A Spiritual IEP (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you are disqualified.
2 Corinthians 13:5

An IEP is an acronym for Individual Educational Plan. IEP’s are mandated by federal law and defines the educational goals and objectives for a child with special needs, facilitating the steps needed to be taken to ensure that the child achieves these stated goals and objectives. Regularly scheduled meetings occur during the school year and the participants involve one or both parents, the student’s teachers, a representative of the school district with expertise in special education. Other individuals, including legal counsel, may be included at the behest of the school, parents, or both. When the IEP is successful, a child with special needs can meet and often exceed the stated objectives and goals. When unsuccessful, the IEP can be a focal point of frustration and a trigger to assign blame to school educators.

What if there were a spiritual IEP that each of us had to participate in at least once a year? In addition to our pastors, we could have our spouse, our children, our employers or fellow co-workers, and close friends. We would review the spiritual goals that were outlined from the previous meeting. We would have objective measures to determine whether the goals were met. Suggestions could be made to find ways to facilitate achieving unmet goals. New goals could be established if prior goals were met.

Does this sound intimidating? The Holy Spirit, though the Apostle Paul, instructs us to examine and test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. To what measures could we hold ourselves accountable? While we could have objectives measures such as church attendance, participation in a small group, our time spent reading the Bible, none of these is a true measure of our faith. There are people who participate in all the before mentioned activities but may not be a believer or be a believer who has backslidden and has drifted from the pure milk of God’s teaching, leading a carnal life. No, to truly test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith needs to be much deeper and intimate than external actions. The true test must examine our heart in the light of God’s Word. Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21).

Where do our thoughts drift when we are alone, when we are in pain, when we are happy? Does Jesus Christ penetrate our very essence so that in everything we do, everywhere we go, and with everyone we meet? Our Lord Jesus Christ understood the necessity of humbling Himself, taking all prayers and thoughts to God the Father. His path of perfect obedience took Him to the cross and the glory of the resurrection. A story is told of the great english preacher Charles Spurgeon. Once when he was crossing the street with his colleagues, he stopped in the middle of the street, and began praying. After a few minutes, he proceeded to finish crossing the street. His concerned colleagues asked him why did he endanger himself by stopping in the middle of the street. Spurgeon replied, "A cloud came between my soul and Christ, and I could not remain there even long enough to reach the other side of the street."

That is a tremendous example of a humble faith and submission to God! May God bless all of us as we seek to understand His word and be obedient to His calling. Submit yourself to a spiritual IEP and find where your true treasure lies. AMEN!

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

Whee! (Psalm 37:4)

God’s Creation always has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it?

This seemingly ordinary tree is not quite what it seems to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1la5c48oT4

“Whee!” I love the glee in the observer’s voice in the background of the video.

Don’t you love the way God reveals the unexpected in His creation? He takes a seemingly ordinary event and brings out the extraordinary. It  is all there if you only take the time to stop and observe. God loves to have us delight in Him and His Creation!

Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

Have you ever stopped to think just how much more amazing your life would be if you completely gave yourself to God, delighted in God, and let Him have His way with you? If it was anyone else other than God, that would be a frightening proposal. But with God, He would not only care for you, He would bless you beyond anything you could ever imagine!

Perhaps you think your life thus far is fine. After all, you may reason, you have been able to succeed this far in life without God. But our understanding of God’s blessings is limited and finite. Whether we chose to believe it or not, God is always working in our lives. And when we truly allow our lives to be directed by God by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He will give us the desires of our heart.

And when this happens, a gleeful, “Whee!” will hardly begin to describe our absolute joy as God does the unexpected and unimagined in our life!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

Blessings with Aloha!

The Other Left (Jonah 4:11)

I love dancing, watching it and even doing it. However, I am not very coordinated and probably even worse at following directions. These two faults can combine for some serious mishaps when learning a new dance step.

Dance Instructor: “Ok, so move to your left.”
Me: “Like this?”  as I move to the right.
Dance Instructor: “No, I mean the other left!”

Fortunately, I have a forgiving wife who is an excellent dancer and partner. But my lack of direction leads to conflict, not only on the dance floor, but when I am taking directions when I am driving and my wife is navigating.

And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left —and much livestock?”
Jonah 4:11

This last verse in the Book of Jonah records the bleak spiritual desolation of the people of Nineveh. It was a state that was so extreme, they could not discern the difference between their right and left hand. This may have been hyperbole but the notoriety of Nineveh's cruelty and debauchery were well known. Their lack of direction and ignorance of their sins led to God’s wrath and judgment. 

Jonah was sent to preach a message of repentance to the citizens of Nineveh. We all know the story. Jonah disobeyed God and went in the opposite direction. But God had other plans for him and sent a great fish to swallow him. Only after praying and repenting did God spare Jonah and command the fish to vomit him onto the shore. Jonah goes to Nineveh and preaches to the people. To Jonah’s surprise and disdain, the people repent and seek God’s forgiveness and mercy.  God accepts their repentance and spares the entire city. But Jonah was angry and bitter that God did not carry out His threat to destroy Nineveh. In the end, God had to remind Jonah that in spite of their evil, He wanted to give the entire city a chance to repent, turn from their sins, and seek His forgiveness.

We may think that our sins are never as bad as some of the sins committed by characters in the Bible. And yet, we sometimes blur the distinction between right and wrong. We may conveniently explain or justify our sins as behavioral issues or due to genetics and heredity. When we begin to apply these explanations to our sins, we begin to lose our spiritual discernment. In a sense, we cannot discern between our right and left.

Our spiritual discernment can only come from accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is never too late to do this. And when you do, God will always welcome you and begin the transformation to make you more like His Son, Jesus Christ.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

It's Time for Showdown! (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I would never want to be engaged in a debate or argument with God. First of all, does anyone seriously think they would win an argument with God? As futile as that may seen, many have tried. Recall that vivid scene in the movie, Forrest Gump, when Lieutenant Dan Taylor, played by Gary Sinise, was perched in the crow’s nest of his shrimp boat in the middle of a hurricane, shaking his defiant fist at the sky, and maniacally laughing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZH9ebAZouk

“C’mon! You call this a storm? It’s time for a showdown! You and me! I’m right here! You’ll never sink this boat!”

I suppose in his own mind, Lt. Dan felt he won the argument because he survived the storm. But it is easy to win an argument with God when you set the parameters. Making God a straw man will always guarantee you a victory. But if God were to truly engage you in a debate or argument, it would be over before it even began.

For some, challenging God is the ultimate test of strength and will. But unless you are truly willing to challenge God on His terms, it is likely you will always win. How convenient! And how wrong you would be!

Job thought he knew the answers but was humbled by God in the end. Paul was convinced that he was right in persecuting the early Christians until Jesus directly intervened in his life and showed him the truth.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

A showdown with God? We only exist because of God’s mercy toward us. God hates sin and all of us are sinners, which separates us from God. But thanks be to God that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to reconcile man with His Creator. And if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our final showdown with God will end in victory, because God is now on our side! He is not our adversary but our Heavenly Father who has adopted us as His own children!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Snatching Defeat From Victory (1 Peter 4:12-14)

Some people I meet have an extremely negative view of life.   When everything is seemingly going well, they find a way to throw a monkey wrench into the situation and make it a downer, for themselves and everyone around them. It is an outlook that views the world through smoke-filled, rather than rose-colored glasses.  It is more than pessimism, perhaps even more than fatalism or defeatism.

In essence, they are snatching defeat from victory.

By expecting the worse in every situation, these individuals can make sure their lowered expectation are always met, allowing them to move forward in life.

How very different was the attitude of the Apostle Peter! He was beaten for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, but note his reaction.

And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Acts 5:40-41

And why could he rejoice when seemingly the worst outcome had just occurred? Many years later, Peter wrote the following in one of his epistles...

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
1 Peter 4:12-14

A person with a very negative view of life would easily have been discouraged by the trials that Peter and the rest of the Apostles faced. But Peter chose to focus upon the Glory of God rather than the despair of man!

If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you already have the victory. Any seeming defeat is a way that God will reveal His glory to you.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

No Get Cut Off From God! (John 3:16)

God wen get so plenny love an aloha fo da peopo inside da world, dat he wen send me, his one an ony Boy, so dat everybody dat trus me no get cut off from God, but get da real kine life dat stay to da max foeva.

Wha?????

One more time...in English!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

This is John 3:16, one of most beloved and quoted verses in the Bible. It is the Gospel condensed into one sentence. It has been translated into nearly every language. And now, it is in Pidgin English!

For those who grew up in the islands of Hawaii, Pidgin English is the local dialect, a fusion of English, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino. It is replete with its own grammatical structure and syntax, its own unique vocabulary, and a very distinctive accent! Like many locations in the country, these local dialects may sometimes be the only way to effectively communicate.

I would occasionally read to my friends, familiar Bible phrases in Pidgin English to elicit a laugh. But this all changed when God intervened. A friend who grew up in Hawaii and is a seeker was enamored of the Pidgin English Bible. She was enjoying her time reading the Bible and, for the first time in her life, was beginning to understand the message that God has for all us-salvation is only through His Son Jesus Christ!

Praise God that His Word is not bound by language, culture, or history. It is the Truth and speaks to everyone and everywhere. God gives us plenny love an ALOHA!

Blessings with Aloha to da max foeva!

Walk by Faith Not Sight-Biology and Medicine (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

Medicine approaches the patient at many different levels.

An internist will take a history and perform a physical exam. A radiologist can procure an image of a disease and analyze it with varying radiation and magnetic frequencies. A surgeon may hold a diseased organ in his hands and attempt to repair it or remove it. But only under the microscope, can one truly understand the intricacies of the disease. At the microscopic level, the disease process is laid bare. We can observe how a disease can wreak havoc on the body, how it can spread to other organs, and how the body attempts to fight off the disease with its immune system. As sophisticated as we may be in describing and understanding what is happening, there is a gap. We may able to describe what is happening, but can we truly understand why?

As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Ecclesiastes 11:5

The more one understands the biology of life and medicine, the more mysterious it becomes. And is it any wonder? God created it and designed all life to give glory to Him.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

Our faith is trusting in the God who created life, not trusting in the mechanisms of life.

Aloha blessings!

We Had a Deal! (Proverbs 11:4)

“We had a deal!”
“Your money can't save you anymore than it can save me!”
From Titanic, the Movie

There are many memorable lines from the movie Titanic. Most of us can quote and reenact them like, “I’m the king of the world!”. The above quotes were the rejection of Cal Hockley’s frantic attempts to buy a seat on a lifeboat. Yes, the old adage is true, money can’t buy everything.

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 11:4

The only deal that matters in the end is one that you make with God. No position, prestigious schooling, or amount of money in your bank account will ever matter with God. Why should it? There is nothing you can offer to God that He does not already have in infinite abundance. Nothing, except one thing, your faith.

You want a deal? Trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Believe upon the power of His death and resurrection and you will be saved. Your money can’t save you anymore. Only Jesus Christ can!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

Zit 1 and Zit 2 (Psalms 60:4)

I know a dermatologist who has personalized license plates on his two cars; they are appropriately entitled “Zit-1” and “Zit-2”.

Even a casual drive will reveal a number of personalized license plates. Some are emblematic of the driver’s occupation. Others are silly statements meant to evoke a chuckle. Still others are a declaration of love for their hobbies or another. And some, are completely indecipherable! And perhaps this is what the owner intended! Whatever the reason, it is a great expression of individuality, on display for every driver to see.

You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth.
Psalms 60:4

God also gives His banner, His stamp of individuality upon everyone who believes in Him. And He gives something much greater than a personalized license plate. He gives us His Holy Spirit, His seal of approval and acceptance.  If you are a believer, God has separated you to be an ambassador of faith to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all who are able to listen.

A personalized license plate may help you declare your uniqueness to the rest of the world. But the mark of a true individual is when we allow our identity to be defined by our relationship with God!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Stop My Bananas from Turning Brown! (Luke 6:17-19)

These past two years, I have been a participant in my daughter’s science projects. Generations of students from middle school through high school have partaken in this annual event. As the students prepared their protocols and outlines for their projects, one question, that each student needed to answer, has always given me pause, “How does your project benefit society?”

I don’t think we had such lofty goals in mind as we selected our project! As I perused some of the other students’ projects, I continue to be astounded by the sophistication of the projects and the accompanying analysis. Indeed, I can definitely see the merit and benefit to society with some of their projects.  Admittedly, we were sometimes seeking a project that was simple and reasonably interesting. Benefits to society? Yes, I suppose one can make a compelling case for the societal benefits of determining which packaging will best retard the browning of bananas or what music is played at fast food restaurants. But is it on the same scale as a device that can detect blood borne parasites?

The dilemma lies in how we define societal needs and benefits. We are daily faced with choices as to how to best utilize our time, talents, and money to help others. And there are no right or wrong choices. One person’s needs may seem insignificant to another but to that person, the need is very real and distressing.

When Jesus Christ walked this earth, thousands crowded around Him, in earnest expectation to be healed. The Bible records many instances of healing, but certainly not all instances. Was Jesus able to heal everyone and attend to everyone’s needs?

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
Luke 6:17-19

Jesus was fully God; He was also fully man and limited by some of the same physical and temporal constraints that we all face. Perhaps there were times when He had to chose whom He would heal. Thankfully, the choices that He made were not biased by the kinds of prejudices or preconceptions to which I fall victim. Jesus’ choices were sovereign and perfect, directed only by God the Father, and independent of all other opinions. Although He may not have physically healed every person that came to Him, we do know that Jesus was concerned with spiritually healing each person in attendance. His healing was always accompanied with preaching of the Good News of God’s salvation. He gave His message of love and salvation to all who would be willing to listen.

Our needs are objective but the importance and significance may be subjectively interpreted by others. Thanks be to God who knows all of our true needs and invites us to come to Him with these burdens.

Trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Every one of our needs is important to Him and He will always take the time to comfort us.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

We're Like A Superhero! (Hebrews 13:21)

Last week Sunday, I was treated to a visit and tour of Palos Verdes Fire Station #106. What a thrill it was to meet these true heroes, who daily lay their lives on the line for all of us. The Captain who gave us this tour had been at many different stations throughout Southern California and held nearly every position a firefighter could hold, including functioning as a liaison to the public.

“We’re like a superhero! Each one of us has their speciality and when we come together, we’re unstoppable!”

Indeed! All of us swelled with pride as we witnessed the teamwork at the station. From daily training paramedical updates, to doing mechanical repairs on their equipment, to maintaining their bodies in peak physical condition; they were like a superhero!

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21

The Captain’s words reminded me of the promise of God through His Word. If we place our faith in Jesus Christ and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, He will make us complete so that we have all the resources we will ever need to do His will on this earth.

We salute the brave men and women of our Palos Verdes Fire Station! They are as close to a real life superhero we will ever meet. But God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, has enabled us to be more than conquerors as we live our lives. We, too, can be like a superhero, empowered by faith in our Almighty God.

Amen!

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

They'll Never Leave! (Psalms 41:9)

I have been blessed to have worked with some very outstanding individuals. In all instances, they were loyal employees who sacrificed a great deal for the companies for which they were employed. In nearly all instances, the president of each company felt they would always stay on. “Oh, they’ll never leave!” he would proudly exclaim.

And yet, I distinctly recall two very high profile employees, both in senior management, leaving our companies and going to our direct competitors, right after this statement was made about them. I never discussed the departures with the president, but I didn’t have to. The disappointment was evident in the president’s face and voice.

There was a feeling of betrayal. In both instances, the relationship went beyond an employer-employee, a friendship had developed. And now, salt was in the wound as this trusted friend had gone over to the competitor.

Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Psalms 41:9

King David understood the pain of being betrayed by those whom he loved and trusted. Even his own son rebelled against him and usurped his kingdom.  David could have spent his life wallowing in self-pity or lashing out at those around him, projecting his anger and humiliation upon others. Instead, David turned to God and laid his pain and burden before Him.

As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And set me before Your face forever.
Psalms 41:12

It is not easy to recover from any relationship which is marred by betrayal. But God does not ask you to do it on your own efforts. He asks you to give it up to Him and allow Him to deal with the situation. He will uphold your integrity and give you the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Cue the Music Crescendo! (John 11:43-44)

Ever watch a silent movie? Many years ago, I attended a special showing of a classic silent movie. What made this showing unique was the theater where the movie was projected had music performed live by an organist, exactly as it would have been done during the original showing. It was quite an experience, hearing the swells of the organ matching the movie plot. The anxious expressions of the actors were complemented by the growing tension in the music. And then, at the climax of the movie, the organ music crescendoed into a final catharsis! Wow! Modern movie soundtracks owe so much to these pioneers of movie soundtrack production!

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “ Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “ Loose him, and let him go.”
John 11:43-44 (NKJV)

Whenever I read this entire passage of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44), I always hear background music playing. I hear the slow, solemn notes when Jesus learns of His friend Lazarus’ sickness. I hear the pace of the music quicken as he journeys toward Bethany. The music turns mournful as Jesus speaks to Martha and Mary. It diminishes to a whisper as Jesus stands outside Lazarus’ tomb and weeps.

And then...slowly, inexorably, the music builds to a crescendo as Jesus prays before the entire crowd and raises Lazarus from the dead! Can you hear it?

This miracle was the last of the seven miracles that the Apostle John recorded in his Gospel. All seven miracles were recorded so...that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31) (NKJV)

When we read the Bible, a soundtrack may be missing. But God uses the music of our lives as the background to the most amazing and stupendous story you will ever read. There may be no sound, but there is a soundtrack. You simply have to be willing to hear it and listen. And for all believers, the music crescendo will be cued when we die, pass from this life, and enter into the blessed presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

What a marvelous Savior we serve!

Blessings with Aloha!

Dr. John Dreisbach (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

Dr. John Dreisbach was a medical missionary who spent most of his life on the missionary field in Africa. From the time he was a child, Dr. Dreisbach knew he wanted to dedicate his life as a missionary. He went to medical school and completed training as an general and orthopedic surgeon. He met his future wife, Bettie, at a Bible study when she declared to the group that she wanted to go to Africa to be a missionary. Beginning in 1948, the Dreisbachs dedicated their entire lives as missionaries.

In 1987, Dr. Dreisbach was on a brief sabbatical from Africa and was assigned to Ponape, an island in Micronesia. He was one of three physicians from the United States providing healthcare to the island natives. I was a fourth year medical student and spent two months in Ponape doing family medicine. It was there I had an opportunity to work directly with Dr. Dreisbach. Dr. Dreisbach also served as the visiting pastor for the only Baptist church on the island and preached every Sunday morning.

The Dreisbachs were very kind to me during my stay in Ponape, inviting me to their home and giving me an intimate look into their life’s work. One evening after one of Bettie’s wonderful home cooked meals, I sat through nearly two hours of a slide show that chronicled their many years in Africa. During this time, he trained hundreds of medical officers and led thousands to Christ. Dr. Dreisbach helped to build at least 10 hospitals. He ordered books and tools from the Sears catalogue and taught himself carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and electrical wiring so that he could literally construct these hospitals himself. Dr. Dreisbach developed an innovative surgical tendon transfer that replaced leprosy damaged tendons with healthy tendons from another part of the patient’s body, allowing patients to use their limbs once again. Surgeons from all over Africa and Europe would visit to learn from him. The Dreisbachs saw as many as 300 patients a day with Bettie, a nurse, assisting with the triage. One or two days a week, Dr. Dreisbach would operate. On Sundays, Dr. Dreisbach would preach. After the service, he would visit neighboring villages to spread the Gospel.

The movie, Beyond the Night, focused on part of his time in Africa. As I watched this movie a few years ago, I was struck by the accuracy of the depiction of the working conditions that they both endured. One scene vividly recalled a memorable slide showing Dr. Dreisbach operating on a patient on the dirt floor while Bettie held a flashlight because the generator, supplying the electricity, had failed.

As a physician, Dr. Dreisbach was a leader, teacher, innovator, and researcher. As a Christian, Dr. Dreisbach tirelessly preached the Word, often within a hostile Muslim environment. As a father, he raised six children, under extremely difficult and impoverished conditions; in spite of this, one of them eventually became a Rhodes scholar.  Everything he did was focused upon God’s Kingdom in anticipation of receiving the imperishable crown of glory.

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Bettie Dreisbach passed into our Lord’s presence in 2000. Dr. Dreisbach was called home to be with our Lord, five years ago, on November 23, 2009. His legacy lives on with the many medical missionaries that he helped to train and equip, the hospitals he built, and the many patients he treated and helped. But his greatest legacy is how he allowed God to use him to be a great Christian and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. His foremost passion was to share the Gospel and God used him to fulfill his desire like few others.

In 1987, I was a young and impressionable Christian, having accepted the Lord 5 years earlier in college. I was a nascent physician about to enter residency. My experience with the Dreisbachs showed me that God can and will use you for great work if you desire it and dedicate yourself to taking the steps to achieve it. Now, during a very busy workday, I need only recall the tireless work of Dr. John and Bettie Dreisbach to remind myself that busy is a relative term. The world will always place demands upon our time and distractions can easily avert our gaze. Our attention should be fixed and riveted upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who will supply all of our needs.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

Desire to be great in God’s eyes and prepare to delight in His unspeakable richness and glory.

AMEN!

911? I Need a Husband! (1 Peter 5:7)

The 911 phone call has emerged as an important lifeline for millions of people in distress. With a simple call, emergency services may be delivered to the area or person in need. And yet, this innovative and helpful system has seen some recent abuses. People have been calling 911 with non-urgent and ridiculous requests. One notorious recent example is a woman who called in and said, “Hello 911? I need a husband!”

While on the surface, it may seem like a prank, the desperate caller was truthful and earnestly seeking help. The 911 operator made it very clear to this woman that her call was inappropriate and she could be charged with a crime of abusing the 911 calling system.

The 911 system is for life-threatening emergencies. However, for some people, their definition of life-threatening may be loose and elastic. Is there anywhere or anyone that one can turn to where their needs will be immediately addressed and are not subject to a legal definition of life threatening or urgent?

...casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

The Bible shares the wonderful news that we have a God who listens to all of our needs and requests, no matter how big or small. We don’t make a phone call or send an email or text message. All we need to do is come to Jesus Christ and acknowledge Him as our Lord and Savior.

You need a lifeline? Come to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. He knows your heart and deepest desires and anxieties. What a wonderful Savior we have!

Blessings with Aloha!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life!

On a Scale of 1 to 10 (Psalms 51:3-4)

I recently saw the movie Big Hero 6 with my family. Baymax, the personalized inflatable healthcare robot, accompanies the hero, Hiro, wherever he goes. He is activated whenever Hiro is hurt or troubled and can only be deactivated if Hiro states that he is satisfied with his services.

If Hiro is hurt, Baymax will flash an icon of happy to sad faces with a numerical scale underlying each face. He then asks Hiro, “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your pain?” In one humorous exchange, a series of objects successively rolls off a shelf, striking Hiro on the head every few seconds, eliciting an “Ow!” from Hiro. Baymax responds with, “On a scale of 1 to 10…”, restarting the phrase, but never finishing it, each time Hiro says, “Ow!”

It is humorous but it makes complete sense. After all, Baymax cannot adequately assist and treat Hiro unless he knows how much pain and discomfort he is in. By following this same sequence, Hiro can allow Baymax to render the proper healing.

When we sin, we sometimes jump to an immediate solution, thinking we first need to make things right with the person for whom we have sinned against. This is very important and needs to be done. But first, we must realize that we have sinned against God and we need to come before Him before anything else.

For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight —
That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.
Psalms 51:3-4

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

Like Baymax, we need to start at the beginning, first acknowledging, then confessing our sins to God. And we must do this every time we sin, not just when it is convenient or when we remember to do it. Once we do this, God will act and direct us to deal directly with the consequences of the sin, whether it means to make things right with another or to deal with an unpleasant situation. But we must first come to God.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Help Me! (Isaiah 59:4)

When I was about 7 years old, my father and I were at the ocean, off a pier. My father was standing on the pier watching me swim when a young voice, crying for help, interrupted us. It was a little girl, probably not more than 3 or 4 years of age, screaming for help, apparently drowning. Everyone on the pier just glanced over at her but no one moved to help her, no one except my father. I still vividly recall him ripping off his glasses and diving headfirst into the ocean to save the little girl. Some people congratulated my father but most just ignored the incident. Perhaps most surprising was the reaction of the parents of the girl who seemed puzzled and confused. No thanks or smile, nothing. My father later just shook his head and mumbled something about these people didn’t realize how close their daughter came to drowning and how no one else was willing to lift a finger to help.

This memory has remained with me all these years. It reminds me of the unselfish spirit of my father who heroically acted when no one else did. It also reminds me of how some people can be so wrapped up in themselves they do not see an imminent danger right before their eyes.

No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth.
They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.
Isaiah 59:4

The prophet Isaiah warned Israel that their sins were separating them from God. There were signs all around them but the people turned their back on God and listened and followed false teaching, leading to more sin and evil. They turned a deaf ear to the warnings of Isaiah and many other prophets who spoke for God.

God can speak to us in many different ways and can use circumstances in our lives or people with whom we meet to communicate His message. Are there urgent messages that God is attempting to communicate with you at this very moment? Do not turn away from or be ignorant of God’s warnings!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Radio is Dead...Again (Malachi 3:6)

When television arrived on the scene in the latter half of the 20th century, the pundits predicted the death of radio. When the internet arrived in the mid 1990’s, other pundits declared radio’s obituary. Now, in the first half of the 21st century, broadcast radio is still here and more popular than ever.

Even radio has evolved, beginning with shortwave, progressing to AM and FM stations and now with HD radio and satellite radio. But the fundamental programming is still the same. Instead of killing it, the internet has facilitated the access of radio to a wider and larger audience than ever before. Radio fulfills a vital need for many of us who are at work, commuting, or simply enjoying rest time. Just because something is old, doesn’t mean it is not relevant or obsolete.

For I am the Lord, I do not change...
Malachi 3:6

When I share the Gospel with seekers and non-believers, the occasional reply is, “That stuff is old, it doesn’t apply to us today.” But God’s Word stands forever because truth does not change. And God is the Creator, Sustainer, and Provider of Truth.

What principle of the Bible does not apply to your life or the world today? Relationships, duties to family, caring for the needy...all of these are outlined in the Bible. But most importantly, the Bible reveals who God really is. And it only through the revelation in His Son, Jesus Christ, do we see the most complete picture of God.

The Bible is old but the message is unchanging and for today.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

A Vaccine for Sin (Ephesians 6:11)

It is that time of year when the clarion call for flu vaccines is heard. Every drugstore or medical clinic seems to have a sign, “Flu Shots Available!” For most of us, it is a routine task and although it may give us some peace of mind, we may wonder, how efficacious is this vaccine? After all, the vaccine only protects against the anticipated common strains of the influenza flu virus. And while it may confer temporary immunity to this strain, there are many other viruses, that, while not the influenza virus, may cause us to be ill with flu-like symptoms that are virtually indistinguishable from the influenza flu.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11

We do not have a vaccine for sin but we do have God’s Word and promise to us. And unlike the flu vaccine, God’s Word can protect against all forms of sin and evil, not just the most common ones. Satan hates the Word of God and when we quote it, meditate upon it, and live it, Satan must flee. It is His armor that God gives to us. And it is available any moment we call upon His name.

A vaccine for sin? Look to God’s Word for the answer and be inoculated with it every moment of every day.

Blessings with Aloha!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Pallet Guitar (Psalms 139:13-14)

A famous guitar maker was criticized many years ago with the charge that his guitars only sounded good because he was utilizing very expensive wood, unavailable to many other guitar makers. After listening to years of this criticism, he produced a guitar dubbed the Pallet Guitar, fashioned entirely from wooden shipping pallets. Even the ebony fingerboard had a mother of pearl inlay of a forklift! It became an instant success and still enjoys an avid following, especially amongst guitar collectors. The point? It is not the quality of the wood, it is the quality of the guitar maker.

People sometimes look at others who were born in different countries, different socioeconomic classes, or in different families and wonder how different their lives may have been. Would it be better or worse? Is hereditary or environment more important in what shapes us as individuals?

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
Psalms 139:13-14

The Bible is very clear that it is God, our Creator, who made us unique and wonderful! God can use our environment to shape our experiences and personalities. But the core and essence of our being is from God. A skilled guitar maker can fashion a masterpiece of a musical instrument out of seemingly ordinary material. God, our Creator, is able to take the same bodies of flesh and blood of humanity and create a masterpiece of a unique person….You!

How amazing is our God who created us and loves us!

Blessings with Aloha!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.