Do you really believe?
Lately I’ve been asking myself, am I ready? How about you? Do you really believe that Jesus is coming back? Do you believe He could come back at any minute?
The way you are living your life at this very moment will answer that last question.
Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” Matthew 7:13.
Are you on the narrow path, or will you be like the people in this church on the day He arrives?
Behold He is coming, ready or not!
Rapture from James Mo on Vimeo.
Shalom aleichem
~dl.
Don’t Tell Me That!
It’s cherry season in Kelowna and cherries are one of Kelly’s favorite fruit. Last week we were invited to a friend’s house to pick cherries from their tree. Kelly quickly jumped at the chance, packed a ladder, grabbed the biggest buckets he could find, and off we went. You might have thought Kelly won the lottery by the look on his face. He had a huge smile as he spotted the tree; huge and drooping with cherries.
Picking and eating, Kelly spent the next hour humoring himself by spitting the pits at the birds who were contending for ‘his’ fruit. I humbly suggested Kelly not eat the fruit until we had taken it home and washed it, because our friends had sprayed their tree. Of course Kelly found no wisdom in my words.
Arriving home, content with his harvest, Kelly washed some of his cherries, placed them in a bowl and settled down in front of the television for a feast. While he ate, I picked through the rest of the cherries to discard the rotting ones, and that is when horror struck me. The bowl of cherries was crawling with worms! Worms that reared their ugly little white heads, and appeared to stick their slimy tongues out at me in taunt. I screamed, and to Kelly’s dismay, I yanked the bowl out of his lap. After I explained my actions, Kelly groaned and said, “ AHHH – I wish you never told me that.”
The truth is, even when sprayed, cherries sometimes have worms. It’s one of those things that you don’t really want to know, but once you know, you feel obliged to tell others.
I don’t mean to compare God’s instructions to a bowl full of cherries with worms, but I couldn’t help but laugh the other day as I shared a truth from the Bible with a friend. As I told her about a passage that I had read that morning, my friend covered her ears, groaned, and exhorted – “Don’t tell me – I don’t want to know!” Oddly, I understood exactly what my friend was experiencing.
There are things in the Bible I wish God never said, or at least wish I didn’t know. Things like;
- I’m supposed to be a submissive wife.
- I’m supposed to love my enemies and pray for them.
- I am to honor those who have authority over me: prime ministers, corporate authorities, pastors and yes, parents, even if I don’t agree with them. (Note to wives: husbands are included in that list too.)
- I am to give away ten percent (at least) of my hard earned money to the church, ie: people that I don’t know all that well, so that they can use it in whatever way they deem best, at the same time, I am to deny myself of the pleasures in this world.
Oh and by the way, I am to do all this with joy in my heart and not complaining!
I have a counter-will issue. Show me a rule and I’ll break it. Show me a line and I will cross it. Once, while wrestling with God about what He was telling me I needed to do, I stamped my feet and shouted at Him out loud, just like a little girl might do, “I WISH I NEVER KNEW THIS”!
Sometimes it seems the Bible is taunting – or is that daunting? Maybe both! Living in ignorance to God’s instructions can at times, seem easier. Just as I felt obliged to tell my husband about the worms in his cherries for obvious reasons – the writers of the Bible can be credited for their strong warning to us. Likewise, we have an obligation to tell others the truth, in an act of love!
A person can, unknowingly, pop a cherry full of worms and become ill from the maggot infested fruit. Once you know at least you can make an informed decision.
Just as easily, not knowing the truth can lead us into some dangerous situations. God’s hedge of protection over us can only be found within the walls of His divine will. When we step outside those walls we are on the enemy’s turf. Obedience = Protection.
If you are in Christ, no doubt you have had an experience like I have; where the Word from God’s own lips, as tough as it was to hear, transformed my thinking and saved me from certain destruction.
Will you share God’s word today – even if it isn’t the most welcomed message!
Aleichem Shalom.
~dl.
The new “However-you-want-it” Christianity!
I have a passion for coffee. My intense love for this deliciously brewed warm beverage is quite specific. Not just any coffee will do – it must be really good coffee. Having the realization that there was a difference, that I could have a plain old cup of low quality java – or – I could have really great coffee experience, caused me to decide that as much as it was up to me, I would never be without “good” coffee again.
My favorite morning cup is an Italian roast – sweet and caramelly, with just a hint of smokiness which comes from the way the bean is roasted, dark and darker still. I take my coffee with a bit of cream. Yet, on a warm day there is nothing more enjoyable than to indulge in an iced-latte made with espresso, 1% milk and some, but not too much, ice. My favorite coffee house does not carry one percent milk, however, the mission of that company is to prepare my drink, “However – I – want – it,” so the barista is happy to mix two percent milk with skim milk to personalize my drink for me.
Likewise, this have it your way mentality has slowly infiltrated our churches. To accommodate the variety of work and lifestyles schedules, many churches now offer several worship times for corporate assembly, including Saturdays and Sundays and even a mid-week time.
The Saturday night worship-time is often a popular choice for families with young children, while the “aging” church-going population tends to prefer an earlier Sunday morning gathering. The youth and young-adult generations typically opt for the later Sunday morning or Sunday evening service times. Mid-week often offers a variety of deeper study options.
It is comforting to know that we have alternatives, don’t you think? If we stay out late Saturday night, we can sleep in on Sunday morning and still take in a church service. If we work Sunday, we can go Saturday night and not feel like we have missed our weekly time with God. Of course going to church does not make you a Christian, so missing church completely is fine too.
With declining membership issues churches have gone to the extreme to be culturally relevant, hoping to attract new members. Churches that lean toward the contemporary formats, with seeker-targeted messages and music might make you feel as if you were at a rock concert. Or, if you like it “old-school” – simply attend a service that sticks to older hymns and ‘suit and tied’ preachers with a more solemn message. If neither of those works for ya, there are a growing number of churches calling themselves “Emergent” or “Social” – with comfy couches placed appropriately to promote conversation. The couches help those who are not ready to commit to Jesus to feel welcomed and unjudged and the format is more Q&A, rather than straight from the bible. It is not uncommon to find one church that offers a variety of worship styles.
Our choices are not limited to service times and worship styles; somehow we have even managed to customize Jesus. If we like the Jesus who healed the sick, that’s “our” Jesus. There’s the Jesus who turned water into wine – if you like wine – that’s a good Jesus to have. Of course we all want the Jesus who loves us and forgives unconditionally, and does not require us to change. Some even claim that Jesus is a good role model, but He’s “not” the only way to heaven – there is more than one path.
Can you have your church, your worship experience and your Jesus – “However-you-want it”? My specialty drink usually retails at about $3.50. It’s a lot to pay for coffee, wouldn’t you agree? But, have you ever wondered how much the new, “However-you-want-it,” Christianity is costing us?
Paul answered this question in his letter to Timothy, explaining, “Envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions and constant friction arise between men [women] who are deprived of the truth. 1 Timothy 6:4-5. For further clarification, those whom Paul considered to be missing the truth were:
- Advocates of a different doctrine (than the doctrine of the entire Bible – cover to cover).
Paul explained, these people were only interested in a form of godliness for personal gain. He further described them as people of depraved minds. Ouch! There is a difference between following the entire doctrine of the Bible and following only the actions of Jesus.
The cost of a customized Christianity, you ask? The thought of that number frightens me. Many gone astray from the faith. Paul exhorted, “Hold fast to what has been entrusted to you – avoid worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge.’” 1 Timothy 6:20-21. Grace be with you!
Aleichem Shalom!
~dl.
Looking for Mr. Loophole
I was indignant as I read through an article about a lawyer dubbed “Mr. Loophole.” The British attorney lends fond endorsement to his alias, citing his extraordinary talent for finding the legal technicality to help his clients avoid the consequences of their bad choices as the reason for his own fame.
Some notable moments for Nick Freeman include:
Defending Sir Alex Ferguson who was caught driving on the hard shoulder. Ferguson’s ‘out’ was that he felt nauseous and was merely looking for a restroom.
One business man was acquitted after crashing his car. The man sustained injuries from his accident and was rushed to the hospital. Alcohol was believed to be the cause of the man’s crash, so a blood sample was drawn. Later, the case was dismissed because the medical professional that withdrew the blood was also assisting to the man’s health concerns. The law required that blood testing for a drunk driving suspect be done by a medical practitioner not associated with the drivers care.
In another case a police officer was accused of drunk driving and the lawyer used the improper arresting procedures by the officer’s colleagues, as the means of avoidance.
As to the ethics of what he does, Freeman said, “Morally I can’t justify it, but ethically I can.” Since ethics are based on moral principles, I find this lawyer’s statement a complete contradiction.
Ah – ha! There’s my issue, it’s the contradiction. My annoyance with Mr. Loophole had more to do with the parallel of his story and the dichotomy that has taken place in the past in my own faith journey.
Mr Loophole specializes in motor vehicle infractions. For way too many years my own specialty was finding the loopholes in the Bible. How ‘bout you? Caught up in a world view, I think many of us have devalued at best, and at worst negated, Jesus’ teachings altogether.
Here are some of the trendy inconsistencies between what we think and what the Bible really says.
1) We think, “I want a home that will be a blessing to others. My home, including the granite countertops, the cork floors, the finest appliances, and the beautiful new furniture is a sign of God’s favor over me. Besides, it isn’t a sin to have nice things.”
The truth is, “if you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.”
2) We think, “It is okay for me to tell this story so that others know how to pray for her. Besides, I need to warn others about what she is doing, so they don’t get involved.”
The Truth is, “Gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.” Proverbs 20:19.
3) We think, “I am entitled to my feelings and I’ll forgive when she (or he) proves she is truly sorry for what she did to me. Besides, she needs to know what she did was wrong.”
The Truth is, “Bear with one another, and forgive one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.” Colossians 3:13.
4) We think, “It’s okay for me to continue to drink and party. I’m only doing it so that others will see that it’s cool to be a Christian. Jesus doesn’t care as much about what I do, as long as I have a relationship with Him. Besides, Jesus drank wine didn’t he”?
The Truth is, “do not get drunk with wine, for that is the dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.”
5) We think, “I deserve to be happy. I don’t think Jesus would want me to stay in an unfulfilled marriage. Besides, it isn’t good for our children to be constantly exposed to our fighting.”
The truth is….Jesus was confronted by some of the Pharisees on the legality of divorce. The Pharisees were always trying to trap Jesus by bringing up Old Testament law. They thought they had him once on the issue of divorce, but here is what Jesus said: “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Matthew 19:7&8.
There are other areas where we try to find loopholes. What about “little” white lies, open or same sex marriages, not paying back what you have borrowed from others, or working for cash to avoid the tax man? These are all behavior based. Jesus never missed an opportunity to look beyond a persons’ behavior. He always went straight for the “heart” of the matter.
God wrote one book explaining how our lives would work out best if we chose to follow his loving instructions. There were no built-in loopholes for his plan. Paul said, “If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.” Trust me friend, the prize that Paul spoke of wasn’t a gold medal or a trophy.
Are you looking for the “out?” Jesus, going straight for your heart, would ask, “What is the lie you believe about Me preventing you from trusting ME?
Do you believe Jesus can satisfy all of your needs – or – do you think you still need more of the world? Do you believe God knows what will work best for you – or – do you think He is only trying to coerce you into abiding by a bunch of rules? Chances are, if you are looking for a loophole, you are believing some lie about your sin and/or you have a distorted view of who Jesus is.
Instead of looking for the technicality, try looking for an area of your life that you are not yet willing to trust God with. Then ask God to show you how you can begin trusting Him in that new way.
Aleichem Shalom
~dl
Forgiveness. Have you opened your gift?
In my last blog, Understanding Forgiveness: Part One, we caught a glimpse of God’s “Abundant Pardon” toward us. To summarize, there is nothing you have ever done, nothing you are currently doing, nothing you ever will do, that God cannot forgive.
Though God’s mercy is abundant, forgiveness is a transaction. In an ordinary business deal, a transaction is complete when payment is made in exchange for the delivery of goods. It is the same with forgiveness. Jesus paid the price. He died on the cross so that you could be forgiven and reconciled with God. However, you must receive that forgiveness or the transaction is incomplete.
In my senior high school years, I had a special friend. I wanted to do something really significant for him. I decided to buy a gift for his birthday. I knew the gift had to be something useful, but I also wanted the gift to absolutely “wow” him. I wanted this gift to be something he would never have the means to acquire for himself.
I had no money, but I did have a part-time job. I asked my boss if I could work extra hours on evenings and weekends. My boss agreed, and for the next twelve months I worked as often as I could. In addition, I saved my birthday money, and any extra cash that came my way.
I spent all my free time window shopping and pouring over catalogues, trying to decide on a suitable gift. Near the end of the year I found what I considered to be the perfect gift. It was a power tool. I don’t think I have ever been so excited about buying a gift for anyone. I was ridiculously giddy as I made my purchase.
Long story short, I wrapped the gift in beautiful paper, planned a special dinner, invited guests and carefully thought out what I would say when I gave the gift to him. For months I had been imagining the look on his face, as he opened my special gift. Now the time was finally here. I was shocked, no, devastated by what happened next. When he opened the gift, he showed no signs of enthusiasm. He was completely apathetic. The gift remained at my house, in the half opened box, with the wrapping torn to shreds. Eventually I gave the gift to someone else. I guess he was not able to see the value of the gift.
His response however, did not negate the facts.
That gift cost me a lot more than cash. It was bought and paid for, even though he never took it out of the box. The gift was meant for a specific purpose. It was supposed to benefit him, and if used as it was intended, it could have brought him and many others, great joy.
Sadly, as the gift remained in the box it was rendered useless!
I cannot help but see the parallel between my story, and God’s. The gift God gave us, was far more valuable than the one I chose to give my friend. Forgiveness came at a great personal cost and extreme sacrifice. It came beautifully wrapped in precious human frailty, which was later torn to shreds. Regardless of our response to it, the gift of forgiveness for our sins has been bought and paid for. It’s up to us whether we take it out of the box or not.
For many of us who call ourselves “Christians,” we have often received the gift of God’s forgiveness with apathy or total rejection! It’s apathy when we lack joy in our lives and do not praise God continually, for what Jesus did for us, regardless of our circumstances.
It is rejection, when our lives remain unchanged by the power of His forgiveness. In speaking about the times to come, Paul describes such people to Timothy in this way, “men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, ungrateful, haters of good, …..reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure, rather than God. These people have a form of godliness, (think – church goers, professing to be followers of Jesus) although they have denied it’s power” (those church goers remain unforgiving, unloving, exactly as they were before they met Jesus.) 2 Timothy 3:2-5.
When we are apathetic, or reject God’s forgiveness, we are rendered ineffective, because Christianity hinges on the power of forgiveness.
The transaction of forgiveness is made complete with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s ultimate power tool. When the Holy Spirit lives in us we have all the power we need to live completely different lives. The Holy Spirit enables us to live in obedience to God’s Word, no longer chained to our former thoughts and bad habits. Along with forgiveness, we receive both understanding of who God is, and reconciliation with Him. Forgiveness brings great joy and eternal life, to anyone who accepts it.
So what about you? Have you taken the gift of forgiveness out of the box? Are you walking in obedience, leaving behind your former ways? Have you noticed an increased desire to praise God, regardless of your circumstances? Do have the joy of Christ in you?
You can’t give something away unless you have it to give. Forgiveness is a gift that is meant to be passed on. In my next blog I will begin defining the steps of forgiving others. For now, I hope you will spend some time with God, making sure you understand the value of His gift to you.
Aleichem Shalom
~dl.
Giving Up? The Game’s Not Over Yet!
It was just a silly game of cards, our fiftieth, I believe. Ok, perhaps that number is slightly exaggerated. Taelyn was sick so he had been home from school for many days. Together he and I had played many games of Go Fish. Today was no exception.
We were tied, as we began our third game of the morning. I was ahead with six pairs to Taelyn’s one. I noticed that my lead, at least in part, had contributed to a change in Tae’s attitude. His voice became quiet. He sounded discouraged and his actions became less than enthusiastic. One more pair for me, and Taelyn declared, “game over!” “I quit,” he said. “Quit?” I was surprised. “Why would you quit now, when the game is not over yet?” It didn’t make sense to me. “Because I can’t win.” Taelyn responded.
His assessment of the situation was based on tangible evidence – the mound of cards on my side, and the lack on his. In his mind, it would be impossible to catch up, never mind win. To my son the situation was, in a word, hopeless!
This game had me thinking about more than just a game of cards. We often look at the tangible evidence in our circumstances, and if the odds seem stacked against us, we declare the situation, in a word, “hopeless!” Like Taelyn, when the challenge seems insurmountable to us, we tend to give up before the game is officially over. Yay! Score “another one” for the enemy. Satan is a cheater. He wins because of the false evidence he provides us with. I tell you, nothing makes me angrier!
Ironically, just before my game with Taelyn, I had been praying about a circumstance in my own life. This is a situation I have been praying about for more then ten years, with little sign of hope. I have to admit, I have grown weary many times. I shared my frustration with God this morning. I told Him I was about ready to give up! I asked God to give me a clear sign, or at the very least, some encouragement to go on.
God used the game of Go Fish, and my conversation with Taelyn to answer my prayer. God reminded me of Biblical figures like Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Moses, David and more. In each of their lives there were situations that appeared impossible. I couldn’t help but smile when I realized, if they had not trusted God, they would have missed the divine victory. I heard my words ringing loudly in my own ears. “Quit? Why would you quit now? The game is not over yet!”
Before you quit, consider these questions:
1) What are you about to give up? If it is nothing more than a silly card game, then go ahead – give up! BUT, and I ask this in total humility, are you quitting simply because you are worn out?
Do you feel like you will never get a handle on your debt? Do you doubt that your children will come to faith in Jesus? Are some of your relationships, maybe even your marriage, appearing hopeless? Are you battling an addiction? Perhaps worse than all of these, are you thinking of aborting your own faith walk with Jesus, because it is just too difficult. If you feel hopeless – DO NOT GIVE UP YET!
2) What were you expecting? A game without opposition? If you don’t have an opponent, there is likely nothing at stake. A.J. Coyner said, “Christianity does not provide a supernatural cure for suffering; it provides a supernatural use of it.” Your opponent wants you to believe your situation is hopeless. If it is not impossible, would you even have a need for God?
3) Will you miss a divine victory if you give up now? As hard as it may be to keep going at times, quitting, going back, often leads to bigger heartache and disaster.
Because Abraham and Sarah trusted God, they were blessed at a very old age, with the birth of Isaac. Abraham also became the Father of the whole Israelite Nation, through the birth of Isaac. In spite of all the hopeless situations Joseph found himself in, he continued to trust God. Because of Joseph’s faithfulness, God used him to prevent all of the Israelites and the Egyptians from starving to death. Moses never gave up in his battle against the Pharaoh, so the Israelites were set free from their captivity, and eventually made it into the promised land. Because of David’s courage, he fought Goliath and won. Jesus became part of the lineage of David. Every difficult situation has a God glorifying ending - if you finish the game.
Romans 5:3-5 [NASB] reminds us, “but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (emphasis mine.)
Today I faced my own situation, with new resolve. Today Taelyn won at the game of Go Fish. What are you hoping for? May the hope that does not disappoint, be poured out in your heart today.
The game’s not over yet!
Aleichem Shalom.
dl.
