Our tools need sharpening

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sharpening tool 2

Yesterday was Yom Kippur – the holiest day of the Jewish faith.  It is a day of Atonement – a day to look inward and realize how far we have come and how far we have to go.  It is a day of fasting and reflection for Jews, so much so that Israeli was attacked on this Holiday in 1973 because their attackers knew that the country basically shuts down on this day.  (That has changed.)  It got me to wondering how anyone can be a Christian and also be anti-Israel.  These are God’s first people – meaning that when they were the first nation to put God first.  And in doing so, the nation of Israel became God’s tool to change the ancient world – literally.  (Through Israel comes Christ, through Christ comes Christianity; through Christianity comes the conversion of the pagan Roman Empire.)

 His tool, sort of like America before we began to put God aside.  If you objectively look at the history of our country, and track the level of our outward reverence for God versus our ‘status’ and role in international affairs, you see an undeniable correlation between the two.  The high moral points of our War for Independence, the Civil War and abolition of slavery and the World Wars, these were times when our nation was unmistakably ‘under God’.  Think of this formative part of our nation’s history as God sharpening His tool for its use in saving the world from its greatest threat – Totalitarian Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan.  There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Continue reading →

The Cause for Earthly Suffering

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jesus-compassion

A little over three years ago, our brother, Guy, died after a two year struggle with cancer.  It was a heart-breaking experience.  During that time, it was extremely difficult to reconcile a loving God with such a tragic experience.  It still is today.  Each day literally millions of people will receive heart-breaking news.  It has been that way for as long as man has been on this earth.  So have the questions, ‘Why do these things happen?’  ‘Why does there need to be suffering and pain, death and disease?’  ‘How does God, our loving Father, permit His children to suffer?’  There has been and will continue to be a lot of discussion, theories and rationale put forward over time in an effort to answer these questions.  I have read a lot of it – both in the Bible (Job and elsewhere) and just by searching on the internet.  Most certainly much more astute and theologically correct than what I might ever say here.  But there is one path of thought that I have used since the death of my brother that has given me tremendous comfort.  I will do my best to lay it out now, knowing that we can never be certain as to Continue reading →

All of me

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all_this_could_be_yours

Recently I did something that I should not have.  It was improper, immoral and something for which I am remorseful.  It came out of the blue and belies most of the Christian teachings that I strive to live.  Now some would say, if they knew what it was, that it’s not a big deal.  However, it is certainly something that I would not do it in the window of Macy’s, neither would I want my kids to witness it.  But I did it nonetheless.  And most significantly (as a Christian) I know that it was done in God’s presence.  So why would I do something that I would never do in front of my kids, or friends, or even a stranger, but do it in the presence of God?

Initially I felt that maybe it was because I still do not believe that I was (or ever am) truly in God’s presence.  Non-belief is always a possibility.  But I truly do believe in the Lord’s presence. (I am always calling out to Him during the day for His strength and guidance.)  So I thought a little more.  Well, maybe it’s because I know that no matter what I have done, or ever will do, God has already forgiven me because I have made His Son my Lord and Savior:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight…EPH1:7, 8

But wait.  Maybe it is just a reminder that I am definitely not where I need to be, and the next time I am feeling a little cocky about what good guy I am, this will come back to haunt me.  That’s certainly more likely.  Or, maybe it was simply the earthly power of satan doing a number on my soul…hmmmm…could be.  (Somehow, this one seemed the least concerning to me.)   Or it could be ‘E’ – All of the above.

Bottom Line is that transformation is Continue reading →

Mary’s Song

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Mary Mag3

Every now and then a song gets into my head and there it lives.  I have had the song, ‘Alive’ by Natalie Grant posted on the Video of the Moment for a couple of weeks now.  If you have not listened to it, take the time to do so now <Click Here>, and go through the lyrics below.  It chokes me up.   Every time I listen to it I get chills.   Not easy for a 56 year old man to admit, but it does. Then I learned that it was also made part of collection called, Music Inspired by THE STORY.  ‘THE STORY’ being that of our salvation.  Each song has a subtitle that relates it to a part of the Bible narrative.  This particular song is subtitled (Mary Magdalene).  I am not sure that Natalie wrote it specifically with MM in mind – but now go back and read those lyrics – and picture her at His feet as she first realizes that the Resurrection is real!  (Here come are those chills again.)

Who but You, Could breathe and leave a trail of galaxies, And dream of me?

What kind of love, Is writing my story till the end, With Mercy’s Pen?
Only You,
What kind of King, Would choose to wear a crown,
that bleeds and scars, To win my heart,
What kind of love, tells me I’m the reason He can’t stay,
Inside the grave,
You, is it You?
Standing here before my eyes, Every part of my heart cries,
Alive, Alive,
Look what mercy’s overcome, Death has lost and love has won,
Alive, Alive,
Hallelujah, Risen Lord, the only One I fall before
I am His because He is,
Alive,
Who could speak, and send the demons back from where they came,
with just one name?
What other heart, would let itself to be broken every time,
until He healed mine?
You, only You,
Could turn my darkness into dawn, running right into your arms,
Alive, Alive,
I am His because He is…
Emmanuel, the Promised King, the baby who made angels sing,
Son of Man who walked with us, Healing, breathing in our dust,
The Author of all history, The answer to all mysteries,
The Lamb of God who rolled away, the stone in front of every grave,
Alive, Alive!

 

Road Trippin’

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road trip

It had been a while since Ellie and I took a road trip on our own.  Road trips are fun.  Last week we got in the car and headed to Taos, NM for a dear friend’s wedding.  Road trips allow you to do things that you don’t necessarily get to do when you are driving to work or the store, or someplace where you have to go.  (Road trips take you places where you want to go.)  Anyway, once we lost good radio reception (I know, we are showing our age here.)  I got to do something I don’t normally do – listen to a whole CD in the car.  The one Ellie picked from the skimpy collection was ‘The Cars’ first album.  It’s a great album – probably one of the top 10 debut albums of all time.

The second half of the album climaxes with the song, All Mixed Up <Click to here>.    I have heard the chorus a hundred times or more, ‘She said to leave it me, everything will be alright.’  It goes on to fade out and then it came to me, that is what God is telling me…and you.  “Leave it to Me.  Everything will be alright.  Trust me.”  Well, that‘s a problem for me – a man, Italian heritage, architect, project manager, father, solver of problems.  It is extremely difficult to leave it to anyone but me – that is what I know best.  What I don’t know best is how to get where God wants me to be – here He knows best.   I need to come to terms with that and just let go, and let God do the driving.  Then I remembered that old Greyhound tag line, “…and leave the driving to us!”  I need to sit back, relax and let the Lord take me where He will.  He’s in the driver’s seat.  Now, the trip may have some detours, traffic, maybe even a breakdown or two…but He knows where we are headed, and we just need to trust the driver.

Back in our car, Ellie driving, me in the passenger seat listening to this album again, drifting off – peacefully along for the ride…Road trips also give you time to think…God at the wheel, driving along, headed for Paradise, taking all who would like along for the ride.

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Things to Come

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Smilely face

The other day we were celebrating a dear friend’s recent marriage.  We were at a local resort, so I had a Mai Tai.  My brother used to drink them (or a Zombie) in similar resort-ish environs, and although I don’t drink often, I adopted the tradition.  Well, then I had a second, and with the atmosphere and the company, I was feeling quite euphoric.

The next day I was reminded that our experiences here on earth are only a faint shadow of what they will be like when we stand in the presence of God.  I have heard some try to describe it:  think of the greatest meal you have ever had, infinitely better; or the most beautiful sunset with colors you would never have imagined; or music the likes of which you have never heard.

Whenever we try to use earthly words, images or experiences to define the divine we have no choice but to fall magnificently short.  So in my euphoria of the previous evening resides just a minuscule glimpse of what lies in store for us when we ‘meet our Maker’.  Take a second to remember the greatest ‘high’ that you ever experienced.  Maybe a love, a birth, a triumph – maybe even a really intense buzz.  Now imagine that God has Continue reading →

…open the doors and see all the people

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When our kids were younger, I unknowingly did them a disservice when it came to the meaning of our attending church. I spent no significant time in explaining what we were doing, where we were going and why.  It became a matter of us ‘taking’ the kids to church versus our family ‘going’ to Church.  You take your kids to the dentist or the doctor, you go to the movies.  (‘Taking’ is not as fun as ‘going’.)   It became a trip to a building, the church, and not ‘Church’, the community.  No wonder they weren’t dragging us out the door on Sunday morning.  Even as they got older I left it up to our church to fill in the gaps of their understanding, where in truth it should have been me.  If I had to do it all over again, I would handle it this way, and Continue reading →

Thou shalt not kill.

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22 weeks

This week, amid much controversy, the Texas legislature modified the conditions under which it is permissible to terminate a pregnancy.  In essence,  limiting how and where a woman might chose to end the viability of the fetus growing in her womb.  Both sides are extremely passionate when it comes to protecting their position.  But, ultimately it has come down to just that – when is it OK to kill an otherwise viable fetus which, in the high majority of cases, would have gone on to be born and live just as you or I have.  Is 20 weeks the cut off? Or, should it be 24 weeks?  Why not 28 weeks?  Should it be in a hospital, or a clinic?  Should these practitioners be required to have hospital admitting privileges, or not?  All details of a decision that has already been made.  Since Roe v. Wade, our courts have decided that there are millions of conditions when it is OK to end life in the womb.

It got me to thinking.  What other of God’s commandments have we taken and qualified to suit our own purposes?  When is it OK to steal?  Is it OK to commit adultery if your spouse has?  Can we bear false witness if it saves a life?  Such is the consequence of free will.  With it comes the unique opportunity to defy law and justify our actions.  But does it make it right?

I used to be on the wrong side of the abortion issue.  I know that God has Continue reading →