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The Power That Raised Jesus

Posted in God, God Stories, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, The Father, Worship, tagged Christianity, faith, guidance, healing, holy spirit, lies, miracles, power, power to heal, prayer of healing, resurrection, truth, wisdom on April 26, 2018| Leave a Comment »

As Jesus followers we have access to the most powerful force in the universe. Paul writes about it in his salutation to the church in Ephesus.

‘I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ‘ Ephesians 1:18-20

My last post discussed how our emotions can lead us to believe a lie. There is so much information being disseminated that is not accurate, whether intentionally or simply in error, that it is easy to absorb, believe, and emote based upon untruth. Once we have believed a lie, especially when it has evoked strong emotion, it becomes easier to believe supporting lies and harder to discern the truth from the lie.

I do not believe it coincidental that the word in my quiet and prayer following that post was power. Repeatedly yesterday the reality of God’s power was emphasized… beginning with God’s power demonstrated in raising Jesus from the dead, continuing with the power Jesus exhibited in healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and ministering to the humble and meek. That power was then compared to our sun which provides our light, warmth, and sufficient energy to sustain life on this big, blue ball we call home even though it is over 93 million miles away. While the sun in powerful, the One who created it had to be even more powerful to create it and all that is.

Finally, I saw the power of God in the ability to change a mind… to direct us onto the right course… to deliver the opioid-addict and bring them to health and wholeness… to turn a prodigal toward home… to open our eyes to the lies and half-truths we have embraced and to see and seek truth… to bring us ever closer to Him Who is the Lover of our souls.

That same power is continually available to us as Jesus’ followers. We are encouraged to embrace that truth and to allow Him to guide us into how He wants to make that real in us and through us. You are saved for a reason – to know Him and to make Him known. The Holy Spirit living within the believer is the direct connection to God’s power. In Jesus’ last recorded words before His ascension into heaven He said, ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ‘ Acts 1:8

I encourage you this morning to lean into Jesus more and more. Trust in His power which saved you, sustains you, and guides you. Read the Word and allow the truth of it to saturate your mind and spirit. As you do so, you will become more aware and dependent upon His wisdom, His grace, and His strength to live the life He has called you to. You will learn to discern His promptings and respond to them. I have been fortunate to participate in miracles He has brought about. My role was 1% of the work which was accomplished simply by being obedient to what I sensed the Holy Spirit wanted me to do. It was God’s power that did the work – healing in some cases, deliverance in others, salvation at times. In every case God was glorified and people were blessed.

Wherever you are in your faith walk, God has next steps for you which are for your good and His glory. He will not leave or abandon you, but rather He is right there with you encouraging you to take that next step. I don’t know exactly what your next step is, but I know God is cheering you on, whispering words of peace, hope, and guidance. Let today be the day you take that next step in faith. Let today be the day you take hold of the power Paul said is available. Let today be the day you experience joy in a new and exhilarating way. Seize the day my friend by saying yes to Jesus and stepping out in faith.

If you are interested in watching some excellent sermons, our church broadcasts the services on Sunday and they are also saved and accessible free online. Just go to newspring.cc/sermons. We are in a series on the Holy Spirit right now which is very balanced and biblically accurate. Check it out.

With the benediction today, I think I will do a throw-back to the 1970’s and say:

“More power to you!”

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Love That Would Die

Posted in Fiction, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Salvation, The Father, tagged child-like faith, Christianity, faith, hope, Jesus as God, Jesus life on earth, Jesus' death, sacrificial love, salvation, Trust, truth on April 21, 2018| Leave a Comment »

There are many things in life that I have a hard time understanding. The scale of the universe…time into eternity…what my wife is thinking. (OK, actually I know what my wife is thinking a fair amount of the time, such as “what was he thinking?”, but most other times I am clueless.) Of all the deep thoughts that fit into the category of head-scratching realities, the fact that Jesus died for me and for you is at the top of the list. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV. This is truly mind-boggling. But the wonder of it does not diminish the simple fact – it is true.

I heard a story a few years back that gave me a new perspective on this. It seems a little girl, 7 years old, was dying of a rare blood disorder. The doctors had done what they could with medicine, but the prognosis was grim. In a final effort to save the little girl’s life they offered a new treatment option that had shown promise. If they found a perfect blood match they could perform a special blood transfusion and potentially cure the little girl.

The parents said yes and the search of databases begin. The parents plus aunts, uncles, and all extended family members were tested but no match was found. When the results returned the father looked at his wife and asked, “What about Billy?” The mother, heart-broken, dropped her head, hoping not to have this question posed. With a deep sigh, she said, “we can ask him.”

The results of the test showed a perfect match. The news was bittersweet to the parents as they knew what they were asking of Billy would mean some pain and discomfort for their little boy, but it was their final option. They called their 5-year old son into the room with the doctor and asked him.

“Billy, Annie is very sick. The doctors have said she won’t live much longer without special help. You see her blood is where the sickness is and she needs new blood.”

Billy listened wide-eyed, tears forming and flowing as he thought about his big sister not being there anymore.

“But Billy,” said the Dad, “There is hope. You see there is a person who was a perfect match to Annie. A person who can give her blood that can make her sickness go away.”

Hope leapt into Billy’s eyes. “Really, Daddy? That makes me happy. But Daddy, why do you and Mommy still look so sad?”

“Honey, you are the perfect match and it would mean you would have to undergo a procedure to give your blood to Annie,” the Mother said choking back tears. “But it means your sister will be able to live.”

At this Billy became quiet, his little brow furrowed. Shortly he asked one question. “You mean if I give my blood, Annie can live and play, and make you smile Mommy.”

“That’s right honey. You’re the only one who can do it.”

A troubled look crossed Billy’s face for a moment, but then he brightened as if a pleasing thought crossed his mind. “OK Momma. If it will make you happy. I will do it.”

The medical personnel quickly began making the arrangements. Billy was given a few minutes alone with his parents. His Dad knelt down and gave him a big hug and told him what a brave young man he was. Billy’s smile was sad, but it was evident he wanted to be brave and please his Daddy. Momma held his hand and looked him in the eye and said, “Billy, this is the most loving thing you can ever do for your sister. I am so thankful for you, son.” While a tear ran down her face, she was also giving Billy a smile. Billy leaned into his Momma’s hug.

“That’s a happy tear, right Momma? Like you told me last year when Aunt Sally got married. I wondered why you were crying and smiling and laughing all at the same time, but you said they were happy tears.”

“That’s right dear. That’s a happy tear, because my little boy is going to help save my little girl’s life.”

Soon the nurse came and took Billy away to prep him. He cried a little as he looked back at Momma and Daddy, but he tried to smile so they could be happy tears.

In the transfusion lab, Annie, pale and listless, was wheeled in and connected to the blood transfer machine. Two nurses bustled about checking vitals on machine and patient, making sure the procedure had the highest possible chance for success.

A little later Billy was wheeled in, his clothes replaced with a hospital gown, a pic line already inserted in his arm ready to begin the blood draw. Because he was so young, a parent, Momma, was allowed in the room. Billy’s face was tense, something significantly out of place on one so young. When he saw Momma he relaxed a little. Then he saw his sister Annie lying on the gurney on the other side of the machines. His look became determined. “This is going to help Annie, right Momma?”

“Yes dear, Annie is going to be able to recover because of what you are doing.”

“Then I’m happy Momma. I’m glad this will help Sissy.”

A few minutes later a nurse bent down to let them know the procedure was about to start. Billy bravely squeezed Momma’s hand a little tighter.

“OK” he said as he looked into Momma’s eyes. The machine was switched on, and a quiet whirring began. Within just a few minutes Annie’s color began to change as her blood was removed, cleansed and then mixed with Billy’s healthy blood. Billy broke his gaze from Momma just long enough to look at Annie and to see the change. He turned back to Momma.

A tear was now running down his cheek. “How much longer Momma?”

“Not much longer,” she said as she too had turned to notice the change in Annie. Hope was growing in Momma and Billy could see it.

“Will it hurt Momma?”

“I’m sorry dear, does the pic line hurt.”

“No Momma. I mean when all my blood is gone and I’m dead. Will it hurt?”

Momma gasped. Billy had misunderstood. He didn’t realize he was only giving a little of his blood to mix with his Sissy’s blood. He thought he was giving it all…

‘You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Romans 5:6-8

Jesus held no illusions when He came to earth. He came on a rescue mission. There were no other options. It was His blood that was going to save the day.

But unlike Billy, Jesus was shedding all His blood for ALL mankind. Every person who has ever lived, was alive then, or was to live in the future were being given an antidote to the terminal illness of sin.

He was also different from Billy, He didn’t just think He was going to die, He knew He was going to die. He knew not only pain and suffering were in His path, but humiliation and, sadly, rejection. Yet He bravely faced it.

‘In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!’ Philippians 2:5-8

Jesus was God, who became a man, who walked this earth for 30+ years, and at the culmination of His earthly life, He paid the penalty for sin for everyone – for you and for me. And then He put an exclamation mark on this selfless act by rising from the dead three days later and ascending into heaven. He sits there today at the right hand of God the Father. But He isn’t grim-faced. No, He has a warm and inviting smile and His arms are outstretched toward us, beckoning with His nail-pierced hands.

“Come to me. Come home. Lay down your striving and join me. We have much to talk about. And in the time you have left on earth there are things to do, things that only you and I can do. Come home to me and let’s talk. I love you and I desire to live with you and to put my Holy Spirit inside you to help you from now on.”

Say yes to Jesus, my friend. You will never be the same.

Blessings upon you.

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Blessed!

Posted in Beautiful Places, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Marriage, Photography, Priorities, The Father, Travel, vacation, worldview, tagged anniversary, Beach, blessing, God's favor, God's provision, Hawaii, natural beauty, photography, surfing, truth, vacation on April 21, 2018| Leave a Comment »

A recurring prayer for me goes something like this. “Thank you Lord for all the blessings you’ve poured out on my family and on me. I don’t deserve it, but I thank you for it.” And then I wonder why I am so favored. Now I need to put this in context before I go too far. We have had our share of difficulties. Perhaps not the tragedies some have experienced, but difficulties just the same – my wife’s shattered leg in 2012, my near heart attack in 2014, my job loss at the beginning of 2015, my broken shoulder in 2017 to name a few. Yet, whatever direction I look, I see God’s goodness poured out… not just on me, but on so many people that I know. He is indeed good… all the time. And I wonder anew, “Lord why are you so good to me?” Today as I have thought of this I think I have at least a little different perspective to share.

Being a father for 33 years, I know a daddy’s love for his children. We just finished souvenir shopping for our four children and four grandchildren. This is my wife’s time to lead and I dutifully follow. As I watch and respond to her questions I realize she is seeking the perfect balance. She wants to get them something they will enjoy, but that is also beneficial. No to excess sugar and candy, yes to clothing that says laid-back Hawaii. No to things with sharp edges or that can choke a little one, yes to cuddly and cute. Since God is the perfect Father, He wants to give us gifts that achieve that perfect balance in our lives. He knows our talents, our personality, our likes and dislikes. He knows what is best for us. His gifts are meant to draw us to himself since a deep and growing relationship with Him is what we are created for. And just like giving gifts to our children warms my wife’s heart, I sense that God is also pleased when He is able to give us good gifts that bring us joy. Oh, and when we recognize and give Him thanks, the mutual joy is amplified.

I believe the Father loves to hear us laugh and this is frequently one of the purposes of God’s blessings. In some cases it may be the only reason. But at other times God has multiple motives behind the gift given.

Being open to and responsive to the Lord’s leading in gift-receiving and gift-giving is an acquired wisdom. God will bless us so that we can in turn bless others. Giving of tithes and offerings is a tangible demonstration of finding our place in God’s economy of blessing. Less formal but just as important is being open to the Holy Spirit’s leading to provide help for someone when the Lord prompts us to. Our home group purchased a moped for a young woman in difficult circumstances recently and we know it was a God assignment. Today we are excited to see what God is going to do through this simple act of passing His blessing on.

There is one other aspect that I believe the Lord wants us to understand about His blessing, but I hesitate for fear I will not be able to adequately explain. It is that obedience brings blessing. As we live life the way God desires us to live, we will experience His protection, His provision, and His favor. The Holy Scriptures contain God’s blueprint for life. Everything necessary to know how to enter a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe is there. However, it is spiritually discerned. That means God Himself must be living within us by His Holy Spirit for us to read, understand, and apply the truth contained in the scriptures. Sadly just knowing the scriptures isn’t enough. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day were thoroughly knowledgeable of the scriptures, yet they crucified the one the scriptures foretold.

There is a progression in this flow. The first is to recognize that there is a Creator of all that is. He has been called many things… El Sahddai, Elohim, The LORD God, Almighty God, but it is safe to call Him God.

Second is to search for Truth. When we honestly and openly search for Truth, asking God to guide us to Truth we will run into Jesus. There are numerous reasons this is true, but suffice today I’ll point out the one I know to be true and unassailable. Jesus’ resurrection proves He was Who He said He was – God’s one and only Son, sent to redeem mankind through His sacrificial death on the cross.

Third, once we recognize Jesus for Who He says He is, it is only right to surrender our life to Him and take up the life He is calling us to. It is a life of dying to poor life choices, bad decisions, and irresponsibility. It is letting go of living according to your own agenda and morality and learning how to live a life that aligns with God’s game plan for life. It is saying yes to Jesus in how we live.

Fourth is to ask Jesus to help us to know Him better and to live the life God desires us to live. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to help us live life the way God intends. He never takes away our ability to choose whether to follow or not. In fact He partners with us in the work of transformation, but He will do the heavy lifting if we simply turn to Him and ask for His help.

As we live a life of consistent obedience, God’s blessings will flow. It is not that we are immune to difficulties, but knowing God and trusting Him provides a solid place to stand even when all around is shaking and unsettled. And when we thank Him in the midst of the hard and difficult, when our suffering is wrapped in thanking God for being with us in the storm, we will know His peace and comfort, which is one of the greatest of His blessings to His children.

As I shared in an earlier post, my wife and I are celebrating our 33rd anniversary in Hawaii. I am going to post a few more pics of our trip for those who are interested. The week has contained a snapshot of life. We’ve experienced a good bit of clouds, rain, and wind. The conditions were not always ideal. But through it all God has been with us, showing us His love and care. We have thrilled with new adventures and quiet times together. Today the sun broke through and it is gloriously beautiful. It happened just in time for a morning helicopter ride… with the doors off and a sunset on Waikiki Beach.

Wherever you are in life, know that God loves you and He is for you. If you are at one of those points of progression that I mention above and you would like to know more, please drop me a comment. I would be happy to chat and pray. It’s what I’m supposed to do. In the meantime, enjoy the pics. and be blessed today. And don’t forget to pass the blessing on!

Waimea Beach on Oahu’s North Shore. A big wave surfing tournament is held here when the conditions, at least 30 foot swells, allows.

All the commercial pineapple operations have moved to other countries. Everything grown on these pineapple plantations are for consumption on the islands.

Kualo Range where Jurassic Park and Lost were filmed.

Dole Pineapple Plantation and maze behind the gift shop. The pineapples are so sweet on the islands.

Jordan, our pilot, is hanging loose behind us.

Sunset Beach on the North Short where the World Championships of Surfing are held each November / December.

Kane’one Bay where we snorkled around “Gilligan’s Island”.

View toward Diamond Head

Sandy Beach on the east coast of the island.

Waikiki Beach. Our hotel was on the beach at the pier on the farthest left of the photo.

View along Waikiki Beach toward Diamond Head from our hotel beach.

View from our room.

And it appears she says yes.

I watched this young man hurl himself into wave after wave and then body surf to shore.

And then I thought of our daughter-in-law with her children tenderly loving and playing with them.

Look closely at the person with their hand on their head. They are walking on water… I caught them just as they lost their board but before they splashed down. Funny!

Coming in for a landing.

These last three reminded me of our children when they were babies and how our weekends we would often squeeze as much fun out of the play days as possible.

And the toys are ready for the next day of fun for the crowds who will arrive before the sun tomorrow.

I think that’s his mother telling him its time to come in.

He persists in assking, “Just a little longer, please?”

It was a fitting remembrance on our last day in Oahu.

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Why Am I Here? Why Are You Here?

Posted in Church, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Week, Jesus Christ, Priorities, The Father, Vision, worldview, tagged Jesus, Jesus' death, life, philosophy, purpose, purpose-driven life, serving, The Good and Beautiful God, truth on March 28, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Introspection in context of an on-going conversation with our Creator God is an awesome thing. We were created on purpose by God for a purpose. We are not cosmic accidents. There are plenty of voices that strive to either convince us that we are purposeless accidents or, at the very least, distract us from what our true purpose is. But you and I are divinely created, eternal beings with a God-given purpose. Now many philosophers, poets, and apologists throughout history have contemplated this question. Depending upon their assumptions they differ greatly in their answers. Fortunately, Truth is not as relative as some would have us believe. If you determine to let Truth be your guide and actively engage a discussion with the Almighty, you will be given an answer to the question, “Why Am I Here?” That’s what I’d like to talk about today.

There are a couple life purpose statements that I have heard that I embrace. One is “To Know God and to Make Him Known.” That’s pretty high level, but it is true. Another that has been running around in my mind this morning is “To Do the Greatest Amount of Good To the Greatest Amount of People While I Have the Ability To Do So.” If we give definitions to the terms such as good being helping people to know Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him, then this is a pretty good one. As a Christ-follower, how I fulfill my purpose flows out of seeing what Jesus did and is currently doing, gaining His direction and empowerment, and then doing it.

In the midst of Holy Week, my thoughts have repeatedly turned to Jesus and what His final week was like. Jesus had crystal clarity of His ultimate purpose. He was sent to redeem mankind. That purpose finds its fulfillment in His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Everything we know about Jesus is aligned with His ultimate purpose. Jesus redemption of mankind is for all generations; therefore He selected a small group of ordinary folks to carry on His message after He returned to heaven. The lives He touched with His simple, yet extraordinary message attested to by the multitude of miracles He performed were further evidence of a reality beyond the mundane existence so many were experiencing. Where it is healthy and maturing, the Church today is faithfully continuing Jesus’ work of redemption.

So why am I here? Why are you here? Have you taken time to figure out your specific purpose? God has a purpose for you that is good. The ramifications of your purpose will resonate into eternity. That is true whether you find and walk in your divine purpose or not. You see, God is sovereign. He knows the length, breadth, and depth of our lives. If we chose to miss out on God’s call upon our lives, He is still weaves this into His plan of redemption. There are eternal consequences for us and many of those in our proximity, but God’s ultimate plan will march on to completion.

Yet, when we partner with God… when we become Jesus-followers committed to living life under the guidance of His Holy Spirit, we will be given God-ordained tasks every single day that further God’s revelation and fulfillment of our purpose. And our true purpose is always aligned with Jesus’ purpose – the redemption of mankind.

Take time to ask the Lord to give you a clear sense of your purpose today. Read the Word with eyes open to what the Spirit says to you about your next steps with Jesus. Understand that your life is to be lived in partnership with God. He knows what He is doing. He knows the role He has created you to fulfill. He will reveal it to you. At times He will lift you high and allow you to catch a glimpse of the bigger picture. Hint, this takes place when we are close to Jesus. At other times we may only see the small circle immediately around us and the view of our purpose narrows in to the faith we can muster to hold tightly to Jesus’ hand while the storm rages. Most days though, my purpose is simplified to living as close to Jesus as I possibly can and loving Him and the people He brings into my life that day the best I can.

Why am I here? It’s really simple. To point to Jesus in every way I can.

Blessings my friends. And let the Lord bless others through you.

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Alignment – The Critical Success Factor

Posted in Church, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Priorities, The Father, tagged alignment, Christianity, Godly growth, Leaders, Prayer, transaction, Transformation, transgression, truth on March 13, 2018| 1 Comment »

After hitting the huge pothole the car drove terribly. The steering wheel vibrated in my hands and the entire car had a constant shake. Driving to the repair shop I was ready for the bad news. The tires and car were fine. The pothole had simply knocked my tires out of alignment. Once they were aligned the vehicle ran as smooth as ever.

The project was a mess, behind schedule and over-budget. The project manager called the entire team together. Grievances were aired, apologies given and received, and goals were re-established. Everyone exited the meeting with a clear sense of direction and purpose. The project team was aligned and the project proceeded on time and on budget.

The plant was experiencing another motor failure. But this time the maintenance team took a deeper look to determine the problem. In the end root causes were addressed and the pump and motor were carefully aligned which resulted in the motor to running smoother and longer than ever before.

The young man in the prison cell was truly repentant of the things he had done. He hadn’t meant to hurt anyone, but in the end his family and the person he had taken from had all suffered. As he sat there he considered all he had lost, not the least of which was his freedom. He had even said a prayer earlier in his life and said he wanted to be a Christian. But his life was not reflective of the Christian life and he knew it. He got down on his knees and prayed for forgiveness and asked God to help him live the life he wanted him to. He began reading the Bible. He began living the life described there. When he was pressured, the tendency to return to old patterns of thought and action rose up. But a whispered prayer, “Help me Jesus” and then thoughts of how would Jesus want him to respond came to mind. The transformation took time. But the more he aligned his life with what he read in the Bible, the more peace he felt and the easier it was to do the right thing.

In every case the improvement occurred when alignment was achieved. One definition of alignment is for different parts to be in the correct relative position, i.e. the four tires of your car, the pump and motor in a coupled machine. A second definition is the organization of systems or activities so that they match or fit well together. The project team in the example above is a good example of this. In the last example of the repentant man, both of these definitions are applicable.

Before we dive into what it means to be aligned with God and His plan for our life we need a little context. There are essentially three phases in life and they are sequential. They are the transgression phase, the transaction phase, and the transformation phase. Sadly, some persons never leave the first one. A significant number experience the first two phases, but either fail to realize the tremendous benefits of the third phase or they stall in the pursuit of it. Blessed are the persons who experience all three, especially the ones who experience the first two early and live long in phase three.

The first phase is simply our life before recognizing our deep need of God’s grace. Paul explains this succinctly in the book of Romans summing it up in Romans 3:22, ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ The second phase is the glorious doorway into a restored relationship with God by accepting Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf. This is the primary theme of the New Testament. In one of the very last of Jesus’ exhortations captured in the bible we read these words, ‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.’ Revelation 3:20. Salvation through repentance of sin and accepting of Jesus as Lord and Savior is God’s desire for all people.

But this is where the fun begins. God has a life full of joy, peace, exhilaration, adventure, literally fulfillment in the richest possible way, in mind for those who seek Him. When we choose to follow Jesus and allow His Holy Spirit to guide us we are walking in that third phase – the transformation phase.

Lest I unintentionally mislead, the transformation phase is not all pleasure. Old habits and thought patterns die hard. Ways of living that are contrary to the life God has called His children to are culturally engrained into us. We will find that transformation in us means we will swim against the current at times. It means we will have to deny our natural inclination to satisfy our own desires before others. And because we live in a broken world we will suffer simply because of that brokenness.

The key in the transformation phase is becoming aligned with God in His work. I see three arenas where God is at work and we are to join Him. He is doing a work in us. He is doing a work in the lives of those directly touched by our life. He is at work in the World. Alignment with God in this work is a critical success factor in the results as well as the pace.

There are three primary ways we need to align with God in this transformation. The first is to read the Word of God and allow God to use it to transform our thought patterns. ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’ Romans 12:1-2. These two verses must be read together. The transforming of our mind is not simply a mental exercise. We are to act upon this new way of thinking. We are to cease conforming to the old way of thinking and the ways and patterns of the world. The bible is the Word of God. It is the stable place we can always turn to for the clear picture of God and His desire for His children.

The second alignment is with the Holy Spirit. At the transaction, we not only had our sins forgiven, we were given a very great help to live the life of faith. God placed His Holy Spirit in us to be our guide and counselor. Jesus talked about this in his final meeting with the disciples before His crucifixion. ‘And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.’ John 14:16-17,26.

The Holy Spirit is God living in the believer. Yet He does not overwhelm us. He is gentle and seeks to lead us into truth and into obedience to the Father. As we align ourselves with the Holy Spirit’s leading, we will learn to discern His voice. Obedience brings greater clarity the next time the Holy Spirit speaks. Learning to tune our hearts to the Holy Spirit also means the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil are muted. They don’t necessarily go completely away, but the more we lean in and listen to the Holy Spirit, the less frequent and less vocal these temptations are. The converse is also true. The less we listen and follow the Holy Spirit, the louder and more frequent the voices of the world, the flesh, and the devil become.

The final alignment with God’s transformation is submission to Godly leadership. The Church is a big deal to God. It is so important that it is referred to as the bride of Christ. Through the Church, God’s transformation of the world is taking place. The Lord has raised up leaders who have specific responsibilities to fulfill. As I ponder this, it occurs to me that everyone has a leadership role in God’s economy. The difference may be in scale, but not necessarily in importance. The mother of a young child is leading that child and that is vitally important. As is the pastor of a mega church. Yet every leader is also a follower of someone else. Asking the Lord to guide you to a bible-believing church and then aligning with the leaders has placed there is a vital step.

These three alignments work together to create a firm foundation for transformation in me, in the persons around me, and in the world. Not unlike a stool with three legs, these support us whether we are sitting at rest or standing to reach higher than we can normally reach. Take away any one of the three and the stool no longer works.

We are created to live in intimacy with God, the lover of our souls. This life carries with it great blessings, not the least of which is the process of being changed into the whole, beautiful person God had in mind when He created us. While this process continues our entire life, we facilitate this transformation by aligning ourselves with the Word of God, His Holy Spirit, and Godly leaders.

Feel free to join me in this prayer.

Lord Jesus, we want to live the transformed life you created us for. We say yes to the work you are doing in us… in our family and friends… and in the world around us. I offer myself to you anew today. Take the broken pieces of my life and put them together in the way you know they need to go. Take the supple pieces of my life and shape them to the form you have in mind. Reveal the pieces of my life that need to go and then help me to leave them for good. And whatever is good in me please use for your glory, the world’s good, and my joy. In Jesus name.

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Be Filled

Posted in God, God Stories, Holy Spirit, Responsibility, Spiritual Growth, tagged Christmas tree, encouragement, filled, holy spirit, light of the world, obedience, this little light of mine, truth, widow, word from the Lord, Word of God on March 2, 2018| Leave a Comment »

During this season of Lent, the 40 days preceding Easter, I have undertaken to write 5 posts a week. I have been blogging for about 7 years now. The posts have definitely ebbed and flowed. It’s exciting when I am inspired to write and share God-stories with you or wisdom that I sense the Holy Spirit bubbling up within my spirit. There have been times though when I purposed to write and it has been like trying to draw water from a dry well. I notice I have 35 drafts that were blog post starts that have not made it. Setting the expectation of writing 5 posts a week is the type of challenge that has, at times, caused me to encounter the dry well. That is what happens when we operate in our own strength. But this season is turning out to be something different… something richer, an altogether new and exciting experience. I believe I understand why and it’s today’s topic.

This morning as I awoke I immediately entered into prayer and meditation about what the Lord would have me share. Okay, truth be told, my first alarm at 4:30 woke me and I started praying and meditating, but staying in the bed also meant the second alarm at 5 is what actually got me fully awake and out of bed. One of the things I have been praying for is greater understanding on why the Lord has me in this wonderful season of clarity for hearing His voice and sensing His leading. It seems He gave me at least some insight this morning.

During this morning’s prayer I had this visual image that was very pleasant. Over the years we’ve bought Christmas decorations during the post season sales. It turns out we have about 1.3 miles of white Christmas lights. The visual image began with the site of our typical Christmas tree with two or three strands of lights on it. It’s pretty with lot’s of ornaments made by family members and little points of light interspersed about. You can clearly see the tree, the ornaments, and little glowing spots. But then the image changed. Suddenly the tree was wrapped with the entire 1.3 mile strand of Christmas lights and we had an entirely different situation. You could barely see the tree because the light emanating from it, but the shape was there. The little lights that had highlighted the bobbles on the tree previously now were illuminating the entire room with a bright and joyful light. Everything was richly aglow with light coming from the light-filled tree. That’s when the Holy Spirit spoke this morning and said, “Be Filled!”

That short phrase rang familiar and I looked it up. In Ephesians Paul is giving exhortations to the Church and the phrase shows up. ‘Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ‘ Ephesians 5:18-20

That Christmas tree was filled with light and I can see an amazing lesson in it. I am in a season that I hope never ends. In fact I hope it is not a season, but the result of progress in being transformed. It’s the transformation that we are all called to in Romans 12:1-2 ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” I have been a Jesus follower for a long time. I have experienced the clear leading of the Holy Spirit on various occasions and it always gives me great joy. But all my previous experiences have been more like our typical Christmas tree with little points of light interspersed here and there. The light was visible, but the tree was still the predominant feature.

But lately, I have been sensing the Lord’s hand upon me, guiding me with a greater frequency and clarity than I have ever experienced. Continuing the metaphor, additional strands of light are being wrapped around me and more light is shining through. Halleluia!

At this point a little insight into what’s been happening inside of me may be informative in your walk with the Lord and desire to Be Filled. As I mentioned earlier I have been a Jesus follower for a long time. I have tried to be faithful in every area. I would have seasons of additional focused attention in reading the Word, prayer, loving my wife and family sacrificially, etc. But I have always been a busy person too. I have worked in stressful jobs, long hours, lots of responsibilities. And I’ve tended to be as busy as my work life allowed outside of work… youth leader at church, scoutmaster, soccer coach and active parent, small group leader, etc.

The past few years as our children have reached adulthood and begun families of their own, my wife an I have found ourselves with a little margin in our lives. We’ve added a bit of travel to our lives which has been fun. But last year’s trip was interrupted when I broke my shoulder. If you have read that story it a pretty good one and it is informative to the point I’m making. With the broken shoulder I was not making any income. I work for myself and I don’t have supplemental insurance. So we could have been in a financial difficulty. But all through that season of being out of work the Lord kept telling me, “Trust Me.” “Rest in Me.” “Relax and Lean into Me.” All words of encouragement for me to let go of my striving and busyness. So I did. I used the down time to read more, both the bible and great teaching books. I also was able to serve more. It has been such a blessing to get to know my care pastor at church better. And I’ve definitely prayed more.

Breaking my shoulder provided an opportunity. It was the prompting of the Lord, definitely subtle at first but growing stronger every day, to pick up different spiritual disciplines that got me to a stronger place. There are “okay” things I could do that I find I am doing less. I have not completely cut out activities like going to ball games or watching a good show on TV. But those things have diminished greatly and anything questionable has been dropped completely. I travel a lot for my work and since November I have been back on the road a lot. But the TV doesn’t come on. I’m now drawn to pray, read the Word or an edifying book, or work-out (which includes prayer and meditation). It seems to me that with each time I am faced with a choice of doing something okay, I am pausing to see if there is something else the Lord would have me do. If there is, I am tending to do it. And each time I respond following that leading to do the thing I sense the Lord directing me to, there is greater clarity the next time the Holy Spirit prompts me to do something.

Before I head to the close today, I need to tell you about the other scripture the Lord brought to mind right after He said, “Be Filled.” Since I knew the topic was “Be Filled” I threw off the sheets and popped out of bed. But as soon as my feet hit the floor I thought of the widow of Zarephath. Here’s her story.

‘Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. ‘ 1 Kings 17:8-16

As long as the woman continued to use the oil and serve the Lord and the ones He brought to her, the jar of oil was filled. When we follow the Lord’s lead, when we minister when and where He guides us, we will be filled. There is also something important about what I shared in my life over the past several months. When I have the opportunity to use my time in different ways, I ask for His guidance and then follow it. I have been engaged in spiritually edifying activities more, but not to the exclusion of family, friends and other things. (A topic for a future post will explain how in my past I engaged in activities that should have been spiritually edifying, but I did so in a more legalistic manner without proper regard for family, friends, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. They tended to fill my head with knowledge, but my spirit was unfruitful.)

This week has been as eventful in a positive way as most recently. There was a great meeting with the Group’s pastor at church. You expect those to go well, but there is a qualitative difference between a good meeting and a spirit-led meeting. It was a spirit-led meeting. Then I had to drive 200 miles to a plant for work. I stopped to get gas and a coffee since it was an early morning drive. As I got back in my truck, the Lord said, go tell the cashier, “It’s All Good.” Yes, I questioned Him a couple times on that one. I almost turned the key to back out. Just thinking about going in I began to feel self-conscious. But I remembered I had promised the Lord many years ago after I rationalized away a very clear prompting of the Lord that had a tragic end, that I would always obey Him if He clearly asked me to do something, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. So I went back in .

Wouldn’t you know it, there was now a long line. Rather than shouting from the door, “Yo cashier lady, God said to tell you, “It’s All Good'”, I decided to buy two bottles of water I didn’t need. When I got in line, it was obvious she was having a problem doing some task for a customer. Another cashier came to the adjacent register and started taking customers. Now I was worried that I wouldn’t get to the right cashier. I knew who the word was for and I knew what I was to say. I had no idea how she would respond (although I hoped it would be with an indrawn breath and wide eyes of wonder). The line kept moving to the new cashier and my cashier kept having problems. Finally it looked like she was about to finish with her customer, but now I had a new problem. There was a person in front of me in line. If she finished, he was going to her and I would have to go to the cashier-who-is-not-the-right-one. “Lord if you want me to give her this message, please let me go to her.” It was a photo-finish. The other cashier ripped off the receipt for the customer and said, “Who’s next” just a moment before my cashier looked up to see me standing in her queue.

I handed her the two bottles of water and said, “I was in here earlier, but when I got in my truck the Lord told me to come in and tell you, (slightly dramatic pause here) “It’s All Good.” At that moment I kind of wished the Lord had given me something a little more eloquent or definitive, but that’s exactly what He said to say. So I said it. Well I didn’t get the wide eyes and gasp of wonder. But I did get enough. She looked at me and we made eye contact. You know how in so many instances people look at you with the dull, unseeing eyes. Well she really saw me and a little smile crossed her mouth and into her eyes. I walked out thankful that I had given her the word the Lord told me to give her. I don’t know what it was about but as I drove away, I was praising Him and praying that His words would resonate in her and that they would accomplish exactly what He knew they were to accomplish.

As I’m typing this I realize those words are pretty good words for me… and for us. So I close today telling you what the Lord told that middle-aged, seemingly harassed cashier, “It’s All Good!”

Indeed, with the Lord it is all good and VERY GOOD!

Have a blessed day my friend.

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Why “Trusting God” is NOT a Good Plan B

Posted in God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Priorities, The Father, Vision, tagged bible, God's plan, God's provision, God's will, holy spirit, Plan A, Priorities, truth, Word of God on March 1, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Rather than taking a long time to get to the point let me state it up front. Trusting God is not a good Plan B because if Trusting God is in position B then something else must be your Plan A. There is nothing that rightfully supplants putting your hope first in God and His provision. Now there are numerous situations where the Lord will work through others to accomplish His will in our life, but allowing God to be our source and then trusting Him to chose whatever means He determines to meet our need is always the right response.

God is fully equipped to be our confidant, our counselor, our healer, our deliverer, and our comforter. In fact those are all specifically spelled out as roles God will fulfill in the believer’s life. We also are given insight into what qualifies Him to fill those roles. He is omniscient. He is sovereign. He is omnipresent. He is all together good. He is love.

So what does Trusting God as Plan A mean? While I understand that many of you know God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I am prompted to cover the basics before we touch on deeper elements of Trusting God.

God is the Creator and Father of mankind. Intimate fellowship with God was broken in the Garden when sin entered the world. There is a price to be paid for sin. God’s answer for sin which broke our intimacy with Him was to send His Son, Jesus into the world. Jesus paid the debt for our sin so we could be reconciled to God. So Trusting God begins with trusting Jesus as your Savior and Lord. This is the way God has established for mankind to be put in right relationship with Him. But making this decision is only the beginning of what it means to Trust God.

God has spent over a millennia creating a love story between mankind and himself. This love story is captured in the bible or Word of God. In this inspired book, God provides everything necessary for life. Wisdom, guidance, encouragement, inspiration, comfort, challenge – all the essentials for living life in intimacy with God is in this book. The bible makes the claim, backed up by the testimony of millions of us, that the truth contained in the bible is God-breathed and life changing.

Then there is the gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gives to His followers. Every born again believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit who indwells us. Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit being our comforter and counselor in His final extended discourse with the disciples. (See John 14 and 15) The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He knows the plans of God and the heart of Jesus. He will lead us in the right path, always, every time, without fail. Our role is to train our hearts to listen, understand, and follow His leading.

I am pretty confident I know why we sometimes make Trusting God Plan B. It gets back to the point of a few days ago. We would rather be doing something than doing nothing. And we often make the mistake of thinking that waiting upon the Lord is the same as doing nothing. In the most minor of ways it may appear as if we are not actively doing, but to lay our cares upon the Lord and leave them there takes an exercise of faith that is one of the most important and challenging of spiritual exercises. And like any exercise it takes practice over time to become proficient.

Let me wrap up for tonight. Trusting in God as Plan A is altogether good. Plan A is not sticking our head in the sand or ignoring the sound counsel of others, but it is trusting God to lead us in our decision-making. In many cases we will use the natural gifts and talents of others around us. When I broke my shoulder last year I was in a foreign country. I had a few options. But rather than simply lean on my own wisdom, I consulted others and I prayed. God led me to fly back to the US to have the surgery to set my shoulder. But within my Plan A was the possibility God could have said to have the procedure done there or something else. I was totally seeking His guidance. Flying home seemed like the right thing to do. When I didn’t feel any check about it after praying, we flew home. The miraculously minimal amount of pain I suffered over the day of transatlantic travel and then waiting 5 days for my surgery was confirmation I was Trusting Him correctly.

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.‘ Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

Make knowing and growing in intimacy with God your priority. Make Trusting the Lord your Plan A. Allow the fruit of the Holy Spirit to bloom and grow in your life. Seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit to operate in your life. And God’s peace will overflow in a life well-lived and the richest of praise.

Be blessed my friend and be a blessing!

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The Distance Between Us

Posted in God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Prayer, Responsibility, Spiritual Growth, The Father, tagged faith, healing, intimacy with the Father, James Bryan Smith, prodigal, prodigal child, reconciliation, separation from God, The Good and Beautiful God, truth on February 27, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Separation… The distance between us says a lot about our relationships. It can be reflected in physical dimensions, but in reality it is the total sum of emotional, physical, and spiritual space between us that really matters.

I read a great book which I highly recommend called The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith. Doctor Smith does an outstanding job of identifying the false narratives we may have about God and comparing them to the narratives Jesus gives us about God. I’ve thought about this idea of separation and intimacy a lot over the past few months at least in part because of this book.

I love the story of the prodigal son. At different times in my life I have identified with any and all of the three characters in the story – the wayward younger son, the dutiful older son, and the hopeful father. In telling this story Jesus illustrates this theme of separation and restoration in a manner that brings out the physical, emotional, and ultimately spiritual distance that exists to be bridged.

‘Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”’ Luke 15:11-32

Even while he was physically present in the home of his father, the younger son was emotionally and spiritually distant. His heart was drawn toward foreign lands and taboo customs. I feel certain his father knew this. Yet rather than force the younger son to stay physically present he not only allowed him to go, he enabled him to physically leave. I’d never really considered it before, but the father wasn’t obligated to give the younger son his inheritance. In fact, there are two things striking here. The inheritance is not due until the father dies. And the inheritance for the younger children is usually meager. The oldest son was due the bulk of the estate and the younger children were to be given a small inheritance – enough to start a life, but not half the farm. Yet that’s what this father did. In so doing he provided the younger son the means to put into effect the physical distance that matched the spiritual and emotional distance he had always had. The father gave the son the means to do the very things he had taught his children all their life not to do.

In Jesus telling of the story, the older son doesn’t really show up much until the end. I want to point out that the older son also had his fair share of distance to overcome. At the end of the story when the younger son has come to his senses, when he has repented of his sin and recognized his self-imposed distance between himself and his father, we see rejoicing and reconciliation between youngest son and dad. But the separation between father and oldest son then becomes evident. I believe that this separation was predominantly spiritual up until this point. In his pouting, the oldest son expresses anger emanating from a prideful spirit. The distance that had likely remained mostly hidden was brought to light.

I’ve always been intrigued by why Jesus tagged this on at the end of the story, almost as a footnote. I think the answer lies in this thought of the distance between us and God. One of the paramount messages of Jesus was the elimination of the distance between God and His children. Jesus was Emmanuel – God with us. That was a radical thought back then, even as it still is for many today. The entirety of “God with us” is a bigger truth than we can fully comprehend. But in this story we see the father doing something radical… and painful. I had never really seen it as what it had to be – the father’s extreme faith. Toward the youngest son it was faith that when he hit bottom he would look up and realize that the distance he had put between himself and his father was something he didn’t want to exist any longer. For the oldest son it was faith that he would understand that physical closeness was not the same as intimacy and that one day he would move into true intimacy with his father.

Our Father will do anything to eliminate the distance between us. He wants intimacy with us and He is willing to suffer to see it accomplished. For years I’ve marveled at the suffering Jesus endured at the cross. As my faith matured and I became a dad, I also marveled at the suffering God the Father had to endure to send His Son to suffer on our behalf. Today I realize that God feels the pain of separation with those He has called to be His children. Yet He allows us to “walk away” because His greatest desire is for our complete reconciliation with Him. To achieve this we have to see the distance for what it is – separation from the only Love that is truly healing… separation from the only Love that can completely reconcile… separation from the only Love that completes us…separation from intimacy with our Father Who is Love.

Through my work with our church’s care team and in our home group, I am praying for several folks who have prodigal children. My heart aches for them because we too have experienced children who walk away from us and from the Father. I suspect there are those who are reading this who’s feet may fit the shoes of someone in this story… the parent or one of the two children. Know this, God is with you wherever you are even if you have turned your back on Him. He loves you beyond your understanding. He loves you with an everlasting love. And He has done everything to make it possible for you to experience intimacy with Him and within the family of love He has called you to. Simply turn to Him. Call out to Him. Ask Jesus to help you. Ask Him to show you how to eliminate the distance between you and God. You’ll be amazed. The distance can be bridged in moment through a whispered, “Yes Lord.”

Be blessed today and be a blessing.

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Your Kingdom Come

Posted in Church, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Prayer, Responsibility, The Father, tagged hospitals, Kingdom Mentality, Kingdom of God, life, orphanage, sanctification, seeking God, Transformation, truth on February 16, 2018| Leave a Comment »

When His disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray Jesus gave them a short model of prayer that became known as “The Lord’s Prayer”. It is recorded Matthew 6 and Luke 11.

‘”And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.‘ Matthew 6:7-13 https://www.bible.com/bible/59/MAT.6.7-13

The first intercession within the Lord’s prayer is for God’s kingdom to be manifest on earth. Combined with the fact that Jesus repeatedly spoke about the Kingdom of God giving example after example of what it is like, it’s apparent that the Kingdom of God is a big deal in Jesus’ work. So what is the Kingdom of God?

Simply stated, the Kingdom of God is the entire community of Christ-followers and all that makes up their lives…possessions, attitudes, passions, and occupations living under the dominion or rule of the Lord God Almighty. While there is a difference between the spiritual realm and the natural realm, with respect to the Kingdom of God, all is to be submitted to the sovereignty of God.

Those who have entered into relationship with God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, are made citizens of the Kingdom of God. But just like foreign born persons who immigrate to the United States, becoming a citizen is just the beginning of the process. In fact, the appropriate approach to becoming a citizen is to diligently study and learn about your new country so that you are continually more knowledgeable and useful in making your new country great. I was speaking with a friend yesterday and his wife is from Germany. She has lived here several years and within the past week she, along with 88 other persons from 38 different countries, became a US citizen. There are rights and privileges with citizenship, but let us not overlook that there are responsibilities too.

Citizenship in the Kingdom of God also has rights, privileges, and responsibilities. Fortunately, Jesus promised that citizens of God’s Kingdom would have a helper, the Holy Spirit, Who would live within each and every person who puts their faith in Him. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity of God. The Holy Spirit knows God’s heart and His unique purpose for each person in the Kingdom. It is incumbent upon us to learn how to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit if we are to be good citizens in our new Kingdom.

Because of the unique nature of God’s Holy Spirit living within every believer, we have the potential of living life differently or set apart. While we live in a natural world that does not fully embrace the principles of the Kingdom of God, we are still able to live these kingdom principles through the power of the Holy Spirit. The definition of holy is set apart unto God. That is what we as members of the Kingdom of God are called to be – holy or set apart unto God. While it would be wonderful if every person immediately manifested the radical transformation from self-centered to God centered that occurs when they meet Jesus, submit to His Lordship, and become citizens of the Kingdom of God, it usually is a process. Oh, a spiritual transaction takes place immediately. Our eternal destination is flipped in an instant when we give our lives to Christ. The Holy Spirit is given to every person at salvation as God’s internal guide to truth. But the process of replacing old habits and thought patterns takes a bit longer. In fact the process of sanctification will last the rest of our earthly lives.

One of the truly amazing things though about the sanctification process is that it not only changes us individually, but it transforms society around us. When we look at the march of “civilization”, the good and wonderful elements of society today have been brought forth through people living out their faith in God, i.e. the Kingdom of God. There was a time when orphans were simply abandoned by society until Christians saw the need, responded, and began taking these children in and giving them love and places to live, eventually developing orphanages. Hospitals for the public at large were begun by Christians seeing a need and responding. Throughout history, the frontlines of the undeveloped world has seen the Kingdom of God as the first outreach. Missionaries bring the Gospel and essential practical care in the form of schools, medical care, agricultural aid, and general parenting knowledge.

The world today exists in the between stage. There is still much evil that exists. We’ll discuss the World, the Flesh, and the Devil at a later date, but suffice to say their influence in the world is still strong and the ramifications of that influence are decidedly negative. But God has a people, the Church, who are also members of the Kingdom of God. We are dual citizens if you will. While we live on the earth we have an opportunity, actually we have a responsibility, to live as change agents. But it all emanates from our intimacy with our Father God and obedience to the prompting of His Holy Spirit. Jesus taught His disciples to pray knowing that we, His followers 2000 years later would also pray that prayer. But prayer is to be two-way communication. When we pray, we must also listen to hear His response. As we listen we will hear Him say, “Go, show my kingdom to them today.”

God bless you my friend.

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A Mt Pilatus Mountain Top Experience

Posted in Beautiful Places, God, God Stories, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Photography, Prayers, The Father, Worship, tagged fog, guidance, mountain top, natural beauty, Prayer, repentance, Travel, Trust on July 16, 2017| 2 Comments »

Good Morning or Guten Morgen as we are docked in Kel, Germany this morning as we awake. I have had a challenging time keeping up with my pictures and posting to you due to the fullness of our schedule. (Also, the number of pics I am taking.) Hopefully now that we are onboard the Longboat Eir on the Rhine River, the pace will slow enough to edit and post a few pics. This morning being Sunday I’d like to post a few pics of our Mt Pilatus excursion and tell a story of affirmation that the Father gave me up on the mountain.

Several weeks ago, my friend Greg shared with me how God powerfully spoke to him one day when in a time of prayer and meditation he asked, “Lord, what would you have me know today?” I was thinking about that a few days later during my prayer time and so I asked the same thing. Upon asking that question I opened my bible and these verses literally jumped out at me.

Proverbs 3:5&6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight. (or direct your steps as I’ve memorized it).

Proverbs 4:4 “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.”

Proverbs 2:7&8 He (the LORD) holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, He guards the course of the just and protects the of His faithful ones.

That has turned into a recurring theme for me in my prayer time since. And our Mt Pilatus adventure was one of three or four times on this trip where the Lord has again affirmed my role of trusting in Him fully and His faithfulness in guiding and leading.
MT PILATUS

The day broke cloudier than forecasted, but as morning warmed, the low clouds dispersed some and sunshine and beautiful blue sky became predominant. Our drive from Zurich to Lucerne revealed the charming Swiss countryside – crisp, clean, and green. While navigating into Lucerne I could see the much higher mountains across the lake were visible on the lower reaches, but shrouded in clouds at the top.

We met our guide, Annette, and boarded the bus to the cable car for the ascent up the mountain. Up to the first and second cable car connections we remained under the clouds and the view became increasingly expansive and majestic. We switched cable cars at around 4000 feet elevation where we were still under the cloud cover, but in deep shade because of them.

The final cable car was a 30- passenger car that swiftly whisked us up from 4000’ to the visitor center near the summit at 6700’. I fly frequently so the sensation of entering the clouds and “white out” is common. However, it was a little disheartening when you are anxiously anticipating the amazing 360-degree view which includes close-ups of the Alps and you exit the cable car to white-out outside and gift shops inside.

The girls headed to the gift shops and Jeff and I wandered outside into the fog. We walked around a bit managing to find a trail to a mini-summit with a cross on it. The picture in the fog was a little hard to see, but we snapped it to show we had “climbed higher”. To add insult onto injury, there were posted placards that showed the amazing view we could be seeing if we weren’t wrapped in the deep fog. I have to admit, I was feeling a little sorry for myself.

I know what some of you may be thinking… “Dan, you are on this amazing trip… you had all the beautiful views on the way up… you are with your wonderful wife on an adventure of a lifetime and you are feeling sorry for yourself? What ingratitude!” Well, you happen to be right.

Fortunately, it was only a little later I realized that for myself. As Jeff and I worked our way down this little path I noticed another path diverting along the mountain top. I took that path off into the fog as Jeff headed to check on the girls.

I’ve learned that for me, as for many people I imagine, it is hard to really focus upon God, to seek His wisdom and guidance, and to clearly hear Him speak to my heart when: 1) I am ungrateful, 2) I am focused upon my own schedule / plan / or goals, or 3) when I am surrounded by to many distractions, like hundreds of other tourists. When I started down that foggy mountain trail, I had given up my goal of seeing the view from the mountain top because there was no view to view. I headed down a trail that the crowds either didn’t know of or care about.

As I trudged with my camera in hand I felt my heart softening as I realized what I have mentioned above. I was not where I wanted to be in my heart. The reality that the God of the Universe loves me and has provided bountifully for me began to fill my awareness. I repented of my self-centeredness. I moved into thanking the Father for the many wonderful blessings He has provided to me and the ones I love. Then I began praying for family, friends, my Radmen friends, and others whom I knew God was going to send across my path.

As I am sure many of you have experienced, I felt a weight lift. My soul was lifted as I turned my heart toward our good, good Father. And I hiked through the fog with an uplifted spirit. After a little while I noticed a couple young Swiss ladies hiking up from down below. I asked how far down until I could be below the clouds. Through their minimal English (and my non-existant German) I understood it was several hundred meters. I prayed asking the Lord to guide me whether to hike down or not. I sensed to stay the course, so instead of hiking down I exchanged pictures with them and continued along the path in the fog.

The next 10 – 15 minutes of hiking the rugged mountain trail in the fog was delightful. I had given myself over to accepting whatever opportunity I was provided to meet people and love them with Jesus’ love. I remember whispering one little prayer, “Lord, I’d love to see some of the view from up here.” But that prayer was uttered from a place of complete surrender. Whether the fog lifted or not, I was satisfied the Lord would do what was best.

I stepped into the gift shop to find girls and then a water closet and when I stepped out I was shocked – I could see all the way across the patio… and even the near-by summit that had been completely shrouded in fog the entire day. I quickly hustled out with camera in hand and snapped a few pictures. I saw the trail to the highest peak beside me and I quickly headed up the final 300 feet toward the now- visible summit. I had not gone far before the clouds began to close in again. I realized I had gotten exactly what I had asked for although now having a taste, desire for more sprang up tempting me back into the self-centered funk I had been in earlier.

“NO! God, you have been good to me. Lord, I thank you for the glimpse that you have given me. It was beautiful. And I loved the fact that across on the summit opposite me there was a cross.”

I remembered at that moment that our guide explained how the mountain got it’s name. Surprisingly it is named after Pontius Pilate. It seems that when he died, no one was willing to take his remains. So, they brought them to this mountain and threw them in a lake. The irony that on the mountain where Pontius Pilate’s remains may lie, there is a beautiful cross just resonated God’s greatness.

At that moment, I sensed the Holy Spirit whisper, “Do you trust me?”

“Yes, Lord, I trust you”

At that moment, for about 3 seconds, a single ray of light broke through the cloud and illuminated me and the trail where I was standing. While that thrilled me, I sensed I was to hike on to the top. The clouds quickly swirled back around me, but I pressed on. In less than 5 minutes I was at the top. As I arrived the clouds opened again for about 3 minutes. I did something a little uncharacteristic for me. Instead of whipping up my camera and snapping dozens of shots, I moved from side to side soaking it in and praising God. I did get a few shots before the clouds completely settled back in, but I mainly just worshipped.

There was one other thought that I believe was a gift from the Lord. One of the shots that you will see is of the cross on the other summit. It was clearly seen when I first got to the top, but I didn’t take the picture until it was almost obscured again. I was a little sad when the fog closed back in and I couldn’t see the cross. That was when the Holy Spirit spoke to me again. “Do not worry. Like that cross which is still there even though you don’t see it, I am always with you.”

The start of the first chair lift in Kriens.

Two happy tourists – our daughter Rhiannon and my photography padewan, Jeff. He’s also our son-in-law.

Just getting started. About 1500 – 2000 feet up I believe.

Just about to enter the first cable house. Still 15 minutes to go in this car.

The distance from cable house one to cable house two where we exited to the final cable car.

View back to cable car house one. You can see the Swiss central highlands spread out past Lake Lucerne.

Cable Car house two and our first exit. Elevation about 4000 feet and just under the clouds.

This high valley had a ropes course, a toboggan ride, and other extreme sports activities. We had to wait about 10 minutes for the 30 person cable car to the top.

Sign showing our trip.

In the 30 passenger cable car heading out from the station.

Last view before going into the clouds.

This was one of the clearer shots when we first arrived. These horns were so mournful when we hiked around and could hear the sound in the deep fog. One other remembrance – when the fog lifted, the guy was playing Amazing Grace. I don’t know if he started before or after the fog lifted, but it was so cool.

Jeff as we head up to the mini-summit.

Jeff at the foot of the cross.

Me at the cross. See how deep the fog is. This was true for almost the entire first hour we were up here.

Look how steep the “not steep” side of the trail was. We were a good ways into the alpine region above the tree-line.

I am on the steep side of the mountain. The Swiss girls took my picture for me.

This was what I saw when I came out of the water closet. That is the mini-summit where Jeff and I had hiked about an hour earlier.

Another shot during the first brief opening in the clouds.

View over the gift shop during the first opening, but as the clouds were sweeping back in.

View at the highest point I hiked to on Mt Pilatus – summit Esel at 2118 meters or 4000 feet.

The entire moutaintop at the clouds begin to settle back in.

Summit Tomlishorn, a little higher at 2138 meters. This is where the cross I mention in the story is. This is my wide angle lens so it is so far away it is hard to see.

The cross on the summit of Tomlishorn, the highest peak of Mt Pilatus.

Heading back down the trail, confident that God is always with me. Just like that cross that I could no longer see because of the fog, yet I know is still there, God is with me and with you even when the fog of trials, challenges, and difficulties arise.

The cog-railway we rode down. It has the steepest incline of any railway in the world with one section at a 48 degree descent.

Final view of the mountain top from the cog railway on the ride down.

Friends, it was thrilling. In fact, I guess it qualifies as a mountain top experience – twice over!

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