes and the Pharisees were doing! If you point the finger enough, you are training people not to notice it, when you're the one doing whatever it is you're pointing at!

Perhaps this is the real lesson of the account of the Woman Caught in Adultery. And perhaps it has a lot to do with the mysterious words Jesus was scribbling into the ground. 

And notice that it takes a great deal of maturity to handle this concept. This is why the elders left first.

Remember Not aka "Forget"

Remember not our past sins . . . 

 - From Psalm 79 

Of all the things that God can do . . . and He can do anything . . . perhaps the most marvelous is His ability to forget something. Just as He can create something out of nothing, just by thinking about it, so can He send a wrong committed to oblivion, making it so that it had never happened in the first place. 

That's what is meant by the concept, that God forgets our sins. He forgives . . . but then He forgets. 

We talk about that when it comes to humans . . . "forgive and forget."

We act as if it's even possible. Hey don't worry about it. I have forgiven you, and I forgot it ever happened. But that's impossible. It is as impossible for us actually to forget a wrong someone committed against us, as it is for God to remember something that He has forgiven. 

So the practical solution is . . . to pretend like we have forgotten. In reality, we have not. We can not. But as we are to become imitators of Christ, we must will ourselves to behave as though the wrong done to us never happened. 

The result is: we become people of true grace. Even as grace means being forgiven even though we don't deserve it; so do we practice, by extending grace (forgive and forget) others, even when we can't. It is the path for imperfect humans to approach the throne of God. It's how we get ourselves into His presence - - - by doing what we do not want to do; what we cannot do - - - anyway. 

Changed

God changed his mind . . . 

 - From Jonah 3

The notion that God has inconsistencies is a particularly vexing one. We need Him to be consistent, because, I guess, that's what you would expect from omnipotent beings. In others places of Scripture, it will say that God "never changes."

How do we square it with this account from Jonah? God changed His mind. He did NOT wipe out Nineveh, as He said He would do. He left very little wiggle room for Jonah, in preaching the message to the Ninevites. Tell them that, in 40 days, everything and everybody around them, will be gone. 

But lo and behold . . . He changes His mind. They became particularly repentant, and moved God. His compassion got the best of Him. They might return to their wickedness one month from now. But lately, they have been my pride and joy. I will spare them.

So there remains these three: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love. 

Inconsistent passages present us with exceptions. And the exception proves the rule. What would be an example of when God changed His mind (was inconsistent) and what exception to God rules would be the one that not only varies from the rule, but which one actually proves the rule?

The greatest of these is love. If God declares that He will wipe out an entire nation . . . but later on, reneges, what would be His reason?

In Jonah's case, the people actually did repent. They actually did change their ways. They had thumbed their noses at God, and He pronounced the death penalty upon them. He judged them . . . and an irreversible punishment was the apparent result. 

But God loves us. He wants us to turn around. He does not want us dead. And even though we may rebel again, later on . . . still, at this moment we are as He prefers us, as He made us. And for now all is well.

When God changes, it's because He loves us. And the greatest of these is love. 

Visited?

And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? 

 - From Matthew 25

On this day, February 27, 2023, I am making public my plan to do actually this. God has placed a burden upon my heart for decades, to serve people such as Christ mentioned in Matthew 25. Except, the focus will be on family members. I will seek out any relative of mine, that is in my generation or prior, going all the way back seven generations.

I am looking for those in prison. For any lacking basic healthcare. For the children of single parents, that cannot afford music lessons, soccer club dues, nice presents for Christmas. For our elders, especially widows, that need a roof repaired or reshingled; that need a ride into town for groceries; that would love to receive Christmas cards every year. 

We will look for such people, and then act. The impact is enhanced, because they are family. Love is offered to them; unmerited, unexpected . . . because they share DNA, they are family. And we will take care of family. Our vision will grow, and it will overflow . . . and we will begin to offer it to others, non-related to us, representing other races and cultures. The gifts and service will be offered, as from an entire extended family group.

Come . . . you who have no family . . . and join ours. 

I post this now, because it is Lent. And Matthew 25 is in today's reading. And God has recently taken care of a big part of why I have delayed in implementation, all these years. He got tired of dropping hints, and finally just provided me with a decisive nudge. 

God rolls out His plan for the ages, via families. And while families are the paradigm of the Old Testament, which has been displaced . . . still, families remain as the chief platform upon which to practice unconditional love. As my cousin Louise once said, of a very difficult aunt: "I don't care. She's family, and I love her."

Perhaps this is my Lenten mission for 2023: to launch this faith-based mission to my family. And therefore, to the world. 

Impostors

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true . . . 

 - From 2 Corinthians 5 & 6

One of the sickest practices of fallen humanity, is the way that phonies and fakes invest so much energy into convincing everybody that the real people, the simple, genuine, authentic people, are the phony ones. Rather than just look at themselves honestly, realize that they are fallen and imperfect, own it, and work on themselves, they waste time, damage their own health, by stirring up vitriol against others - against the actual good people. 

Why?

It catches up to you eventually. And when it does, it becomes way costlier than it would have been, if you just nipped it in the bud initially.

The Regents of the University of Michigan, and Dr Robert Anderson, are a case in point. The U of M ignored decades of students asking questions, reporting on practices of Dr. Anderson, that seemed unnecessary and possibly criminal. They looked the other way. But they also maligned hundreds, thousands of students that sought answers. They could have done something along the way, to correct the problem. They could have clarified to Dr. Anderson, way back in the 1970s, that the practices had to be stopped. They could have gotten him help - provide simple and inexpensive reparations to the few students who, at the time, had come forward. But they kicked it down the road, insulted the student-victims, and ultimately were require to dole out hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. 

Usually, you will have two sides in opposition to each other, each labeling the other as the phony.

Does this sound familiar?

It gets very confusing. But here's the "siren song" that I personally believe we all should be the most aware of:

The "intellectuals" are the ones you need to watch out for. Since the time of Christ, and His constant run-ins with the Pharisees, the Romans, and other well-educated groups, the "upper crust" has always been a problem. Christ went straight to blue-collar fishermen without college degrees, to build His church. 

But the Old Testament has analogues as well. Moses dropped all of his elitist pretentions, and became the brother of slaves. He squared off against the paradigm of evil for his time (for all time?) - the Pharaoh and all of his "experts" that ran the world's greatest empire of its time: Egypt. 

Who are the true fakers in 2023? Which side is it?

I can draw a straight line from Scripture, to the most sincere and humble people of modern times: and it is not the experts from academia. It is not the celebrities in Hollywood. And it is not the swamp creatures operating inside the DC Beltway. 

You have to go to fly-over country to find the real people - them that are the most genuinely "good." The plant workers. The gardeners and landscapers. The artists piecing together an income. The teachers that do not prioritize union dictates. The mechanics and farmers. The retired NCOs from the military. 

2023 wants to confuse all of us, and divide us from each other. 2023 is obsessed with pointing out some group of people that must be stigmatized for spreading "disinformation." But who are the real people? Who really can we trust?

Look no further than right down the road. 

Look not at the "leaders," or people that successfully got their moment of fame, on tonight's news. And certainly, look not at all . . . not at all . . . at successful politicians. They are good only at being good fakers. Their life itself is misinformation. 

You family. Your friends. The people that would take a bullet for you. Listen to them. Heed them. 

Good Things

He satisfies you with good things, and your youth is renewed like an eagle's. 

 - From Psalm 103

For over a a week now, the world of Christendom has marveled at the unfolding drama at Asbury University. 

A revival started quite innocently and simply, via a prayer meeting of some students. It continued. It grew. It flourished without a break. And God willing . . . it will begin to spread. 

What families could not do. What schools could not do. What law enforcement could not do. What politicians could not do . . . God is now making happen, with just a thought. 

For me, at least, the shooting last week, at Michigan State University, was the last straw. One MSU student is a young woman that I have known since she was a pre-schooler. Her roommate was one of the fatal victims of the shooter. That's too close. 

Other developments in the world are equally troubling . . . and they too may reach a point that is too close. I have known the action that I may take, for some time, but have stalled. God patiently works with me. He quietly provides. He opens doors. He closes doors. And today, here we are . . . 

Within a twenty-four hour period - the final straw, for me, of shooter horrors, happened; but so did the launch of a revival, the likes of which America has not seen, for decades. We are getting a true side-by-side comparative view of how God acts, versus the crazy random violence of humanity. 

In the end, God wins. And when God wins, good things happen to people. We get fed, clothed, housed, and we get treated to nice things. We get beauty and plenty. We get eternal life. When God acts, good things happen. When humanity messes things up enough, God acts. 

God is youth. And God is life. God is everything that humanity has ever yearned for. Immortality. Quality of life. A future. True freedom from want. God is the answer. Jesus is the answer. 

We all know what we need to do. When we do what we are called to do, shooters disappear. Prayer, and action, are all it takes to get us through all of this. And on the other side of this . . . are good things. 

2023, Anyone?

He whose throne is in heaven is laughing . . . 

 - From Psalm 2

Recently, I shared that the reading of the day included one of my top ten favorite verses. This Psalm contains another one of them.

The phrase grabbed me the first time that I purposefully read it. It was probably during the Summer of 1980. I remember seeing it: "He who sits in the heavens laughs . . . " And when I first read it, I remember laughing out loud. 

God is like a doting Parent. A condescending Big Brother. He sees our behavior and shakes His Head. 

As a teacher, when I catch a student throwing something across the room, my first impulse is to smile inwardly. "Yeah, I would have tried that too, once." 

My ex had a memory she would share, that became one of my favorites: When she was younger, perhaps a pre-teen or teenager, she got in trouble with her mother, who got so mad at her, she began chasing her around the house with a broom, to swat her with. Her mom was normally very permissive and patient. But this time my ex had gone too far. As she evaded her mother's swinging broom and stayed several steps ahead of her, she began to laugh. This made her mom more angry, to a point. But finally her mom also burst out laughing and the thing was over. 

Our misbehavior can be funny. Our parents may laugh. Our teachers may chuckle inside. You think to yourself "They're just kids." And their deeds may remind you of your own days of foolishness as a youngster; and how over the course of time the memories may transform into warm, even happy thoughts. 

But when you look at the first three verses of Psalm 2, you see a description that has 2023, of all earth's years, nailed. 

In 1980, as a nineteen-year-old, I laughed because even then, I could see the craziness in the world, the foolishness of world leaders, and conclude that "yep, we're pretty messed up, and God finds it all partly amusing." 

But 1980's got nothing on 2023. 1980's world's leaders may have been narrow-minded and misguided. But compared to today, they were adults with some gravitas. They were the oldest kids in the family exerting their unprepared independence. But 2023's leaders are the babies of the family. The "kid brother" and "kid sister." They're the spoiled brats whose parents were too tired or pre-occupied to discipline. They're the generation that permissive parents and society looked the other way for, as they experimented with every kind of mind-altering substance and sexual adventure. They were protected from consequences and emerged into adulthood with underdeveloped brains and lack of wisdom. They are reckless, vain, and totally devoid of historical perspective and empathy. Their god is their belly, and their long-term view goes out about two weeks.

They make ridiculous threats against each other. They gather together in their global "forums" to plot the fate of the entire world. They seem determined to cast off any vestige of what we would call godly practices: responsibility, charity, service, selflessness, ethics, morality. 

If it feels good, do it. And if it feels good, it must be love. 

When criticized for cracking so many jokes in the middle of a terrible, violent war, President Lincoln said "I have to laugh. For I must not cry."

God laughs right now. And it's serious. 

CDO

If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God . . . and [observe] his . . . decrees, and ordinances ... 

 - From Deuteronomy 30

Commandment: The act of directing authoritatively, as from a superior officer in the military. 

Decree: An order usually having the force of law.

Ordinance: Something ordained or decreed by fate or a deity.

These three terms seem redundant. Their meanings are very similar, and only represented vague shadings of the same thing. But Scripture, from cover to cover, has left out countless details in its many narratives. There is a lot that has not been recorded, that frankly, would be nice to know. 

Therefore, the little bit that is left must be very important, and highly relevant. 

God was very deliberate in admonishing us to observe, and follow faithfully, his commandments. But not just the commandments. We must also follow His decrees, and His ordinances. 

Let's pick them apart a little, and see what specific point is being made. First, we are commanded to do and be certain things. We do not have a choice. We must do what we're told whether or not we feel like it. Second, what we are required to do, is not arbitrary nor based on a person's whim. It has the force of Law. Laws do not change much over time, if at all. They are etched in stone, especially if they are natural laws. They have the gravitas of Science. If you break these laws, there will be consequences to yourself. If you follow them, both you and your community will be at peace, and will thrive. Third, and finally, these commandments are ordained. Ultimately they are not found in a document written by human hands. They come to us directly from God. They are to be written upon our hearts. We should know them as we know our own hearts. 

Our attitude should be that - we are so committed to God's commandments, that it's as if they were our own. We came up with them. We articulated them. We believe in them. They were our idea. 

I came up with them. They were my idea. I am committed to them. 

Something like that. That's what it means to write them on your heart. They are your own. 

God shouldn't have to use redundancies to get us to obey. His rules should be the framework for our own identities. Our own self-worth. Our own sense of safety and security. 

And then . . . we are finally free to be who we really are. 

Yes. No.

Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’ . . . 

 - From Matthew 5

I may able, soon, to go ahead and compile my top ten favorite tenets from Scripture. This is one of them.

And it is perhaps an irony. For my entire life, I have been known as a good talker. My Dad used to say he wished I would talk less, and that my brother would talk more. I always get asked to say the prayer at family meals. I have caught myself, more than a few times, engaged in a long discourse late at night, with good friends, as they would slowly drift off to sleep. I would wonder what's wrong with them! Am I not more interesting than that?

There may be a total number of words that we all are allotted in life. More and more, I feel that my quota is approaching. I am becoming less interested in hearing myself talk. At the root, I seem to have less and less, of importance, to say. I have become more aware of other epic talkers, and found myself wanting not to be like them. Why don't they stop, to let someone else get a word in, edgewise? Why don't they express more interest in topics that will bring others out? What makes them think their opinions and observations of the mundane, want to be heard by others?

Why do they seem to believe they are gifted in turn-of-phrase (in reality, their word choice is too-cute-by-half)?

One of my MBA professors gave me feedback once, in front of the entire class, following a team presentation. He said that a silver-tongued person should be given something of substance to say . . . and not just to glibly provide whimsical transitions for the others. 

I am getting it now (see my other blog, "The Boulder.")

I talk too much. The reason? To cover up other insecurities. To make myself sound smart, without having a lot of results in life, to back it up. 

George Harrison quoted a mystic in one of his songs: He that speaks doesn't know. He that knows doesn't speak. 

I would rather aspire to that now, than to be a good talker. 

Jesus loves us all equally, unconditionally. But He takes aim at a human behavior that's problematic for many of us. His practical advice always yields a more spirit-filled and humble heart. 

Don't talk so much.

If all it takes is a reply of "Yes," or "No" . . . please . . . please . . . do yourself and all of us a favor, and make that all you say.  

It's a skill that must be learned, practiced, and perfected. 

In my 1990s career at Nortel Networks, Gerry Butters, the President of our American corporation, was good at it. When taking questions at company meetings, he would think long and hard before saying anything, when replying to questions. And if a "yes" or "no" sufficed, that would be all he would say. It was nice. And it was powerful. 

Now, having said all of this . . . I do wish to retain the ability to do what my Aunt Sue once said about me, as needed:

Gordon could talk a snake out of a tree. 

Confer with . . . ?

 I did not confer with any human being . . . 

 - From Galatians 1

We have to save our democracy.

Seriously, is this not one of the most cringeworthy refrains of our time?

For over two centuries, the idea of a republican form of government was treated as an essential tenet of our society. Both Democrats and Republicans . . . and independents, understood this. 

If freedom of speech and of conscience were still highly valued, there would be no problem. We could discuss the merits of all forms of government, openly and without personal vitriol. We would operate as mature adults, as sober citizens that can debate, listen, collaborate, learn, and grow.

In fact, this curtailment of free speech is exactly one of the primary threats (clearly understood by all intelligent people), to a nation that has adopted "democracy" as its rallying cry. 

"Democracy" is a purposefully vague and shadowy concept. It sounds good. By default, one must be careful not to argue against it. It has been cemented upon the psyches of the youngest generations of our leadership class, as an absolute virtue. We can't really define it. We do not want to talk about any possible downside to it (in fact, we forbid you from doing such). We only know that it's as essential to us as oxygen, and that anyone daring to question it must be treated as a mass shooter, or worse: a racist. 

Public schools used to be awash with inspirational posters - up and down the hallways, in almost every classroom - celebrating the supremacy of the individual. Kids were encouraged to "be themselves." To stand up against the crowd, even if you must stand alone. It was very clear that this was a shared value of our culture. 

This was the norm up until about 2020.

Not so today.

This messaging has been taken down. It has been cut out of the value set that we want handed down to our kids. Why? Because "democracy" is the concept we want placed aggressively forefront. Democracy only and always. Democracy without exception. Pure democracy, or more accurately: the illusion of democracy. Advertising experts and psychologists, with the right political alignments, know how to persuade people that this is what the democracy wants. And if you go against the democracy, you must be treated as the outcast that you are. You will learn not to go against the people. 

The Apostle Paul showed a different way, a better way. His path is decidedly Christian. It elevates the dignity of the individual. It realizes that the closer you get to Truth, the nearer you draw to God, the fewer the people around you. It is lonely at the top - and every human endeavor organizes itself into a pyramid. If you want to become more skilled, more talented, more honest, more effective, more wealthy, more healthy, more pure . . . you must keep pushing upward, and you must be willing to rely more and more on yourself alone.

Yourself, and God. 

Paul refused the advice of others. He had seen the Risen Lord. He had embraced the truth. He had been filled with the Holy Spirit. He had all he needed. And the call of the crowd, to the great apostle, was like the call of any siren, any human being with something delicious or carnally satisfying, to offer. 

In fact, approval of the crowd might be the most seductive temptation of all. And after all . . . Democracy really is nothing other than gaining approval from a crowd - a crowd that wants one thing today, but something totally anathema to that, the next day. 

Health

Let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations. 

 - From Psalm 67

About twenty-five hundred years ago, with the population of the earth much less than it is today, it was a great aspiration to imagine all of the nations of the world knowing about God's saving health. 

We used to say that, even if non-believers practiced God's directives from Scripture, they would be happier, more contented, healthier, more prosperous, more successful. They would be more charitable, more selfless, more attentive to the needs of others. 

I still think there's something to that. 

There's an irrational fear that a world perfectly influenced by the God of the Bible would be bad for humanity. But how can this be so . . . 

• Heal the sick
• Do good to others
• Turn the other cheek
• Be good stewards of the earth
• House the homeless
• Welcome aliens into your communities
• Give at least a tenth of your produce to advancing all of these practices
• Be faithful to one another, serve each other
• Make a priority of the needs of children, especially children of single parents, and orpans
• Make a priority of the needs of the elderly, especially the widowed

Okay I'll stop right here and dwell on those last two for a moment. 

If care for the children (orphans) and the elderly (widows) is God's urgent priority - and it should be. We need look no further than our own household to determine God's will for this moment. - then it would follow that societies that downplay the needs of the roots and branches of our lives could be considered the furthest from God's will. 

If babies and children are not the most wonderful blessing to us; If we consider them inconvenient, a nuisance, an expense. If we believe that we "deserve" our own happiness and that comes before all others, including children . . . if we normalize child trafficking and pedophilia, so that ultimately children become simple a thing to entertain us until we're tired of them . . . if we abort the unborn and abandon the post-born . . . if we ignore and patronize them . . . then it may be said that our society has abandoned God as well, that it has aborted Good itself, and that it has plunged into the opposite of Good, which is Evil. 

The situation regarding our elders is similar. We're coming off a three-year "pandemic" period, which in its earliest days had some governors sending covid-positive people into nursing homes, resulting in the premature deaths of many of the same. They committed this atrocity, and got away with it. The elderly are ignored, mistreated, disrespected, and lonely. 

This is our culture. We treat our two most vulnerable and precious humans: our very youngest, and our very oldest, as though they don't count, in exact opposition to the Lord's constant pleas in both Testaments. Our society is far removed from what's eternally Good. 

 . . . which brings us full circle. We'd better get out there and make sure more people know about God's saving health. The health of our human family seems to be rather important. 

Uneducated

Now when they saw . . .  that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 

 - From Acts 4

I have spent most of my life, in the firm belief that a college degree isn't worth a dime, when it comes to one's standing in the Kingdom of Heaven. We have highly credentialed pastors, ministers, worship leaders. They have their graduate degrees from seminaries. They have their doctorates. They are referred to as "Dr So-and-so," and they rarely push back and insist that they be treated as anybody else. 

It is assumed that, if you have all these credentials, that it gives you some sort of godly authority. 

It doesn't.

Right here, we have in writing, that the Scribes and Pharisees, and government officials (i.e. the clergy as well as the secular authorities) could pick out the followers of Jesus very easily, because they were uneducated and ordinary men. 

I'll never understand why professing Christians with advanced degrees and credentials don't downplay it. If we were serious about our walk with Christ, we would put more mechanics and laborers on our boards of elders, and fewer accountants and attorneys. We would let the guy with barely a high school education (and the gift of preaching) speak from the pulpit at least as much as the seminary grad.

It gets tiresome, holding out with some faculty member of a Christian college, that will absolutely refuse to give any ground when challenged by one of us unlettered mortals. If they were really that rock-solid on interpreting Scripture from the original Greek, shouldn't they go out of their way to defer to the perspectives of others, especially the blue-collar members of our community?

Jesus did not run around with the scholars of His day. They didn't write the Gospels. And most of the Epistles were written by a former Pharisee that renounced his degrees and honors, for the sake of Christ. It is very easy to identify His followers. It should be no problem stepping down from one's perch, and attempting to blend in with the riff-raff comprising the True Church. 

The Keys

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

 - From Matthew 16

Peter's simple confession, that Jesus is the "Messiah, the son of the Living God," was an expression of faith that qualified him to be given the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. 

But what might that mean?

When a mortal has the keys to the kingdom of Heaven, does that mean he has heavenly authority? Doe sit mean that Peter could have, any time he wanted to, just pass over into the eternal realm, since he has a key?

Or how about . . . the Lord only said that He will give Peter the keys. It was a promise that, even today, may not in fact, have been fulfilled!

Peter's expression of faith was all that it took. "You are the Messiah, the son of the Living God." That's it./ Just say it, and mean it, and you will have the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. When Christ returns, and the old is burned up, replaced with the new (the Kingdom of God) and Eternity begins, those keys are just handed to you. You then use them, and open a door into a place that would make the Land of Oz look like a barren desert.

I belonged to a church once, that would give all new members a key to the church. Eventually, there were hundreds of keys floating around the community, and eventually, they had lost track of who was out there with keys. A person that left the church, in anger and in a huff, might still be going about, with keys to the church. 

This is a nice object lesson of what the Kingdom of God is all about. If Christ hands you the keys to His Kingdom, it means He trusts you implicitly. If you trust Him, He will trust you. 

And maybe it also has something to do with power, and grace, and authority, that is available to us, even now, in this life. 

Rich Variety

. . . so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

 - From Ephesians 3

First, "heavenly places" here is referring to places of authority and government here, on earth. We have historically erred, often, on our understanding of "Heaven" as Scripture defines it. It is simply a high place. Either here on earth, or in the higher realm occupied by God and the eternals. You'll know which it is referring to, specifically, by its context.

But interesting to note: We are supposed to bring the Gospel directly to worldly, earthly leaders. 

We have got to find a way to witness to Biden, Ocasio-Cortez, Xi, Trudeau, King Charles, etc., as well as to other world leaders that show evidence of already knowing the Gospel: President Trump, Governor DeSantis, Congressman Walberg, etc. Wherever they all are, on the spiritual scale, they can be either convicted, or encouraged. But the Gospel has to make it into every heart, including our world leaders. 

And the Gospel is not to be treated as a dull, predictable topic. Paul urges us to share the wisdom of God in its rich variety.

When's the last time you pondered the rich variety of God's wisdom? What a wonderful idea! The world likes variety, and the world loves rich things. If we were to get it right, the message of God is something that people crave . . . and that they really, really enjoy. 

We've got to get more into it. We need to understand this point - the Gospel message is really, really exciting. 

So much so . . . that even Vladimir Putin would thrill to hear it!

Redeem

He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence . . . 

 - From Psalm 72

You can't read too much of the Bible and feel confident in your eternal state . . . if you have any wealth or comfort, at all. 

Let's just list out the people that God helps, in this Psalm, along:

• The King
• The King's Son
• God's people
• The poor
• The needy
• The righteous
• The oppressed
• The lowly
• The blood of all of the above

Meanwhile, God does not have good things in store, for the following:

• The oppressor
• The violent

Even the Kings of Tarshish and Arabia will pay tribute to the Lord God. 

I have referenced these points plenty of times. But they need constant reminding. The world is obsessed with all the wrong things when it comes to oppression and justice. God's got this. But He's got this, through His people . . . His people that should be concerned if even needy person is found in their neighborhood; or from among their own family, out to the 7th generation. 

Yes, our eternal view if rock solid. We'll be okay. But in the meantime, we can be the hands of God in serving the needy right here. Right now. 

In this second half of the Christmas season, this becomes the emphasis. Christ came for a purpose. And it isn't for us to sit around, contributing to needless strife in our own homes and families.