Pure Legalism

In the book of John chapter 3 there is a story that mirrors the attitude of many today; a legalist description of the religious crowd then and now. It is the story of a Jewish leader, a Pharisee, a religious man and devout; a teacher and respected in the Jewish community. This man’s name was Nicodemus. Like many of his day he was very concerned about the letter of the law, the appearance in public, titles, rules, ceremonies and eloquence when praying. In other words he wanted to make sure everyone around him knew he was a religious man. Even with all his education and learning about the law he had an empty space inside. Something was missing. He must have searched every area of the law to find out what it was but to no avail. Then a very strange thing happened. There came news of this itinerant carpenter who was traveling around the country healing people and speaking with authority. At the synagogue the buzz was that there was a heretic loose and was trying to teach things that were not right according to the religious leaders. All the Pharisees had taken the position that something had to be done to put a stop to this man. After all who was he? What gave him the authority to say and do the things he was saying and doing. But there was something that pricked old Nicodemus’ curiosity. He wasn’t sure what it was but he had to find out. To be seen talking to this carpenter in the day light would have been political suicide. So he made a plan to find this man under the cover of darkness. So one night he crept out and found Jesus and asks to speak to him. Being a good Pharisee he offered what he believed to be the proper greeting and complement. “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” Jesus knowing his mind and better still his heart ignored the complement and spoke bluntly to Nicodemus, “Verily ,verily , I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Oh my; this flew against everything Nicodemus had ever learned, taught or thought. Jesus wasn’t done for he knew what Nicodemus really needed. It was not to study harder. Live better. Be a pillar in the community. Attend the biggest church twice a week. Sing in the choir. Stand and pray eloquent prayers on the street corner. He did not need to be the most successful or charismatic teacher or speaker. He needed to be saved by the grace of God not by the law of man.
Not to belabor the point Jesus went on to tell Nicodemus what he must do and how he must do it.
Read the story in John 3.
I will close this blog with this one thing Jesus told Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Choices

Each day we make choices that affect how we act, live, love and be. Those choices cause us to look up or down.
Look up the Psalmist said “I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my strength.” Psalms 121:1
As we travel through life we are given options which roads to travel. We make the choice where we travel, who we travel with and how fast we want to travel. A good traveling companion is the Lord. Quoting the psalm again, “The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
One thing I have learned over the years is that the Lord always has our best interest at heart. We sometimes are reluctant to listen to what He has to say. It’s not socially acceptable to be seen in public with the Lord. There again that is a choice we make.
Those who are recovering form an addiction I find are all seeking an answer. None know where to find it. They are too busy looking down to see all that is around them.
Have you ever felt as though you were down on hands and knees with no power to get up? Daily loads seem to get bigger and larger forcing your down even lower. I am reminded of a quote from the AA book, “Let go and let God.” Picture if you will yourself on hands and knees under a very heavy load. Standing right beside you is the Lord. He places His hand on your shoulder and gently says, “Let me take some of that load off you.” Then He says, “Give me your hand and I will help you up.” If you take His hand He will raise you to your feet. After you are standing once again you think you can handle things again and you say, “Thanks I can take it from here.” The Lord looks straight ahead and says, “ I don’t think you are ready to walk just yet. Hold my hand and let’s just take one step. See how you feel about that.” “Oh, that works well now can I run.” “Not yet there are still loads that you are not ready and should not be carrying.” “But”, you insist,” I can handle things now.” Gently the Lord says, “ Let us take one step at a time, it would be much easier if you would drop all those burdens you are carrying.” “What burdens?” “ The grudges, the hatred, the unforgiving spirit, all the things that weigh you down and get in the way. Many are trying to run while still on crutches.
If you are down look up and take the hand that is ready to lift you and support you.

Decisions and Choices

Decisions and Choices (September 30, 2007)
Proverbs 1:5-9
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Proverbs 2:10-11
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:


Through out our lives we make decisions and choices that affect nor only our life but the lives of others. Many times we make choices based on the conditions and situations of the moment. Sometimes those choices are good sound choices with positive affects. Other times our choices are based on emotion and lack sound judgment. Either way we have to live and die with the choices we make.
There are many factors that affect how we make decisions. No decision should be made purely on emotion. In reality that is not the way we do things. We make a lot of decisions on our emotions. How we feel at the moment. How we react to a situation or to decisions of others. Once we make and act on our decision it cannot be withdrawn. We are responsible for that action and the decision we make. If it is a good sound decision we will prosper. If our decision is made out of deceit, anger or lack of data the outcome is usually one we regret.
Just like words when spoken decisions made and acted upon cannot be returned for us to edit. Whether we admit it or not or like it or not we and we alone are responsible for the decisions and choices we make.
God gave each or us free will to make our own decisions. To control our lives as we feel is correct. He also gave us rules we are to base our choices and decisions upon. If we choose to ignore those rules we make decisions we regret and have to live with the consequences. Each decision and choice has a consequence. No one forces us to make the decisions we make. We make our decisions to do or to say what we want but we will have to live with the choices we make. Good or bad right or wrong we still will be held accountable for the decisions and choices we make. If not in this life then when we stand before God we will answer for all we do and say in this life.
Our decisions have long reaching fingers and will always touch the life of another. It may be the life of someone we love. It may be a stranger or a friend. Our choices may cause someone to cry or laugh feel joy or pain. No matter which we are still responsible for what we do.
If we decide we do not need to follow the rules of society we will have to pay for that decision with the loss of our freedom or some of the material things we have gathered and hold dear. If we choose to disregard God’s rules the payment is far greater and has longer lasting results. Should we decide to ignore the need to follow the rules that does not free us form the responsibility of the results.
We can make believe we are immune to the results of our choices. That we really don’t have to answer for what we do or say. We can color our lives with deceit or fanaticize a world that is far from reality. In truth deep down in our being we know the truth. It has been said you cannot lie to yourself or to God, all others you can deceive.
How we make decisions is a copulation of trial and error. We will not always make the right choice or decision. When we do make a wrong decision we must live with the results of that decision. The same way we must live with the results of a good sound decision. Our decisions will help or hurt those around us. The more we make decisions that go against the rules of society and those of God the worse our lives will become. This is not a complicated matter. It is not rooted in deep emotional or physical thinking. It is simply a matter of what is right and wrong. You can accept it or reject it but that will not change it. You can ignore it or pretend it does not apply to you. But in the end you are still responsible for your decisions and for those helped or hurt by the decisions and choices you make. The choice is yours to make. Make it wisely.

Humility

I wanted to revisit a topic I posted some time back but I think it is worth a new look.
HUMILITY
Egos and negative attitudes are very dangerous tools for a person to possess. Used incorrectly they can and will leave a person lonely and confused. This is a hard lesson to learn.
One very important lesson that needs to be learned is to lead one must first learn to follow. No matter how egos, feelings or attitudes dictate to the contrary.
So then one should strive to have a servant’s heart. To follow where directed by the least to the greatest. To assist no matter the task. To provide suggestions and not give orders. A goal should be to polish each contact so that they shine. This in turn will reflect back on the one who polishes. Seek not vainglory or superficial rewards. Steady go about every task with the thought to make others shine more than ones self. Humility is a hard pill to swallow but one with the greatest benefits.
One should consider it their job to serve each from the youngest to the most elder. No matter the task it should be undertaken with zeal to make others productive. If done without thought to glorify ones self but to bring greater importance to others then will a job be successful.
It stands to reason then that each team member has the responsibility to serve each member of the team as though they were the most important. For truly each one is special and deserves the greatest respect. Each has been given skills and talents that are to be developed and imported to others. A team then is a total of all talents and skills not only those of a selected few.
Self-importance is a dangerous pedestal on which to reside. The fall from that great height can be devastating.
A goal should be to humbly be a servant to all. Make each more important and thus more productive. No thought should be given who is credited but only that the task is carried to perfect completion.
Angry and negative words have no place in a servant’s vocabulary. Speak as a servant not an adversary.
The job is not to mold moral fiber or character. While the actions of others can affect each of those attributes the molding responsibility belongs to a greater power.

To one who serves falls the task of assisting and helping others. This task is far more important for the larger goal than fleeting glory or short lived recognition. The goal should be to ensure the larger picture reaches completion and accolades are directed to others. Quietly and efficiently a good servant will seek only to ensure the success for those whom he serves.
Humility is not a trait man seeks, for it goes against his very nature. By nature man wants to walk in front, stand above all and bask in the acclaim of his peers.
If one seeks humility and servitude he will be most happy as those he serves receive the rewards and applause. A true servant will cheer loudly as those he serves reach great heights.
A true servant heart will give up personal goals and dreams so that others may achieve higher status. While others play or shirk responsibility the servant will uncomplaining provide the menial details required. He will work behind the scenes. Many would call this ridiculous. Others say this one needs to get a life. Yet in the end when all acclaim is given those who are content to play the servant rejoices as the awards are presented. The servant rejoices the more as those whom he serves stand as the volume of the applause rises.
He then seeks another whom he can serve. This is what humility is all about. Dieing to ones self so that others may stand in the light.

Those who seek worldly fame or glory may not understand this. It may also be considered foolish for one to so think. As mentioned previously for one to lead he must first learn how to follow.

Children

Children are wondrous mysterious beings. They come from a perfect peaceful world into an imperfect world filled with chaos and confusion.
The child gets here cold wet and naked with no instruction book and a whole lot of needs. Is it any wonder they are crying? Parents as well as children begin a learning process on birthday.
Parents must learn how to care for this perfect gift from God. They must learn through trial and error how to teach the child, care for the child and provide and protect the child, all this without an instruction manual.
Yet by the time the child is grown volumes will have been written in the heart and mind of the parents.
It is only then that a great and wonderful thing happens as the child becomes a parent and turns to their parents and ask,” what do I do now?” Opening the vast book written on the heart simple guidance is given from the manual –the one their parents took a lifetime to write—and the teaching starts once more.
As the book is opened memories flood back every detail is clear and golden. Every page written covers all that was taught, every pain and joy every scrape and scratch. Each child has its own chapter, as no two children are the same. There are no generic rules that cover all children. Some will require a stern voice others a gentle hand. Still others will need their space while others are out in space.
On birthday when that bundle of joy is laid in the arms of mom and dad everyone’s world is instantly changed. That cute cuddly bundle has needs has to be fed clothed and carried. Interestingly the new person comes with a personality all their own. Comes with a set of talents that are locked inside that personality. The creator gave each child special talents to be used all their lives. No one can even begin to guess what these talents are or how they are to be used. There is no way to open the book and take a peak. It now becomes the parent’s responsibility to train the child how to unlock each talent and learn how to use it. Cradled in their mothers arms they have total and complete trust momma and dad know what and how to get them trained. Trust all their need will be met. Looking into the sleeping face of this brand new person a new adventure begins to unfold. Each new parent knows exactly what must be done; each new grandparent remembers when he or she stood on this spot. Everyone ask how the answer is still a mystery. God not only gives the child special talents He also gives the parents new eyes to see the hidden talents of the child. He gives them insight on how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task.
Not only is a new life brought into this world but a new world is brought into the lives of the new parents. Though no classes have been taken no instructions to guide there is a knowing that was born the same instant the first cry is heard. God gives the gift of life to the child and at the same time He gives knowledge to the parents. Some call it instinct some call it love but what ever you call it there is no denying its existence. Like the newborn wrapped in warm blankets learning how to grow so also the instinct begins to grow in the hearts of loving parents.
As mentioned before no operating and maintenance manual was issued you have to write it as you go. This spark this instinct is but the first page of that book. Parenting is not an exact science you can’t go to the Internet and get all the guidance you need. It is a learn as you go hands on opportunity to teach mold and learn. Many have tried to write books on how to raise children all have come up short. God created the life should we not seek guidance from the creator for He knows exactly how it works. God is our guide and strength. He will give us the insight and strength we need to know and to do.
There is also no gage for us to tell how we are doing. No measuring stick to tell us when we have finished our work or how well we have done. That is until we watch a bride walk down an aisle or shake the hand of a new husband. Or stand at a window with new parents and watch a new person wrapped in small blankets wearing an armband that says, “Hi I’m a boy or a girl and I belong to you.”
As pride wells up in your eyes you then know a new chapter is about to be written. Your children now have children of their own and life is new. These new parents now begin to write a book of their own.