"the DKP Word": Recent Episodes
David K Payne
“the DKP Word” will inspire and motivate you to push beyond the obstacles of the past, past the opinions of others and stand up and live despite anything. The center of my message is “Just Be!” Your life is unique, you are not deficient, and you possess the ability to live and love in a way that produces personal fulfillment and provides inspiration and motivation to others.
...Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.” Once again, they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. – John 10:37-38 NLT
In John 10, I recorded a significant interaction between Jesus and the religious leaders of his time. Jesus performed miracles before them, which seemed to irritate them. What made it even more controversial was Jesus' audacity to elevate himself with his words, claiming a position synonymous with God. It struck me as odd because religion is all about understanding and connecting with God, the creator of the universe and the giver of life. However, religious leaders appeared more concerned with their position as intermediaries between God and people, viewing any claim of a direct relationship with God from outsiders as a threat to their authority. This tendency to prioritize power and control over others' spiritual growth was present in Jesus' time and seems to persist in modern religious settings.
Jesus' crucifixion resulted from his declaration as the son of God and his belief that others could share oneness with God. Interestingly, this clash of beliefs occurred then and still exists today. If anyone claims to have a personal relationship with God similar to what Jesus taught, it is most often met with resistance and criticism.
I've been thinking a lot lately (which can be dangerous, lol), and I've found it beneficial to step back from my life and observe it as if I were looking at someone else. This approach helps me gain a better understanding of my progress. I don't pretend to have all the answers and recognize the need for self-improvement. Reflecting on my spiritual journey, I've noticed that my reliance on God has grown more vital than ever, and my respect for the divine is at an all-time high. However, the burden of trying to know God through religious rituals and hard work has lifted. I now have a deep sense of knowing God, and I live my life with a newfound confidence that I hadn't experienced before. This state of mind is quite different from what I used to associate with religion.
I feel seamlessly and effortlessly connected with God, yet I would never claim to be God, as some would critically accuse such a declaration of being such a claim. It's just that I've entered a place of peace and confidence that goes beyond what I once preached or believed was possible. Sometimes I wonder if I'm moving closer to the effortless life that Jesus exemplified, even though I can't fully explain it. I know others might criticize and doubt my experience, just as I once did to those who claimed similar spiritual connections. But it feels like I'm starting to align myself with Christ's position—a place where strain and pretense vanish, and the promises of peace, abundant life, confident prayers, and miraculous works become real. I genuinely believe this transformation is happening within me.
This claim might appear unconventional, even heretical, and it certainly doesn't sit well with the religious norms of my time—just as it was during Jesus's era. Embracing such an idea challenges the role of organized religion, particularly the authority of self-appointed religious leaders, in shaping my relationship with God. It seeks to eliminate any intermediaries between myself and God, thereby stripping away the power wielded by such entities. Nevertheless, this bold assertion aligns with what Jesus proclaimed as a possibility.
At that moment you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you. – John 14:20 The Message
I invite you to revisit the 14th to 16th chapters of John and read the words of Jesus recorded there. Please pay close attention to the promises he speaks of, such as abiding in the vine, asking for what we desire, and the interconnected relationship between the vine and its branches, which produces fruitful results that are effortless.
I want to be clear that I am not claiming my life meets the standards set by others or even by the teachings I have received about righteousness. If I evaluate my actions, they often need to catch up to what I believe they should historically or ideally be. However, when I consider the fruit of my life—like the presence of joy, peace, patience, compassion, and a sense of what true righteousness might be—I cannot deny that I am living in the very place that Jesus promises in these chapters, as recorded by John. It's a remarkable state of existence that nobody from my religious past would acknowledge as correct and a place my former self would have criticized. Yet, it's filled with the fruits of the Spirit that I once preached were possible but never truly experienced. I am amazed to be in this position—a place I don't deserve, can't attribute to any religious works and don't fully comprehend. Still, it's an undeniable place of life, peace, joy, contentment, and personal fulfillment.
I must address one more thing: I know what my old self would have cautioned my current self about—being deceived by believing in a lie. However, from my present vantage point, I would tell my former self and others still bound by the constraints of religion that this experience I'm living is far from deception. How could deception lead to bearing the fruits of the Spirit and igniting such profound love for God? This journey has fueled an insatiable desire to grow and witness the positive impact on others' lives through the peace, love, joy, and life I have discovered. Today, as I step back and observe my life, I am taken aback by the unexpected blessings and gratefulness that fills me, bringing a deep sense of peace.
Best
David
Over the years, I have talked and written about the tendency to cling to what is comfortable instead of embracing new ideas or directions. A while back, after leaving a religious organization I had been a part of my whole life, a leader from my district asked for a meeting. Out of respect, I agreed to meet with him. The organization wasn't satisfied with my departure and decided to sever ties with me, declaring me non-grata. It's funny to think about now, but at the time, I was still trying to defend myself and prove that I wasn't a bad person. The organization's leaders made decisions for other ministers, determining who they could associate with. Thankfully, I've freed myself from that mindset.
I vividly remember a conversation with a pastor who I considered a friend. He pushed me to reveal my stance on specific doctrinal issues, and he admitted that he didn't fully believe in everything either but was too old to change. I hope that if something in me needs to change or grow, I dare to do so, even on my deathbed. Despite my efforts to defend myself, the organization sent a letter proclaiming that I had abandoned my faith and couldn't be tolerated. However, some friends still came to preach at our church and faced the same consequences as I did. The whole situation seems absurd when I look back on it.
Interestingly, being expelled from my longtime religious home was the best thing that ever happened to me. I had to start associating with people from other religious organizations, the ones I used to believe were doomed because they didn't share my views. But meeting other pastors who were more committed than I was became a catalyst for change, as I mentioned in my previous blog post. So, I want to thank the leaders who "kicked me out" because they inadvertently helped me grow to where I am today. Jesus often spoke about these lessons, emphasizing that our greatest enemies can be those closest to us.
There's a passage in Matthew 10:34–39 where Jesus says he came not to bring peace but a sword, setting family members against each other. He warns that if we love our family more than him and cling to our comfortable lives, we won't be worthy of him. I included the entire context because it's essential to understand that any comfort that keeps us stagnant threatens our personal and spiritual growth. A few years after the religious organization expelled me, most of my family, including my parents and brothers, distanced themselves from me. However, that loneliness drove me to seek the Lord, leading to a personal faith and relationship with God. It was the stripping away of familiarity that saved me.
While discussing this in a religious context, these principles apply to all aspects of life. Jesus said we would be blessed when people speak ill of us falsely for his sake. Often, the things that appear destructive in our lives are our salvation. Trust in the Lord and have confidence that he will guide your path. I'm at a point where I almost feel rebellious. I look at myself now and think, "How do you like me now?" If only those who rejected me in the past knew. Strangely enough, I am now at peace with God and deeply grateful for his mercy, grace, and love that continues to bless my life. In conclusion, as the Psalmist said, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!"
Amen,
David
I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. – John 10:18 NLT
I remember a time before my son was even a teenager when he asked his mom, "is there anything you know that I don't already know?" This incident was funny but so typical of the human condition. We all like to think we know it all, our way is right, and others need to change, but now us. I laughed then, and now I laugh at my arrogance through the years, especially concerning the things of God.
Let me begin this blog by stating how my understanding of God began with my mother and father. I am grateful to my amazing parents, who prioritized their faith in God and involvement in the local church. Their example and teachings laid a strong foundation of faith and exposed me to religious experiences. Although my present religious experience differs from theirs, that foundation of faith in God has sustained me through almost forty years of ministry, marriage, divorce, illness, education, persecution, sin, success, and the challenges of everyday life. I am thankful to my parents for grounding me in faith.
From an early age, my father encouraged me and my siblings to seek God and be honest in our spiritual journeys rather than mindlessly following the crowd. While my parents disagreed with my specific religious expression, they came to recognize the sincerity of my faith. They passed away with a deep respect for my ministry and personal expressions of faith. I understand their disappointments and appreciate that they didn't witness many of the struggles I faced in the last ten years of my life. During this time, due to my failures, I battled personal sins, poor judgment, and attacks from religious people I had led for years. I even understand their attacks, and, on some level, I am grateful because their rejection and persecution drove me to a stronger faith in God than ever before. However, it is never acceptable to persecute others in the name of God due to their sins, lack of understanding, humanity, or personal journey with God. While I have lost confidence in the religious institutions I once belonged to and was raised in, I recognize their impact on me during times of favor and eventual rejection.
Throughout all these experiences, the faithfulness of God has remained constant. God never leaves or forsakes us. I shared all of this to lead to the purpose of this blog: God surpasses our understanding, religious groups, denominations, religion, and even Christian doctrines and practices. The primary catalyst for growth in my spiritual journey has come from personal bible study, education, and exposure to other Christian faiths and, ultimately, other faiths worldwide. As a young person and pastor, it troubled me that we tended to view those of other Christian persuasions as being opposed to God simply because they disagreed with our understanding. This narrow mindset exists within families, local churches, denominations, and Christianity. It also extends to Christians criticizing other religious expressions, expressions that ultimately stem from a desire to comprehend or be apprehended by God. A trap we easily fall into as humans is becoming entrenched in our routines, specific culture, religious exposure, political persuasions, etc. When trapped, it becomes difficult to grasp that if we had been born into a different situation, family, culture, or country, we would likely be on the other side of the attack, criticizing those from our existing group. While this disposition can be dangerous, it is understandable and often does little harm unless we attack others and allow it to bring division in our relationships. However, when it comes to God— not my understanding of God, but the reality of an omnipotent and omnipresent entity that created all things and gives life to all things— such behavior is dangerous and irresponsible, jeopardizing the very life God has given us.
Consider for a moment that if God, who transcends all times, cultures, universes, and individual lives, is truly who most understand and claim Him to be, how can we contain Him, comprehend all of Him, know all His ways, and dare to make judgments in His name? Numerous scriptures support this claim, and I challenge you to read the religious scriptures you esteem in your life regardless of your faith. The sacred text offers profound insights into the greatness of God.
Consider these thoughts. Religious persecution is not a new phenomenon, as even Jesus experienced it. In Matthew 12, Jesus is accused by the religious leaders of His day of casting out demons by the power of Satan simply because He didn't endorse their religious system, a system in which He was raised. Even His disciples displayed similar behavior. One moment they cast out demons in His name and the next, they argue about who among them is the greatest in the kingdom and who will have the best seats. They even rebuke others who do the same work in Christ's name but are not a part of their group. Jesus corrects them, but humanity's influence is strong, even among those who personally witnessed Christ. And we see evidence of their rejection and struggle of others who claim faith in God through Christ but are not adherents to Jewish customs and beliefs.
There's one verse I want you to consider from the beginning of this blog. Jesus tells His disciples and followers that His ministry extends beyond them and that there are other "sheep" in metaphorical pastures which will hear His voice and follow Him. Many Christians may say, "See Jesus is saying they have to do it our way." But pause for a moment and ask yourself if that is indeed what is being conveyed. Jesus speaks not as a representative of a specific Christian church but as the God and Father of all. How should this understanding impact our attitudes toward others who express their faith differently? Perhaps we should adopt the attitude of Isaiah when he encountered God and received the charge to speak for God in the world.
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”— Isaiah 6:5 (NLT)
Writing this article fills me with humility and a sense of trepidation. The more I contemplate God, the more I realize how little I truly comprehend. He is God, and I am merely a person on this Earth. Therefore, I choose to keep my words few and refrain from passing judgment on others for how they express their personal faith.
His Servant
David
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NLT)
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
As a Philosophy student, I am well acquainted with various arguments concerning the existence of God. Firstly, I recognize that faith plays a vital role in arguments supporting the existence of God. However, it is important to note that many arguments against God's existence do not focus on discrediting faith as irrational. Instead, these arguments center around the seemingly irrationality of human explanations of a divine being and the irrational practices that arise from those explanations. Throughout history, theologians, philosophers, and individuals in general have attributed qualities such as perfection, power, goodness, and omniscience to this being. Considering these human explanations, scholars, philosophers, scientists, and others have criticized the contradictions inherent in these terms, using them as evidence of the irrationality of believing in a supreme being.
One of the more popular arguments against the existence of God is known as the "problem of evil." This argument takes into consideration the assertions that God is both all-powerful and all-good, raising the question of why evil exists if the world is governed by such a supreme being. This argument appears rational if we accept that human explanations are sufficient to understand the nature of a being like God. Our concept of being all-good implies the absence of evil. Why would a baby be born with cancer? Why do events like the Holocaust occur or human conditions like slavery persist? If we assume that God is all-good as we understand goodness, then God must not be all-powerful. If evil exists in human existence and God is all-good, then God must be unable to prevent it. Alternatively, if God is all-powerful and capable of stopping evil, yet evil still exists, then God must not be all-good and could potentially be malevolent.
I am aware of the various theistic arguments countering this problem, suggesting that free will is not possible if evil does not exist. This reasoning aligns with many creationist explanations that propose God allows humanity to choose or have a say in their existence, and because of human choices, evil exists. However, these arguments overlook an important reality: evil was possible even before any choices were made and was thus allowed by God. If God permits the mere possibility of evil, how can God truly be all-good?
I propose that the rationality and irrationality of human endeavors to explain God and the unknown are simply reflections of our limited understanding and existence. We attempt to provide logical explanations for a being that eternally exists and seems present in all lives throughout history simultaneously. Most religious explanations of God even contradict the texts they rely on to explain the existence of such a being. Consider the declarations of the Hebrew text mentioned earlier. God is described as having ways and thoughts that differ from ours, yet we continue to employ our own ways and thoughts to comprehend the concept of God. It is no wonder that intellectuals find ample room to criticize the notion of God. A human explanation of such a being can never suffice.
One valuable aspect of studying Philosophy is that it has led me to place God on a level that transcends my comprehension and attempts to explain. The concept of God defies explanation, and thus, the power, goodness, and consciousness of such a being cannot be adequately captured by my understanding of these terms. Concerning a being like God, notions of good and evil, power and will, consciousness and nature are not confined by my definitions and explanations. Instead, God defines these attributes for himself as the one who gives life, rather than being defined by those experiencing that life.
Many people have asked me, "David, how has studying philosophy affected your faith?" To which I respond, it has strengthened my belief in God and elevated God to a position where such a being belongs—beyond explanation. I am no longer compelled to prove the rationality of this belief. I firmly believe in the existence of a being unlike any other—an entity unseen and unexplained in terms that I comprehend. I believe that God's existence is beyond question. That, my friend, is the essence of faith—a substance that cannot be proven not because it is irrational, but because God embodies the definition of everything, and everything only attests to God's existence.
One philosopher that is intriguing to me on many levels, Author Schopenhauer, argues that will and representation are the two fundamental forces at work bringing definition to each other and all that exist in the world.
Schopenhauer's philosophy revolves around the notion that will and representation are intimately intertwined and cannot be understood independently of each other. He argues that we can only know representation because it is through our senses that we perceive the world around us. We have access to a variety of objects, experiences, and phenomena, which are all manifestations of representation.
At the same time, Schopenhauer posits that the will, which he considers the fundamental reality behind all phenomena, is not directly accessible to our knowledge. While we experience the effects of the will through our desires, drives, and motivations, we do not have direct knowledge or insight into the will itself. The will remains a hidden, unconscious force that drives our actions and shapes our experiences.
In Schopenhauer's philosophy, representation provides evidence of the will. Through the objects and experiences that we perceive, we gain insights into the underlying will that gives rise to those representations. However, our understanding of the will is indirect and limited, as it is filtered through the lens of representation or human existence.
Though Schopenhauer did not use his philosophy to draw the same conclusions as I, I see will as God, and representation as the natural world and human existence. Religion uses the conditions and experiences (representation) of human existence to try and define God, when in fact it is God (will) that gives life and defines human existence. Our experience of life (representation) only attests to God’s existence (will). Representation does not define will, it only attests to its truth. One possible ally I have in my argument is Carl Jung.
Jung considered Schopenhauer's will as a manifestation of the divine or a representation of the numinous aspect of reality. He saw it as a fundamental force underlying human existence and believed that it was interconnected with the broader collective unconscious. Jung's interpretation of Schopenhauer's will as a form of divinity can be found in his writings, particularly in his book "Psychological Types."
I introduced these two scholars, Schopenhauer, and Jung, to emphasize that the explanation and definition of God go beyond mere human experiences and understanding of the human condition. It is not only religion that grapples with explaining the origin of life, but our mere existence also dictates we grapple with, and ponder these thoughts. However even in the most secular beliefs, there is a necessary element of faith that I will explore further in subsequent writings. Therefore, faith is not irrational; it is simply the term we use to explain the incomprehensible. Humanity is faced with a choice: we can either explain the understanding of human existence through nature and science, which suggests that what exists, and is limited by time and power, gives life. Or we can explain our experiences and observations in spiritual terms—a divine presence, an energy or force that is unseen but realized and possesses limitless power and potential, even though it remains inexplicable. Personally, I choose the latter. I am not a result of chance, but rather an expression of a supreme being who grants and defines life, even though I am unable to fully articulate the nature of that being. I’m ok with letting God be God and where that type of faith exists, anything is possible.
Best
David
Removing Religion from Our Relationships with God
Despite my uncertainty about my future and my place in the world, I persist in seeking knowledge and contemplating my beliefs concerning God. Much of the criticism against belief in God within secular and academic circles is directed at the apparent irrationality found in various belief systems. While I may explore this idea further in the future, for now, I want to emphasize that the irrationality lies in the religious frameworks that attempt to explain or understand God, rather than directly questioning the existence of a supreme being.
Reflecting one morning, I recalled accounts of individuals being raised from the dead. In both instances, Jesus and Elijah ensured a degree of privacy during the miracles. I do not believe this was to stage some deceptive act, for no trick can restore life to the dead. Instead, I believe it was done to minimize the influence of religious thinking and eliminate doubts that might arise from the opinions and interpretations of others. By removing religious formalities and the doubts stemming from ingrained beliefs, both God and those seeking Him can engage in a genuine, unhindered manner, without wasting thoughts on what others may think about their actions.
As someone who has served as a pastor and preacher for over thirty years, I am well acquainted with the battles one must fight to overcome or ignore the judgments and expectations of others, as well as the concern over their perceptions. These passages illustrate how both Jesus and Elijah sought to minimize distractions before seeking God's intervention for a miracle.
The account of Jesus raising Jairus's daughter can be found in the New Testament, specifically in the Gospel of Mark 5:35-43 (also mentioned in Matthew 9:18-26 and Luke 8:49-56). Upon arriving at Jairus's house, where his daughter had already passed away, Jesus allowed only Peter, James, John, and the girl's parents to accompany Him. Jesus addressed the mourners, questioning their commotion and stating that the child was merely sleeping. Taking her by the hand, He commanded her to rise, and she was restored to life.
The event of Elijah raising the widow's son is recorded in the Old Testament, in the First Book of Kings (1 Kings) 17:17-24. Elijah was staying with a widow and her son in Zarephath when the son fell ill and died, causing the widow to express her grief to Elijah. In response, Elijah took the boy to his upper room, where he was residing, and fervently prayed to the Lord, beseeching Him to restore the child's life. After pleading three times, God heard Elijah's prayer, and the boy was revived.
These instances highlight the similarity in approach adopted by both Jesus and Elijah, as they sought privacy or limited the number of witnesses before performing these miracles. I argue that if we desire to witness God's power exalted and manifest in our lives for our benefit, we must shed as much religious thought and doubt arising from religious conditioning as possible.
Another example of this line of thinking can be observed in the incident of Jesus cleansing the temple. After driving out the money changers from the temple premises, the Bible highlights a distinct shift in events. It states that people then brought their sick to Jesus, and he proceeded to heal them all.
The biblical reference for this account can be found in the New Testament, specifically in the Gospel of Matthew 21:12-14. Here's the passage:
"And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, 'It is written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer," but you make it a den of robbers.' And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them." (Matthew 21:12-14, ESV)
This incident demonstrates how, after purging the temple of commercial activities that were not aligned with its intended purpose, Jesus extended his healing ministry to those in need, specifically healing the blind and the lame.
God… help me get religion out of my relationship with you.
Best,
David K Payne
May 22, 2023
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In this edition of the DKPWord podcast, I talk about the realities and pain of Suicide. I offer encouragement to guard your heart and mind and get help! Life is worth Living!
Mark 12:30-31 NLT And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Today there is a lot of conversation within and between the many factions in our world. Each camp is angry, frustrated, and has personal, and most times, selfish thoughts on what is the right thing to do to bring change to our society. I also have opinions that move between defending, accusing, questioning, and denying our society's current condition. The truth of the matter is that we all need to submit our lives daily to the scrutiny of God's word if we are to affect change in our lives and the broader society in general.
I am surprised at how many Christians and most ministries are capitulating to the voices of a few made to look powerful by popular agents of politics, news, and entertainment. This capitulation is seen in superficial conversations, consisting of politically correct words scripted by others and said to satisfy the need to appear to be in line with what is deemed expedient for the times. The exact solution is harder to get at and can only take place as people are fundamentally changed from the inside by power from a more significant source.
One such truth is seen in the greatest commandment, as recorded by Mark as Jesus spoke about the good Samaritan. Rather than being fill with hatred for his oppressor, this unnamed visual example of the greatest commandment is central to how we change our daily interactions and, in turn, the world.
I have striven to daily walk with humility that causes me to bend a knee daily to those who hate me, misunderstand me, oppress me, and even alienate me. As we see in this story, the Samaritan takes the time to inconvenience himself on behalf of someone who did not consider him a full human. Through this Samaritans' kindness, we see a clear picture of how we should relate to those we meet who are different than ourselves. The Samaritan does this not for a photo op, or to be considered politically correct, but instead because he had a genuine love for his fellow man who was in need and incapable of helping himself.
God, please help us to stand and allow your word to guide our service to others, not for show, and not based on the demands of the crowds.
May our actions come from a place of conviction fueled by the power of your love, which causes us to make a difference in our world through Jesus Christ.
I am including a link to a message “Becoming a Neighbor”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69NYsTAF5yA&t=17s
Just Be
David
“So—who is like me?
Who holds a candle to me?” says The Holy.
Look at the night skies:
Who do you think made all this?
Who marches this army of stars out each night,
counts them off, calls each by name
—so magnificent! so powerful!—
and never overlooks a single one?
Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.
Isaiah 25-31 The Message - Eugene Peterson
Christ is the light that shines in darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it!
– John
Isaiah 9:2 NLT
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
One of the most debilitating forces hindering movement is darkness. Darkness hinders understanding and comprehension of what to do next. In the darkness, the eye will begin to search for and draw in the faintest glimmer of light. As the eye collects light, the mind can start to process current circumstances and provide much-needed information about how to begin moving again. The darkness can be physical hindering physical movement. Darkness can be spiritual, emotional, or intellectual hindering understanding about how to process condition and begin an assessment of the next steps internally.
The introduction of even the smallest amount of light into any dark situation begins to bring clarity and easily allows beings to understand and take the next steps. The bible echo's this reasoning on a spiritual level when it declares that the entrance of God's word brings light and gives understanding to the simple. This thought and logic is the root of this messianic prophecy. Isaiah speaking to the nation of Israel, addresses the tendency of many to turn away from God's word and, in doing so, find themselves in the despair of darkness. They are angry at God and king, and nothing they try brings relief. It is into this situation the prophet declares Messiah will come. Advent brings light that makes progress possible again.
For today's devotion, think about the areas of your life where you lack understanding regarding what to do next. Consider the frustrations that come as a result of this lack of understanding. Next consider the possibility that you are walking in some type of darkness and need light. My prayer is that you would allow this devotion to remind you of the promised light of Advent. Open your heart to God's word to you and allow His word to bring light that will yield the understanding you need to take the next steps in your life.
David
Jesus Christ reveals, not an embarrassed God, not a confused God, not a God who stands apart from the problems, but One who stands in the thick of the whole thing with man.
– Oswald Chambers
Hebrews 1:1-2 The Message
Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God and is stamped with God’s nature.
The story of humankind shows the many examples of man's attempts to comprehend and explain God. Shrouded in mystery for generations, the explanations of God and worship rituals are as varied as the many cultures that make up humanity. A study of religion shows some common themes and similar contradictions, all having the flavor of the group proclaiming God at the moment.
For me, the many prophecies surrounding Christ are consistent. They span thousands of years, and they find their fulfillment in the man Christ Jesus. There are common themes that deal with redemption, acceptable living and worship rituals of the Hebrew nation. Three of the world's major religions all find their heritage within the writings of what we know as the Old Testament. Most significantly, what the Old Testament proclaims is the coming of a messiah, a savior, and a direct connection to the God of creation.
A look at the prophecies surrounding Christ shows that He would be God revealed to humanity. I believe that this is the most compelling and persuasive wittiness to the truth about God. The writer of Hebrews declares Christ to be the expression of God's person and nature. Paul says Christ to be the image of the invisible God. Jesus himself declares I am the way, the truth, and the life. What I believe He was saying was He was the way to God, the truth about God and the Life of God revealed to mankind.
For today's devotion, I want to propose that when you look at Christ, you are visibly seeing the creator of heaven and earth. In Christ, we see how God would speak, respond to, and interact with the various examples of the human condition. I would encourage you that you need not mix any other religious view of God with Christ. Rather confidently know that in Christ alone can see the fullness and full expression of God. What this can do for you and me is free us from the opinions of others and release us just to be followers of Jesus, who is the full expression of God. In His words, we find forgiveness, mercy, compassion, pardon, direction, and life itself.
David
“The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.”
― Socrates
Hebrews 6:17-20 The Message
When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.
The focus of Hebrews is a meshing of the intricate details of the Old Testament to the person of Jesus Christ. The writer uses analogies and language to tie the traditions and promises of the religion of the Hebrews to the teachings and revelation of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews chapter six, the writer is encouraging the Hebrew believers in Christ to move on into maturity in the faith. Maturity in the Hebrew faith involves becoming more astute in the complexities of the law of Moses and the traditions of the Rabbis. Maturity as a believer in Christ is vastly different. Maturity in Christ requires moving to a simplicity that believes what Jesus has said He came to do.
To receive the life of Christ, the writer encourages the reader to stop arguing and getting caught in the basics of the Christian religion and believe the message of Jesus. The message is simple. God loves you! He sent his Son to pay the cost of sin and provide salvation, hope, healing, peace, joy, and more to those who would believe His words. The writer reminds the reader that God cannot lie and has promised righteousness through faith, not works, and life through receiving or taking God at His word.
You may ask what is meant by the life of Christ. Jesus lived a life of suffering and rejection so we can know peace and acceptance. Everything in the last devotion and more Jesus purchase for you and me with His life and death. We do not access Christ's life by debating and studying how to live better and be worthy of it. Instead, we possess this promised life by accepting his message as valid.
The hope that God cannot lie is an anchor for our souls. Our soul is the seat of our emotions, desires, and will. Every time you are discouraged, put to shame, and fighting feelings of unworthy and not good enough, remind yourselves of what Jesus did. We have the right to live in that reality by thinking of ourselves in this way. We think of ourselves as a whole, blessed, forgiven, accepted, and successful based on the fact God promised it so and cannot lie. We let this hope keep our emotions in check and lives on track. If we can believe it, it will become our reality.
For today's devotions, remind yourself of everything God did for you in Christ. Trust these are promises from God and rest in the truth God cannot lie. Put your hope in that and live your life. Get up when you fall down and forgive yourself when you sin. When you are facing need or sickness, or heartache believe God for wisdom to find your path to healing and provision, and "Just Be" at peace in these truths.
David
“While other worldviews lead us to sit in the midst of life’s joys, foreseeing the coming sorrows, Christianity empowers its people to sit in the midst of this world’s sorrows, tasting the coming joy.”
– Tim Keller
Hebrews 12:2 NLT Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
One of the motivating factors for enduring challenging times is the value of the tradeoff. We see this when people temporarily take a second job to save for a unique vacation or a down payment on a new home. Others choose to go through some harsh treatment for the promise of extended life. It may be denying yourself credit spending for momentary things to be debt-free in a few years and afford anything. These are just a few examples of this phenomenon.
With Advent, the man Christ Jesus did just this for humanity. To position Himself as the Savior of the world, Jesus endured extreme hostility throughout his life. When Jesus faced death on the cross, and the punishment leading up to it was the culmination of Jesus's sacrifice for your and my life. He saw the strength you and I would receive when we remember His sacrifice, and it provided Him great joy during His most difficult times.
The result is His joy is our strength! He sees our receiving strength from His sacrifice and has joy. We see His Joy in suffering, and we gain strength to face our struggles. James says we should count it all joy when we go through struggles because of what it produces in us. Paul instructs the Romans, in the same way, saying we should glory in our troubles, because of what works in us during this time. The writer of Hebrews states we can face anything triumphantly because we draw strength from considering the suffering of Christ.
For today's devotion, consider what you may be facing, and remember the suffering of Christ. Strength will arise in you to confidently walk through what you are facing. The promise of your strength brought Him joy, and His joy brings you strength. Be amazed at the power of the Gospel and the willingness of Christ to suffer that we might be made strong.
David
John 15:13 NLT “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
“Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."
― William Shakespeare, (Sonnet 116)
For this week’s devotions, I would like to point out the impact Advent had on the man Christ Jesus and the resulting impact on the world. Much is said about God loving the world so much that He gave his only begotten Son. Still, the other factor in this was the decision of the man Jesus to submit to the will of God.
Some may contend that he was God manifest in the flesh and thus is no issue for him to submit. However, a study of scripture points out that there was some struggle involved. In the Garden, Jesus prayed over and over for the Father to allow a different outcome for his life. Luke describes this event as Jesus praying until his sweat became as large drops of blood. This description is significant as Luke was known to be a physician and as such, would have paid attention to the physical effects of the emotional trauma that Jesus was suffering.
The agony of mentally submitting to death on the cross was just the last in a line of concession he had made on behalf of humanity. Jesus literally laid down his life for you and I. The man Jesus traded a life that could have been, for one that was. That was a life lived with others always at the forefront of his mind.
For this today’s devotion, meditate on how Jesus gave up his life, not just in death, but in truth every day so that you could have a life that originates from faith in God. This week we will delve more into this thought. Consider the struggle we have in sacrificing moments and bits of our life and be grateful for an entire human existence willingly sacrificed for you.
David
The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them.
– Matthew
Matthew 21:12-13 New Living Translation (NLT) Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
Most every religion wants to feel that they have insight into truth and God that other religions don't possess. Even those who don't impose their beliefs and practices on others, the very nature of religion itself breeds an exclusivity that is understandable on a human level. Why else would you practice something you don't really believe in? The impact of Advent on religion did in Jesus's day and does still today run adverse to religion.
We spoke earlier in these devotions about how Jesus came to bring humanity a relationship with God. Still, let’s look a little deeper into the conflict that Jesus had and has with religious practices. Rightfully so, our spiritual practices are a reflection of who we are, our culture, and the influences of family. From the earliest records of man's interaction with God, it is recorded that God instructs one generation to teach the next about him. This, of course, changed with Christ. However, still, we see the similarities within contemporary religions and religions of the past when it comes to exclusivity.
In our focus scripture, we see where Jesus entered the temple. The temple would have been a place where Jesus was taught would have worshiped in the traditions of the Hebrew people. On this day, we see the effect that Advent had on Jesus's own religious traditions. The practices of the religious leaders and those who sought to profit off of the devotion of others angered Jesus. His actions and the environment of the temple are a picture of how Advent can cleanse away the spiritual clutter that naturally occurs in regions settings.
You would think that the Son of God, the fulfillment of years of prophecy, would have honored and reverenced the institution that God used to foretell his coming and purpose. But, instead, we see Jesus regularly at odds and in conflict with the leaders of the Jewish religious institution of His day. It wasn't that Jesus viewed the leaders as his enemy, but rather the institution had grown so that it was blinded to its real intent. Jesus declared the temple should be a house of prayer for all people but had drifted off course.
This is why they and we need Advent. Our religious institutions need the Spirit of Advent to cleanse our excess and personal agendas and help us see the real intent of those institutions in the first place again. Though I am sure that any religious leader who might be reading this would argue that other religions need cleansing. But I would say that all our religious institutions and practices need cleansing.
For today's devotion, seriously consider where you worship. Be open to God about what excess might be a part of your traditions. When our programs, services, social gathering, and study groups become more important than the people entering to worship, we need the cleansing of Advent. I will be the first to admit that I have some real angst with the church. In part, this sorry is due to what the church did to me. But on a deeper level, I pastored for thirty years, knowing that the institution of the church interfered with the mission of the church. If we would dare to allow God to wash away the disorder of our practices of worship, we too could see those who need help, find it.
David
Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place…
Matthew 25:24-15 The Message
Recently I found myself contemplating how much I enjoy living my life. I acknowledge that the freedom I enjoy now to live my life is a relatively new concept for me. Being raised in any social group exerts a series of expectations and societal norms that define and restrict life and, in many cases, restrain it. I agree that there are acceptable and unacceptable expressions of living associated with every societal setting. However, these societal standards can be a great hindrance to finding an authentic life. Words like rebellious, defiant, bold, insolent disrespectful, and the like are often used to describe those who dare live inconsistently with or outside of these standards.
The challenge is that societal norms are directly correlated to the culture, and though there is most likely a universal standard for acceptable and unacceptable, that standard is difficult to define. The culture I grew up in was strongly influenced by religion. As with most religions, the leaders claimed a higher power as the source of their authority to set the standards for living. In Christianity, the claim is reinforced by the threat of hell and promise of heaven. Religious leaders claim if you adhere to the standards they set forth, you will avoid hell and gain heaven. The threat of hell and promise of heaven is prevalent within Christianity. Oddly though, each of the thousands of factions within Christianity each has its own set of standards based on the same claim of authority. This blog is not about debating the realities of heaven or hell. The intent is to encourage you not to allow the threats of others to interfere with you living an authentic life as defined by your personal convictions and internal intuition.
I want to remind you that even the one Christians claim to follow was considered a rebel during his earthly life. In fact, each notable person in scripture has a story that would be defined as unique to itself and not conformed to societal norms and standards. Indeed, an honest look at scripture reveals that there is no predominant threat of eternal punishment for going against a cultural norm. And lest you claim that your view is the only correct view, I remind you that your view is but one of thousands of opinions about appropriate and inappropriate living.
If you are sincere about living a good life, there are two principles that you can use as a standard for your life. Love God with your whole being and love your neighbor as yourself.
Following those two standards, I believe you will find an authentic life and avoid and inherit whatever eternal ramifications there are to how you live. Do not allow another person to so restrain you, either through fear of eternity or expulsion from your society, that they rob you from living your life.
Abundant life is what Jesus brought the world in whole, and you as an individual.
Just Be
David
“Live authentically. Why would you continue to compromise something that's beautiful to create something that is fake?”
― Steve Maraboli
Today I was pondering the many interactions I had with people across several lines of interest and connections. Each week I interact with hundreds of people representing business, ministry, community, family, and friends. While contemplating life, I must admit that despite all my current success in life, there is a sense of sadness in me today.
This last week, I officiated a funeral of a man my age. I prayed with a husband and son, and for their wife and mom, who is dying too young. I interacted with people I gave so much of my life to, only to have them choose to turn their back on me for fear of losing their livelihood. An individual approached me desiring to use someone in ministry to gain control of a personal matter in the name of God. I spoke with a mom who wanted a preacher to address her son, who is struggling with life, and hopefully encourages him to stay on the path she deems appropriate for him. My oldest brother turned 71 this week, and I am still trying to find my place in ministry and work. There were many more people this week that I interacted with personally and professionally, each straining to cope with, strategize regarding, and keep up with the expectations of others regarding their personal lives.
I realize that what I am describing is life and is what we do. However, my sadness is that we are each bombarded with why who we are is not enough, and why we need to be something else, to be prosperous, happy, secure, accepted, and whole. Regularly hearing who we are is not good enough is so sad to me as we each innately possess what we need to be prosperous, happy, secure, and whole. However, we must push past and transcend the need of being accepted by others and "Just Be." Life will have challenges, struggles, obstacles, and many discouraging times, but the constant pressure to belong exacerbates these times, more than the freedom just to be. I think it hit me more clearly today than ever that our world is so against people being authentic. Yes, there are things we need to work on to be better members of society. But, in our present world, it appears as though we celebrate the appearance of being something, more than you just being. The reward is acceptance into the group. Acceptance into the cool group because of what you wear. Acceptance into the church group because of what you appear to be. Acceptance into the business group because of your ability to know the right people and seem to understand. I fear our world rewards the fake, the pretend, and the illusion of being because of outside appearance. We see an example of this in our constant obsession with how many likes we get on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Many times, we are not as concerned with saying something helpful and inspirational as we are with how many like we have. The sad reality is that for most what we put on social media is what we want people to think we are, in order again to be accepted.
My pondering and this writing were all stimulated today because Sundays are, for the most part, a very mentally heavy day for me. Aside from the immense relief of not having to be on my game seven days a week continually. Apart from the song line "easy like a Sunday morning" being truer than not, Sundays are still sad to me. Not being in church as much I see the masses of people coming and going from the religious institutions we call the church. I know the reality is that the one institution that should be teaching people how loved and accepted they are by God is not. Instead of always telling people where they are falling short, the church should encourage people to courageously use the gifts and talents in their hands to help others. Sunday in churches should be the one day each week where people who gather to worship God, should be celebrated for their uniqueness and authenticity. Instead, Sunday, more than any other day is the one day that more people have to pretend to be happy, encouraged, prosperous, secure to be accepted.
While sharing my feelings with a friend today, it dawned on me that most likely, my Sunday sadness springs from the fact that I no longer belong anywhere.
For over 30 years of my life, I ministered to others, even putting them before my own family. Two years ago, my life was beaten down by personal struggles, weaknesses, cancer, and sin. Though I was in transition, I believed I would always find acceptance among people I was a part of for 55 years of my life. Tragically, someone arose and demanded I leave or face their threats against me, and I found my self on the outside.
Even today, it saddens me to hear of things that are accepted and celebrated now in that institution that was never a part of who we were when I lead. Each week I never shied away from declaring my need of God, his grace and consistently relayed the realness of my humanity. Where I served for all those years, it appears there is an acceptance for what appears to be, for what pretends to be, and fake perfections seem celebrated more than flawed authenticity.
I have survived because of the prayers of a few close friends, and especially my family. That, coupled with my faith in God's love and the message of grace I preached for years, continues to keep me. However, sadly, I have nowhere I can ever belong again. I possess more peace personally than ever before. I have more faith than ever, but the trade-off was permanent expulsion from what I once thought would always be there for me. I could find another place that would accept me where I am today. But the moment I ceased to meet their set of expectations going forward, once again, I would be rejected and prohibited from belonging. I would once again find myself on the outside. I am now too old to spend my life seeking the approval of others. I will spend my days, resources, and energy, declaring that who you are is enough. I will announce that God loves you and that he accepts you. I will do as Jesus taught his disciples. I will not be consumed or concerned with those who won't hear. I will speak the truth I know, and it will continue to set people free from the fake and give them the courage to find and live authentic lives.
I will leave you with this observation. Any group where of necessity you must pretend "to be" in order to belong, is not worthy of your presence. Walk away and "Just BE"!
In being you find you belong to the most significant group, God's family.
Just Be
David
“You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It won’t happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.”
― Joel Osteen,
For the past three blogs, we have looked at the things David did to continue living beyond a shattered life. The fourth noticeable step that David was to gather his army and go to war. For those experienced with recovering from traumatic events, one of the last things you begin to do is to resume normalcy in your everyday living. For David, he was a king. As king, he ruled and waged war against the enemies of Israel. On my view, this would have been particularly difficult for David given the steps that lead to this shattered place in his life.
Looking at the circumstances of David’s life before this series of sins, reveals something interesting. It all began when David should have been at war with his armies but decided instead to stay in Jerusalem. While strolling on the roof of his home, David saw a beautiful woman. Being king, he sent for her, lay with her and she became with child. In an attempt to cover this sin up, he sent for her husband, and when his plan failed, David sent him to the front lines to intentionally get him killed. A child was born, became sick and died, and from this shattered place of personal failure, betrayal, and selfishness, David shows us an incredible example of living beyond a shattered life. David’s writings reveal him to be a very contemplated person. It must have been incredibly painful for David to return to the battlefield when it was his absence from the battlefield that started things.
I believe that in cases of personal failure, it is incredibly hard for us to return to doing the things we should have been doing in our lives. There might have been legitimate reasons as to why David did not go to the battlefield this time. Most likely, he was exhausted with living and decided to take a break. Regardless, I believe there is a connection between his sins and the decision to stay at home. The incredible thing about David was his ability to return to the center or right the ship of his life regardless of how bad things were. I believe it was his deep abiding confidence that God existed and loved him regardless that gave him the strength to keep living.
We must as did David summon the courage to return to the things we need to be doing in our lives. Returning to what we should be doing with our lives has been one of the most personally challenging things for me to do. I had to take care of myself. I was very confident in my relationship with God and after some discomfort found the ability to comfort and find comfort in my family. But, returning to ministering to people and encouraging others has been the most challenging step for me to take. To return to living your life, you must decide that your calling and purpose are more significant than your failings, personal pain, and the disappointments of others.
David returned to being king, and I want to encourage each of you to return to being who you are supposed to be. As you consider living beyond your shattered life, allow God to give you the grace to return to living and being.
Just Be
David
“One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.”
― Shannon L. Alder
The third noticeable thing that David did after the death of his young son was to comfort his wife. We must understand there is an unquestionable comfort we received when we become aware that others are hurting around us as well as we. We can easily be so self-focused on our pain, our anger, our grief, and our sadness, that we become blinded to the suffering of those around us. The first thing we should do is take care of ourselves, but what we miss is the help we receive from helping others. In the story of David, he spent seven days in an extremely depressed and desperate posture, from which he petitioned God to spare the child. When the child died, he first washed himself, then he worshipped God, and now he goes in and comforts his wife, the mother of the dead child.
Bathsheba conceived another child during this time, Solomon, who went on to become the king of Israel. The point I want to make is that David could have run from Bathsheba as his attraction to her is what started the issues in the first place. He could have refused to go into her, believing God would never be pleased with the relationship because of how it started. He could have put her away because he was king due to the opinions of others. Some act as though nothing wrong ever happened. Others are so ashamed they try and avoid any association with anyone or anything connected to the wrong. But no, David went into her, resulting in another son who the bible says was “beloved of the Lord.” This act brought emotional, spiritual, and emotional comfort to Bathsheba, but it also brought happiness to David in return.
There is a verse of scripture that refers to a family being born for times of adversity. I have seen this first hand. A couple of years ago, when I went through an especially painful period resulting from a shattered life, I found the most excellent comfort in my family. I still remember the love of my son, daughter, grandchildren, and brothers. It was so impactful as they had compassion towards me even though they may have disagreed with my actions, they loved me and comforted me during that time.
Never refuse to reach out to family, particularly after your more painful times in life. You may feel unable to help them, but they are hurting too, and your presence alone can bring comfort to them. You may feel ashamed to be near them, but those family relationships are the ones that will help create a new future for you and them. I want to encourage you to move beyond your shame, your fear, your anxiety, and reach out to closest to you after troubled times. It is in this simple act that you will bring comfort to them and yourself and allow the blessings of God to return to your home.
Just Be
David
“You never go away from us, yet we have difficulty in returning to You. Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness. Let us love. Let us run.”—Augustine of Hippo
In the story of King David moving past a particularly traumatic time is his life, the second very noticeable step that David made was to worship God. David first bathed himself, and then he went as before to his place of worship. The intriguing thing about this is David could have been angry at God for allowing the boy to die. David could have felt condemned as the prophet of God had been the one who brought rebuke regarding David’s behavior. But David’s attitude, as reflected in his writings, had always been one of regardless of my life circumstances, I will always seek the Lord.
Too many times even as Christians, we ignore the preponderance of scripture that teaches that in every situation and circumstance, we ought to worship God. From the beginning of recorded interaction between man and God, God has always made way for his creation to come before him. When Adam and Eve discovered their nakedness, they felt shame and attempted to hide from God. But God made covering for them, that they might be able to come before him. Even in the most grievous circumstances, man is encouraged to seek the comfort of the relationship with God. In Psalms 107, commonly attributed to David, the writer relays four prevailing difficult circumstances we find ourselves in. These circumstances are when we are lost, when we are in despair, when we are foolish and rebellious, and when we are just discouraged from the strain of life. In each circumstance, David reminds the reader to cry out to the Lord and encourages all to remember that God will deliver anyone from their despair.
Worship is never about the worthiness of the worshiper to worship, it is about the worthiness of the one being worshiped. We should worship every day, but the next time you are feeling overwhelmed. The next time the voices of doubt and condemnation are screaming at you to give up and run away, or you are you feel yourself falling into despair, remember David. David was a flawed and weak human as we all are, but he never drew back from worship, which is recognition of the greatness of God.
Just Be
David
"Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort. " – Deborah Day
In our last blog, we spoke about how King David in the scriptures moved past a particularly shattered point in his life. The culmination of this series of events was the death of his son, after which David takes four very noticeable steps in his moving past this traumatic event. The first of these steps was to bathe himself. Remarkably, taking care of ourselves is one of the hardest things we will do in our lifetime. What we miss is how vital care for our self is to the process of moving past traumatic experiences. Without taking care of ourselves first, we have no chance of accomplishing the next three steps, David moved through and living beyond a shattered life.
"Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. "– Lucille Ball
Often in my writings and ministry, I have touched the subject of loving self. The first time I remember directly addressing this subject was at a men's retreat. I used the teaching Jesus to talk about the three great relationships in our lives; self, God; others. The text reference is in the Gospels, where Jesus reminds a man that the greatest commandment is to love God. Jesus goes on to declare that the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. The unspoken truth is this scripture is that in order to be able to love others as yourself, it is implied we must love yourself first.
Interestingly I can still remember some questioning the wisdom of teaching people to love themselves first and seems to many to be erroneous teaching. On my view, the truth is we must take care of, love, and nurture our own lives to be able to help others. David rose from his grief and first cared for himself.
Caring for oneself can be seen in our practices and lifestyle. To live well and specially to move past a shattered life, we must develop good personal habits regarding things that promote health. Appropriate amounts of rest, healthy eating habits, seeing a counselor, moderate exercise, and just being kind to yourself are all indicators of how we view ourselves. How we view ourselves directly impacts how we interact with the world.
There is much more to say about the subject of caring for our self. But for today, I want to encourage those of you who are trying to move past traumatic experiences to develop an intentional habit of taking care of yourself first.
Just Be
David
“Affliction is a good man's shining time.”
― Edward Young
One of, if not the most significant challenge in our lives is continuing to live our lives beyond those seasons when we are shattered by the circumstances and consequences of our lives. There are many events or series of events that bring our lives to these places where one can quickly feel all is lost. Sometimes this overwhelming feeling is the result of a single decision that goes wrong, and all seems irreversibly destroyed. Other times the distress is brought on by a series or lifetime of choices. Many times, a shattered life is not the result of doing anything wrong, instead happens while fulfilling the purpose of our lives. Some of the top things people encounter that bring the most considerable stress are the death of a close loved one, the loss of a job, a personal injury or illness, divorce, or imprisonment. Regardless of what happens to bring you to a place of hopelessness, the question is how you move past the feeling of futility and continue to live your life well.
As a lifelong Christian, the bible has been a consistent source of direction, encouragement, and hope for me during difficult times. For the past two years, I have been personally navigating life beyond the consequences of years of mounting personal struggles, cancer, divorce and the betrayal and abandonment by people I gave my life to for almost 30 years as a pastor resulting in the failed attempt to destroy my reputation, image, and career. I have consistently sought the solace of scripture and the direction that it gives to those who will seek its wisdom. One such story is the story of David the King of Israel during a time when he made some poor personal choices, he then complicated those choices with other decision that resulted in the destruction of several lives and the death of at least two individuals. David was confronted about his sin by the prophet, and the realization of what he had done sank in, and after the death of his newborn son, David takes some definitive steps that I have found helpful in my personal life.
After an extended period of repentance, prayer, fasting all petitioning God to save the life of a newborn son, the child dies. The first thing that David does is get up and bathe himself. A great lesson to learn is the reality that after the consequences of your life have left you devastated, you must take care of yourself first. Next, David goes and worships God. David knew that despite the failures of his humanity, hope and strength for living comes from God, and those who seek God’s help will not be turned away. Then David comforted his wife. Even in our times of devastation, there are family members that will receive comfort from us and give support to us, if we will turn to them. Lastly, David knew his responsibility as a King, he raised an army, went into battle and continued to reign for many years after this shattered point in his life.
For my next several blogs, I want to delve deeper into the ramifications of each of these steps that David took, share how they helped me and encourage you to make the decisions needed to live beyond your shattered life.
Just Be
David
If you want to find God, hang out in the space between your thoughts.
– Alan Cohen
The scripture verse associated with the thought be still and know refers to being still and knowing that there is a God. Acknowledgment that there is a God quietens all other voices and allow you to begin to determine the voices of others from the voice inside of you. Dependency is needing others to the determent of your own being. Though we should be there for our family, friends, and community at large, and we would hope others would be there for us, we must never get to the point that we replace God with others. Whether others are people or things, anything allowed to exist on the level of God in our lives outside of God is idolatry. When we put others in place of God, we extinguish the direction and life that comes from God alone, and we end up enslaved mentally and emotionally to the whims and desire of others. We can never honestly know ourselves and indeed find our authentic life until we quieten all the competitors to God. Those who assert themselves as an authority in our lives or those we have come to be dependent upon, we must be still and know in ourselves that we have everything we need to be successful and find our path. At the end of it all, faith in God, causes us to believe in ourselves and makes us less vulnerable to the tyranny of others.
Be Still and Know
David
“Sometimes you need to sit lonely on the floor in a quiet room in order to hear your own voice and not let it drown in the noise of others.”
― Charlotte Eriksson
I was reminded this week again of the power of meditation, or quietness and stillness. Meditation is the practice of being quiet and still in your mind. One of the greatest hindrances to finding your authentic life is all the voices that are continually saying, this is the way, walk in it, or this is what you must think, or how you must feel, or what you must believe. Join me in making a practice of sitting still and quite daily. Let’s turn off our TV’s, phones, computers, and every other form of information that keeps shouting opinions of what you must do and just be still. Though thoughts may come and go, allow them to do so without struggle or strain, observe them, acknowledge them, but have the goal of quietness and stillness of the mind so that you might hear the voice inside you saying here is the way, walk in it.
Just Be… Still
David
“Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.”
― Parker J. Palmer
In our efforts to pursue an authentic life, regarding our personal relationships with God, it is essential to be mindful of some of the hindrances to our growth. One such impediment is the erroneous misconception that the church is a building, organization or place we go, instead of the reality that we as individuals make up the whole of what is the church.
This is important because when we only view the church as a place we go, we begin to aspire to fit in and achieve what whoever oversees the organization or venue we go determines is a priority for the group. As we direct our attention to the group’s goals, vision and mission, we begin to detract from anything that God would have as a priority of our lives. From how we walk out our day to day lives, to how we give of our time resources and talents, to how we worship all becomes dictated from a source other than from within ourselves. In this way, the expression of our lives is not authentic and quickly becomes strained and even false. This is a tragedy because we cheat ourselves and others from the good that would come from a genuine expression of our lives, and we find our personal growth stalled as we pursue life expressions that were never intended to be ours.
God designed each of us with unique personal and spiritual DNA that flourishes when nurtured and developed throughout our lives. Church when only seen as something you attend becomes a more significant hindrance than a benefit. We become codependent on others, and the stage is set for all types of abuses that we take a lifetime to gain deliverance from. Change your perspective from going to church, to being the church, and you will be astounded at the liberty and growth that begins to flood your life. You may not gain the approval of men, but you will find your life flourishing under the inspiration and direction of the Spirit. That overflow of life is what will make you effective in all aspects of your life expression.
Just Be
David
“Maturity, one discovers, has everything to do with the acceptance of ‘not knowing.”
― Mark Z. Danielewski,
For the religious, the thought of spiritual growth and evolution is a foreign concept. We miss the admonitions of biblical writers challenging believers to grow in their faith lives. The lie that real maturity or truth is what someone else says makes religious environments a breeding ground for pretending to be, based on the group or circumstances. One example of this was Paul taking Peter to task regarding his willingness to eat with Gentiles as long as no other Jews were around. Though this is a small example, it is an expression of human nature in general. We are driven by the need for acceptance and a longing to fit in and find community. Religious environments not only cause people to pretend to be, to fit in, but these environments are proven to prey on people at the most vulnerable moments in their lives.
I have no problem with the declarations of Paul when he declares himself a “slave of Christ,” but Paul was never a mental slave to the religious pressures of his day. Paul walked his own course and intentionally avoided the religious of his day for several years to establish his personal identity in Christ. The true end of total submission to Christ is freedom. We are no longer bound to the ideals and restrictions of others, but we are set free to pursue life with a passion and vigor that is without fear.
One reason there is so much resistance to spiritual maturity is that as we develop our own identities, we are less dependent upon others and especially those we have allowed to dictate our everyday lives. It is tragic that so many continue year after year to embrace the same messages, restrictions, attitudes, and lifestyles while condemning all who dare to develop a different view from theirs. The saddest part of this is all the while they condemn others for walking their own paths, the ones condemning others are unhappy, stagnant and filled with doubts themselves. The crippling force that keeps many from growing is fear. Fear of the judgment of those we love, and respect, and fear of the unknown, fear of freedom itself. Like children growing into adulthood but afraid to move out of their parent’s home, religion grips us and holds us hostage to its tenants and ideals robbing us of the life promised in the scripture’s religion claims to support.
The proclamations of the prophets, the teachings of the wise, of the apostles and most importantly of Christ all support growth, change, freedom, and life. The central truth of the New Covenant is that you will no longer need man, but the Spirit will direct you. Christ warns that the resistance we get from following Him will be the judgment of those closest to us. But in spite of the opposition and misunderstanding, purpose in your heart to grow. Expect the rejection of those closest to you. But, embrace the life that follows and encourages others to grow and be free.
Just Be
David
“Balanced thinking will take you beyond confusion.”
― Daphne Michaels
My heart is committed to persuading people that God is not an enemy to man, but everything about God joys in his creation. Throughout the century’s mankind has sought to make sense of life and understand the many questions surrounding life. Why is life the way it is, what is life all about, how are we supposed to navigate the many challenges of life? These and many other questions stand front and center in the minds all who care to stop and think on a deeper level about life.
Philosophers, poets, sages, prophets, and writers have all attempted to identify these critical matters in life and bring some peace to their readers by answering the many questions surrounding life. Some conclude we ought only to live for self. Others find we ought to be afraid of God and authority in general, demanding we never question but only submit your will and life to someone or something else. Religion, including Christianity, which should bring peace to people’s lives, is many times twisted by those who want to control the lives of others and only brings more desperation and feelings of hopelessness.
On my view, those who seek an authentic life, and those who walk less traveled roads, find a balance of walking with an acknowledgment of God and a respect for others. But, they are also those who live empowered in their spirits to make the decisions that they conclude to be right for their lives and families. Many would argue you can’t trust yourself, but that begs the question of why I should trust someone else then. Why should I trust others more than what I feel in my spirit? The writers trying to answer questions have questions themselves. Those who are encouraging us how to navigate life, deal with failure and find paths of righteousness are themselves walking the same path as we. The writer of Ecclesiastes addresses this balanced approach…
So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time? Ecclesiastes 7:16-17 (NLT)
Determine to find balance in your approach to life. Don’t let anyone terrorize you with fear when God came to relieve your fear. Don’t live in shame, as Christ took all our shame. Don’t let others control or dominate your path, as the Holy Spirit gives direction to all, including you!
Just Be
David
“Forgive me for being so ordinary while claiming to know so extraordinary a God.”
― Jim Elliot
For my Easter message this year (accessible through this web page and on Facebook), I looked at five things the word says about us because of what Jesus did by his life, death, and resurrection. In this blog, I share the last 2 of 5 things the Word says about you and me. If you want to read parts 1 and 2 check this past Sunday and Tuesdays’ Blogs. These truths are an essential defense against the human struggle with feelings of insufficiency and unworthiness, and these points will give you the confidence to live your best life and know it is enough.
- I Am Alive
In Galatians, Paul declares that the life people see him living is because Christ lives inside of him. This is a powerful but strange scripture that many miss the full reality of. Other places biblical writers declare that if anyone is in Christ, they are new creations, resurrected beings who are filled with the life that Christ supplies. On my view, these references are not speaking of becoming a different person, but instead, they are addressing the truth that in Christ we can renew our minds and begin to think of ourselves as dead to the struggle with being good enough or accepted or approved of by men or God. We understand that we are fully alive to give our best, do our best and just live each day to its fullest. Some days may be filled with success and faith and goodness, while others are filled with questions, doubts, failure, and fears, but each day we continue to live because of our faith in Christ fully. We refuse to get pulled into the struggle of whether we measure up or not, and we are confident we are accepted by God and thus can just be. This is how we can move past our mistakes and failures and keep living in spite of what we have done or not done.
Consider this scripture from the Message translation…
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 MSG - Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between him and us, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
What a fantastic mental place to live in… accepted, confident, forgiven, loved, understood, complete and full of life. Living this way, it makes us able to share who we are, our time, talent and resources and know it is enough!
- I Am Salt and Light
Jesus declares that we are salt and light. Salt and light are both substances that affect the things they come into contact with. Regardless of how much salt or how powerful or significant the light is, both affect their environments. When you put to rest the human struggle with worth and significance and just live, you will begin to be amazed at how significantly you affect others, and thus who you are is enough. Rather than struggling with what you’re not, or worrying about where you have fallen short, you thrive as a part of humanity and the family of faith, and your life explodes in influence on those you come into contact with.
Remind yourself often of the five things I have shared in these blogs and rejoice knowing your life matters and has a purpose. You don’t have to strain or work to accomplish your purpose, you just have “To Be”!
Just Be
David
“Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. ... He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken.”
― Dieter F. Uchtdorf
For my Easter message this year (accessible through this web page and on Facebook), I looked at five things the word says about us because of what Jesus did by his life, death, and resurrection. In this blog, I share the first 3 of 5 things the word says about you and me. If you want to see part one, checks this past Sundays Blog. These truths are an essential defense against the human struggle with feelings of insufficiency and unworthiness, and these points will give you the confidence to live your best life and know it is enough.
- I Am Loved!
The word teaches that God loved us so much that God gave his son that we could have abundant life. John describes God’s love as real love. Not that we loved God, but that God loved us and sent his son as a sacrifice for our sins. Paul in Corinthians describes love as an array of positive attributes from love being patient to love always hoping for the best. That is the love that God has for you and me, and no one can take that love away or that truth away. God loves you… the good, bad and ugly you. You are loved.
- I Am at Peace with God!
Paul declares in Romans 5 that I am justified, completely forgiven and made righteous and because of this, I am at peace with God. So many people use God as a threat to move others to do right. Many proclaim that God’s love will one day run out, or tire and as a result, we best do better or risk losing God’s love. The preponderance of scripture declares that God will keep loving and loving us throughout our lifetimes. The result of this truth is that I am no longer afraid God is waiting and watching for me to mess up, so he can destroy me. God is continually renewing his love mercy and strength towards me every day, and God is, in fact, my biggest fan. I can rest knowing I have been forgiven and can approach God for help without fear of rejection.
- I Am Complete in Christ!
In the book of Colossians Paul encourages the church to resist the calls of religious people to add to their belief that Christ paid the price for our sins on the cross, expressing the immensity of God’s love and providing a peace that secures my relationship with God. Human reasoning will always encourage you to try harder to be better to please those in authority over our lives. The truth of the word is the work we should do is believe in the finished work of Christ, understanding that faith is what pleases God. When we know we are complete in Christ, with no need to impress God with religious practices, we can just be, live and trust the spirit of God to bring guidance to our lives.
Meditate on these 3 things this week and settle in your hearts your personal faith in God and ask Him to continue to reveal to you the fullness of what was done through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Check back on Thursday for An Easter Blog – Part 3 that will look at the last 2 of 5 things the word says about you and me.
Just Be
David
“You are not what others think you are. You are what God knows you are.”
― Shannon Alder
We all grow up hearing a variety of harmful things throughout our lives that shape our struggles with how we live. Comments like I’m so disappointed, ashamed, embarrassed, saddened, upset and hurt by you and what you did are common phrases we hear from childhood. People add to these comments that everyone else is going to let feel let down or disappointed as well, only adding more weight to our struggle. And then the best one that I have heard is… You’re not who I thought you were. That last one would have destroyed me had I not fully know the truth about life. That truth is we all struggle with the human condition… not just our flesh, but also our feebleness, mortality, the randomness of life, things that don’t make sense and of course the many why’s we face throughout our lifetime. Therefore, I believe so strongly in faith. Faith is the belief that something or someone is more significant than me. Faith is a belief that there is order, there is hope, I can survive, I will overcome and are all things that I believe inspire humanity to endure and rise above impossible circumstances and find and live their best possible life.
ENTER Religion. With religiosity all these questions are magnified, the guilt is compounded, and we hear all the voices screaming their disappointment and disagreement in our heads. It is almost overwhelming! But if we are going to bring God into the equation regarding what is said about our persons, then we certainly should not merely rely upon the words of those who say they speak for God, but we should trust the Word of God and Spirit of God that is promised to lead us and guide us in truth.
For my Easter message this year (accessible through this web page and on Facebook), I looked at five things the word says about us because of what Jesus did with his life, death, and resurrection. Check back on Tuesday for An Easter Blog – Part 2 that looks at the first 3 of 5 things the word says about you and me. These truths are an essential defense against the human struggle with feelings of insufficiency and unworthiness, and these points will give you the confidence to live your best life and know it is enough.
Just Be
David
“Joy is Strength” - Mother Teresa
As I consider the story of Jesus and the cross, my mind is filled with many messages and songs that celebrate what the Christian message proclaims was done for mankind through the suffering of Christ. I also remember a message I preached years ago speaking about a scripture that declares the joy of the Lord is our strength. As with many scriptures, people read past them or learn to quote them and even preach about them without ever genuinely considering the full possibilities of what the scripture could be saying.
As a Christian, I believe all scripture to be a continual revelation of who Jesus is and what all he made available to me. The writer of Hebrews speaks specifically of the time when Jesus hung upon a cross and states that it was the joy of what lay before Christ that kept him and gave him the strength to endure such punishment and torment. A study of what Jesus came to do I believe reveals that his primary mission was to set mankind right with God and put each of us at peace in our lives regardless of our struggles. With that thought in mind, I believe that the joy of the Lord was what he saw regarding the impact his suffering and death would have on mankind.
You can possibly relate to times you have faced opposition and struggled to accomplish a project, task or challenge that you knew would bring members of your family great joy, pleasure, and success. As parents, we drive through the night to get our children to a favorite vacation spot. We work and exert great effort to ensure our families have places to live and food on their table. I can look at the some of the most grueling moments in my life and remember it was the well being of my children and grandchildren that caused me to endure specific painful experiences, knowing that if I made it through those times if would remove pain and give an opportunity for life to those I love.
I believe with all my heart that the joy in Jesus’ greatest hour of suffering was his realization that what he was enduring would make it possible for all to have peace in their hearts despite our struggles. I believe he saw how the message of the cross would inspire untold millions of people not to give up, get back up again, believe they can do all things and refuse to give into personal weakness and defeat. I believe he saw all of mankind going from being separated from God and defeated to being free and in right relationship with God. I believe he saw our success, healing, righteousness, confidence, deliverance, peace, joy, happiness, and our faith and it gave him the courage to stay on the cross even until death.
Remember that his joy is your strength and never allow anyone to cause you to doubt what he makes possible for your life.
Just Be
David
Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.”
― John Stott
In the Gospels, Jesus explains that to be a follower, one must take up their cross and follow him. Each time he states this he references loving Christ more than others and even self, thus the command to forsake all things including your own life to be able to follow him freely. These scriptures have provoked a lot of thought in me through the years, and these thoughts have risen in my spirit again as we think about living an authentic life.
Much is said in “The Road Less Traveled” about the ego and ego boundaries. Ego is the person we project on others, while another self exists when these boundaries are allowed to fall. There is much writing about this subject and whether or not ego is good or bad or necessary or not. It appears that Jesus is addressing this subject long before Carl Jung or M. Scott Peck and countless other thousands of writers give opinions about the ego.
One of the main principles of discipleship is the idea of forsaking all to follow. Jesus even states we must be willing to lose our lives to be his disciple, but each time, Jesus says we must take up our cross. If you reason this out, Jesus is not saying we must cease to exist, because then there would be no one to follow him, so the context must go deeper than just denying our desires to be or in the extreme case cease to exist. Years ago, I began to understand that this cross was, in fact, our lives. Our faults, struggles, success, possessions, what people thought about us, the lies and suppositions, the truth or reality or the imagined. Each of us carries with us who we are and who we are perceived to be, but at the end of the day, that is who must follow Christ. What we project is ego, and I believe Jesus is stating we must be willing to let that die. We must forsake the strain to appear to be to others one thing or the other. But the one thing that we must carry with us into faith is the reality of our lives. It is through living and following him that we have a testimony.
I have personally felt so much judgment from people as they shun you in public or talk about you openly or privately, sharing what they think they know, or what they have heard. I decided I have to lift my head anyway and keep following Christ. What I do or don’t do is not relevant to their opinions, but rather is directly connected to my personal discipleship. My life and all that goes with it is my cross that I must take up daily to follow him. Don’t allow others to force you into pretense and role-playing, let ego in that part of your life go, and be encouraged that you are the disciple of Christ, that is your cross, so take it up daily and follow Him.
Just Be
David
“Love is the active concern for the life and the growth of that which we love”
- Erich Fromm
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians describes the behaviors of love or defines love. He uses terms like love is patient, kind, never gives up, is hopeful and endures every circumstance. He also describes what love is not. Love is not arrogant, rude, irritable or demanding of self. Though we miss this mark so many times, those pursuing an authentic life understand love requires growth, maturity, and discipline on our part. We should never give up on reaching for the behaviors of love Paul speaks about while recognizing that love is more than just a unique feeling of romance, intrigue or desire, love causes us to do and be as we allow ourselves to be influenced by its power.
Peck in his book, “The Road Less Traveled,” states “the only true end of love is spiritual growth or human evolution. My prayer for you and myself is that we will allow the power that is love, to move us toward growth on a spiritual level which will enable us to evolve toward ever greater maturity in our intrapersonal and personal relationships with others.
Just Be
David
“I define love Thus: The will to extend one’s self for the purpose for nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth.” - M. Scott Peck
In his book “The Road Less Traveled,” Peck describes love as the force that is motivation and the backbone to bring about growth in our lives. Absent a motivating force we might all remain stagnate and comfortable in our circumstances and situation. Without such a motivation our personal relationships lack the inspiration needed for two people to make adjustments that make it possible for two to work toward a similar purpose. Without such a motivating force, parents are more apt than not focus on self and ignore the very children born to their relationship. Some would accurately argue that we are in business relationships that are absent love but are motivated by money. The argument is correct that money is motivating factor, but long after allowances and rewards prompting us as children is passed, there must be a force that compels us to find the discipline in our lives to do advance, grow and mature in our lives. Peck argues that motivation is love and I tend to agree that he is correct.
This idea of love being the backbone be disciplined as to advance our paths and improve our lives must first being with our relationship to our self. Peck states that it is impossible to love others without first loving self. (Peck, p. 82) I am in total agreement with Peck on this point, and this was the subject of my last blog. Before we can obey one of the great commands to love our neighbors as we do ourselves, we must first realize the connection love for others has to do with love for self. As stated in my last blog, some argue that love for self is just an excuse to be selfish and self-centered, but I want you to see that love for others arises out of your love for self.
Another means of coming to the understanding of love for others emanating from love for self is to see love as the inspiration to make desires reality. It is one thing to desire to be healthy mentally, emotionally and spiritually, but it takes discipline to seek the counseling, exercise and disciplining your eating habits to realize this wholeness. Desire sees what you want to be or do but will causes you to take the actions to achieve the desires. This discipline is made possible when you see that you’re important enough to make the adjustments, changes, and sacrifices necessary to achieve these results in your life. Taking Peck's definition of love, loving yourself gives you the will to take the steps required to grow. This reasoning extrapolates then to love for others. We are motivated in the same way to extend ourselves for the growth of others when we love. We love others and are prompted to give of our time, resources and abilities for them to be able to grow in their lives. Peck makes this argument; “I believe it will become clear that not only do self-love and love of others go hand in hand but that ultimately they are indistinguishable.” (Peck, p. 83) As we see we possess the means to be able to help others, when we love them, we are motivated to extend ourselves toward them for their benefit.
Take some time to reflect on these thoughts of love causes you to extend your time talent and resources to others. And then contemplate the truth you must first possess something to be able to give it and meditate on the connection of how love for yourself is the backbone of you taking steps to be healthy and whole, which equips you to be able to give to others.
Just Be
David
“When you love yourself, you will find it easy to love others, because you cannot give what you do not have.”
― Gift Gugu Mona
Jesus states that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This statement is one that provokes many responses from people, all dependent upon the perspective of the hearer. On my view, there is a very clear, yet ignored truth within this command, to be able to love others, I must first love myself. I remember years ago talking about the most significant relationships in our lives and making just this point. After the presentation, I had several in attendance question the wisdom of teaching people actually to love themselves. The resistance to loving self is born out of several thoughts, but one being that we are to live selfless lives and put others before ourselves. Even last week while preparing the blog entitled, To Thine Own Self Be True, much of the commentary centered on how unhealthy it is to put self before others, afraid that somehow by loving ourselves we are being selfish.
I am fully aware of the Christian teaching to consider others, forgive others, respect others and esteem others, but all of these miss a psychological truth that I believe is supported by the teachings of Christ. I cannot respect, consider, esteem, forgive and love others when I don’t love myself. How I view myself will influence how I interact with and deal with others. Therefore, statistically abused people tend to be abusers of others, and those who were never loved or respected find it difficult to pass these things onto others. When we are taught by Christ to love others, forgive others, give to others and act towards others, it is always with the backdrop of self. Knowing that you are worthy of being loved, forgiven, esteemed, respected provides the foundation from which you are able to give to the same to others. One of the missed or misinterpreted principles of giving and forgiving to received, is these teachings are rooted in realizing and responding to what we already possess.
“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy. This meant people, jobs, my own beliefs, and habits – anything that kept me small. My judgment called it disloyal. Now I see it as self-loving.” Kim McMillen
The above quote highlights one of the reasons that many don’t want people to value themselves. When we begin to see our true worth, we stop allowing others to abuse, control and violate us. At the same time, we become a resource to be able to benefit and bless others.
Self-care is never a selfish act — it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others. – Parker Palmer
The truth is we get our ability to love others and ourselves from the realization that we are loved by God. You are not a mistake, you are not unlovable; instead, you are a creation of God and you are loved so much by God that God makes way for you to be a peace with him through Christ. Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments are to love God with everything you are, and your neighbor as yourself. The New Testament writer John declares that it is not that we loved God first, but that God loved us first and then we are able to love God. This truth supports the argument I am making as well. We find the ability to love others as ourselves when we first love ourselves. Your life is a gift from God and also a gift to those around you. View yourself as God sees you and watch life flow through you to others and begin to make a difference in your world.
Just Be
David
We are all products of world systems that are based on power, control, comparison, blame and evading responsibility. We look for the shortest routes to success and comfort, and in the process, we make ourselves vulnerable to every person with a good personality and persuasive words. We make commitments to things we know are not right for us. We pretend to be what we are not resulting in seasons of times in our lives that only produce misery and unrest. We continue to do the same things day after day, expecting a different result, exasperated that nothing ever changes for us. At some point, we must stop lying to ourselves and begin to face the truth of our lives. The revelation is sometimes startling as we realize that we have lived parts or almost all of our lives for the approval of others when it is at our discretion to make decisions that would radically change our realities.
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky,
As the quote above points out, a life that is lived with one lying to themselves ends in an implosion of self that leaves us devastated and struggling to survive. My encouragement to you is to begin to pay attention to the voice inside you that is crying out for change. Peck in “The Road Less Traveled” talks about the healthiness of depression, noting that our unconscious man is many times aware of the need for change long before our conscious man is ready to acknowledge it. The result of not facing the things in our lives that need to change is a sense of depression. Begin to pay attention to the subtle feelings of uneasiness and begin to do things differently.
On my view, one of the greatest things we can change is the habit we have of lying to ourselves. We lie believing that things will just get better on their own. We lie to ourselves excusing destructive behaviors and blaming others for why we are where we are. We lie to ourselves believing that everyone else is worthy of success, blessing, and love, but we are not. When we continue to believe that the commitments, practices, and habits we now participate in, that have not produced peace, joy, and love in our lives, we run the risk of developing a level of cynicism that will leave us hopeless and loveless. We begin to lose faith in people around us and eventually in ourselves and even God. I pray a change starts in you today. May this be the day that you begin to love yourself enough to believe what God says about you and trust that God’s spirit can lead you into abundant life. Today is a good day to begin to be true to yourself.
Just BE
David
“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.”
― Marilyn Monroe
One of the most significant challenges I have faced as a person, and especially as an adult is learning to be at peace with people being disappointed with me. I have encountered this reality various times in my life, but events in the last few years have laid me open to critique by others and voiced opinions about my life. For the person living an authentic life, you must learn to be ok with people not being ok with who you are. Tragically many who appear close and caring for you and your life will walk away if they become disappointed with your actions or words, and when who you are, clashes with their ideal of who you should be.
The truth is no one ever fully knows another person, and most of the times even our good opinions of each other are based on best guesses or on the expressed views of others about one another. If you settle this truth, you can begin to set yourself free from the pressure to pretend or playact to them to gain peoples approval. Too much of our lives are spent trying to obtain, keep or adjust the opinions of others about us and this work drives us to pretend to be, and to proclaim things we have never believed, or don’t believe anymore. This compels us to pretend to BE and hide our thoughts, beliefs, actions, and failures. This dilemma is tragic but is motivated by our fear that the ones who could support us, pray for us and help us recover when wounded are the ones who many times first to walk away. The distortion occurs because we are trying to follow and or impress people who are not authentic themselves because they are following and trying to impress others at the same time. Where is the authenticity in this approach to living? Jesus refers to distorted religious teachers by saying they are blind leaders of the blind, causing both to fall into the proverbial ditch.
There are two main issue here. First is the natural growth that should occur in our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Secondly, are the times seasons of struggle and failure that occur in everyone’s life. We should always make allowances for others to change, struggle and fail just as we want others to make allowances for us. But the point of this blog is to shine a light on the tendencies within humanity to not operate this way and to encourage growth and change anyway. If you are tired of having to pretend to be what you know you are not. If you are tired of straining to gain the approval of others in spite of the change in your path of life. If you are always frustrated at the lack of peace, joy and contentment that is the result of complying with the norms of those you are following. Let me encourage you to forsake that way of life and follow the leading of the peace of God in your lives and be at peace when you are rejected by those you have striven so hard to please.
I also want to speak encouragement to you regarding your seasons of struggle and failure. If those who claim to be your friends reject you in these times, don’t associate them with God, because God will never deny you, and if people don't support you when you fail, they are not worthy to walk with you in your success. If a person can’t continue a relationship with you even if they disagree with you, don’t compromise yourself to pretend to be to gain their acceptance. The problem is in them, not you so don’t hold your head down and stop living… Just BE.
As I stated in an earlier blog, when you live your life on your terms as you understand Gods will for your life to be, “You may not win the praise of others, and those you have spent your life trying to empress may not even speak to you, but you will rise each day with peace in your heart, joy in your life and confidence in your spirit that will allow you to face any obstacle.”
Just Be
David
“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.” ― Jim MORRISON
Another crucial factor in finding an authentic life, especially regarding relationships, is a commitment to truth. For the religious person, this would imply finding the truth in regard to theological doctrine and dogma. To the judge or jury, it would be an attempt to ascertain what an actual event was measured by written law. The truth that I am talking about has to do with living our lives in such a way that we don’t have to hide our thoughts and actions from certain people and appear to believe certain things or live certain ways that are not really expressions of our activities when others are not looking.
Peck in “The Road Less Traveled deals with this commitment to truth in living as well as the subject of the variations of lies. Sometimes leaving information out is a form of lying or misrepresenting ourselves can be a form of lying, and Peck delves deep into the psychology behind when and why we tell something and withhold other things. The reality is that most of the time when we lie or misrepresent to protect someone, this attempt at protection is many times unsuccessful in the long run. Peck states that this is deprivation instead of protection and even when we fail to discuss thing with openness with our children they are deprived of knowledge that could be crucial to their survival throughout their lives. Peck does acknowledge that sometimes we hold things back, like the contemplation of divorce, when it is not certain, to not drag our children through something that may or may not become a reality. We may deal with the subject of balance regarding information, opinions, felling, and ideas later.
Finding such a balance regarding truthfulness is exceptionally challenging but necessary, though sadly according to Peck, most people “opt for a life of very limited honesty and openness and relative closedness, hiding themselves and their maps form the world.” (Peck, p. 63) Peck goes on to argue that the benefits of a life of honesty and dedication to appropriate truthfulness far outweighs the challenges and demands of such an approach to living.
The reality is when we are open and honest in our relationships, it is easier to initiate and maintain close relationships effectively. When you are committed to the truth you can live life more confidently knowing that you are not hiding things and having to be careful of who knows what and who you told what. A person committed to truth can be sure they have done nothing to add to the confusion of the world and can live honestly and openly, even if that honesty and openness alienates them from some, the persons they are close to having much greater relationships. Peck makes this statement. “Finally, they are totally free to be.” (Peck, p. 63)
If you follow my writing at all, you know Just Be has been a catchphrase for me for the past year or so. It is so liberating when you have gone through the steps of living with a commitment to truthfulness, and you are finally able just to be. Though there is a lot involved with making to a place where you are at peace with others not agreeing with you, arriving at the destination of being at peace within yourself is, and the result is the peace I believe Christ spoke about when He declared the truth will set you free.
Just Be
David
“For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching has become a regular habit, until he is able to admit and accept what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong. – Bill W.”
Finding an authentic life is not possible if we avoid the practice of self-examination. The quote above expresses very clearly this thought while making two overlooked points about this practice. Admittance and pertinence are two elements that are crucial to the practice of self-examination. Peck in his book, “The Road Less Traveled” encourages the reader seeking a healthy path to be open to regular personal challenge. Peck points out it is much easier to examine and challenge the world around us, but the real danger to our path lies within our private world and is not external. As unnatural as it may seem, great personal progress can be made when we regular allow ourselves to be challenged on a personal level.
The process of self-examination is a personal choice that we decide to engage in. In earlier blogs, we pointed out how people either tend to avoid responsibility or take too much responsibility, both of which lead to unhealthy lives. The process I am speaking of is one where we strategically and consistently self-contemplate our path, our reactions, and habits and open ourselves up to specific outside influences to prompt that self-examination. It may be a book we read, or scripture, or a particular talk or message we listen to or a friend we confide in or allow to challenge us. Whatever the medium, the purpose is to take an honest look at where we are and who we are, and honestly assess the path of our lives. Again, we typically take on too much responsibility or avoid it altogether, but I am talking about courageously and honestly looking at ourselves and patiently working towards correcting what we find the strength to change.
Back to the beginning of this blog, first we admit and accept what we find. We don’t have to pretend, because we are not trying to impress anyone. This is not a competition against others, though others are walking alongside us in the relationships of our lives, they are not our competition. We are not comparing ourselves to them, because we are entirely different people with different circumstances and different personal makeups. We just merely accept and admit, yes that is me, and then we patiently seek to change what we understand needs to change, not condemning ourselves but realizing that it will take a lifetime to walk our paths. The motivation to change comes from our realization that there is a better way to do what we do. We give ourselves a break, by not surrendering to the condemnation of society, family, friends, and religion, but patiently walk out our paths correcting things where and when we can. Don’t look for shortcuts or quick fixes but commit to becoming the most authentic you that is possible and watch the level of joy and life increase exponentially.
Just Be
David
“Embrace those parts of yourself that you've skillfully avoided until now. That's your true adventure.”
― Gina Greenlee, Postcards and Pearls: Life Lessons from Solo Moments on the Road.
One of the traps I have been tempted to fall into lately is attempting to avoid certain pains by avoiding the situations that brought the pain at earlier times in my life. For the person who has been wounded when they opened up to love or trust someone else, it might be thought I can avoid that pain by avoiding relationships that require me to love or trust someone again.
Life experiences can hurt. They hurt so severely that naturally, we would want to avoid those experiences again. The problem is that whenever we build walls to protect ourselves, those same walls trap us and keep us from fully finding an authentic life. It might be a good time to revisit what I mean by an authentic life. I wrote earlier that an authentic life is A manner of living that is emotionally appropriate, significant, purposeful and responsible. In an authentic life, we are fully engaged in the human experience with all the high’s, lows, successes, and challenges, but we are living in a healthy mental and emotional way that produces good things for us and those we interact with. If we begin avoiding specific experiences in life, we starve the areas of our lives those experiences are intended to feed growth into.
I remember when my daughter first announced that she was expecting a child, I became upset. I was upset because I had lived most of my life feeling a lot of responsibility for children at an early age. My daughter and my son were both on their own and were experiencing success in their life, and I felt I was finally off the responsibility hook. I could finally pursue what I wanted to do, I could buy what I wanted for myself. I was looking never to feel responsible for anything or anyone else again. As you can already understand, I had some serious internal issues that I had never dealt with but wrongly resented the fact that I would now have someone else I felt responsible for. WOW was I in for a surprise. My first grandchild was a little boy who is now 11 years old and is one of the most significant sources of love and joy I have ever experienced in my life. When he was five years old, I remember taking him to a local Japanese restaurant to eat, and he looked up at me and with nothing but love in his eyes said, Poppy you Rock!
At that moment I realized that this kid, whom I had no real responsibility for, fed life into me in a way I had never experienced before. But what if I had refused to be a part of his life. What if I had selfishly cut myself off from that experience? The truth is I had a justification for what I felt. I became a father at 18, a pastor at 25 and it had felt as though all I ever did was give and seemingly the ones I gave the most to, demanded the most and gave the least back. I was becoming bitter and resentful and had I allowed that to cause me to withhold myself from this kid, I would have cheated myself out of one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
Let me challenge you to look at the experiences of your life that have caused you great pain with little reward. Consider those experiences you had closed yourself off from and just consider once more whether you are making the right decision by transferring the pain of the experience to the experience itself when it was more about you not being prepared for the experience and taking responsibility for your own decisions. Don’t be afraid to love trust and live… It’s worth it. We have one life, so live it to its fullest. Don’t avoid living, step up to the plate and assume responsibility for you and trust that voice inside that is trying to guide you in your decisions.
Just Be
David
“Better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie.”
― Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
I realize this title is odd title for a blog that is focusing on our finding an authentic life, but I wanted to get the attention of many who may never look at these blogs. For the most part, people and especially religious people seek out those who will tell us what we want to hear, promise us irrational solutions and continue to help us to avoid facing reality.
Though it seems apparent that we should want to face reality, the truth is we don’t. We live past our means using credit that has delayed payments not fully embracing the fact that once the payments become due we are still going to have needs that will necessitate even further delayed payments to survive until something else comes along. Peck in “The Road Less Traveled” presses this issue of dedication to reality.
Young people rush to marry and have children never thinking through the consequences of those decisions on their lives. We make commitments to things out of pressure and yielding to the lies of marketing promising that if we walk this path or move to this state, or take this vacation, or buy this home or RV that life is going to be much more comfortable. The truth is life is hard. The path through our lives is filled with struggles, and the road will take many unexpected turns and changes along the way. Rather than avoiding this truth we should begin avoiding those that lie to us and try and convince us they have an easy plan or cure and fully expect to have to work hard and honestly address hard issues throughout our lives.
There is a freedom that comes as we do this that is empowering. As we trust in the Spirit of God and believe that he has equipped us to face our paths, our lives are filled with a sense of purpose, power and resolve that causes us to declare as Paul did, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) Again in 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. With that approach, we can quietly and confidently walk through our lives. We can be confident that nothing will sperate us from God’s love and because of that one fact alone, we can overcome the sins we commit, the opposition of others, and our personal limitations. We can find solutions when it seems the entire world is rooting for us to fail. We can confidently walk through life, dedicated to reality and never being afraid of the truth of our circumstances.
For those approaching life this way, it matters not if hundreds are for you and or thousands against you. It matters not if you are walking in victory, or in a state of constant personal struggle. It matters not what people say about you that are lies or what horrific thing is exposed you tried to cover. When you fully confront the truth of who you are and what the opposing forces against you are, that commitment to reality alone will let you plot a path that will ensure you live an authentic life. You may not win the praise of others, and those you have spent your life trying to empress may not even speak to you, but you will rise each day with peace in your heart, joy in your life and confidence in your spirit that will allow you face any obstacle. This is how you live an entirely authentic life.
Just Be
David
A couple of blogs back I wrote about the freedom that comes when we take responsibility for our thoughts and actions. I used this quote at the beginning of the blog and thought it worthy of looking at again.
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.”
― Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
Peck in “The Road Less Traveled” spends a great deal of time dealing with responsibility and addressing the extent we go to when faced with the stark reality of our ultimately being responsible for our behaviors. The importance of this focus is that to find our authentic life, we must face our struggles head on and conquer them a little at a time to continue progressing personally, socially and spiritually. Peck speaks of two disorders of responsibility that I want to highlight in today’s writing. Character disorders and neurosis are two ways a person can avoid responsibility, and that will cheat them out of finding their authentic life. According to Peck, “The neurotic assumes too much responsibility; the person with character disorders, not enough” (pg. 35) I relate most closely with the neurotic who automatically assumes everything is their fault. As a small child, I encountered an event that planted a seed of quilt in me that I struggle with to this day. The issue with this approach that though you may appear the martyr and it may feel you are taking responsibility it is indeed a coping mechanism that allows you to never really face the struggles in your life. The person with a character disorder automatically assumes that any struggle or conflict is somehow the fault of someone or something else. Through this means, they justify behaviors and responses and avoid true personal responsibility.
Sadly, religion is a haven for these types of avoidances. The neurotic can hear enough messages to heighten their anxiety and fear resulting in a life that is mainly filled with a strong undercurrent of doubt and fear that leaves you hopeless to ever finding any real victory. We become dependent upon the negative reinforcement we see in religious circles that reinforces our foundation of fear and facilitates a continual avoidance of ever taking real responsibility for any personal issues. People with character disorders find plenty of support for their theory that their struggles are because of sin or the devil or all the evil in the world and that there is nothing to really be done. These personalities easily buy into the thoughts that one day everything will be set right and God will get even with everyone who did you wrong. One day when we get to heaven, all will be good, but as for now, all we can hope for is to struggle.
I realize this may be an oversimplification for many but consider what has been said and ask for understanding in how both disorders rob you of ever gaining victory over the things that only you can be responsible for changing. One of the big arguments that agnostics and atheists use against Christians is we either blame the devil or claim that God excuses our behaviors whatever they are. Both of these arguments are false when it comes to true Christianity, and that is what we are talking about today.
Faith, believing there is a God and that God cares for you, allow us peace with God and grants access into grace. In this arena of grace we don’t have to assume too much blame or avoid it altogether; instead we are free to fully explore the struggle and seek solutions that will help us be overcomers and experience an authentic life.
Don’t Strain or Struggle … Just BE!
David
“True freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline.”
― Mortimer J. Adler,
The biblical writer in Proverb 29:18 says where there is no vision the people perish. One translation state the people cast off restraint. If we are honestly going to pursue an authentic life, we must learn to have a rhythm of consistency or discipline in our lives. Peck in his book “The Road Less Traveled” writes a lot about discipline and states that undisciplined discipline is meaningless. The point Peck is making is that to find our true path we must be disciplined, but that discipline cannot easily distracted or undisciplined. Though we stay flexible, understand that time, chance and circumstances will change our direction from time to time, but we still must maintain a focused determination about our lives.
There will consistently be people who challenge your decisions, actions, and responses regarding every aspect of your lives. Unless you have some discipline about your path, you will easily be deterred from the intentions that are in your heart. In the last blog, I encouraged you to open your heart and hear the voice inside speaking direction regarding next steps in your life and follow that voice. The battle begins when your decisions disappoint others. Though I am not advocating for an attitude just desires to provoke others into controversy, I am supporting that you find the self-discipline not to allow others to cause you to live in a state of confusion consistently. Someone or something will set the course of your life, and you must begin to consider are you going to continue to allow those things or people to be outside influences or internal. I am an advocate of exposing yourself to outside counsel, but the final decision must be one that you alone make and should be guided by the peace the choices bring you internally.
Reconsider the statement at the end of the last blog. You living an authentic life may disappoint others, but it will never be disappointing to you. Contemplate how much of your life you have lived under because of the influence of outside influences and reflect on the results it produced in your life. Isn’t it time you give yourself permission to walk out your life in a different manner and follow the path your heart is dictating.
For those committed to living out the dictates of the scriptures, I challenge you also to consider how you have walked out that decision in the past. Typically in Christianity, we are taught not to trust what we think, but to listen to others in positions of spiritual authority. The glaring problem with this mentality is that those in positions of spiritual authority have misrepresented their status as somehow less susceptible to the whims and desires of the flesh. So in giving others that authority in our lives, we inadvertently give away the central promise of the New Covenant that declares we have no need of a man teaching us what is truth, but rather the Holy Spirit will guide each person to know the Lord and lead each individual to see the truth for their lives.
Be disciplined in your personal commitment to pursuing an authentic life and refuse to allow others to dissuade you from the decisions you feel compelled internally to committed to.
Just Be
David
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.”
― Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
I have referenced struggles in life and remaining flexible on the path. These facts are at the heart of an authentic life. We are free to make decisions and live life as we see it, but in doing so, we understand that we must take responsibility for our lives ultimately. Freedom and responsibility are gracefully moving through the changes in your life, never avoiding problems and regardless of outcomes continuing to live and do your best with your life.
The writer of Ecclesiastes speaks to this.
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. Ecclesiastes 11:5-7 (NLT)
Peck in his book “The Road Less Traveled” addresses this as well. “We cannot solve life’s problems except by solving them. This statement may seem idiotically tautological or self-evident, yet it is seemingly beyond the comprehension of much of the human race.”
Peck goes on to talk about responsibility and how we must take responsibility for the problems in our lives and solve them. Abraham Lincoln said it this way “you can’t avoid the responsibility of tomorrow by avoiding it today.”
The person living the authentic life embraces the path they are on, and they deal with problems created or inherent in their lives. No one else, and I would even say not even God is going to solve your problems for you magically. You though do possess all the ability and ingenuity to face whatever is in your path. There may be times you have to reach out to others for advice and counsel. You may have to deal with hurts and pains from the past, but ultimately if you are to live your best life, you must take responsibility for where you are and face your challenges, solve your problems and taking the steps necessary to move forward in your life.
Please be encouraged that you can do this. It is challenging, that is why most people never live an authentic life, but settle for a life lived to please others, blaming others or believing the discouraging lies of others. Open your heart up and hear the voice inside speaking direction about where to go next and what to do and follow it. You living an authentic life may disappoint others, but it will never be disappointing to you. Just Be
David
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
― Albert Einstein
In keeping with the theme of the Road Less Traveled, Peck asserts that one must be committed to truth. Truth occurs as we see reality more clearly. The challenge for most people is that we tend to believe that what we see and understand today to be the truth, is in fact so, regardless. We become rigid and unchangeable, and instead of adapting our views to new truth and reality that we see, we develop a defensive position and create so much contention in our lives to defend our beliefs. Just this morning I had a close relative of mine call and asked my view on a long-held biblical doctrine. They stated their views were beginning to change the more they read and understood the Bible in the context and language it was written in. I was able to share my opinions, and my discussions with others and affirm that at a minimum, the doctrine was not accurate in how we had been taught it.
This same principle applies to how we live and conduct our lives. From how we spend our time talent and resources to how we raise our children and interact with our friends, those with authentic lives will be consistently changing. This change occurs as the result of new information, a better understanding of those you interact with, societal norms and views and personal growth. This is not a negative but is the evidence that someone is genuinely walking their path.
Though we all know change is a reality of life, many who are religious struggle with this as we quote scripture about God being the same and never changing, and how the truth never changes. Though it is true, God is the same yesterday today and forever, we change and therefore how we relate to God does change and how we understand God changes. The same logic applies to truth. The truth may or may not change, but our perception and understanding of things change our truth. For a fact, our truth changes because of our limited views and knowledge. We see and understand only parts of reality, and just for our present place in time, but as time and reality change our truth changes. This is not a bad thing, it again is a testimony to the fact we are alive and that we are living authentic lives.
Purpose to stop fighting over things you do not understand and don’t defend something you don’t really believe. Know that your path will continually be changing and stop feeling like a compromise when you don’t do things like those who came before us. Your truth is based on your view of reality, based on where you stand in time and the understanding that God has blessed you with.
There are times when I am so unlike myself that I might be taken for someone else of an entirely opposite character.”
― Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Confessions
Just Be
David
“Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.”
Job 46:1
Peck begins his book “The Road Less Traveled” with the statement “Life is difficult.” Many won’t read any further in this blog as this is not what we want to hear. But for those of you continuing to read, I’ll let you in on a little secret; pretending life isn’t difficult, avoiding and ignoring difficulties doesn’t make it any less so. If we are ever going to live authentic lives, we must come to the reality that wishing our problems away won’t solve them but facing them and looking for a solution will.
The truth is life will be filled with difficulty and pain, but life doesn’t have to be difficult and painful. In facing the reality that all of life is a continual process of solving challenges and overcoming obstacles, you will begin to experience life on a level that will bring you great inner peace regardless of your present circumstances and situation.
Those who try to avoid trouble, become consumed with trouble and live their lives complaining about their trouble are the ones who have no peace and no real joy in their lives. Considering the quote below you can see how many people struggle their entire lives to lament their place in life, and in doing so create a life that is unbearable and filled with turmoil.
Neurosis is always a substitute for legitimate suffering.
- Carl Jung
While those who face trouble head-on find a quality in their lives that is too hard to put into words. That inner satisfaction of knowing, that stress is a reality of life that can be navigated and overcome one problem at a time.
I remember a time a few years back when I was going through chemo and even though my body was tired from the medicine, and my mind was alert and sharp as I continued to work and go to school. I remember one day specifically in the winter, walking between classes and thinking, life can never be better than this right now. It wasn’t because I had no trouble because there was a lot of that. I was having issues with several close relationships at that time, I was struggling against sin in my life and find I was in challenging classes. But because I was just facing each day, navigating each obstacle and seizing on every bit of relief from my pains and struggles, there was an inner feeling that I have only experienced a few times in my life.
If you are ever going to have that authentic life, you must stop listening to the lies of others who are quick to tell you what you are doing wrong to be in your difficult circumstances and accept that what is, is and begin looking for the answer and the next steps. Learn to allow yourself to feel the pain, embrace the sorrow and face even your most tragic mistakes. One writer said weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5). That joy is the satisfaction of knowing that rather than running from trouble and hoping it will go away, there is much life to be lived during your pain.
Just BE
David
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
― Robert Frost
In his book entitled The Road Less Traveled, Scott M. Peck discusses the struggles of resisting the pressures of society, religion, and family that hinder us from overcoming the challenges in our lives. Too many times we end up compromising who we could become and selling out and just coping instead of walking a difficult path to becoming what we were created to be. Life will be a continual journey that we (that’s you and I) must navigate for ourselves. Many times, if we are authentic, that road will lead us on a path that very few are walking. It is so much easier just to conform or give in or give up and not try and develop our lives, our giftings and our talents on our terms.
As many of you know, I was in full-time ministry for almost 30 years of my life. So many times, during my ministry I found myself, not leading as I felt I should but rather leading as I knew others expected, and you know you must have others to survive. LOL! I laugh, but sadly we live that way throughout our lives in general. We compromise who we are, so others think we are not compromising. The irony is that all the while are leading others to believe we are not compromising, we are the biggest compromisers of all because we are not being true to our path, or our calling and to the person God intended for us to be. I have recently begun doing regular ministry again, and already the voices are starting to speak and question what or how I am doing it. They say well people will expect, or you know if you are doing an excellent job at this level don’t you think you need to take things to this level. My prayer is God help me be true to who I know I am and stay on the path God put in my heart, even if it is the road less traveled.
Over the next few blogs, I want to challenge you to commit wholeheartedly to following your heart in how you deal with your children, navigate your relationship, conduct your business affairs, react to challenges. Allow yourself to be genuine in how you deal with the extremities of life. Focus on not giving up or giving in to the pressures you feel from the past and others. Accept the love of God and allow that love to be the fuel that gives you the energy to walk your path.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 3:19 NLT
Just Be
David
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
Each person possesses unique characteristics that make them who they are. These characteristics are displayed in our personalities, talents, abilities, and giftings. As we use and develop these characteristics, we navigate our way through life, and people begin to take note of our accomplishments. Typically, as others notice our lives, people start to consider how they can use our abilities to further their causes. Sometimes we volunteer to join their efforts, sharing a passion for similar efforts. Regardless of how we become involved with the efforts of others, there will come the attempts of those we join to begin to influence how we walk out our path.
Though I believe each person should endeavor to become the best versions of our self, we cannot compromise the very characteristics of our lives that have contributed to making us successful in the first place. Whenever we allow others to begin to have a more significant influence over who we are and how we carry out our work than we do ourselves we will start to lose our effectiveness. Not only will we be less effective, but we also begin to lose joy, peace, happiness, and contentment. There is a personal fulfillment that only comes when we allow ourselves just to be who we are. Again, I am not advocating being different for the sake of difference; instead I am talking about an erosion of self that takes place as we allow others to shape our lives.
A perfect example of this can be seen in the story of David.
David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine. Saul said, “Go. And God help you!”Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off. Then David took his shepherd’s staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:37-40 The Message (MSG
Learn to resist the attempts of those in authority in your life to shape you into their image. Be confident in who you have been and how you have navigated life thus far. We must grow and change as we see areas of our lives that need improving but ask for wisdom to know when you stop improving your life and begin compromising self. Keep reminding yourself of the two leading indicators, a loss of effectiveness and a loss of joy!
Just Be
David
He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:6 (NLT)
Reflecting on my previous blog, as we look into the mirror of the word, we are faced with how we are going to respond to what we see. For me personally, many times I am not equipped to deal with what I see, or I just don’t want to deal with what I see. When pursuing an authentic life, we are not required to pretend, nor do we have to live our lives in a strain because of what we see. Critical to this approach is a fact Christians have missed regarding the usage of the Word of God. Consider the truths in these scriptures.
… Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil so the children of Israel wouldn’t notice that the glory was fading away—and they didn’t notice. They didn’t notice it then and they don’t notice it now, don’t notice that there’s nothing left behind that veil. Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there. Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (MSG)
It is critical to finding our authentic life that we understand as we look to the scripture, we are not looking for things we must strain to change. One way of making this argument, is the mirror never shows us what we should be, it only reflects what we are. No one can genuinely look scripture and on their own measure up to the standard the word presents. A study of this chapter of Paul’s writings gives us insight into why. Just to see ourselves as God see us is overwhelming because we are all sinners and fall short of God’s ideal of who we should be. In Moses’s receiving of the law and the continued reading of the ordinances, there is a rigidness of strain that blinds us to the help God’s spirit can bring. As we look at the word with the confidence of faith that comes through Christ, we not only see who we are, but we also know the Glory of God that contains the revelation and strength we need to make the revealed adjustments.
The difference between religion and relationship as well as law and spirit is explicitly declared in the prophets explanation of the new covenant and promise of God’s Spirit. The New Covenant is God taking the word and placing it inside our hearts and giving us the Spirit to be able to walk out God’s direction. As we depend upon the Spirit of God to changes, we move closer to our authentic and best life. Finding our authentic life is not found in a strained religious approach to reforms. Our authentic life is only found in a relationship with God where we receive the help of the Spirit to become the best versions of ourselves.
Just Be
David
In our last post, we talked about how dangerous it is to compare yourselves to others. But we all seek some sort of perspective in our lives. For most that perspective comes from a comparison to others by hearing their opinions and advice about what we are doing right or wrong. Though we can learn much from looking to others, there is a dependable source of perspective available to everyone, The Scripture. James in his writings refers to the word of God as a mirror that will reveal who we really are.
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25 NLT
An interesting thing about this verse is how misread this scripture is. Many use this scripture to wield control over others, asserting that their interpretation of the scripture is what people need to measure up to. The problem with this is that the written scripture becomes another tool in the hands of those who wish to condemn and control your life. Approaching scripture this way becomes misleading at best and destructive in most cases. My path is not your path… Consider this quote.
“After so many years struggling to keep up with you, I finally realized we’re not even running the same race.”
― Scott Stabile
When I allow you to force your view of scripture on my life, it only reflects what you see in the word about yourself and cannot reveal what is inside of me. But when I allow the word to reflect what is inside of me, it is then that I can see the clearest perspective of who I am. The power of the word to show me myself is incredible.
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:12-16 (NLT)
Another truth is that a mirror never condemns, it only reflects or reveals. It’s up to me what I do with it. When we compare ourselves to others and allow others to be the primary source of perspective, that perspective is generally filled with condemnation. In fact, if you feel condemned to the point you want to give up and quit, it is most likely not an accurate reflection of the word. In your search for an authentic life, confidently look into the word of God and begin to trust his spirit to help you make changes outside the arena of peer pressure, guilt, shame, and condemnation.
Just Be
David
“Uniqueness lies in not comparing oneself to others.” ― Raheel Farooq
In the history of the Hebrew nation, there is an account where they were told to go in and possess some land. They chose to spy out the area first. On their trip through the country, they saw the beauty and the plenteous supply of natural resources and were overwhelmed by its potential. But, instead of moving in belief and possessing the land they stopped in fear because of the inhabitants already in the area. Their report to the leaders and other Hebrew people was the land is excellent, but “We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them, we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!" Exodus 13:33.
When we compare ourselves to others, we must surmise, guess or assume what the ones we are comparing ourselves to are thinking about us. When we live unaware of our own uniqueness, we project onto and assign to others what we believe about ourselves. Projecting a negative view of yourself onto others, we are defeated before we even fight. Instead of projecting onto others our negative views regarding our self, we should begin to develop the potential inside of ourselves fully. When we have a sure word, notion or thought regarding our path, we should walk it out without factoring in contrast with others.
“Stop thinking you’re doing it all wrong. Your path doesn’t look like anybody else’s because it can’t, it shouldn’t, and it won’t.”
― Eleanor Brownn
I am not talking about feeling superior to everyone else, and though the application to our lives is not typically one of fight or force against an enemy, it is a struggle against the false sense of competition we find in our everyday lives that comes because of comparison. There is a great freedom that happens when we cease comparison and competition and learn to fully develop the talents and abilities entrusted to our lives by our creator.
“There is no need for comparison. Be happy with yourself and find satisfaction in your work.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita, Think Great: Be Great!
When we learn to be content with just being who we are, we find ourselves free to excel in our lives.
Just Be
David
One of the many things we struggle with when considering our individuality are the traits we believe to be flaws in our lives. Comparison to others highlights differences that we miss judge as better than or less than things in someone else’s lives. Personality and physical characteristics along with emotional and intelligent quotients are all baselines that we use to establish insecurities and confidences that we struggle against the majority of our lives.
For a person who believes in God, we can simply “BE” who we are. Though we may work to make the most of who we are by fully exploring and developing our talents and abilities, we don’t have to struggle and work our lifetimes to be something or someone else other than who we are. Sadly, in our society, the idea that who we are is not sufficient to live confidently and religion only adds fuel to the fires of discontentment setting a standard of perfection that is unreachable by anyone.
When God called Moses, Moses replied with excuses as to why he wasn’t sufficient for the challenge to which God responded to him.
Exodus 4:11-12 (NLT) Then the LORD asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say."
History is replete with examples of people who were judged by others and inadequate to contribute to society who went on to make significant contributions to the community at large. Never sell yourself short, instead fully explore and utilize the giftings, talents, and traits that you possess. In doing so, you will find your authentic life. The result of this will be your happiness and a world that is better for you being in it.
“Accept yourself: flaws, quirks, talents, secret thoughts, all of it, and experience true liberation.”
― Amy Leigh Mercree
Just Be
David
“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.”
― John F. Kennedy
When I speak of individuality, I am not promoting a rebellious or isolationist attitude that causes one to separate themselves from others to the point of loss of a relationship. Rather I am speaking of the synergy that is produced when each person plays their specific role in an entity. Paul addresses this in his writings.
- The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NLT)
The whole of any entity we are involved in is harmed when we fail to be ourselves. If I spend my time trying to be like someone else, that is what cuts off the unity that is needed for the entities success. Too many times, especially in religion we wrongly mistake conformity for unity. Unity is not every person reacting, speaking, behaving, responding or operating the same. Unity is in truth when there are respect and cooperation between the various unique parts of the whole.
- 1 Corinthians 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
Using the same argument no one person can say to another you don’t belong because you are different. If someone is pressuring you to be like them to belong they plainly do not understand the complexities of the makeup of things.
- 1 Corinthians 12: 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
Nor is it accurate for you to judge yourself as not worthy or not a part of something because you are different.
- 1 Corinthians 12: 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?
Let me encourage you to see how much your uniqueness and individuality is needed for your world to work at its best. Whatever you are a part of from the broadest perspective of the human race to the narrowest relationship, you and it or they are most benefited by you being true to who you are.
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
― Shannon L. Alder
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”
― Bernard M. Baruch
One of the most significant steps toward allowing yourself to move past the expectations of others and find your authentic life is recognizing the truth that you are designed and created by God. Though our family, cultural and religious influences play a huge role in influencing who we become, we must be at peace with who we are at our core, as that person was created by someone much more significant than you and I.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it. Psalms 139:14 (NLT)
With the understanding that our core person was designed and created by a source outside of family, culture, and religion we should learn to embrace our individuality. We are complex, unique individuals with specific identifiers that make us wonderfully distinct from anyone else in the world.
Too much emphasis is placed on people in general and religious people specifically to conform to someone else’s idea of acceptable and normal. This concept is off base and best, and at worst is an insult to the God who created us. We should not all look the same, act the same, dress the same or express the same ideas, beliefs, and opinions. A look at the unique individuality in nature, even within species will show the vast imagination of our creator when we were designed. Another example in nature is the fact that no two snow flakes are identical, but each has it’s own character and design
Come to peace with who you are, just BE and lean into God who created you and only attempt to conform to who your creator would have you be.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
The most crucial and difficult step towards an authentic life is deciding to stop pleasing others. As human’s, we long for the approval of those closest to us as well as those we meet we need or feel compelled to impress. Sadly because of so little genuine respect towards others, humans as a species drift toward living lives that are never genuinely authentic.
The lives of most people are a hodge-podge of influences of our families, societies, religion and the many small groups that make up our individual communities. Though we end up drifting towards those we are most alike, even there we find that to feel indeed accepted and respected we feel compelled to please others.
Acceptance may feed our ego and supply some sense of purpose in our lives on the surface, but we are in constant danger of emotionally, physically and spiritually eroding from within. The effects of this inner erosion is a gradual wearing away of our peace, joy, and contentment. After prolonged years of personal compromise for the approval of others, we find our lives destroyed and sadly may lose our desire to live altogether.
In religious circles, where we should be celebrating our diversity and individuality we find the most extreme pressure to conform to the expectations of others. The problem is we find ourselves trying to adapt to people who are in turn only expressing what they feel pressure to expect as they too have never discovered their authentic life.
Find the courage to stand up for yourself and stop yielding to the pressure of pleasing others. Embrace who God has created you to be and only desire to conform to God’s will and design for your life. It is then that you will begin to feel alive again, and though you may lose the acceptance of some or many, you will start to look in the mirror know with confidence that what you and others see is authentic.
“Don't let the expectations and opinions of other people affect your decisions. It's your life, not theirs. Do what matters most to you; do what makes you feel alive and happy. Don't let the expectations and ideas of others limit who you are. If you let others tell you who you are, you are living their reality — not yours. There is more to life than pleasing people. There is much more to life than following others' prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what you experience right now. You need to decide who you are for yourself. Become a whole being. Adventure.”
― Roy T. Bennett
For a while on my blog page, I will be sharing my thoughts regarding the concept of living an authentic life. On the surface, most might argue that they are genuine in how they present themselves to others, but a more in-depth look most likely will reveal a different reality.
Philosophically the term authentic from an existentialist perspective relates to or represents an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life.
Eugene Peterson in his translation of scripture relays Jesus’ thoughts on the matter in this way.
“And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong. (Matthew 5:37 MSG)
Take some time think about your interactions with your family over the Holidays. How many times did you pretend in your responses to family members and friends only for gaining approval or making them accept you? Though there is much to be said for diplomacy and courtesy in your responses and interaction with others, our goal must be to find our way to an authentic life respectfully. Allow yourself to meditate on this topic and ask God for direction finding your authentic life.
“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.”
― May Sarton
Matthew 2:12 (NLT) And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
“It is not we who seek the Way, but the Way which seeks us. That is why you are faithful to it, even while you stand waiting, so long as you are prepared, and act the moment you are confronted by its demands.”
― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings
In life there is much conversation and dialogue about which path we should take. Many stand still for fear of walking a wrong path, while others ignore the many warnings and continue selfishly walking paths that lead to their destruction. Others walk paths that are dictated by someone else, yielding to the expectations of others as to what life they should live. I believe the secret to the path to take is revealed in this simple story about wise men who sought for Jesus.
The journey began as they plotted a path toward the star that had so impacted their lives. They left everything familiar, undertaking a journey and most likely taking the most obvious path in the direction of the star. I imagine they faced many things as they traveled and made adjustments for difficulties, roadblocks and dangers along the way. Still they traveled toward the star. It was this journey that lead them on a path that intersected the path of Herod. At first flattered and honored that such a leader would take note of them, they most likely left his presence fully determined to return and direct him to the child. The secret though was in what came next. On the path a voice warned them of not returning to Herod, and a different path had to be chosen if they were to be obedient to the voice inside, more than the expectations of Herod.
Proverbs 3:6 (The Message) Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
The truth of the quote above is that in fact as we walk the path, the path finds us if we will but live courageous and without fear of others. If we dare to follow the voice of God more than we do the expectations of others, we will find that we have truly found our path.
“True morality consists not in following the beaten track, but in finding the true path for ourselves, and fearlessly following it.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
Purpose to walk courageously the path you are on. Respond to the subtle signs along the way. Never give in to the request of others when they contradict the voice inside. Don't be so quick to fit in with your culture and don't yield to the behaviors of the world around you. Be brave and courageous and adjust as time and circumstances present a different path. Walk confident that even when you don't know where God is, God knows where you are and will direct your path.
Matthew 2:12(NLT) And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Don't let the doubts of others ring louder than God's whispers to your spirit.
-- Tricia Goyer
Hear what others have to say, but listen to God
-- Anonymous
Happy New Year. For this year we are going to continue our theme of “Just Be” and add to it the thought of living an Authentic Life. We must push off the pressures and expectations of others and be true to who God created us to be.
For today consider the pressure exerted on us by others. The pressure to conform to the expectations of others. The pressure to have others be pleased with our actions. The fear we have of others. The peer pressure to fit in, to feel important and be somebody important to others. What we don't see is that when we give in to what others are saying more than what we are hearing inside of our hearts, we could be exchanging who we are and what we could be, for what others have in mind for our lives. We are making others more important that the one who gives us purpose and life to being with.
In the story of the wise men we have already focused on how easy it is to allow others to replace what we are doing that is good, with what they envision as the best. In this story we clearly see that others will attach themselves to our journeys in order to fulfill their selfish purposes. We must learn to trust that the one who started us on our journey and placed the desire in us to begin with is the one who can daily direct our steps. Yes God uses others to speak to us from time to time, but in those moments when what others are saying conflicts with what we are hearing, we must learn to trust His voice.
What would have happened if the wise men had returned to Herod, giving in to the expectation and commands of someone powerful at that time in history. It may have been that Jesus would have been killed as a baby, and the story of advent might have be cut short and we would never know the power of His amazing hope, joy and love. You may say, that could have never been and you may be right, but the thing I know for sure is these wise men would have missed the mark and purpose of God for their lives.
For today, ask God to speak clearly to your heart what you are supposed to do. Purpose to hear what others have to say, but listen to God. The fact God is not seen makes it easy to trust those you are able to see physically and hear audibly. But why would God place something clear in your heart and then send someone else to contradict what you know to be good. Don't be afraid to listen to the voice of God in your life and trust that voice more than the voice of others.
Just Be
David
Matthew 2:9-11 (NLT) After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
“The happiest man is he who learns from nature the lesson of worship”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature
“Worship is the proper response of all moral, sentient beings to God, ascribing all honor and worth to their Creator-God precisely because he is worthy, delightfully so.”
― D.A. Carson
The goal of the wise men's trip was to seek the cause of the star. The impact that the star had on their lives caused them to undertake of journey of at least a few weeks and maybe even months. Now they find the object of their journey, the subject of their inquiry and what do they find, a small baby or a child. Think of the paradox, that kings would bow to a child, but that is just what they did. Something in the scene, something in their hearts caused them to seek out and worship what they did not know.
The phrase is heard many times at advent, wise men still seek him, and certain for me this is true. Sadly, though many are so consumed with judging Him and comparing their opinion of him to themselves, they miss the magnitude of who He is. Oh, that we all knew what these men did, that more than comparison of the one they sought to others or themselves, something inside of their being recognized the child as the one who had given them everything they possessed. Their intellect, their reasoning, their possessions, status and life was all due this child. May we never use the intellect we have been given by God as a means to judge whether or not worship of God is deserved.
It is in the worship of the wise men that we come to understand that worship is not just in words or actions, but in the gifts, we bring. For the skeptic or the cynical we may try and reason away these actions, but at the heart of worship is a desire to offer back something to honor the one who gave all. They brought what they had and gave what was in their hearts to give. In worship, God is honored, and we are humbled. In such a scenario is there anything too extravagant that we might do.
Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can't contain Him. Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?”
― Francis Chan, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
For today, focus on what your heart is saying about God. What do you desire to do in your worship and honor of Him? What can you give to the one who gave you all to begin with. Some might reason nothing, and walk away not responding, but for those who realize all you are comes from Him, you respond by giving all back to Him. Today purpose to worship the Lord everyday with all of your being, inclusive of your time, talent and resources.
Just Be
David
Matthew 2:1–2 (NLT) Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
"Never be too busy to notice what God is doing around you"
-- anonymous
As we enter this last week of Advent, we see that Christ becomes the focus and the center of all that is going on. More than what He brings, He becomes the focus and we are left with what our response is to who He is.
As we consider Matthews account of the birth of Christ, Matthew focuses on a group of wise men who had seen something that caught their attention. Most likely in their cultures and history men such as themselves paid attention to the stars to watch for events and happenings. They could have been kings, or scientist but were definitely men of wisdom and wealth, but still they made time for paying attention to thing outside the norm. Out of all the Kings and wise men of the East here this group had not been too busy with their normal stuff that they didn't notice the new star in the sky that shone so brightly.
I wonder how many important things we miss because even though we have heard the stories, we are just too busy with our lives to notice what God is doing around us. It is easy for those of us who claim to be seekers of God to be so obsessed with ourselves that we are merely self-absorbed and really oblivious to what God is doing around us. You can be assured that when God is wanting to send us on a journey of seeking, He will make the message clear, the star will be bright, the only question is whether or not we are going to take notice and begin the journey of seeking Him.
“I suddenly saw that all the time it was not I who had been seeking God, but God who had been seeking me. I had made myself the centre of my own existence and had my back turned to God.”
― Bede Griffiths
For today remember that people of wisdom are always aware of the reality that God is always present and to the possibility that He may be up to something in your life. Ask God to renew your passion for seeking Him and purpose to live in such a way that you are never too busy to notice what God is doing around you.
Just Be
David
Luke 2:16–20 (NLT) They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
“The nativity mystery “conceived from the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary”, means, that God became human, truly human out of his own grace. The miracle of the existence of Jesus , his “climbing down of God” is: Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary! Here is a human being, the Virgin Mary, and as he comes from God, Jesus comes also from this human being. Born of the Virgin Mary means a human origin for God. Jesus Christ is not only truly God, he is human like every one of us. He is human without limitation. He is not only similar to us, he is like us.”
― Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline
Consider how many times we have heard rave reviews or bold predictions about what the restaurant is like, or how great the resort is, or how amazing the show was. Those times when people promised the other person was beyond explanation. The promises of the politicians who proclaim what is to be. We hear all these promises, we make room in our schedules to check it out, only to be disappointed more times than not.
Well this is not how it is with our story! For thousands of years the prophesies were given concerning a savior, a messiah. It was told of His birth and now these simple shepherds had such an amazing encounter they left their sheep and went to see this child. But unlike so many experiences in our lives, this one was different. This time what was foretold was actually true...The baby was there and though many might have overlooked the child, the shepherds came expecting and were not disappointed... it was just as the angels had declared.
So now some two thousand years later we have the privilege of time. We are able to compare what was foretold to what actually happened. We see that what was said about Christ and about what He would do, actually occurred. Historically it is just as they said it would be.
More importantly for you today, what you celebrate on this Christmas day is real. There was a baby born and He lived, grew up, worked, taught, healed, transformed and ultimately saved so many people from their sins and circumstances. Today as you meditate on these things, know of assurance that what He has been to and done for others, is available for you today. Ask Jesus into your heart and recommit to providing room for Him in your life every day.
Luke 2:8–15 (NLT) That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
There are a lot of ways you can make God feel at home in your heart. First of all, you can simply be obedient to His Word.
-- Joyce Myers
Today focus on how easy it is to become so consumed with life that we fail to make room for the Advent of Christ in our lives. It is so easy to hear the good news about Jesus and still not act on that in our hearts and lives. In the scripture text above, we see the shepherds hearing the good news about a savior and acting on the message and taking time and effort to travel the distance necessary to go to where the child was. The first thing is to simply respond to what we hear.
John 8:36–37 (NLT) So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37 Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.
One line I love from popular Christmas carol Joy to the World is, "Let every heart, prepare Him room." Truly this week purpose to prepare Him room in your life. As God speaks to your heart about areas you have filled with other things, purpose to react and respond by making room for Jesus in your life.
Just Be
David
Luke 2:6–7 (NKJV) So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
“Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.”
― G.K. Chesterton, Brave New Family: G.K. Chesterton on Men and Women, Children, Sex, Divorce, Marriage and the Family
Consider the impact of this text.... The God of this universe, the creator of everything, came to the world and had no place to be born...
John writes about this.....
John 1:10–11 (NLT) He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
The implications of such a situation are astounding. At first glance, what kind of a creator would he be, how powerless must this creator be to not be able to provide for his own self a room in which to be born. But WOW a deeper look at this story reveals an astounding message. The one who loves all, can do all, heal all, save all is rejected by all. I believe the story is such just to show the secret to accessing all this creator has to provide, is by simply making room for Him in your life.
Carefully consider your life and then contemplate the reality that the giver of your life, the one who sustains your life, the one who desires to come to your life and provide salvation to the whole of our situation is looking for a chance and opportunity to find room in your life.
Revelation 3:20 (NLT) “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
Just Be
David
Romans 5:6–11 (NLT) When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
The world takes us to a silver screen on which flickering images of passion and romance play, and as we watch, the world says, “This is love.” God takes us to the foot of a tree on which a naked and bloodied man hangs and says, “This is love.”
― Joshua Harris, I Kissed Dating Goodbye: A New Attitude Toward Relationships and Romance
Truly the Love of Christ that we are able to experience doesn't just end at the birth and during the life of Jesus. But the story of the cross and the death of Christ on Calvary brings such revelation of the Love of Christ and provides inspiration for you and I to be able to live. The writer of Hebrews writes this....
Hebrews 12:2–4 (The Message) Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. 3 When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 4 In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!
What love for mankind can be seen in the death of Christ on the cross. Don't be ashamed of His death, but rather glory in it. In His death we see the ultimate sacrifice of love for one person to another... and that is to be willing to die for another.
Today ask the Father to flood your soul with the revelation of Jesus' love that comes from him being willing to die for you. Experience that love each time you hear the story of His birth, death, burial and resurrection.
1 John 3:16 (NLT) We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us...
“It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all and showing us over and over again the birth, life, death, and resurrection of his only begotten Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord. It was like a best-loved story being told day after day with each sunrise and sunset, year after year with the seasons, down through the ages since time began.”
― Francine Rivers, The Last Sin Eater
A few years ago I preached a message about how Christ laid down His life so humanity could live. I tried to imagine the man Jesus who denied himself many of the norms in life, because something inside of him made him to know that the things others enjoyed would never be his to enjoy. A few years ago a very controversial movie came out entitled "The Last Temptation of Christ". I never saw the movie and many Christians were up in arms at the thought that Jesus could be tempted. But in fact Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, and on my view many more points than we. I believe Jesus knew there would never be a normal childhood, girlfriends, a career, a wedding, children and grandchildren. I believe he knew that he would never celebrate the joys of long life and have possessions as many of his peers and as we do today. But the bible teaches us that he laid it all down for the joy of knowing that a lost world would be reunited with their heavenly Father. He truly sacrificed His life in order that we may have life. Consider this text...
John 10:11–15 (NLT) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NLT) You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
Today ask the Father to show you the love with which His son Jesus loved you. Focus on the sacrifice of the man Christ Jesus and how much the man gave up to walk the path he did in order for you to have the relationship with, and the confidence toward our God. That is a picture of love that will inspire you to live and live well every day.
Just Be
David
John 3:16–21 (NLT) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
“It's not about finding ways to avoid God's judgment and feeling like a failure if you don't do everything perfectly. It's about fully experiencing God's love and letting it perfect you. It's not about being somebody you are not. It's about becoming who you really are.”
― Stormie Omartian, The Power of a Praying Woman
The Love of God - For most God's love is such a mystery because we only view love on mans terms and from mans perspective. We love with such restrictions and such limitations and with so many strings attached that we miss the purity and power of God's love that will develop our lives. This development is not merely into something we are not, or something God would have us be that is somehow beyond our ability to be, no, this development is maturing us to a place where we are free to be ourselves. This is the aspect of God's love and grace that many miss. God designed our lives with an ideal in mind that is who we truly are. This ideal is holy, accepted, blameless, confident, courageous, peaceful and all the other virtuous adjectives you could come up with. All that is left for us to do, is not be afraid to run to Him, belief in Him and allow Him to begin a work in us that we cannot accomplish on our own.
“Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? . . . No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life. Amen.”
― Pope Benedict XVI
For this week ask God to allow you to move past you fear and come to Him, motivated by the great Love you see in the coming of Christ. Allow the light of His Love to illuminate the areas of your lives where you are living so under the potential and ideal of who you are. Don't be afraid, walk to His light that is made possible by His Love.
Just Be
David
Tuesday - December 8, 2015
1 Peter 1:3–5 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
“The death of a dream can in fact serve as the vehicle that endows it with new form, with reinvigorated substance, a fresh flow of ideas, and splendidly revitalized color. In short, the power of a certain kind of dream is such that death need not indicate finality at all but rather signify a metaphysical and metaphorical leap forward.”
― Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams
We postpone the finality of heartbreak by clinging to hope. Though this might be acceptable during early or transitional stages of grief, ultimately it is no way to live. We need both hands free to embrace life and accept love, and that's impossible if one hand has a death grip on the past.
KRISTIN ARMSTRONG, O Magazine, Feb. 2007
For today and tomorrow we will use the same devotion verse as yesterday, because I want us to fully realize at least three aspects of hope that the resurrection of Christ brings to our lives.
The first was hope of a relationship with God Himself. Next is the hope pertaining to the things that die in our lives. I am speaking about areas of our health, of peace, of love, of joy, area's pertaining to relationships with others and many other aspects of day to day living. We have hope that these areas can live again and be revived even though we destroy them ourselves, or are destroyed by others, or are merely destroyed through the process of everyday living.
Today think on this aspect of hope, hope that your relationships can be renewed, your health can be regained, your dreams revived. Just this week I had a lady share that she is beginning to write music again after many years, and doing so because of her relationship with God. What is dead in your life that needs to be resurrected? Think on these things and then grab hold of the HOPE that Christ gives because of His coming.
Just Be
David
1 Peter 1:3–5 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
“It's not the law of religion nor the principles of morality that define our highways and pathways to God; only by the Grace of God are we led and drawn, to God. It is His grace that conquers a multitude of flaws and in that grace, there is only favor. Favor is not achieved; favor is received.”
― C. JoyBell C.
A big part of the Hope of Christ is seen or exampled in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. The power and hope of the resurrection has broad sweeping implications for mankind. First the hope of the resurrection is that our sins that have separated us from our heavenly Father are forgiven and that we experience salvation, which is a spiritual reconnecting with God in a relationship that is built on the confident hope that what Jesus did by coming and walking out His life, His death burial and then resurrection by the power of the Spirit, breaths hope into our lives that we are at peace with, and have direct access to God.
Ephesians 2:4–5 (NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Romans 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Today focus just on this aspect of the hope Christ brings. The hope of peace with and right relationship with God.
Just Be
David
Hebrews 6:18–19 (NLT) So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provided human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.
Norman Cousins
One of the candles of advent represents hope. Hope is a powerful force that we use every day to walk us through the perplexing times in our lives. It is the force of hope that allows us to hang on through the night and believe that Joy is coming in the morning. To believe that for our sadness, Christ will give us gladness, and that for our mourning, Christ will turn that into dancing. Hope does deal with the future and it place it allows us to believe that things will change. Our scripture verse states hope is what we hold to and it anchors our souls (mind, will, emotions) through the difficult times in our lives. But not only does it hold us through the storms, hope is our guide into the presence of the Almighty.
Focus on the strength and stability that Christ brought to the world and to our lives individually through the hope His life gives.
James 1:2–4 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.”
― Rumi
Today focus on the power of the joy of Christ to help you through the difficult places in your life. As you allow the strength that comes from Christ to fill your life, you can face even the most difficult of times with Joy knowing that the trouble will pass, new opportunities will present themselves and that you will learn and grow from the current situation. In this season of advent, embrace, confess and believe for the Joy of the Lord to fill your life.
Just BE
David
Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT) And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint, and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars.”
― Jack London, The Call of the Wild
Once we are reconnected to God's presence, it is no wonder that we would feel alive, that every part of our being would feel as though it had been born again. The joy of the Lord brings strength to our weaknesses, His joy bring strength to our day to day lives. Face each day with new strength!
Consider this verse....
Isaiah 40:28–31 (NLT)Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Today remind yourself that the joy of the Lord is your strength... and that this joy is the result of making room and receiving Christ into your life.
Just Be
David
Psalm 84:1–5 (NLT) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 2 I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your altar, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God! 4 What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Interlude 5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
"Joy is the infallible sign of the Presence of God."
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Psalm 16:11 (NLT) You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
There is a direct connection between joy and the presence of the Lord. A part of the reason that Christ's coming was so vital for mankind was that with His coming there was a reconnection of man to God. In the garden of Eden, there was a separation between God and man because of sin, that can only be restored in Christ. Once connected to God's presence we are reunited with our life, because man became a living being when God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life. We need to be in God's presence and thus when we recognize the path is made available again through Christ and when we make efforts to follow that path, joy is a natural consequence of that connection.
Today recognize the path to God is Christ and expect and make room for joy that only can be realized through your personal relationship with God.
Just Be
David
Luke 2:8–11 (NLT) That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!Joy is the True gift of Christmas
"We realize that today's world, where god is absent, is dominated by fear, by uncertainty." Nonetheless, the words be joyful because God is with you and with us, truly open a new time."
"Joy is the true gift of Christmas, not the expensive gifts that call for time and money. We can communicate this joy simply: with a smile, a kind gesture, a little help, forgiveness. And the joy we give will certainly come back to us.... Let us pray that this presence of the liberating joy of God shines forth in our lives."
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI - 12-18-05
A traditional way to celebrate Advent is to light a candle each week symbolizing an aspect of Christ's coming. The first candle is purple and represents the Joy that Christ brings. For the earliest announcement of Christ birth to our message today, the word of the Lord is that Christ brings joy in a troubled and distressed world.
Today begin to focus on the areas of your life that are starved of joy and begin to believe for Christ to fill you with His Joy.
Just Be
David
Matthew 3:1–3 (NLT) In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ ”
Fire of Advent
Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season for prayer and reformation of our hearts. Since it comes at winter time, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent....If Christ is to come more fully into our lives this Christmas, if God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have ot b e present in our prayer. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can truly change our hearts. Our is a great responsibility not to waste this Advent time.
Edward Hays, A Pilgrim's Almanac, p. 187
As we enter this advent season I am reminded of the words of the Christmas song that says, Let every heart prepare Him room. Now is a time for us to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Though it is just symbolic, can we allow the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn away the clutter of the year and truly prepare our hearts to receive Christ afresh in our hearts during this season.
May you live mindfully throughout this next month... Let us be mindful of the hope, the joy, and the love Christ brings to your life. May you live this next month in great expectation of Christ and begin today by preparing your hearts to receive Him.
Just Be
David
Psalm 107:23-32 (NLT) Some went off to sea in ships, plying the trade routes of the world. 24 They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action, his impressive works on the deepest seas. 25 He spoke, and the winds rose, stirring up the waves. 26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror. 27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits’ end. 28 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 29 He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. 30 What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! 31 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.
“I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me.”
― J.K. Rowling,
Many times we do foolish things that bring us trouble and causes great perplexity in our lives, but more often than not, trouble comes as a normal part of living and walking out our lives. If you have to interact with people, there will be conflict, if you have a home or a car or any type of possession, then those things will malfunction or age and cause you trouble. Everyday life has a way of pushing us to our wits end. The struggle of finance, health, children and relationships will bring you to moments and periods of great perplexity.
Can you remember those times in your life. Those times when trouble was all you could see and times when your heart is weighed down with great care. But if you are reading this today, then it is a testimony to the grace of God that brought through those times. Be thankful today for God's help in those times and tell someone about what all God has done for you.
"Through many dangers toils and snares, I have already come, His grace has brought me safe thus far and His grace will lead me on" - Amazing Grace
Just Be
David
Psalm 107:33-43 (NLT) He changes rivers into deserts, and springs of water into dry, thirsty land. 34 He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there. 35 But he also turns deserts into pools of water, the dry land into springs of water. 36 He brings the hungry to settle there and to build their cities. 37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops. 38 How he blesses them! They raise large families there, and their herds of livestock increase. 39 When they decrease in number and become impoverished through oppression, trouble, and sorrow, 40 the Lord pours contempt on their princes, causing them to wander in trackless wastelands. 41 But he rescues the poor from trouble and increases their families like flocks of sheep. 42 The godly will see these things and be glad, while the wicked are struck silent. 43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.
"Gratitude—a deep sense of who God is and what he is giving to us in the most ordinary moments—helps us to make sense of our lives. On airplanes and in taxi cabs, amid prom dresses and pictures in the park, while managing professional commitments and parenting children who are growing up too fast…the willingness to make space for gratitude opens
up dimensions of reality that we would otherwise miss. Gratitude is a lens that sharpens our ability to see the gifts and the graces of our lives as more real than the material world to which we are often tethered. Gratitude energizes us for living more fully in the middle of the life we have been given as we become more practiced at finding God there. When practiced as a spiritual discipline, gratitude is an inner dynamic that enables us to recognize Advent—the coming of Christ—in the ordinariness of our own lives which is where we need him most."
Ruth Haley Barton
I believe that learning to recognize God in our everyday lives prepares us for receiving Him more and more in our lives. As we move into the Advent season, a time that marks the coming of Christ, may our hearts be filled with gratitude and thankfulness for all God has done, so our hearts may be prepared, expectant and open to what He wants to do in the future.
Be thankful if you can recognize God in your life and be thankful to God that He is there.
Just Be
David
Psalm 107:17-22 (NLT) Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins. 18 They couldn’t stand the thought of food, and they were knocking on death’s door. 19 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. 21 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.
“The soul can do without everything except the word of God, without which none at all of its wants are provided for.”
― Martin Luther
Are you thankful for the word of God? It is his word that encourages, directs, instructs and enlightens our mind. His word brings clarity, healing, hope, correction and help in our times of confusion. I have found that regardless of how foolish I have been, if I can find a place of quiet and can begin to meditate on His word, it is then God can speak to my heart and spirit, and through God's word my soul finds the provisions I need for living and living well.
Today give God thanks for His word and tell others of the hope you have in God's Word.
Just Be
David
Psalm 107:10-16 (NLT)Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery. 11 They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High. 12 That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one was there to help them. 13 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 14 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains. 15 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 16 For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron.
"A creature revolting against a creator is revolting against the source of his own powers--including even his power to revolt. It is like the scent of a flower trying to destroy the flower."
C.S. Lewis
Consider the many times you have rebelled against God or God's authority in your life. The times when you have declared I will go my own way, I will make my own decisions and I do not care what anyone has to say about it. Now think about the many times this attitude has gotten you into trouble and as you sat hopeless, you remembered God, and then call to mind how God rescued you and brought you out of, or sustained you through the consequences of your decisions. Remember the Prodigal Son, who took his inheritance, wasted it and found himself in the hog pen, broke, alone and hungry... It was then he remembered his father's house and determined to return home. The story ends with the father welcoming the son home and restoring him to full position in the father's house.
Today is a good day to give thanks to Lord for His mercy and grace that is always new every morning. Be thankful for the times your heavenly Father has rescued you from yourself and tell someone of His love and care.
Blessings
David
Psalm 107:4-9 (NLT) Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless. 5 Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died. 6 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. 7 He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. 8 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 9 For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
"Sometimes when you lose your way, you find yourself" - Mandy Hale
On this day reflect on the times you have lost your way. The times when you felt there was no way out, no way forward and no way back. Think about the times when you can remember being puzzled, wore out and confused. Then remember and rejoice that God did not leave you there, but rather sustained your life and lead you forward. Be thankful today for just such times, and for God's deliverance during those times.
Blessings
David
Psalm 107:1-3 (NLT) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. 3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.
"The foremost quality of a trusting disciple is gratefulness. gratitude arise from the lived perception, evaluation, and acceptance of all of life as grace-as an underserved and unheard gift from the Father's hand. Such recognition is itself the work of grace, and acceptance of the gift is implicitly an acknowledgement of the Giver."
Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust
On this day as you reflect on the things you have to be thankful for, focus on God's goodness and faithfulness in redeeming your life. This word redeeming means saving or bringing goodness to the numerous perplexing circumstances of our lives. Be mindful of where you could be, but because of the goodness, grace and mercy of God, acknowledge where you are. If you recognize God's hand in your life, make a point to tell someone today of this help.
Psalm 96:3 (ESV) Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
Blessings
David
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
"When we learn to read the story of Jesus and see it as the story of the love of God, doing for us what we could not do for ourselves-that insight produces, again and again, a sense of astonished gratitude which is very near the heart of authentic Christian experience."
N. T. Wright
As I launch this web site and related blog postings. I want to encourage you to think about what all God has done for you, be thankful and give Him praise so that all will know your hope and trust is in the Lord.
Over the next few blogs we will look at Psalms 107 and focus each day on the many aspects of our lives and recognize the help and the promises of help God has extended to us in every situation and circumstance. We begin this series by acknowledging our need to be thankful in each of this circumstances. Take the time to make a note each day of the things you recognize as coming from God and let Him and others know what's in your heart.
Just Be
David