Category: Recent Blogs

Matthew 6:22-23 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 

The question of the day (seems like everyday!) is… Who or what is to blame for ALL OF THE GARBAGE going on in our world?

The EYES have it… the technical term being GIGO… Garbage In Garbage Out… the things that proceed out of the mouth comes from the heart, and those defile the man. (Matthew 15:18)

What’s in YOUR heart today? Or an even better question… WHO’s in your heart today? Who do you see as the one you DESIRE most to please. Who do you regard as the EXPERT on all things you? Who do you consult when your heart is cracked and your world is less than the perfect world you had in mind? Who do you BLAME when it isn’t? I would venture to guess it would be everyone and anyone EXCEPT yourself and the choices you build your castles on?

If your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.

If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 

Consumed by GIGO! Who is to blame for all the garbage?

The truly evil one… our adversary, the devil, who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:15)?

The people who disagree with “us” (the truly informed ones)… our perceived adversaries, the ones we try to bite and devour? ** Just a note to ourselves and our neighbors on the right and left of us take care that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:15)

Or do we secretly (and sometimes vocally) blame God… EVEN THOUGH we take every opportunity to kick Him out and keep Him out of our lives – our children’s lives – and our society’s lives.

After all… He didn’t/doesn’t keep us from all pain and suffering… so, what good is He?

Zechariah 7:12-13 They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets;

In this world… in this country… in this society WE (every one of us) have built, there is a SOP (standard operating procedure) of setting our hearts like flint! 

Right or wrong, whatever I choose to build my life on, I will stake my heart, my mind, and my soul on it. I will NEVER admit WRONG or wrongdoing, NEVER change my choice and NEVER let you see my fear of the end of all things self!

There is indeed an end! We see – we choose – we act!  Then comes the results!

And after the results (the fruit of our labor)… the end we fear the most… comes JUDGEMENT! (Please let me be the judge, jury and executioner!)

Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

I wanted good things – good times – good results… I worked hard for good things – good times – good results… I believed it was all good!

Operative word here is I… I wanted. I worked. I believed.

Now add billions of I’s together and see who is in control of the definition of “good”.

THIS does NOT MAKE ME HAPPY! “Fault Finder, find the guilty bearer of fault for all our UN-HAPPINESS and we will GO TO WAR! I will fight to the death (preferably your death… just saying) for our RIGHT to HAPPINESS!”

James 4:1-3 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. 

Can we talk? Laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25) We only have ourselves to blame for what we allow to fill our hearts!

Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed in Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

GIGO input… insatiable pleasure, lust, envy. GIGO output… war, murder, fights and quarrels.

Or…

TIFO input… God’s word, following Jesus. TIFO output… knowing and being freed by the truth.

You do the math and choose!

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

Who’s to blame for our garbage? The one who CHOOSES the treasure!

Me, you, we, choose what to fill our lives (our treasure chest) with… the only thing we have to give is from that treasure chest.

Satan offers, from his treasure chest of evil, pure hatred.

God offers, from His treasure chest of perfect goodness, pure love!

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) He won’t always give us HAPPINESS but He will always give us HIMSELF!

GIGO… You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:2-3)

TIFO… His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105)

Whether you believe in Him or not, whether you agree with Him or not, whether you trust Him or not, the truth is… He IS, WAS, and always WILL BE!

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

Philippians 2:10-11 at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Are you as tired of hearing about it… talking about it… thinking about it… as I am?

IT – the SILENT protest that proclaims the “goodness of the hearts” just trying to “speak” for the little guy – the victimized – the poor and fragile who are at the mercy of ????…

Everyone knows – No, EVERYONE believes they know what the ???? is.

Not that each and everyone taking a knee has been asked to explain &/or confirm their personal motive… BUT… even if we don’t REALLY know the motive, we, who won’t give away our loyalty to just anyone,  are the MEAN – STUPID – UNCARING – IDIOTS who won’t join in unity and TAKE A KNEE in solidarity with so and so, in order to show this other so and so what they can or can’t do. Because… because… well, because WE SAID SO! You know… we… the ones who FOLLOW THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE who lead us in the right way.

Are you tired of IT yet?

Yes, I am tired of it too and I GROANED when Take a Knee, People, were the words I heard as I sat down to write this Wednesday Website Blog! I wrestled with the Holy Spirit to “Take THIS cup from me”… but then He said…

Joshua 24:15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve:  

For me, there is only ONE ANSWER… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

So… here I groan go…

Whenever I am faced with understanding (or trying to understand) something, I TRY to identify the who, what when where, how and why.  I TRY to understand the facts and put the passionate opinions (mine included) to the side… for at least a moment!

Who… for me it is almost always about (I know – it should be ALWAYS) God and His kingdom… But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)… my knee will ONLY bow to Him – whether in prayer or in worship – He… my LORD and my GOD… will be the one I SPEAK my needs/wishes/hopes/dreams/concerns… with all due respect (NEVER in protest) because, quite frankly, I have learned that my temper tantrums just really don’t work out well.

Who was the focus of this weekend’s Knee Game? I don’t know, and lest I try to take a splinter out with a log in my own eye (Matthew 7:5), I will have to suffer a 5 yard penalty away from the kneeling crowd. I know what the media said was the reason for the season of hate toward our country…INJUSTICE! But I do not know WHO each person was focusing their judgement of accountability and responsibility onto. WHO are they trying to convince &/or impress? Before I can kneel beside them (each and every one of them) I must know if I can be part of their social justice army. WHO are they blaming and WHO are they mad at? WHO isn’t giving them the desires of their heart?

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 

Which brings us to… What…

Admittedly, as protests go, SILENT is always better for parental (or whoever is in authority) sanity. Asking for a change of mind, isn’t wrong. Seeking a more congenial plan of action, will insure the buy-in of at least some of the ones who will be doing the major portion of the work to accomplish. Knocking on the doors of all the doers and shakers and benefit takers, is indeed the path of unity which will most times lead to the greatest harvest for good.

But… you KNEW there would be a BUT!

Luke 11:9-10 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 

We go back to the WHO… in all these protesters, WHO decides WHAT needs to be done and WHO needs to do it? Before I can join my voice knees in partnership, I have to know WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE! Because, if we are not, you… or I… or even those we care so much about… will not be satisfied with the product of our partnership! We could be demanding cake made from our own personal recipe (Let them eat cake!) when what they REALLY WANTED… what they REALLY NEEDED was… the ability and tools and the partnership to make and eat their own cake.

How… On camera and in makeup… Quiet on the set! Take #It’s been done so many times before!… ACTION…

Yeah, this provided hunger filling – need satisfying – hugging love to the needy in our midst (who probably weren’t watching and didn’t know it was given) cake, with icing and all the bling we could throw onto it.

Matthew 25:37-39 ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 

Good Question… Well, I talked about it! I demanded someone to do it! I threatened the slaves when they didn’t do as I commanded! … ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ (Matthew 25:41-43)

But Lord… when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 

Interestingly, BOTH the one’s who actively pursued DOING and the one’s who elegantly bragged about doing but NEVER DID, ask the same question.

I bet you can guess WHICH side I want to take a knee with!

Actually, the when where, how and why are all answered in the question and answer above.

Wit just one caveat…

Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 

On camera, with millions watching, seem like the perfect audience… the most arms at one time one can twist… a gold mine of possibilities!

Maybe not… “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; (Matthew 6:19-20) Those Monday morning quarter backs will always be available with plenty of moths and rust to spoil the party!

I’m just not that into taking a knee for the purpose of building an earthly treasury of sparkly would’ve, should’ve, could’ve, if only you would give me – give me – give me.

I like Tim Tebow’s purpose for taking a knee so much more (just a reminder that the same press that had orgasmic passion for this protest, hated him and his Knee Day)… Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Note to Tim… “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6)

Ok… THAT was crossing the line, Mary!

Just so you know… I won’t be joining the protest because I “suspect” the protesters and I aren’t on the SAME KNEE.

My God supplies all my needs! If I am unhappy with my lot in life, or suffering with underserved toil and trouble, there is only One I can go to about that issue. There is only One I can “blame” for my wishes going unfulfilled. There is only One I can turn to or turn away from, who has my LIFE (eternal life) in His hands.

There is ONLY ONE Who love me and will wrestle the devil out of me!

This earthly life is but a moment – here today and gone tomorrow. ABSOLUTELY I am called to participate in this life and participate WELL. But I do not seek to make this life perfect…(Matthew 6:34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.) I seek God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness and I proclaim His good news of great joy to the captives, all the while rejoicing that I have THIS DAY, He has made for me to SPREAD THE NEWS with my whole heart, with my whole soul, with and my whole mind and with my whole body…

Philippians 2:13 It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure! 

Take a Knee, People!

Our future is on the way… at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I beg you… Take a Knee… Let’s do it together!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

 

 

 

Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Rarefied Air for sure!

I first heard the term “Rarefied Air”while working in the corporate world. It was “Best Practices”, used to encourage “your people” to , think higher, strive higher, shoot for the stars, be above the average worker, live in the lofty places from which one can rule the world.

Yep… PRIDE! Along with lust of the flesh (for the VERY BEST) and the lust of the eyes (to have and hold the MOST of EVERYTHING). Pride (the CORE of our sin nature), is the tool we can depend on to instill the desire which will guarantee many hours of the biggest bang for the corporate bucks spent on slavery labor. 

My boss knew not everyone could or should attain such a throne of success, but he knew most of our eyes would light up at just being “invited” to party (the party he spent his life living in) where the cheese (becoming his very best friend) in the corporate mouse trap might just be “awarded” to… ??? me??? little “ol me???

I confess, back in the day, I bought into it.

There is no excuse… I was a born again Christian… yet I was living as the same heathen I was before Christ. It was so easy, in those newborn days, to revert back to the sin that so easily claimed me. It’s only taken 30 plus years to BEGIN to acknowledge I am a SINNER by nature. Thirty plus years to understand that being saved by grace does NOT give me license to pursue my lust of my eyes, my lust of my flesh, and my pride of my life. God did not save me in order to give me MY WAY!

Yet, “MY” way aptly labels (defines) mankind’s pursuit of his own rarefied sense of himself (the air surrounding him/her) Isaiah 14:13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 

The Dictionary (Dictionary.com) App on my computer, defines rarefied air as (1) extremely high or elevated; lofty; exalted: the rarefied atmosphere of a scholarly symposium or (2) of, belonging to, or appealing to an exclusive group; select; esoteric: rarefied tastes… just one question… WHO rarefies the air?… the dictionary does not specify!

Who, INDEED! I have discovered, after thirty plus years, man’s “Rarefied Air” really is an altar (where some of us pray and offer sacrifices) to the god of success. And the god who sits upon this altar???… the sinful nature of (wait for it)… man!

Psalm 2:4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 

It is good that our God of gods… our ONE TRUE GOD… Who sits in the TRUE rarefied air…(The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. Psalm 103:19) has a merciful and loving sense of humor and doesn’t wish for ANY to perish. 

However, I find it very hard to laugh at myself and all of my fellow rarefied air pursuers, now that I know how foolish our wasted YEARS of pursuit have been. Foolish and dangerous!

But God…

Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Please don’t think I am judging my former boss… he was no more foolish than I and much more successful in the use of the corporate toys for building an earthly kingdom. I desired to build, I just didn’t have skills necessary. For many years I have been jealous of those who wield the hammer to the nail with power and authority, but age brings wisdom and I now see as Ecclesiastes says, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

I just discovered the TRUTH as I pray all of us eventually will!

From the moment God said, “Let Us make man in our image” until the time He formed us from the dust from the ground and breathed into our nostrils the breath of life 

EVERY ONE OF US has within us the MOST RAREFIED of air!

The BREATH OF GOD!

And if You believe in your heart and confess with you mouth, your faith in Jesus… you SIT in the highest of the rarefied air! …Seated with Him in the heavenly places 

You have been made by the Holy Spirit… the RAREST of RAREFIED… and given life by His breath.

Job 33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 

FINALLY… I get it!

No longer do I jealously wish for the corporate success, nor do I immaturely abide in man’s version of prideful boasting of living a “rarefied life”… “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

I LONG to DELIGHT my Lord!

I long for breathing His Rarefied Air in His ETERNAL delight…

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

Rarefied Air!… INDEED!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

In the Beginning… What was…

Titus 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

What is…

Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

What will be…

so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

In the beginning, we once were not a people; you had not received mercy

But now… you are the people of God; you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9 you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

It isn’t a fairy tale with wicked stepmothers, or godmothers, or genies in bottles, or princes sent to save… though is about the God of gods – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Who wishes for NONE to perish.

It isn’t a novel with fictional heroes, villains and  damsels in distress… though it is the story of a creature fearfully and wonderfully made – it is my story and your story!

It is a love story… the greatest love story – for God so loved story.

It is the story of good news of great joy… our Messiah has come.

It is the never-ending story… our debt has been paid.

It is the story of our future – eternal life.

It is the story of our beginning.

From the birth of our world, when God spoke into being all things and everything we could ever imagine with the added blessings of CHANGE and SUSTAINING power to provide an earthly habitat until we, each individual, meet – greet – and give ourselves to His Way, His Truth, and His Life.

God’s Story, written from His heart to our heart.

The Bible… What was – What Is – What Is to Come.

Not to be read just once, but over and over to discover His Way… the BEST way. Not to be memorized and pulled out for a game of trivia, but to fill ourselves with – press down – shaking – and overflowing our minds and souls and hearts with every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 

It is history… it is a documentary… it is prophecy… it is a complete concordance of best practices… it is a love letter… it is an autobiography… it is God’s last will and testament – NOT because He is dead but because He does NOT CHANGE and therefore His promises and the inheritance He has given, is – was – and always will be the ONLY ONE for eternity.

I/We can only imagine His Kingdom coming… but it is not changed by my/our imagination. It is in our best interest to understand that, though we inherit the kingdom as His children and His heirs, we do not have the power nor authority to make it our own creation. His kingdom will not be changed… WE WILL BE CHANGED!

Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my beloved, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 

It is time to begin “What Will Be”our story… time to start BEING CHANGED!

1 Peter 1:8-9 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. 

I/We can’t do it for ourselves… in the beginning I THOUGHT I coulda – woulda – shoulda… only to end up in the never-ending spin cycle of want to – plan to – meant to.

But God!

Telling us in His Word, the who’s, why’s, where, when, what, and the hows, of the changes necessary and the position (on the altar like Isaac – Genesis 22:1-14) I must put myself in. Showing us His mercy (by paying our debt, Himself – John 3:16). Making sure we can NEVER be separated from Him again (Romans 8:38-39)

In the beginning I WAS lost… NOW am found… and WILL BE with Him forever more!

Therefor… in the here and now… I will seek Him and He will be found… Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

In the here and now… For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I cannot get to the future and hope He has for me, by myself. But this one thing I/we can do… this one thing I/we will do… this one thing I/we MUST do!

Let’s DO IT… Let’s make it the BEST STORY ever told… Search us, O God, and know our heart; try us and know our anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in us, and lead us in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24)

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

Mark 10:24-27 The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Conundrum… I love this word! Not that I like puzzles, I only like them if I KNOW the answer – which – kind of defeats the word, right? But, to me, conundrum has the connotation of TOO MANY answers, so it is not only KNOWING the answer, but CHOOSING the BEST one!

Conundrum… a confusing and difficult problem or question… a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle… anything that puzzles. (from two dictionaries living on my computer)

Just the sound of this word… con – nun – drum, puts an image of much head shaking. The other half of the image is someone standing and impatiently, tapping a foot or pointing to the seconds on their watch, waiting for your decision… your answer.

To me, SALVATION is one of those “puzzles” and evidently the disciples of Jesus thought so too… they were even more astonished because camels going through the eye of a needle well… let me hear you say IMPOSSIBLE! And Jesus also said, “this would be easier than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.“

Some have said that the “eye of the needle” is talking about a side gate to the principle entryway that people with beasts of burdens had to use to enter (maybe like our “deliveries made at the back door). Not necessarily impossible IF one was willing to do the work to unload the animal, carry the load through,  and reload in order to enter the destination.  BUT would it be possible for a rich man to be willing to unload all his earthly treasures? And, because it is the kingdom of God, there will be NO TAKING them with you or loading them back up. For some people dependent on their riches for the identity and necessity of their chosen life, this choice would be worst possible conundrum! 

Whether we are talking about a sewing needle or a very small opening to walk through… salvation does indeed fit the definition of a conundrum!

Like the disciples, I throw up my hands and shout… “Then who can be saved?”

Who… which of us… can and does the work necessary… NOT VERY MANY – IF ANY!

Tell us the solution!

And Jesus does. “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” 

Whoa! The solution to our puzzle (predicament) is…???… GOD?

But I thought and have always heard that HE IS THE PUZZLE!

Conundrum… how do I SOLVE Him?

I know… I will put all the “right” things on my camel! “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from;’ (Luke 13:24-27)

Or… I will be His perfect child, the one He can’t/won’t find fault with! For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

Our conundrum just got serious – maybe not as confusing – but definitely NOT AMUSING! 

The narrow door… the narrowest of doors… there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

The solution to our mystery… to our puzzle… to our PROBLEM… is not US at all…

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. The solution… the only truly possible solution… is JESUS!

Keep My word… confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes , resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-11)

Impossible for us… But God… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

ALL things are possible with God!

The only conundrum left is… the choice.

Not WHAT you will choose! WHO you will choose!

Is it still a conundrum… a puzzle… for you?

All the pieces to the puzzle are available. We just have to use our heart to study whether we will accept God’s solution to the puzzle of our salvation.

We can’t save ourselves… it is impossible for us to thread ourselves through this needle. However, if we want to be saved – living with God eternally, in His kingdom, we have to accept His terms. We MUST GIVE ourselves to Him AND ALLOW Him to thread us through the needle.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 

Threaded and fed with The Bread of Life! Conundrum solved!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefor we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.

As our homes filled with water, our hearts cried out to Someone… Anyone… who could and would help!

And GUESS WHO showed up… God showed up! He showed up with His army of people and the resources He provided each of them for this very scenario. He showed up, NOT to take away our suffering but to LEAD US THROUGH… “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”… the Lord IS our Shepherd (Psalm 23)

It was is AMAZING… We saw ourselves turn from “Ha! Bring it on Harvey! to “OMG, Why Me, Lord!” to “Brother/Sister, LET ME HELP!” We’ve experienced multiple stages of grief within in days hours minutes of realizing that this wasn’t the normal hurricane model we’ve become accustomed to. No, Hurricane Harvey had an agenda we’ve NEVER SEEN BEFORE!

Last week I wrote about “Wrestling with God”, never imagining He was preparing me/us for an UNFORGETTABLE training/muscle-building/life changing boot camp for His children.

It’s a learning curve for sure! It wasn’t isn’t pretty… it wasn’t isn’t fun… and we certainly didn’t ASK for it!

NONE of it is “punishment” or “deserved” or even “undeserved” as some of our enemy’s minions might have whispered (or shouted) in the midst of millions of gallons of water falling on us. *FYI* ONLY ENEMIES would accuse the brethren (Revelation 12:13) and God Himself of the hatred which he (Satan)is filled with.

God LOVES us and DOES NOT WISH for ANY to perish (2 Peter 3:9). But He also disciplines (TRAINS UP FOR GOOD) His children… he who withholds his rod (not for beating but for guiding/turning/saving from harm) hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently. Proverbs 13:24

Those who reject God’s loving TRAINING, and accuse Him of evil, are themselves filled with the lies of our enemy and their focus is on proving to themselves and others their foolishness, all the while thinking they are the one’s with truth and wisdom… REALITY CHECK… the roaring lion is prowling…seeking to devour! (1 Peter 5:8)

But I digress…

Hebrews 12:11-14 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet those who have been trained by it, AFTERWARDS it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness… hands that are weak are strengthened – knees that are feeble and limbs that are lame are healed – paths are made straight for feet to walk well… peace between all men is pursued with passion.

Houston TEXAS… we don’t really have a problem… we have before us the greatest opportunity to KNOW GOD in ways we have never known Him before. We have the inspiration from our God to SHINE the light He has put within us (“This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine”).

Houston TEXAS, we are SHINING!

It’s our Texas Style Learning Curve! Let’s show ’em what we’ve got! We have Him… for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

For those of you on the outside (and probably even some within) who are busy snarking and spouting all the woulda – shoulda – coulda critiques… talk to the hand cause we don’t have time to listen to your cr__p!

Or better yet… shut up!

There I said it… not the most encouraging words… forgive me – it’s a learning curve for me too! Texas Style!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

Genesis 32:24-31 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

When we use the term wrestling, we define it in our heads as fighting with intent to harm and/or destroy. We do not think of the times we “wrestle” with friends, family or lovers, or the times we “wrestle” with ourselves to do the right thing – wrestling to SEIZE the day!

Strong’s Concordance uses the word grapple (get dusty) when defining this word in Genesis.

Ive always thought of it as “fighting”. When wrestling with my siblings or others, we were always told to STOP FIGHTING!  I used to be one of those people who would GASP at the idea of FIGHTING WITH GOD. I would never admit to any such aggressive feelings or actions toward someone so HOLY… that would be desecration and cause me to be put on the permanent path to hell! If anyone suggested that one could actually RELATE to God as a REAL PERSON who does not mind “getting it on” with one of His own, I would clutch my pearls in horror and run to the nearest church person who could possibly remove that visual from my brain.

For the purpose of truth-telling, there was also a phase in my life where I loved to passively “poke” God just to dare Him to discipline me for my un-Christian like behavior – with a smile on my face no doubt. Fortunately for me, He didn’t poke me back! But He did “wrestle” with me until I knew, like Jacob, I had seen God face to face.

A life-changing book my sisterhood people and I read and digested as we met for dinner and fellowship, “The Gospel According to Moses” by Athol Dickson, will forever be in my “Favorite – You Must Read” library.

Along with, as he says on the front cover, teaching me “what his Jewish friends taught him about Jesus”, I too learned and was changed by what Israel was trained in by God… trained to wrestle with Him (God) until daybreak.

Athol admits that he “became convinced that the Bible was filled with mistakes and half-baked truisms”. He reacted to the things he found that he could not tolerate in the Bible “by abandoning the faith of his childhood for a time, descending to a life of hedonism and destructive behavior.” Comparing his reaction to a medieval French rabbi’s reaction to finding similar if not the same “difficulties” to believing in the inerrancy of the Torah, Athol says, “Whereas I…, Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Isaac) was trained to wrestle with God like Jacob at Bethel, to bargain with him like Abraham at the trees of Mamre, to argue with him like Moses at Mt. Sinai. Rashi’s people have an ancient tradition of questioning God “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.”

Trained to wrestle… by whom? None other than God Himself!

Seems God loves a good wrestling match…

I HIGHLY recommend the WHOLE book because it does bring us back to our roots (we are GRAFTED IN) and encourages us to hear and feast on God’s Word across the ages, in content and context that we can’t even begin to imagine and understand, the voice and person of God unfettered by technology and immediate gratification, which temps us to believe we have actually accomplished what was tried with the Tower of Babel… “let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven (i.e. God’s throne), and let us make for ourselves a name (i.e. equal to/or above God’s name), otherwise we will be scattered abroad (i.e. against our wishes) over the far of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

Perfect story to bring me back to… wrestling with God… mankind trying to overthrow God and ascend the throne of ultimate power.

Before reading this book I envisioned God as the ultimate competitor for my allegiance and recipient of my sacrificial service. The obvious WINNER and HOLDER of our loosing debt – Slaves to The Higher Power!

The picture presented from the Jewish perspective, was a picture of a father/child, completely given over to training and practicing and planning EVERY play in this playbook called life on earth, with the future goal of preparing to receive and receiving the crown of inheritance of eternal life with Abba – Daddy God.

I saw Him on the sidelines of my biggest game, running down the sidelines, cheering me on with, “Well Done!” or “Remember To…!”

I felt Him lifting and carrying me and healing me when I fell or was hit with a fiery arrow from our enemy’s arrows.

I knew Him as the only One who never wanted me to fail but would always identify me as His, perfect in His eyes, child!

No matter how many times I read of Jacob and his dream of wrestling with God, I would read it as FIGHTING with God. Violently having to pursue God’s blessings and paying the high cost of His wounds to me, up to and including potential disability if He so chose.

No, no, not me, I REFUSE to wrestle! I will keep God FAR AWAY from any REAL ACTIVITY in my life!

But God… by using “The Gospel According to Moses”… opened my heart and my mind to a real life (with real words and the real voice of the Holy Spirit) conversation with my Abba.

Jacob… wrestled with him until daybreak… he (God) had not prevailed against him… he(God) said… “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking”… But he(Jacob) said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 

It is possible to wrestle and quite frankly God likes it so much He initiates it. Jacob must not have minded too much either because he didn’t run away (or wake himself up to avoid it). And, what fearlessness to “demand” a blessing even after the hip thing which does not seem to make Jacob hate God.

So he(God) said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” …“Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.”  

God was so proud of His boy, He gave Him the name of His most prized possession – a nation He would create, build and protect, simply because He chose to.

Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he(God) said, “Why is it that you ask my name?”

You KNOW Me, Jacob! And he blessed him there.

“I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”  And changed…

With this one conversation with God, seeing it through the eyes of people He has personally took possession of and trained up before me, changed my VISION of God, forever changed my RELATIONSHIP with Him, and therefore, changed MY LIFE forever.

Unlike Jacob, God didn’t touch my hip socket, but He did touch my heart. My name was changed from Mary, enemy of a REAL RELATIONSHIP with the Most High God, to Mary, child of the Most High God, because, like Jacob, I had striven with God and had prevailed… NOT because I was so great at wrestling, but because God loved me enough to GRAPPLE and WIN!

I now wrestle with Abba EVERY CHANCE I GET (including Wednesdays when I write this blog)! I see God face to face!

Who knew? Just all of the Jewish branches of God’s vine, which I was grafted into AND of course our God, the Vinedresser! (John 15:1, Romans 11:17)

How about you? Are you grafted in to our Jewish heritage? Do you wrestle with God?

God always WINS but WE NEVER LOOSE! We are Touched and Changed Forever!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

James 1:22-24 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

This weekend I looked in the Word of God, stood in front of His mirror called Romans Chapter 12, and praised God for the great work He is doing in my life… where I’ve been – where I am – and where I’m going…

Then… I turned on the “news”… and immediately FORGOT the natural face God showed me in His mirror! The “news” out of Charlottesville allowed me to delude myself into thinking I was fortunate not to be like THOSE people! I’m soooooo much better… sooooo much nicer…. sooooo much more caring…. I actually LISTEN when God preaches!

Let me hear you say DELUDED, MUCH?!

Paul said this about himself but I KNOW he was talking about me!… the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (Romans 7:19)

I looked in the mirror of Romans and SAW the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:21-23)

The Bullies of Hate in Charlottesville… I wasn’t there but my flesh (my natural face – the law of sin residing in my OLD nature) was! Satan prepared the battlefield, provided his minions with the fiery arrows of violence that would indeed turn the attendees into raging pillars of fire, and then, dressed as the angel of light (social justice warrior that he is) called for VENGEANCE, thy name is NOW!

Those that were in the battle, put on the armor of retaliation and raised the flag of remembrance for every perceived threat and injustice in the history of mankind (except of course those perpetrated by friendly fire). Those of us not in Charlottesville, did our part by changing the meme… no longer would it be JUSTICE (right to assemble)… it would be JUDGEMENT of opinion (your wrong words make my need to hurt you my only option). Those of us on social media did our part by arguing the right or wrong  of violence – depending which side you were on – it became the “bad guys” versus the “good guys” with violence and intimidation being the ONLY OPTION!

Satan trapped us… with anger inflamed, and swords made from of OUR TRUTH, we took up for and became partners with the very bullies on our side that we hate on the other. We spoke unimaginable curses onto those who had the audacity to call us out for our own hatred (justified!) and shut down any and all discussion by words/labels that separate and never unify. The EVIL of violence toward any/every human became unimportant in order to satisfy our desire for SOMEBODY… ANYBODY… to bear the pain and hatred  –  my flesh was demanding PAYMENT!

I/We turned from the mirror of God’s Word and immediately forgot what kind of person I/we were (lifetime member of Bullies Anonymous) before CHRIST paid my debt… OUR DEBT… on the cross! Remember Jesus, the One who knew no sin (innocent) became sin (the sacrifice demanded by those of the flesh who had no right to “throw the first stone”) and was violently nailed to the cross (with, by the way, agreement of some public opinion)… We were/are… every one of us… THE BULLY of HATE!

This weekend… my flesh got the best of me. The old playground manta, “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me!”, yeah well, NOT so much! Words… yours, mine and ours… inflamed the flesh in me and nearly tempted me to destroy treasured relationships being built with the blood, sweat and tears of love.

But God…

Before the true enemy (Satan) could declare victory, the Holy Spirit of God whispered, “I created you to be a DOER… before you hate all those OTHER BULLIES… DO MY WORD and therefore, become my SAINT OF LOVE.

He said…

Give Me your body to do with as I wish! Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. (Romans 12:1)

Oh – oh… I admit I engaged Him in some SERIOUS “Wrestling”… (Spoiler Alert!) He won! And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

What was my point of contention? … Who is the better bully? He trumped my cards with… Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

Hated of evil (Ephesians 6:12)  – YES!

Hatred of people (even the ugly) – NEVER! Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. (Romans 12:10-13)

But… BUT… BUT!!!!!!! He/She STARTED IT… Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (Romans 12:14)

I just wanted the RIGHTEOUS to FINALLY WIN! Which of course requires my assessment of the who’s who of blame and who NEEDS/HAS TO fix…

The Holy Spirit reminded me that God’s job was to judge the living and the dead, it was my job to be among them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. (Romans 12:16) But remember… The SAME MIND is NOT the SAME THOUGHTS!

Finally…  Never… NEVER… NEVER!!!!!! Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. (Romans 12:17) In fact… If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. (Romans 12:18)

Always… ALWAYS… ALWAYS!!! Leave ROOM FOR GOD

Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall… Am I a JUST a hearer or am I a hearer and a doer?

Romans 12:20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Does my flesh delude me so well that I do not see the Bully of Hate in my own flesh?

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall… I so wanna be God’s Saint of Love!

Wretched woman that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!…Romans 7:24…

Mirror Mirror on the wall… guess who is a WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!!

Mirror Mirror on the wall… I AM HIS… work in progress!!!!!!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ

God blessed (endowed… *Strong’s Concordance) us with… Every spiritual (supernatural – not of earth…  *Strong’s Concordance) blessing (a beneficial thing – something that brings well-being… *Strong’s Concordance) found in the heavenly places… in Christ

Let me hear you say…

EVERY!

Every what?

SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES!

God-given how?

IN CHRIST!

Yes, I am YELLING AT YOU… and at MYSELF.

Do we even begin to know what we have been given? Or have our eyes gone blurry and our ears gone deaf?

When I take inventory, is it an itemized list of all that I have? Or is it my insatiable list of all that I NEED  greedily want?

Do I SEE the “bling” of this earth and pursue its self-made prison of slavery?

Would I even KNOW a spiritual blessing if I knew I “HAD” one, or would I throw it in the corner of my closet because it didn’t fit or look like my style?

I have (I am embarrassed to say) in times past, thrown God’s gifts in a corner and happily clung to my prison cell. It’s door always seemed open so I imagined I could wander in and out as I liked… my enemy (Satan) made it appear very beautiful so that I wouldn’t want to leave. Any ugliness was covered with pretty scarfs and/or blamed on God “who, just doesn’t want my happy-healthy-wise self to enjoy life… like the Professional Party Planner of Hell does”.

But God… in my few and far between quiet times (Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ), dropped an ocean of His truth over my head. He flooded my life with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…

Then He… revealed the heart – His heart by giving His blessings!

Ephesians 1:4-12  HE CHOSE US  in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love HE PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS (and daughters) through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him WE HAVE REDEMPTION  through His blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR TRESPASSES, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight HE MADE KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. IN HIM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 

To top it all of…

Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him, we also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, He SEALED (US) IN HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. 

Chosen… Predestined… Adopted… Redeemed… Forgiven… Known and Knowing… Made Heirs… Sealed by – for – and with Himself…

Let me hear you say EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING! 

I am still tempted occasionally, by the enemy, to look back and see the beautifully appointed (sarcasm!) life I used to pursue… for a moment, like Lot’s wife (Genesis 19:26), I am tempted to turn back, but my eyes have been opened and I SEE evil’s plan to turn me into his salt block, in order to break God’s heart. I SEE the prison doors that have been hidden from my earthly eyes… they are NOT OPEN… they are closed and locked!

For a moment I am paralyzed…

Until I TURN MY EYES ON JESUS… LOOK FULL in HIS wonderful face!… And the “bling” of earth grows strangely dim (where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal – Matthew 6:19)… in the LIGHT of His glory and grace… where EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING is given and waiting to be put on and worn with the CROWN OF LIFE we have been given.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 

When your heart is grieving because of all you do not have or feel you have lost…

Let Me Hear You Say… GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS BLESSED ME

When your eyes see only doom and gloom…

Let Me Hear You Say… WITH EVERY (even if you can only whisper it) SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.

When you wonder if it will ever be your turn…

Let Me Hear You Say… THROUGH JESUS CHRIST – THROUGH HIS BLOOD – ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE.

Am I the only one SHOUTING NOW? Let me HEAR YOU!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew 7:12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

In a message on Shabbat, Rabbi Philip Lanning, reminded me of a word (thank you Rabbi Lanning) I hadn’t heard in “forever”…  Reciprocity!

The dictionary (on my Apple computer) gives a very unimpressive definition as “the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another”

Yeah, very mundane. Not at all a clarion call to PRACTICE the life YOU WANT in exchange for LIVING the life with the community you’ve got.

When I think of law of reciprocity I think of the same volatile law described by Sir Isaac Newton in his laws of motion… “three fundamental laws of classical physics. The first states that a body continues in a state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless it is acted on by an external force. The second states that the rate of change of momentum of a moving body is proportional to the force acting to produce the change. The third states that if one body exerts a force on another, there is an equal and opposite force (or reaction) exerted by the second body on the first.” (copied from the dictionary on my Apple computer)

So, when I think of reciprocity, my vision is not just AN EXCHANGE, but more a FORCE to be reckoned with… the BACK AT YA force! Not a threat so much as a FACT OF LIFE. Whatever I GIVE to my world… my community… to my fellow creatures – created in the image of God and powered by His breath of life… I will RECEIVE “something” back.

There is no guarantee you will receive back only good and not evil. It’s not a tool for manipulating your own bag of candy! It is a guarantee that you WILL receive back from life.

It could be tricks from the likes of the witches in Macbeth Act 4, scene 1: “Double, double toil and trouble Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”  …our world is like a cauldron bubbling with toil and trouble rather than a community. The fire of division and divisive words and actions causes double, triple and infinite multiplication of reaction upon reaction, triggering not love and encouragement but the bubbling mess of hate and revenge.

It is what it is… each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34) What I want to know is… do we ever step back and assess OURSELVES and OUR MOTION as both the trigger and the bubbling mess? Do we ever take even a small portion of responsibility for the trouble (ours &/or someone else’s) in each day? (!ok off my soapbox and back on message point!)

Trick or Treat! It doesn’t matter.. our choice isn’t determined by the getting or giving (or at least it shouldn’t be – that would make us a slave to our an insatiable appetite).

Enter Jesus… Luke 6:31 “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”

Notice He isn’t talking about terms of the exchange, He’s talking about YOU.CHOOSING.ACTION/REACTION and about the person you are becoming.  Luke 6:32-34 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. BE DIFFERENT!

Notice He isn’t offering a reaction to someone or something. He’s offering THE WAY to live! Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be “Like Father like son“… In other words don’t fall far the apple tree!

Notice He tells you it is up to you – the same way you want.

Choose for yourselves today (Joshua 24:15) What kind of world… community… fellowship… relationship… do YOU want to live in. LIVE IT!

Trick or Treat…

Nope, there is NO GUARANTEE that you will GET the response you wish for. The principle of reciprocity does not promise a “fair” or “desired” exchange. But it does promise an exchange… Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

I’ve always used this as a positive blessing. But then, with Rabbi Lanning’s Holy Spirit inspired counsel, I realized Jesus stated this in conjunction with actions/reactions – “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. (Luke 6:37) – not so much a blessing as an example of the physical principle of reciprocity.

No, the exchange does not guarantee the desired outcome – that might provide a tool of manipulation but not a foundation for building YOUR WORLD i.e. the Reason for the Season of choosing well the gifts you give in exchange?

You We are building the world – the community – we live in! We choose the design… by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” We choose the size and shape… pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

Do we want to live in a world (community) of Trick or Treat? Always blaming (judging someone else), always complaining (condemning the imperfect exchange), always threatening to destroy the enemy of our happiness (killing relationship opportunity).

Let’s take off our witch’s mask… let’s stop cooking the witch’s brew… Let’s not just go for the bag of treats…

Let’s choose for ourselves today TO BE the way WE WANT others to be…

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (they will know you by your light/darkness); nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

YOU ARE… the light of the world… Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

YOU WILL RECEIVE… poured into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over.

What do YOU have in your wallet of wishes?

May we all remember the principle of reciprocity the next time we decide to berate someone for their opinion… the next time we slander someone we do not know… the next time we are ungrateful for the service offered to “we the people”… the next time we praise evil and laugh at his victim…the next time we are tempted to retaliate with a TRICK because we believe someone REALLY REALLY deserves it.

Trick or Treat! The next time… may we think of it as OUR OWN BAG of “candy” being POURED OVER US…

The principle of Back at Ya!… pressed down, shaken together, and running over!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible