Glad Tidings

GT—Volume 13 Issue 2

2 Feb , 2016  

Let Us Examine What Real Love Is

Marriage proposal

Make me the happiest man on earth, and say you will marry me.

“Make me the happiest man on earth, and say you will marry me.” It sounds romantic. This or similar words often form a marriage proposal. Marriage is not in vogue as much as it was when Ruth and I married, over 50 years ago. Marriage then involved the concept of love bound in a permanent relationship. I have lamented in these pages on the awful change in wedding vows—to “so long as we both shall love.”

There is something wrong with these two quotations. Can you pick them out? They are both coming from a self-centered frame of mind. You must meet my needs or “I’m outta here!” The proposal puts the onus of the relationship on the other to do the “making happy” The “both love” vow bases the relationship upon romance and feeling. If the romance dies, POOF! goes the relationship.

The “happiest man” concept is romantic hyperbole. It is a goal that can rarely, if ever, be obtained. What does a woman have to do to make a man the happiest? In reality, it is not just being with him. It would require to continue to be the one who fulfilled his fantasies. Unhappily, because of human nature, that is a moving target. Our desires grow as we achieve the last one. Natural man is insatiable.

Let us examine what real love is:

It is the mother who has just brought her newborn home from the hospital, still exhausted from her ordeal, who gets up for a 2 AM feeding and tenderly holds her baby to her breast while she sings a lullaby.

It is the father who works two jobs to build up enough to send his child to college.

It is the sister who tells you there is a piece of spinach in your front teeth, just before your boyfriend arrives.

It is the soldier who is terribly afraid with bullets whizzing around, who goes out in the open to drag a comrade to safety.

Real love is regard for others. Sometimes it means going out of your way to do something for others. Jimmy was trying to earn money for a bike. He realized that through the winter he could shovel sidewalks and stairs for the neighbors. He spoke to all but Mrs. Jenkins. She was a widow with little money. Jimmy, without asking, included Mrs. Jenkin’s walk and stairs. He kept them clear of ice and snow all winter long.

For those I love I will sacrifice.

We know nothing of real love until we are called to sacrifice to maintain a relationship.

Sometimes real love requires a sacrifice. I was in a dead-end job. I knew I needed something to get me out. I heard about “Executive Interview Training”. As I applied, it sounded like just the right thing for me; but for me the price was out of sight. I applied to friends of mine who were not too well off, but both were employed. Without a second thought they loaned me the money. I learned much later, they had to dip into retirement funds.    dove-vector-clipart

What Went Wrong?

I was trained by my family and in school that politeness required you to place reference to yourself in second place, “Joan and I went to the store.” When my Dad heard someone say, “Me and Bill played catch,” he would ask, “Why are you calling Bill mean?”

They taught us to open doors for others. They taught us that when we went out in public we dressed in better clothes out of respect for others. They taught us not to spit or litter the public street for the same reason. Although many do not define consideration as an act of love, in fact it is love.

Heroic Generation

We had the “Heroic Generation”, those who weathered the Great Depression and then went to fight WWII. Something happened to their children. It became evident in the Korean War. Where fathers withstood German POW Camps and Japanese torture remaining faithful to America, their sons capitulated when captured. Many signed false confessions of “war crimes” perpetrated by the U.S. Government. Some actually curled up and died. Most did not struggle against their captors, as did their fathers.

As a result, the U.S. military had to institute and train troops in a “Code of Conduct”. They could no longer trust that young men came into the service with a moral foundation.

Lack of real love became evident in the 1960’s, when students no longer had respect for authority or property. They rioted on campuses across the nation. They occupied administrative offices, destroyed property and made foul, uncivilized messes.

They threw out codes of decency and participated in “free love” (a corruption of that time honored word). Their attitudes were but animal fornication.

They had no respect for themselves and no respect for others. Real love became absent. Self became all important. A sign of the times was Self Magazine. To quote the founding Editor, Phyllis Starr WilsonSelf will be a guide to the vitality we need, to do all the things we want to do.” So we had the rise of a culture of narcissism expressed in the “Me Generation”, otherwise known as “Baby Boomers”. Sex became “recreational”, i.e. no commitment and no consequences. “One night stands” replaced committed relationships. The open question of, “Do you kiss on the first date?” became,”Do you have sex on the first date?’ The answer comes back immediately, “Of course!”  dove-vector-clipart

When I was counseling couples with marital difficulties, an essential element was, “do both of them truly want to resolve their differences?” If it was only one of the partners, then it was very difficult to save the marriage. If neither wanted resolution, then any counseling, except how to divide the children, was a waste of time.

Can We Recapture Real Love?

Real Love BeginsI am realistic enough to recognize that a great majority of people are not interested in returning to real love as the standard of life. Our rate of abortions is a clear weather-vane for the climate lacking self-sacrificing love.

Nevertheless, real love exists. It has not been stamped out or bulldozed over. It exists in the same way truth exists. It is in the fabric of reality. Life is better when lived in real love and absolute truth. It may be counter-intuitive to understand that life is better if one gives love away, instead of seeking to grasp it for yourself. In this universe there is the Natural Law of Reciprocity. What we give away pays dividends in self worth and personal growth.

Back to that exhausted mother. Her sacrifice of the much-needed rest, builds in her soul the power of responsibility. Being responsible for the life of another makes her a bigger person. She grows in her soul. She is better able to see and serve the needs of others

The father, who sacrifices to send the son to college, receives the joy of seeing his son graduate and launch into a career that would have been unobtainable without the father’s sacrifice. The father and the son are both better men for that love.

Even the sister who embarrasses her sister by telling she did a poor job if brushing her teeth is better off for saving her sister of an even greater embarrassment.

Giving to others builds us up in our souls. Mother Theresa lived a life of giving to others. She has one of the greatest souls of the last century.

One person at a time exercising real love recapture its reality. It is a choice “thee or me”. That choice confronts us each day.

In the scope of things, saying, “you and me”, or “me and Bill,” is minor, but it is a significant marker of where your heart is. The respect you pay another person, whether they hear you or not, is a precious mark of real love. It reflects an attitude that places another person before you.    dove-vector-clipart

The Hallmark of Real Love

Most people have the ability to sympathize. It comes so naturally we do not give it a thought. This is the outreach of real love. Sympathy is a sense that another is in trouble. The desire to help is the outreach of real love. To actualize that urge to love, one must step into the impulse with action. If someone is crying in our presence, we must overcome our inhibitions and hold them.

Helping IllustrationReal love is other-centered. It recognizes a need in another person, unconsciously. It is a part of our better nature unless stifled. It is a tendency to offer what someone else needs. Each of us has a limited number of resources, so to share is to make some sacrifice. The costlier the sacrifice, the more there is a reluctance to dissipate our own resources. However, the greater the cost of sharing, the more love is required to offer the needed help. That self-sacrifice strengthens our desire to give and it builds up the soul.

There are numerous agencies from the Red Cross to World Vision to Feed the Children that are organized around the principle of real love. They have seen the needs of people all over the world and their love has determined to assist them in the basic necessities of life, food, sickness, water. They also open up opportunities for others to express their love by donating, providing the resources for the workers to distribute.

One cannot express generosity without real love. Real love engages the other person in seeking the best for them. Real love is evident when a friend risks a friendship with another to reveal a harmful personality trait that alienates other people from one’s friend.

Real love engages others on a personal level. It enters gently into another’ intimate zone and seeks to build another up. A business owner met a homeless man on the street. He bought him lunch and over lunch learned that he had ability, but not opportunity. He paid for a couple of weeks in a motel, bought him a complete set of clothes, including a suit and tie. He gave him a starting job in his company. The man by his ability moved up through the company into management and became an executive and contributing member of the owner’s company.

Real love is most clearly seen in the acceptance or help given to the undeserving. Because of the contrast, to the natural inclination of “birds of a feather flock together”, reaching out to one who is not “your kind” shows love.

Pat Dennis was a girl in high school. We had several classes to together. I liked Pat and we became friends. In looking back, I do not believe she had many. After high school, our lives took different paths. Much later, we met again. At that time, she had started a ministry to homeless and troubled women. Pat had two houses for getting them back on their feet. Pat gave her life to those women. She lived out the truth that real love comes at a price. Real love involves self-sacrifice.   dove-vector-clipart

The Origin Of Real Love

I have purposely not used the expression, “true love”. It has the implication of romantic love. Certainly when romantic love is real it reflects its reality in being self-sacrificing, “I will do everything in my power to make you the happiest person on earth.”

Real originates in the One and Almighty God. God is love. He loved mankind before He created us. He knows everything, so God knew that mankind, no matter how much He gave them would ignore Him and betray Him. And yet He still created us.

For us to have a relationship with the most righteous God, we have to be righteous, too. Unhappily, we could not be holy. God loved us enough to sacrifice His only Son to become the atonement for our sins.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The most precious thing in the world for each of us is our lives. Therefore, to lay them down to benefit another is a priceless gift. This indicates how precious is the gift of life and the sacrifice of life.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).

The word in Greek for this love that was used here is αγαπέ (agape), which means, “a self-sacrificing love”. Scripture tells husbands to αγαπέ their wives. They love them self-sacrificially, because God give men the responsibility to nourish and cherish their wives.

Since God self-sacrificially gave His only Son to die for our sins, and since Jesus willingly and self-sacrificially went to the cross to die in our place, our response to that real, very real love should be to first, love God really with all that is within us; and finally, love others at the expense of ourselves.

God not only gave us a love gift of creation, but also the love gift of redemption. His love in these two priceless gifts is far more than anyone could expect. It would have been enough. He has not stopped giving to us out of His love. His provision of a bountiful world is a gift that keeps on giving. Every day He provides us with what we need for life and health and expansion of life.

Our first response to His love is to give all we have to Jesus in that self-sacrificing love. Essentially it mans surrendering to Him the control of our lives. We allow Him to “call the shots”, to guide us and correct us and teach us and change us.

Our second response is to offer the priceless gift to others. This real love is not a casual thing of being friendly and expressing appreciation or sympathy. Real love is proactive. It reaches out and touches lives deeply where they hurt and brings all our resources to bear on that hurt to effect a healing.

Real love for others sacrifices convenience, money, and time to build one another up; bringing us all to the unity of faith in the love of God.  dove-vector-clipart

Unity Of Faith In The Love Of God

This unity is a glorious ideal. When we have mutual love in believing fellowship we find a home wherever we are. However, this is a “unity of faith”. There are many people in our various circles of relationship who have no concept of either faith in God or of the quality of love that is found in Christ. Our relationship with them may be based on shared interests, common work, mutual friends. Perhaps we share a lot, but if we do not share the bond of God’s love, we are not truly sharing.

No Greater Love

At the cross I bow my knee where your blood was shed for me.

The real spiritual truth is that everyone without Christ is ultimately going to Hell. I know it is unpopular to say this so bluntly. I have lost readers by saying this in the past; nevertheless, as Francis Schaeffer says, “this is true truth”.

It is only in recognizing the terrible news that we can see that those friends are on a precipice. We may be the only ones who can warn them. Real love will take the risk of alienating friends, breaking fellowship with neighbors, losing contact with dear compatriots by sharing that unless they believe that Jesus is God and surrender their live to Him they are damned.

This is self-sacrificing love. Though they gain the whole world, it will be nothing, unless believers sacrifice to alert them to the danger of the road they are on. If a man sees a child, who sees no danger, but is about to be run down by a car, the world acknowledges when he hurls himself into danger to save the child. Thus believers seeing friends and acquaintances, or even strangers in danger of a Christ-less eternity are doing a priceless service to the one in such danger by sharing the bad news and the good news with them. It is not for us to judge whom to share with, but, in God’s love, hold out the truth to all by the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

Walking in the streets of downtown Seattle after I was first saved, I looked up at all the high-rise buildings. I realized that most of the people in them did not know the love of Jesus and His sacrifice for them. I wanted to rush into those buildings, go from office to office and shout the Gospel to all I met. That was not possible. Nor is it possible to speak the word of real love to everyone. But it is important, and perhaps necessary that we listen to the Holy Spirit and speak to each one He directs.

There is great mutual joy in sharing Christ. Jesus blesses the one who proclaims the truth of God’s real love, whether or not the listener receives it. But when it is received there is not only the shared love and joy of the pro-claimer and the receiver, but that joy is multiplied by the rejoicing of the angels in heaven for a sinner that has come home to Jesus. God, the Father blesses the believer who exercises real love.   dove-vector-clipart

Questions Demanding Answers

This is a recurring feature. I pose a question in one issue. You have the opportunity to send me answers. I publish the best ones in the next issue. Please cite Biblical authority, and keep you answer within 250 words.

QUESTION: What is Epiphany?

ANSWER:

Epiphany is an appearance or manifestation of God. Liturgical churches celebrate on January 6th remembering the arrival of the Magi, wise men from the east to discover the “King of the Jews.” (Matthew 2:2) They were looking for the Jewish Messiah (Christ in Greek). This was the first revelation of “Yashua (Hebrew for Jesus) to the Gentiles. — Rodney Degner, excerpted by editor

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

The reason churches still celebrate Epiphany after two millennia is that Jesus, born a Jew was worshipped by Jewish shepherds, but Herod the King of Jews wanted to kill him. Thus, the establishment Jews rejected Jesus and they eventually did kill him; whereas, the Gentile Magi honored the baby Jesus with open hearted worship, as well as, with rich gifts. Here was the beginning of God’s revelation of His truths to the Gentiles.

For two millennia before that, God (as far as Scripture reveals) spoke only to Abraham and his descendants, the progenitors of the Jews.

Except for a few proselytes, Jews held God as exclusively theirs. There are a few references in the Bible of His ministering to and through Gentiles. When Jews rejected Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel of Salvation in Christ, God sent him to broadcast His message of salvation among the Gentiles.

Therefore, Christians may appropriately celebrate the visit of the Gentile Magi to the baby Jesus, the Savior of the world.

QUESTION: Why doesn’t God give another chance to the people in Hell?

The Holy of Holies

Join me in bowing before our God in gratitude that we can speak directly and personally to Him. He is our loving Father, so we can embrace Him boldly, but respectfully.

My Father and my God, I come before You in love, because You first loved me. I bow in humility, because I am unworthy of Your love.

Lord Jesus, I am sincerely and deeply grateful that you have given me a place beside You and in my Father’s Presence. My place in Christ is secure because of what You have done for me.

Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth, teach my heart to long to minister truth and love to those who are caught up in the lies of the world, the flesh, and the devil. You are the manifestation of Prevenient Grace. Prepare the way for me to witness to the glory that is in Christ. Spirit of God, open doors to the message of salvation and open hearts to embrace the loving and lovely Christ the Son of God.

Salvation is exclusively of and from Jesus the Christ. I am only Your messenger.

My God, you are my gift to share with those who need You. Give me the eye to see others’ needs and the heart to, if necessary, importune them with the message of salvation. Since I am but a messenger, teach me the ways to present the Good News so that all can hear. Give me the boldness to defy resistance and declare the truth of the universality of sin. Give me the tenderness to comfort wounded souls with the beauty of the Balm of Gilead, the love of Christ. Give me the willingness to stride confidently on thin ice proclaiming the truth, confident that if the ice breaks, You will deliver me.

You are an amazing God, Lord of the Universe. You stoop to raise up men and women filthy with sin and cleanse them in the Blood of Christ and then adopt them into your family!

 Hallelujah! For salvation! Hallelujah, for Christ’s righteousness imputed to us! Hallelujah for the privilege of proclaiming the glorious news! Amen

,

Glad Tidings

GT—Volume 13 Issue 1

3 Jan , 2016  

Resolution Or Resurrection

Jeremiah 29:11

God loves us and wants the best for us. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

This usually takes the form of New Year’s Resolutions. Some people make a list.

I resolve to:

  1. smile more
  2. grumble less
  3. obey my mother
  4. listen politely for the 12th time to GranDad’s old stories

Others make one major resolution, “I resolve to quit smoking.”

These are personal attempts to improve by making yourself accountable to your own will. When tempted to ignore your mother’s correction or be impatient with GranDad’s stories, your conscience reminds you that you were not going to do that this year. Then it becomes a wrestling match between your will power and your won’t power.

The New Year brings a sense of starting over, “turning over a new leaf”. “In the 16th century people referred to pages in a book as “leaves”. When they turned over a new leaf it meant they were turning to a blank page in a workbook to start a new lesson. This could also be more generally used as to say you’re turning over a page of your life and starting anew (idiomorigins.net). Many people mark this “new start” by seeking life improvement, as acknowledgement that they are not perfect and they are willing to improve.

There is psychological power in YES and NO. Every time you say YES, you increase the power of continuing that thought or action. Conversely, every time you say NO to a thought or action, you deplete the power of that thought or action. On the one hand, you can reinforce good and bad habits by saying YES to them. You can undermine good and bad habits by saying NO to them.

Spending too much money may be an addiction, but mostly it is a bad, undisciplined habit. By saying YES repeatedly to the discipline of not gratifying the desire to spend you can build the habit of frugality. By saying NO to frugality when you see something desirable, but unnecessary, you undermine financial responsibility. By saying NO to irresponsible spending (rationalized as necessary), you reinforce frugality and build up financial independence.

In the same way, one can embark on improvement of self by making New Year’s Resolutions. You set up the goal to improve. Each day we reinforce that goal we build its power to continue. A resolution to avoid getting impatience and anger in commuter traffic requires constant attention to our habits while driving.

Over the years, the incidents that cause us to get angry and lose our patience have reinforced that lack of restraint. We are alone in the car, so we can “vent” without anyone being bothered, right? Wrong! This rationalization excuses what we know to be bad behavior. Instead, we need to recognize those “triggers”, converting them to triggers that notify us to exchange our responses. We can begin saying YES to forgiveness and patience, while we are saying NO to anger and impatience.

By so doing, we are reinforcing good behavior and a more healthy life, emotionally and physically. By saying NO to our bad habitual responses, we undermine their power to be automatic.   dove-vector-clipart

Staying Power Of Resolutions

There is an old joke, “What is the first thing that turns green in the spring? The “gold” ring your boyfriend gave you for Christmas.”

What are the first things your throw away in the New Year? Resolutions are, because they are so hard to keep. Habits developed by a long string of YES’s over time have great power. Therefore, to break bad habits takes persistence and strength of will. Each NO is a triumph against a bad habit. Each NO diminishes its power to conform our lives to unhealthy things that our psyche craves, because it is the “normal;” and “comfortable habit”.

The habit has the advantage of a well-worn track in our souls. To diminish it requires forcing our psyche out of its rut. It requires a strong will to break the pattern of years and begin a new one. Too often, the persistence of habit overcomes the will and soon we fall into that old pattern of cussing the driver who cut us off.

Our resolutions take so much effort to reprogram our psyche that for too many people their New Year’s resolutions in a few weeks die shattered at their feet. Folks give up in self-disgust and say, “Well I’ll try again next year.”

Unhappily, that plays right into the hands of our habituated psyche. It has then another nine, ten or eleven months to build up stronger bad habits.   dove-vector-clipart

New Year’s Resolutions, Or…

January is the traditional and time-honored time to make resolutions, particularly New Year’s Day or in the first week. Who makes resolutions to improve in May or October? Very few.

But, why not? If we adjust our thinking to discard tradition and to be open to new resolution to improve any time during the year, we break the cycle of made and broken resolutions in the first few weeks of the year. We free our selves not only from the mostly unworkable tradition, but we also free our self from the habit of, “Oh well. I can’t keep them this year. Perhaps I’ll do better next year.”

People SittingSince we are individually free agents, we can decide at anytime to do or not do anything we choose. Realizing this can free us from discouragement when we reach March and find the old habits are winning. Knowing we do not have to wait until next January, but can begin again immediately, robs our psyche of the excuse to wait until next year. The battle can recommence immediately.

This puts the power back in the resolutions. The power that comes from wearing down resistance switches from the bad habit to the person who wants to change. If each time one sees his resolution in tatters, he simply renews it, then habits give way over time. This repeated overriding the old rut builds up a new path and eventually makes a new positive habit.

This reveals another truth. Resolutions are a tradition and have the impetus of the “new start” mentality at the turn of the New Year. However, we can resolve to improve any day we have the gumption to do so. All it takes is awareness of our shortcomings, the honesty to face them and the courage to make a change.

Awareness is the Foundation

Awareness is the foundation. This requires an honest look at ourselves from a disinterested perspective (which is the hard part). It is wise from time to time to take an honest look at ourselves in the mirror. Remove our rose-colored glasses and examine our warts. If you are like me, you’ve got lots.

Do not seek to address them all. Be selective. Either take on the one that will make the most difference or take on the one that is easiest to overcome. Your choice can be determined by your strength of will. The former is likely tougher, and is an appropriate choice for the strong-willed. The latter is for those who need to build up their “won’t power” by the confidence gained in small victories.

Desire for the truth gives you the power to face your shortcomings honestly. Truth can be elusive because of all our internal defense mechanisms.

Johari's Window

The Johari window is a technique[1] used to help people better understand their relationship with themselves and others, which was created by psychologists Joseph Luft (1916–2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916–1995) in 1955.

There is an interesting psychological truth expressed in Johari’s Window. Our person-hood divides into four parts:

  1. Open
  2. Blind
  3. Hidden
  4. Unknown

The Open part is the public space, called the “Arena”. You clearly know these things about yourself and are willing to reveal them to others.

The Blind part is the “Blind Spot”. It is what others can see in you, that you do not know about yourself.

The Hidden part is private, called the “façade”. It is who you are that you choose not to reveal to others.

The Unknown part is “the Terra Incognita”. This is a real part of what makes you, but is hidden from others and you do not reveal to yourself.

Therefore, with some effort and honest inquiry you can know three quarters of who you are, Where there is plenty of room for self examination.

Courage to make the change is the third part of self improvement (after awareness of shortcomings and facing your self). This is where the rubber meets the road. All the foregoing is mental abstractions at best, and at worst flights of fancy. One has to decide that the future is better by improving self. The desire to seek after something better will motivate you to take on your psyche courageously and battle for the future you.    dove-vector-clipart

Or You Can …

Hey, I’m not so bad! Look at those others. They’re much worse off than I am. I really don’t need to change. ‘Sides I’m comfortable where I am. That’s pretty good, Right?

Cat in BasketResting in one’s laurels is always an option. Unless you are morbidly obese, you don’t have to lose weight. Unless you are coughing constantly, you don’t have to give up smoking. Unless you are alienating the people close to you, you don’t have to control your temper.

By far, most of the people live without a thought of resolutions to improve. People generally allow their well-developed habits to dictate who they are and how they interact with the world. Improvement only becomes important when there is a job opportunity, or the like, that requires more resources than they have. Until then they are satisfied to coast along as they are. There are so many demands on our time that we do not even think of maintaining our personality.

Hurricane Katrina caused massive flooding of New Orleans. That occurred because the dikes that the Corps of Engineering had built many decades before failed to retain the floodwaters. Because of budget shortfalls, deferred maintenance allowed for the weakening of the dikes that led to the flooding and billions of property damage.

People need to maintain their psyche. Erosion of principles occurs over time coupled with inattention. Periodically, a review and resolve to improve goes a long way to maintaining a healthy, integrated personality.    dove-vector-clipart

God Has A Better Idea

God is a loving Father who wants the best for His people. He is perfect, and wants His people to be perfect.

Some psychologists have assumed that children are born “tabla rasa, a blank slate. Actually this is not true. All people are born into this world with genetic and personality predispositions. Even at the beginning of life there are features of our personality that can be damaging to self and others.

These methods of making improvements in your psyche is a Do-It-Yourself method of correction. It all depends on your determination. It is a “pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps” method of self-improvement. The degree of success is determined by your strength of will and your persistence.

God has a better idea.

Awareness of Shortcomings

God is Omniscient, so he knows everything about us. There is no façade that can hide things from Him. There is no Terra Incognita for Him. As I said above, He wants the best for us. God wants to reveal to us those things in our lives that interfere with our becoming the man or woman that He wants us to be.

What He requires of us is surrender.

And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a reward-er of them that seek after him.   (Hebrews 11:6)

This means that we must confess Jesus as our Savior who saves us from sin. We must give over our lives into His control. We must commit to worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Surrender begins God’s work in our hearts to start a reconstruction, strengthening that which is pleasing to God, shoring up that which is weak and removing that which is unhelpful or even detrimental to God’s Plan for us to be the man or woman He created us to be.

Facing our Shortcomings Honestly

His Holy Spirit has come to live in the lives of believers.

And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.   (John 16:8)

All that is ungodly in our lives the Holy Spirit will reveal to us. He gives us the desire to face our sin; to face honestly that we (yes, you and I, no matter how mature we are in the faith) have a lot of work to do.

The Holy Spirit softens our hearts toward God and teaches us say with David:

Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.   (Psalm 139:23-24)

The Courage to Make the Change

When our hearts are tender toward God, our heart’s desire is to live in His Presence. We have a great desire to eliminate whatever hinders the closeness of our relationship with Jesus. Many of these attitudes, habits and actions we can, with God’s help, eliminate readily. It requires a strong resolve and a willingness to sacrifice. As they peel off one by one, another surfaces and the battle in a new arena begins. As Jesus makes us victorious in early battles, we gain courage and strength.

His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.   (Matthew 25:23).

Our Father blesses us with a greater sense of His Presence in our lives. Correspondingly, we grow in our resistance to the ungodliness in our lives.

Those ungodly habits that have a strong grip may be hard to exorcise. They are likely entwined around entrenched fleshy lusts. They hide in things we earnestly desire or have lived with for decades. Often they are bound on things our soul is convinced we cannot live without. Nevertheless, nothing is so strong that we cannot conquer it in Jesus Name.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.   (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Fr. Denis Bennett taught that when there is something plaguing a believer the question to ask is, “Do you want to be rid of this?” If the answer was NO, then the next question would be, “Do you want to want to be rid of this?” Likely the answer would be YES. Then the prayer should be, “Lord, Make me want to be rid of it.”

In these ways, the Holy Spirit will lead us in the battle against our ungodly ways to outflank the ungodly trait and build openness in our lives for the Holy Spirit to convince us of our sin. At the same time, build up our desire for righteousness. This two-fold work of the Holy Spirit strengthens our resolve and gives us the courage to break the bond of the besetting sin. Then freedom and holiness in this area are within sight.

Jesus is the Righteous Savior for all who will trust Him and surrender to His authority. Fully trusting Jesus opens us to receive a greater measure of His love. He bore our sins on the cross when He died. He destroyed our bondage to sin completely. He has clothed us in His righteousness and made us accepted in the beloved. All of this is proof of His love for us and our assurance that He is a trustworthy God.

It is ultimately reassuring that God is Omnipotent and that He loves His People. It means that when we belong to Him we never need to be fearful of anything in our psyche or external to our being.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.   (Romans 8:37)

When one belongs to Jesus, we have the resources of Almighty God at our disposal, because we are joint heirs with Christ! Hallelujah!    dove-vector-clipart

Questions Demanding Answers

This is a recurring feature. I pose a question in one issue. You have the opportunity to send me answers. I publish the best ones in the next issue. Please cite Biblical authority, and keep you answer within 250 words.

QUESTION: If God can do anything, why did he send His Son as a baby? Why not as an adult?

ANSWER: True, The Savior could have come as an adult. God is Omnipotent. He is also Omniscient. He knows what we need. We need a Savior who completely identifies with us.

For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.    (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus was conceived, gestated and born just like us. He grew from infancy to boyhood through puberty and young manhood, just as we do. Therefore, he had the opportunity to be tempted to sin as a baby, a child, a teen and a young man.

To be a proper Savior for mankind, He needed to be a man. He needed to be tempted in all ways and Jesus needed to be an innocent victim slain for our sins. Those requirements Jesus met, so He was a full, perfect oblation and sacrifice. His death was the complete payment and satisfaction for all the sins of all of mankind for all of time.

The Savior did need to be an adult to submit willingly to the crucifixion, with knowledge aforethought. In that way, His blood could be the effectual agent to wash you and me clean of our sins. That was Justification. Now we, in partnership with Jesus, live our lives seeking out residual sin and placing it under the blood of Christ. That is Sanctification.

QUESTION: What is Epiphany?

The Holy of Holies

Join me in bowing before our God in gratitude that we can speak directly and personally to Him. He is our loving Father, so we can embrace Him boldly, but respectfully.

Holy LORD God, How magnificent You are. Your majesty is past our finding out. Your resplendent glory fills Your Kingdom. You are the Sovereign Lord of all peoples—believers and unbelievers alike. At Your desire we live and we die. At Your commend our lives are blessed or they are cursed.

Nothing is beyond your knowledge or power. Nothing is beneath Your notice. You have placed perfect law to govern the Universe. Everything works in the finest precision. You built everything that exists on the foundation of atoms. In different molecular structure they form rocks, plants and animals.

Into one-third of Your creation you added sentience, the ability of know, to flee from danger, the instincts that make life possible. You imbued the higher animals with the ability to calculate to emote and play. You have inserted life into two thirds of your creation—plants and animals. You order our lives, our growth, our fruiting, our reproduction and our deaths. You created us interdependent. All life uses other life to continue living.

You selected mankind to be the apex of your creation. Wonder of wonders, You implanted in us Your image, giving us conscience, ability to love, ability to create, and most importantly that ability to recognize You and accept Your love and return it to You.

Almighty God, how glorious is Your creation. How marvelous is our part in it. You have made believers joint heirs with Your Son, so that we could work with You in fulfilling Your Purpose in and for this world.

We praise and glorify Your Presence. Hallelujah Our Grand and Holy Father. Hallelujah, Our loving Savior. Hallelujah, our blessed Guide to Jesus. We are deeply grateful. Amen. Maranatha!

Glad Tidings

GT—Volume 11 Issue 7

18 Jul , 2014  

Response to Perceptions

The Pietà by Michelangelo Buonarroti

The Pietà (Italian: [pjeˈta]; 1498–1499) is a work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.

This is a 45 year old response to a letter I sent. My friend wrote about some of her understandings of the world. These are excerpts. The names I have changed , but not the grammar, etc.

Mary wrote,

You asked me, what idealistic ideals did not fit the Church, and what principles I doubted. The main one is that I feel that this life should be to a certain extent fair. By that, I mean people would not be born retarded, never have a chance to compete in our society; people would not be deformed or ill-treated in childhood, so as to leave them incomplete beings ill equipped to deal with life; the bad things in the world would not exist; the poor, the dumb (although many dumb persons are much happier than I), the pawn, the misfits, etc. I could go on forever. But I understand there could be a solution if the individual’s sole duty in this life were to firstly take care of himself, then one’s achievements would be his own making. It seems unfair to me that I can see and walk and hear and reason intelligently while there are those who can do only one, or some but not all of these. I realize that they might be far more satisfied with themselves than I with myself, they have tried much harder in this life that I, but then that evens it out, doesn’t it?”

I do not remember what my response to her plaint was at the time. I received her letter in the flurry of doing all that was necessary to leave for Seminary three weeks hence. It is possible (unhappily, even likely) that I did not respond; therefore, for your benefit and my own. I will try to respond.

Yep! Life Is Unfair

First, I see this as a plea for understanding. It seems I laid on her a heavy witness to Jesus, likely emphasizing the goodness of God. She is hoping to justify her exception to the understanding that life is not fair.

I wish to assert Christ, Himself and the true Christian Church does not affirm that life is fair. God, the Father, sent His Son into an unfair situation with an unfair responsibility. He had to leave behind His majesty and full power to complete His degrading mission of dying.

Fair means ever-handedness. What you get, I get, and vice versa. The reality is that none of us gets the same anything. We start out with an assembly of unique family genetics and innate abilities. I would have loved to play for the Seahawks. My enthusiasm may be great, but my abilities do not measure up. “It’s not fair!” Yep. Life’s not.

Mary’s concern for the disadvantaged is legitimate and a worthy concern. In God’s economy, she, you, and I must make up for the inabilities of the disadvantaged. We can do so by willingly sharing our abilities and resources. (This is NOT a government program; this is personal responsibility under God).

She wants a life where the “bad things in the world would not exist”. I am not making light of her desires. The truth is that wishing will not make it so. Actually, tragically, every effort and our best intentions will not make it so. Truly, we must face the reality that this world is broken and cannot be fixed; it can only be replaced.

We face this often. My printer failed. The repair tech told me that the power supply burned out. A new one cost $300.00 + labor. Instead, I bought a new printer for $400.00. It was twice as good as the old one. Like that printer, there is a new world coming (in God’s time) that is much better. It will replace this old, broken one. We are not to sit and wait, but continue to persevere in working to improve the world within our reach and make it better and more “fair”.

The Poor, Happy Dumb

When she refers to the “dumb” I believe she is not talking about those who cannot speak, but about those who have limited intelligence. Mary wrote this in the days before such terms became politically incorrect.

I believe she was referring to “ignorance is bliss”. Many of the less intelligent have a reduced perception of events in the world. Impending disasters around every corner do not burden them. They can live in the relative security of caring for themselves in concert with others care for them. Relatively they have more peace in life.

This young woman is a Martha. She comments:

I realize that they might be far more satisfied with themselves in this life than I. But Martha was cumbered about much serving; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

But the Lord answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:40-42)

CaptureWhat is that “one thing”? It is putting your complete trust in Jesus. When we allow Him to set the priorities in our lives, He will utilize us to deal with the problems He chooses. Doing what He prescribes gives us a sense of satisfaction, a sense of fulfillment and a sense of peace. We can then be free of the worries of the unfairness of the world. The other disadvantaged in the world are not our responsibility. We can have peace concerning them.  I am not giving an excuse for rationalizing away our true responsibility.  I am stating that the Holy Spirit wants us to do something, but not everything. We must find out whom He is assigning to us. Any worry beyond our assignment is disobedience and may be idolatry.

Solve The Problem with Big Bucks

She continues, 

Fred [her husband] and I have always felt that the best way for us to help was to amass a fortune, then give it to select Charities.” Her letter continues, “The problem arises because all do not take care of themselves. And there are those that we should pity; first try to help, but if that fails, the only resource is pity. At least that salves something in the soul. Ted, there is so much suffering; much – all is created by mankind, but where does it begin. For instance, mental hospitals. There simply aren’t enough trained individuals, the funds to make them what they should be. So much to do; and the best place to begin is the Government. But how?  Oh, I will do some banner-carrying in the meantime, and talk to whomever I can, but money is one thing desperately lacking. The trained persons would come if the profits were lucrative enough.

Capture 5Mary’s approach although laudable is unrealistic. I believe instead of “do not take care of themselves” she means “cannot”. She immediately uses the example of mental hospitals, indicating people with mental incapacities.

Again, a term, acceptable in the 1960s, grates on 21st Century sensibilities. “Pity” has become a derogatory term. Its past meaning was to “have compassion on”. Mary understands that out of compassion for the disadvantaged (those who cannot care for themselves) we must first do what we can. She recognizes that what we can do may fail.

In this, Mary is realistic. The problem is bigger than one family can address. It is like trying to take a bite out of an apple as big as a basketball. It is too big. Your nose keeps getting in the way.

If all else fails, is the only resource compassion? James cautions against that as the only option,

and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?   (James 2:16)

When we are out of resources to assist the needy God put in our path, we must turn to Him. He has all the resources to fulfill what He requires us to do. We actually should begin by discussing the situation of the needy in our path with the Lord. “Lord, how much do You mean for me to do?” Talking it over with Jesus, we will learn our limits – an occasional handout or selling all we have to give to this needy person.

God does not intend us to take a bite out of something too big for us. He intends each of us to do what He asks.

Is the best way to help to amass money and donate it to a charity? Actually, the problem that she is addressing is far greater than all the money of the richest. All of Bill Gates’ $75 BILLION+ net worth poured into the problem of the disadvantaged of the world would help many, but it would not put a dent in the overall problem.

Realistically the possibility that Mary and her husband can amass that size of a fortune is nil (they did not).

Where one begins is not with the government. Our Federal Government, each state and many cities in the U.S. have been pouring billions into assistance of the needy. There are not enough beds in mental hospitals or homeless shelters. The numbers that need such care far outstrip the capability of the governments to provide space for them.

This being the case, where does one begin? The start is one on one. The Blind Side is the story of Michael Oher. He was a disadvantaged “kid from the project” where many, if not most died at an early age from drugs or gang violence. At 16, Michael came to the object of attention of Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. They not only sponsored him, but also took him into their family, becoming his legal guardians. They shepherded him along through school and taught him his life could have a purpose. Responding to their love, he rose to the challenge. He was drafted into the NFL by the Baltimore Ravens and was a Superbowl champion in 2013. He is currently playing with the Tennessee Titans. This was a God-directed answer.

Certainly giving to charities is worthy. It is our perspective that needs sanctification. In trauma centers, they triage. They divide the patients into:

  1. critical, life-threatening trauma
  2. serious injury or disease
  3. routine injuries

First aid begins with stopping the bleeding, next clearing the airway to insure breathing, and then treating what you can until expert medical help arrives. This is the proper procedure in compassion for the needy. First turn to the Lord and determine His will. Next follow His directions. Be willing to provide all He asks of you and apply it to as much of the problem as you can.

The “Bible-Beaters

In her letter Mary concludes:

However I doubt if we shall become Bible-beaters; that seems such a coarse term [I agree]. Fred believes in relying solely on oneself, and religion is a crutch to him, although he strongly believes. I think deep down Fred knows he can make it on his own steam, and feels that God should help those who can’t; God knows that Fred believes. He doesn’t need to sound it from the rooftops. I think that there are different ways of helping:. There would have to be. People are so diverse. Backgrounds are so different.

I will address the last first. People are very different, but their needs are similar and different. The government “one size fits all” approach helps some, but messes up others. God alone has the wisdom and the ability to form a solution that uniquely suits each person’s need. That is why it is vital that we consult Him before attempting to alleviate the needs we see around us.

Now to address “Bible-Beaters”: I confess I am one Mary disdains. Likely, I quoted a number of Scriptures in my letter to Mary and Fred. Probably that prompted this response. I am a “Bible-Beater”, because that is where God put the answers. Taking the Bible seriously is the only thing that makes sense. “Read, study and do”, is the formula for a successful life.

I was like her husband. I believed in God, but I “knew” I had to do it on my own. I was raised on, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” (That, by the way, is a non-Biblical heresy). I came to the end of my resources, as we all must in this complex and trouble-filled world. I took Christ as a crutch because I limped without Him. I still lean on Jesus today. However, when I lean on Him, I walk straight and strong.

It is a noble sentiment to allow God the freedom to help someone else because you are able to care for yourself; noble, but arrogant. If someone offers you a gift, it is boorish to turn it down. God offered to Fred and you and me His Son as a gift. Turning a cold shoulder to Jesus is at least bad manners, and ultimately disastrous, since without Him there is no eternal happiness. Without Jesus, there is only eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When Fred (if he fishes), catches a record-setting salmon I would be willing to bet he would have no reticence about “sounding it from the rooftops”. When a person falls in love he or she is often exuberant enough to proclaim proudly “she loves me!” or “He loves me!” That is exactly the feeling one gets when one discovers the real love that Jesus has for believers. His love is overwhelming. It is so far greater than the love of another human being… and worth the shouting!

She avers that Fred has a deep faith. I know his faith was as mine was, in himself. Likely, he was only aware that there must be a God. Likely, underneath the surface he had the view of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, “Lord, keep the Czar … but keep him far away from here!” “God is alright in heaven, but I don’t want Him messing with my life.”

God is not a second-class citizen who you can take or leave. He is El Shaddai, God Almighty. He is the Creator and so His rules apply to everyone. As God’s creation, man has a duty to submit and obey. Taking an arrogant, “I can do it myself” attitude is an affront to God’s majesty.

It is the depth of idolatry to consider you can live your life perfectly well without His help.

It is the depth of idolatry to consider you can live your life perfectly well without His help. Sending God packing off to help some poor incapacitated person is foolish in the extreme.

One day a pastor was changing the church’s roadside sign when a man stopped his Harley Davidson motorcycle and he struck up a conversation.  The Pastor asked him where he was going. He replied, “I’ goin’ into town to sell my Harley. I’m gonna upgrade.”
“May I suggest,” the pastor offered, “that you say, ‘I’m going to sell my bike’ if it be God’s will.’’
The biker laughed, “God doesn’t have a thing to do with it. I’m gonna sell it! Me!” With that, he climbed on his bike and rode off.
Several hours later, the Pastor was locking the church when he saw a man limping down the road. It was the biker. His jeans were torn. The pastor could see badly skinned legs through the tears. One of the sleeves on his leather jacket was torn nearly off and his shoulder was badly skinned as well. He had had a bloody nose and a serious bruise under one eye.
The Pastor ran down the steps, “What happened!”
“Well, Pastor, about five miles down the road I was on a curve and hit some gravel. The bike slid out from under me. As you see, I got tore up pretty bad. The bike is totaled. I hiked back to a farmhouse about a mile further on to get some help. The lady came out on the porch with a shotgun. I took off running, but she got me with two loads of birdshot.
“Well, my son, come on in and I’ll clean you up and we can call for help.’
“No Pastor, I’m just gonna limp on home, IF THE LORD WILLS!”

Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. Now, God is not a vindictive God. Actually, His loving care is around us, believers and unbelievers alike, all the time. But when we sin we walk out from under His care, we open ourselves up to the resident evil in this world.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

Whether we choose to use Jesus as a crutch or an umbrella, He assures us that our lives are secure for eternity in Christ. He gives us His love. He opens our hearts to receive all His good gifts.  Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” That is great assurance not only for us who believe and want to serve Him, but also for all those who are in need, who are disadvantaged and who are limited in any way.

You know what? That includes me! It also includes you. Praise God, He is FOR all of us

 

Questions Demanding Answers

I will pose a question in this issue. You will have the opportunity to send me answers. I will publish the best ones in the next issue. Please cite Biblical authority, and keep you answer within 250 words.

QUESTION: King David sinned greatly.  How can God call him, “a man after God’s heart”?

ANSWER: David’s sins were plenty to lose him God’s favor.  He lied to the High Priest at Nob and the result was that King Saul had all the innocent priests there slaughtered.  David lied to the Philistines a number of times so he could take refuge among them.  He committed adultery and murder.  Out of pride David disobeyed God and ordered a census of the people.

Surely, that was more than enough to get him condemned by God.  It certainly was; however, David had an ace in the hole.  He loved God with all his heart.  He sinned, but as soon as he was made aware of His over-passionate ill behavior, King David not only repented, but threw himself open to God’s punishment. Certainly, this is “a man after God’s own heart”.

Everyone sins!  No one is exempt.  Anyone who loves God completely will be deeply grieved when God points out his sin.  Then when that man does not try to hide it or explain it away, but frankly and sincerely repents, God blesses and forgives.

The man after God’s own heart is one that keeps short accounts with God.  He listens for direction and for the Holy Spirit’s conviction that he has gone astray.  He bears honest grief at having offended God by his sin.

Love based on trust is his predominant character trait.  He knows His Father and His Lord intimately.

QUESTION: What is the unforgiveable sin?  How do I know if I have committed it?

 

The Holy of Holies

Join me in bowing before our God in gratitude that we can speak directly and personally to Him.  He is our loving Father, so we can embrace Him boldly, but respectfully.

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.”  Father, I know a number of people who live this way, whether they say they believe in God or not.  Father, send the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin of disbelief in Jesus.  Send them someone (even me) to speak to them about how real and wonderful you are.  Some are close to me and I do want them to spend eternity with you in blessedness.

There is nothing too hard for You.  I know You allow each to acknowledge on their own that You are Lord God.  The Holy Spirit finds a way to bring Your truth to them so they will embrace Our Savior.

Jesus, you are so wonderful.  You have demeaned Yourself by setting aside Your glory and becoming a man.  You allowed all the puny men to criticize You, to insult You and then to abuse You, condemn You falsely and finally crucify You. 

Despite all the evil we perpetrated against You, You out of love and grace You love me, Jesus and I love You.  Please cast your net of love around my dear ones and draw them into Your love, Your Presence, Your forgiveness and Your grace.  Take away their tendency to sin, as You take mine from me.e not only asked Your Father to forgive us, but You became sin for us and accepted the punishment of God for our sin.  Your Father withdrew from You, because You bore our sin.  That for You was far greater pain than anything man could do to Your body and soul.  Your Father turned His back on You as You carried my sin.

You are my Sovereign Lord Savior.  I rejoice in Your salvation.  You are magnificent in all you do.  Open my heart to receive more of You.  Open my eyes to Your ever-present Spirit.  Tune my ears to be quick to hear my Master’s voice. Glory be to You!  Hallelujah!  Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Lord Triumphant!   Amen

Glad Tidings

GT—Volume 11 Issue 6

7 Jun , 2014  

Image 1

Why?

A two year-old child begins to differentiate himself or herself as an independent being.  She learns the power of “No!”  He begins to exercise his and her will (or won’t) power.  Father says, “How would you like to go to the store with me?”  That is what his daughter loves to do, because Daddy always buys her something.  Still, she must be independent, so she says, “No!”  Mother says they are going to get an ice cream cone.  Despite the fact it is exactly what he wants, he feels compelled to say, “No!”  Two year-olds find that they are individuals and grow out of that phase.

Four year-olds have a different phase.  They are discovering the world filled with things they do not know. They learn that they can acquire information by asking questions.  The simple one word question, “Why?” is a powerful elicitor of information. Realizing that the world is complex the four year-old strings together “whys” to expand his or her knowledge.

Driving by a country field a four-year old asks, “Why are the cows in that field?”

“Because the farmer lets them eat grass there.”

“Why?”

Because when they eat grass they produce milk.”

“Why?”

Realizing that an endless stream of “whys” is coming, Daddy tries to cut them off with the ultimate answer, “Because God made them that way.”

More…