Extending Grace (Galatians 5:13)

Working in several companies,  I have witnessed the firing of many employees. The reasons for dismissal are as varied as their personalities: insubordination, incompetence, an unacceptably high error rate. One employee was simply lazy and unproductive. Routine tasks were assigned to this person but it seemed to take twice the amount of time it took other employees to complete the same task. After some discussion with the management team, it was decided that his responsibilities may have been too excessive and this may have led to his unproductivity, attempting to focus upon too many different tasks. It was agreed to limit his responsibilities to tasks that he had demonstrated a prior history of accomplishing in a timely manner. A time schedule was outlined for him for the completion of these tasks. However, even with this reduced workload, tasks that he had previously demonstrated to complete in one hour, now took two. He took advantage of the grace that was shown to him and squandered the opportunity to improve himself.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13

As I reflect upon this employee, I wonder how often I have taken advantage of the liberty and freedom that God allows me as a Child of God? He has provided me a good education, a loving family, and a good job. He has blessed me exceedingly abundantly. How have I responded to these blessings? Do I look for opportunities to witness to others? Do I use my financial resources and seek ways to help the poor and disenfranchised? Do I use my time background to mentor and disciple others?

Sadly, the answer is often no. I, too, like the lazy employee, have taken the freedom that God has given me and squandered it. Every day, I must come before God and acknowledge how desperately I need His mercy and grace in my life. It is only by doing this will I truly begin to live the life that God wants me to live, in complete submission to His will, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen!

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

You're Paying Me When You Don't Know (Romans 14:23)

During my career, I have met many CEOs of hospitals, laboratories, and medical clinics. As a dermatopathologist, I bring a relatively unique expertise to a medical center. Most welcome the opportunity to work with me and it is usually a mutually beneficial arrangement. One CEO of a major reference laboratory took a more dismissive stance toward me. When I introduced myself and informed him of my expertise, he sniffed, “Dermatopathology, huh? A dermatologist I know told me that 95% of all diagnoses can be summed up with 4 diseases. Any pathologist can make these diagnoses!”

I thought he was just chiding me but as I waited for a smile that never came, I realized I needed to defend myself. “Well, that may be an overstatement, but yes, many diagnoses in dermatopathology and in medicine fall into a few common diseases. But you don’t need me for the 95% of diagnoses that any pathologist can make. You’re paying me when you don’t know. You need me for the 5% of diagnoses that will be missed by an average pathologist. You need me for the 5% of diagnoses that will lead to a very bad outcome for the patients and all those caring for them because it was misdiagnosed.”

I don’t usually fire back like that but I was very upset by his audacity and arrogance. He wasn’t a physician, speaking from personal experience, and he was simply quoting another equally misinformed colleague. He was definitely taken aback by my reply and actually apologized. He realized he was taking our relationship for granted.

My annoyance was tempered by my own realization that I, too, take my relationship with God for granted. Too often, I think I only need God when things go wrong. The other 95% of the time, I can handle it on my own. But it is not just for the 5% of problems that seem insurmountable that I need God, it should be for 100% of life. Any activity that excludes God from my life is sin.

...for whatever is not from faith is sin.
Romans 14:23 (ESV)

Everything I do must be held up to the light of God’s Word. Every decision must first be placed before God to allow Him to direct my thoughts and actions according to His will. It is not just 5% of the time, but 100% of my entire life.

Amen!

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

"So, You've Been Playing for 30 Years?" (Hebrews 5:12)

About 12 years ago, I was inspired to take guitar lessons once again. I began playing classical guitar at the age of 11 and when I was 13, I switched to jazz guitar, which has remained my life-long passion. I consider myself an above average player and have played semi-professional gigs. But I have always desired to improve my playing. Living in Southern California, I am surrounded by some of the top jazz guitarists in the world. So I did some research and found a teacher who is one of the top in the world, living in the North Hollywood area.

During my first lesson, my teacher asked me to play any favorite song. I launched into my version of Misty, one that I had performed for many people and occasions. After I played it for him, he asked, “So you’ve been playing for 30 years?” Needless to say, he did not say it with admiration. It was clear that he expected far more of my abilities from someone who had been playing for 3 decades. I was chagrined but nodded. He then proceeded to give me valuable tips on how to improve my playing. I was grateful for the lesson but was shackled with the thought that I had wasted 30 years of my life, never improving at the rate that was expected of me as a musician.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
Hebrews 5:12

As I look back over my spiritual life, I am similarly disheartened. It has now been 33 years since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. But for the majority of those years, my spiritual growth was stagnant, even backwards, as I turned my back upon my God. I feel the sting of the Holy Spirit’s admonition in this passage from Hebrews. Long ago, I should have moved on to the mature, solid food of God’s Word, not still wrestling with and ignoring the basic principles that have occupied my life for so many years.

So many wasted years.

I am ever thankful for God’s grace and mercy that He extends to me through accepting His Son, Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Like my guitar teacher, I know I have disappointed Him with the lack of growth in my spiritual life. But His love, through Jesus Christ, has covered over my sins and my disobedience. And He accepts me as a fellow heir and has adopted me as His son. And for this, I am eternally grateful.

All praise to the Living God!

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

You've Become Weaker! (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Soon after I became a Christian, I was working in a research laboratory. One of the researchers was a Christian and was active in his local church and supporting other missionaries. One day, he shared with me an encounter he had with a missionary who had returned after being away for over 2 years. This missionary had discipled him prior to leaving and the two of them had not communicated since his departure. After meeting for several hours, the missionary turned to the researcher and told him, “You’ve become weaker in your faith!”

My friend’s face winced as he shared this conversation. I was taken aback by this harsh commentary. I did not ask for further clarification and simply nodded.

That episode occurred over 30 years ago but it still remains vivid in my memory. The statement was needlessly judgmental and insensitive. Even if there was some truth to the missionary’s statement, there are definitely more tactful ways of expressing the same sentiment.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

There is a time for constructive criticism but it must be tempered with compassion and encouragement. God is the ultimate judge of whether we are stronger or weaker in our faith. Our task is to actively seek ways to support, encourage, and build up our fellow brothers and sisters within the Body of Christ.

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

Dad, Control Yourself! (1 Corinthians 9:27)

When I am excited about something, I tend to overdo it. My physical expressions are animated, my speech is pressured, and my actions are put into overdrive. Call it a manic tendency, but I have always gravitated to these passionate outbursts when something grabs my attention. If others are around, I sometimes grab them and say, “Don’t you agree?” My family just rolls their eyes when I get into these episodes. My son has the perfect antidote for this. He will laugh and say, “Dad, control yourself!”

One thing is certain, I will get excited about something again, fail to control myself, and my son will need to remind me once again.

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul knew the importance of self-control. He wrote to the Corinthian church to remind them that when he gave his life to Jesus Christ, he relinquished all control and disciplined his body. He willingly did this because he knew the life he now lived was out of gratitude for what Jesus had done for him. He was not working to earn his salvation but to someday receive a reward for successfully finishing the race of life. And as he ran this race of life where God had placed him, he would be willing to do anything and be all things to all people so that the name of Jesus Christ would be honored and glorified through his life.

I may not always be able to control myself but thanks be to God that He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that I could ever think, ask, or imagine! He is slowly changing me and allowing me to discipline my body and mind. And God continually reminds me of His promises to me by His firm but gentle Word.

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

Why? (Psalm 22:1)

Why?

It is the plaintive cry of anyone who has faced persecution. It is the plea for justice when evil is perpetrated upon the innocent. It is the yearning for answers in a world that does not make sense.

Evil is everywhere. Turn on the television and almost every headline story is about violence or some variation of man’s inhumanity to man. Some will say that an all loving God could not possibly allow evil and therefore He could not be all powerful. Conversely if God were truly all powerful, He would not allow evil and suffering to exist, therefore He could not be all loving. But this is wrong and assumes that God would never use evil and suffering to accomplish His purposes. In the greatest act of love this universe has or ever will witness, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross. As He hung on the Cross, tortured and dying, the weight of all sins, past, present and future were placed upon Him. This cry went up from His lips as He experienced the separation from God the Father. It was a separation that only sin could produce. God used this most heinous act to accomplish His purpose.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
Psalms 22:1 (ESV)

To the immediate cry of His only Son, God did not answer Him.  But He did answer by His actions and power. He glorified His Son and revealed His plan to reconcile the world to Him by raising Jesus Christ from the dead. The next Psalm shows us what God will do when we place our trust in Him.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalms 23:1-6 (ESV)

God does not tell us all the reasons why we face troubles and turmoil, and He is under no obligation to do so.  But He promises to lead us out of the morass as the Good Shepherd, restoring our soul and giving us peace. We may not understand all the reasons for evil but we do know how it will end, with the triumphant return of Jesus Christ and the end of all pain, tears, and suffering.

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

Spirituality, Religiosity, and QOL (Romans 5:8)

A recent abstract presented at the 168th American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting on May 16-20, 2015 in Toronto, Canada, raised some interesting observations.

The study paired religiosity and spirituality and compared each category to the quality of life (QOL) testing the hypothesis whether religiosity and spirituality worked synergistically or independently of QOL. The categories were:

Low spirituality/low religiosity
High spirituality/low religiosity
Low spiritually/high religiosity
High spirituality/high religiosity

The National Cancer Institute defines spirituality as an individual's sense of peace or purpose and feelings about the meaning of life in general. Religiosity is one possible conduit for spirituality in the context of specific beliefs and practices, usually in conjunction with other people who hold the same beliefs. Thus, in the context of this study, an individual may be spiritual, religious, neither, or both. The study found that patients who have high spirituality and high religiosity have a better QOL but spirituality was slightly more important that religiosity.

I believe this study only scratches the surface of the issue and blurs definitions. What is spirituality or religiosity? This is what defines all other religions. But it is not what defines Christianity. It is more than a series of beliefs and practices, it is more than associating with others who hold the same beliefs. Christianity is a relationship between man and his Creator. It is a relationship that exists because God, not man, took the initiative to reconcile a relationship destroyed by sin.

...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

In Christianity, our quality of life is determined by God reaching out to us, not by our efforts to reach Him.

Praise the Living God!

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


 

Just Enough (John 20:30-31)

The Apostle Paul wrote four letters to the Corinthians but the Holy Spirit only gave us two in the Bible. These other letters are referenced in the following two passages:
 

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people...
1 Cor 5:9

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
2 Cor 2:3-4

We do not know why the Holy Spirit only recorded two letters to the Corinthians in the Bible. But we can be supremely confident that the books that are included in the Bible are sufficient and complete.

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31

When we read the Bible, we are receiving just enough information for us to learn about God and His plan for all humanity. Some people are tempted to add to God’s Word by reading other literary religious works. Some even think there are other prophets or Apostles that should be included. But the Bible was put together by men directed by God through the Holy Spirit. It is infallible and complete.

The Bible is just enough for us to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that there is no other name under Heaven or on Earth by whom we can be saved.

Amen!

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

Panboots (Acts 17:10-11)

The first time our family played Scrabble, we were all novices. When I eyed a potential triple word bonus, I seized the opportunity with the word, “PANBOOTS.”

“What does that mean?” My daughter exclaimed in laughter.

“Panboots! You don’t know what this is?” I asked in mock seriousness. “We wore them a lot in Denver and St. Louis. When the snow is very slushy, regular boots won’t do the trick. We had these wider boots that allowed us more stability. Wider boots...panboots!”

My daughter and wife naively accepted my absurd explanation. After the game, which I handily won, I confessed my lie. To this day, panboots has become part of our everyday language in our family. When it is storming, my daughter will say, “Dad, don’t forget to wear your panboots!”

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Acts 17:10-11

If my family had been like the Bereans, I would have been caught red-handed! The Bible records how this group of Jews eagerly searched the Scriptures to make sure that what Paul and Silas were preaching was true. The Bereans held them accountable and God blessed them for their faithfulness by bringing them to salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Bereans did not need any assistance, not even panboots! They only needed the call and direction of the Holy Spirit to bring them into God’s Kingdom.

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

But It Caught Your Attention (1 Timothy 1:4)

When my daughter and I are driving on the road, we often like to comment upon the advertisements on billboards and buildings. But what always catches our eyes are people, either dressed up in costume or doing some ridiculous action. Sometimes we laugh and shake our heads over the antics. On one occasion, my daughter asked me,”That was silly! Why did they do that?”

“It is silly but that’s not the point, is it? It was trying to catch your attention and it succeeded, didn’t it?”

My daughter nodded in agreement but then I asked her, “It caught your attention, but what were they trying to sell?”

My daughter stopped to think about it and mumbled, “Something about a phone?”

Yes, something like that. Bottom line, the stunt caught our attention but we didn’t remember what they were trying to sell.

The Christian church may sometimes fall into a similar trap. Leadership may sometimes be more focused upon the type of worship music, children programs, and timely topics of discussion. All of these activities are important to address the needs of the church members. But the most important charge of any church is to teach the Word of God. Any church that is not grounded in God’s Word is a church in name only.

...nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
1 Timothy 1:4

The Apostle Paul warned his young protege, Timothy, the minister of the church at Ephesus, about the dangers of drifting from the true doctrine of God’s Word.  Distractions abound, both in Ephesus and in today’s church. We, like Timothy, need to be ever vigilant to be completely rooted in teaching and learning the pure Word of the Bible. Once our heart and focus is squarely upon God’s Word, all other church programs and activities will fall into its proper place.

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

Paper Trail (1 Corinthians 16:3)

Scandals involving money may destroy a local church. We read of laypeople, deacons, even pastors who steal and misdirect funds that should be supporting the local church but instead support their greedy lifestyle. Too often, the crime arises when there is insufficient oversight of financial dealings.

Such a crime, when discovered, should result in strong church discipline, even considering ex-communicating the perpetrator until they have repented, disciplined, and shown by their lifestyle that they have changed.

And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 16:3

In this passage, Paul planned to send money with several representative chosen by the Corinthian church. He did this so that there would be transparency in his financial dealings; there could no possibility that he could be accused of misappropriating these funds. Paul was establishing a paper trail and the Bible is the record.

It is comforting to know the Bible addresses so many dimensions of church life, including financial accountability. Sometimes, we may naively assume that such sins and crimes could not occur within a church. But the Christian, even if saved, still faces a struggle with the flesh. Unfortunately, at times, we give in to the temptations of the flesh leading to sins, including theft.

The only hope is to claim the promises that God gives us through His Holy Spirit. If we have confessed our sins, repented, and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God promises us to never abandon us and will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Our paper trail is the Words of the Bible which God has given to us through His Holy Spirit. This paper trail holds us accountable to God and to our brothers and sisters of the Body of Christ.

Amen!

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

We Thought You Were From NY! (Luke 12:48)

When I lived in St. Louis, our cases were transcribed by off-site transcribers. During the end of my tenure there, my associate and I thought it a good idea to drive to their site and meet them face to face. It was a very pleasant meeting and when the transcribers found out I was from Hawaii, one of them exclaimed, “We thought you were from New York! You were always dictating so quickly!”

I do have a bad habit of speaking and working very quickly. I multitask my multitasking. This leads to great efficiency and the realization that very few people can work at the same pace. At times, this has led to impatience on my part with the slower pace of some of my co-workers. But when my attitude becomes ungodly, God reminds me that He holds me accountable to utilize these gifts He has bestowed upon me for His glory.

...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Luke 12:48

God’s Word is always sobering and cuts to the heart of the matter. If God blesses us with different gifts, His expectations are different for each of us. As a child of God, my salvation is secure. But my rewards in Heaven will be based upon how I used the gifts that God gave me. If I am productive, it is only to serve God and not to feed my ambitions.

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

I'm Crazy in Love (John 3:16)

The other day I found a bottle of perfume that I bought for my wife many years ago. It was the scent that she wore when we first met and brought back a flood of wonderful memories. From the first moment I met her, I was smitten! I loved everything about her and when I was not in her presence, I sought out reminders of her. One of the strongest was the scent of her perfume that lingered wherever we spent time. So I actually obtained a small sampler of the perfume and kept it with me, occasionally opening and sniffing it when I was missing her. I was crazy in love!

I wish I had such continued passion and intense longing in my relationship with Jesus Christ. Do I seek out reminders of my passion for Him? Do I spend hours daydreaming about my prior times of sweet fellowship? Do I actively look for ways to keep our relationship fresh and alive? Sadly, I do not. And yet, I eagerly did those things for my wife when we first met. Crazy in love? It is a romantic love that I show to my wife. It is agape, a godly love that God gives to me. It is a love that can never be duplicated or repaid. All I can do is to respond in gratefulness and thanksgiving.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Crazy in love? God’s love for us is the craziest and greatest expression of love that has ever been shown.

God loved us when we did not deserve it, earn it, or even desire it.

Amen!

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

The Fugue (John 14:26)

Most people know a fugue as a musical form. It is one or more musical phrases that are repeated and interwoven throughout a composition. Bach was a master of composing the fugue. A fugue is also a psychiatric term that describes a state of consciousness where the patient appears to perform an action but upon later questioning, has no recollection. The word is derived from the latin word fuga, which means flight. So in music, the repeated phrase appears to fly around the scale whereas in psychiatry, the patient appears to fly away from reality and their own identity.

I was privileged to work with many great professors when I was a resident. But one will always stand out. He had a photographic memory and one of the sharpest minds that I have ever had the pleasure to experience. As we daily sat around the teaching microscope, learning from his diagnostic forays into dermatopathology, we would occasionally ask him questions. He would often immediately answer the questions but every so often, he would lapse into a state that could almost be described as a fugue. He would look up from the microscope and appear to stare off into space. Sometimes this would alarm us and we would politely ask “Dr. Smith, are you okay?” But he would not answer and continue to stare. Sometimes, after a few seconds, he would continue his diagnostic sign-outs but at other times, he would abruptly get up and walk to his office which was lined by shelves containing hundreds of medical journals. Without hesitating, he would pull a volume of a seemingly random journal, flip through several pages and then exclaim, “Here it is! Here is the answer to your question!”

What was so mind boggling about these episodes was the question he was responding to was sometimes asked weeks earlier! Yet, the question was burned into his amazing mind and memory and would not depart until he adequately answered it.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14:26

The experience with my professor reminds me of God’s provision to bring to our remembrance His continual provisions and mercy to us. The more we desire to walk with Him, the more our minds will continue to reflect and ponder the benefits and blessings He continues to bestow upon us. He does this so that we may be able share the Good News of His Son, Jesus Christ, to others who may not yet know Him. So even if we lapse into times of forgetfulness, God, through His Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance His promises and blessings.

What a wonderful God we serve!

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

A Three Day Marriage (Luke 23:42-43)

Source Buzzfeed

This is the beautiful and poignant story of the love between two teenagers, both 16 years of age. They were in love but the boy, Omar, was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Once in remission, he began dating Amie. Eight months later, Omar learned that his leukemia returned. A bone marrow transplant was his only hope but by the time a suitable donor was found, it was too late. Doctors informed Omar that he had only days to live. Undaunted, Omar proposed to Amie two days later and she happily accepted. With the blessings of both parents, a wedding was arranged in the hospital room. Three days later, Omar passed away.

This young couple was able to experience, albeit briefly, the beauty and joy of a marriage. He died with his family present and holding his wife’s hand.  As Amie recalled, “As he put the ring on my finger he said he wished he had more time with me. I really wish we had too, but I’m just so glad we had the chance to make this happy memory,”

Love is measured not only by the passage of time but by the quality of the moments spent together. For a few hours on the Cross, our Lord Jesus Christ, hung in agony, receiving the full weight of punishment for the sins of the world. And in the midst of His suffering,

And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:42-43 (ESV)

It was for the briefest of moments the lives of Jesus and the thief crossed. But it was enough time for God to extend His love and mercy to the thief and allow him to enter Paradise.

Love is truly measured by the quality of the moments spent together.

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

We Need Your Word (Amos 8:11)

In the United States, we are blessed and most fortunate to have immediate access to God’s Word, the Bible. There is no excuse for not reading the Bible. Nearly every hotel room, bookstore, and department store carries a copy of the entire Bible or selected readings. It is available but sometimes taken for granted. There are millions of people in the world who are craving to read and/or hear God’s Word. But access to the Bible is hindered by oppressive governments or competing religions.

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land —not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”
Amos 8:11

God, through the prophet Amos, passed judgment upon the nation of Israel for rejecting the words of the prophets that were sent by God. Israel had hundreds of years to repent but continued to reject God’s commands. Finally, God allowed Israel to be captured, destroyed and taken into Assyrian captivity. And although the people desperately sought the Word of God, it was not to be found. God had sent a famine of hearing His Word by delivering Israel into captivity.

God does not want us to take His Word for granted. He has given us the Bible to learn who Jesus Christ is. We have no excuse to not pick it up and read it. God desires for all us to confess our sins, repent, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Amen!

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

Revisiting the Same Injury (2 Peter 2:22)

When I was a senior in high school, I severely sprained my right ankle and was placed in a cast for several weeks. That ankle never truly regained full strength and over the years, I have managed to reinjure that same ankle several times. Although I thought I have taken great measures to avoid injury, it seems that I keep returning to the same habits that caused the injury in the first place. Why am I so prone to same injury?

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
Proverbs 26:11

What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
2 Peter 2:22

The Bible reminds us how some behaviors that may lead us to weakness and sin, have a nasty way of returning to torment us. Try as we might, we keep returning to this “vomit”. What hope is there for correcting such pathetic behavior?

If we attempt to change by our own efforts, we are doomed to repeat the folly. The same behaviors will return to lead us down the well-trodden path to the same sins. Our only hope is to turn to Jesus Christ. If we confess our sins and repent and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And by doing so, He gives us His Holy Spirit to indwell within us and transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

What a wonderful promise that the God of the Universe gives to us!

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

"I Loved His Writing!" (2 Corinthians 10:10-11)

A good friend of mine met his wife through an online dating site. After they were married, his wife admitted to me that after the first few dates, she thought he was not her type and was not going to continue the relationship. Her feelings completely turned around, however, when he wrote a letter to her. My friend is a gifted and intelligent person and is an excellent writer. However, he battles a stuttering speech impediment that prevents him from effectively expressing himself. Through this first letter and later writings, she saw the true depth of his character. She soon fell in love with him because, as she later gushed, “I loved his writing!”

For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.
2 Corinthians 10:10-11

This beautiful story reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church. Paul felt compelled to defend his credentials to detractors within the church. They were judging Paul as weak and inferior by only focusing upon the physical limitations of his body and speech. But Paul let his powerful writings represent his true character, a man dedicated to serving His Lord Jesus Christ. And for thousands of years, we know Paul as the mighty prayer warrior who penned so many beautiful verses of the New Testament.

God, through His Holy Spirit, spoke to us through Paul. We only know Paul through his writings but that is all we need. Like some members of the Corinthian church, we need to go beyond the physical appearances and look at the message that is being written or communicated, by writings, actions, or lifestyle.

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

Do Your Best and Let God Do the Rest! (Colossians 3:23-24)

There are many aphorisms that people love to quote. Not surprisingly some are peppered with references to God and and therefore some presume the quotations are Biblical. One example is, “God helps those who help themselves.”

Wrong! There is nothing in the Bible that remotely suggests or resembles this. The quote originated in ancient Greece and is thought to a fable or proverb of the day. Benjamin Franklin later used it in his writings. Unfortunately, for many, this aphorism has been accepted as one of God’s commandments! It is the antithesis of what God commands of us and, instead, it is an ode to self-reliance and humanism.

Thankfully, other aphorisms are not egregious misrepresentations. “Do your best and let God do the rest.” There is no exact Bible verse that states this. However, this sentiment is certainly present in a number of Bible verses.

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

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.
1 Corinthians 9:24 (ESV)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

All of these verses point to the importance of using all of your God-given abilities to do your best. But at what point do you allow God to do the rest? When you are exhausted? When you are injured or incapacitated? No, you allow God to work from the very beginning. Before you do your best, commit your effort to the Lord. He promises to accomplish His purpose through you.

Commit your work to the Lord,and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

Do your best and let God do the rest!

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

Ridiculous (Amos 6:12)

There is a television show that focuses upon ridiculous situations. It combines the absurd situations of Candid Camera with the exhibitionist desires of an internet generation, allowing the viewer to see others in extreme and bizarre circumstances. Examples include people being pulled by a car on a skateboard, only to slam into the rear bumper; jumping from rooftop to rooftop only to miss and come crashing down.

It is indeed ridiculous, absurd and very dangerous.

Some people like to seek attention by doing the ridiculous and absurd, often resulting in hurting or humiliating themselves. They like to flaunt the conventional laws of safety and common sense but rationalize it by stating they are only hurting themselves. There are no rules and if there are, they are made to be broken and disobeyed. Who will hold them accountable? Both God is not amused when His people disobey Him. The consequences are far more devastating than personal injury.

Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood...
Amos 6:12 (ESV)

God, through the prophet Amos, pronounced judgment upon the nation of Israel for their perversion of justice. Amos compared their actions to something as ridiculous and absurd as a horse running on rocks or attempting to plow with oxen. It was an unflattering comparison and it was a stern warning for Israel to repent. They did not and within a few years, the prophecy of Amos would come to pass and Israel would be taken into captivity by the Assyrians.

Ridiculous and absurd...that anyone would repeatedly chose to disobey God thinking they could escape judgment.

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