Saturday, December 27, 2014

I Know Who's I Am

Most New Year’s resolutions contain some sort of serious change in ones life. I did exactly that many years ago, without regret. I don’t know where you are in life and I certainly can’t solve your problems for you, but I can witness from my own annals.
Drugs and Alcohol from “A” to “Z”: The evil of drugs and alcohol Arms more villains, Breaks more laws, Corrupts more officials, Destroys more homes, Engulfs more fortunes, Fills more jails, Grows more gray hairs, Harrows more hearts, Incites more crimes, Jeopardizes more lives, Kindles more strife, Lacerates more feelings, Maims more bodies, Nails down more coffins, Opens more graves, Places more feet on a downward path, Quenches more hopes, Raises more sobs, Sells more virtue, Tells more lies, Undermines more youth, Voids more contracts, Wrecks more men, X-cites more murders, Yields more disgrace and Zeroes more hopes than any other enemy of mankind. The world and its solutions to everyday living can become a veritable destructive force in anyone’s life. I used to depend on worldly fabricated solutions for reducing stress and frustration, but they never really worked. In fact most of the time they amplified a normal solvable situation into an unreasonable discourse. I’m still not perfect, still over express myself at times, but I do it sober and have no one to blame but myself. I once was lost in the sea of regret and remorse, but I have been redeemed.

Now, I know who I am. I am God’s child (John 1:12); I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15); I am united with the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17); I am bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20); I am a saint [set apart for God] (Ephesians 1:1; Romans 1:7); I am a personal witness for Christ (Mark 5:18-20); I am the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14); I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27); I am free forever from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2); I am a citizen of heaven (Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20); I am free from any charge against me (Romans 8:31-34); I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21); I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18); I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:4-7); I cannot be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39); I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22); I am assured that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28); I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16); I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12); I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13); I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15:1-5); I am God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16); I am complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10); I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-4); I have been justified (Romans 5:1); I am God’s co-worker (1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 6:1); I am God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10); I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Philippians 1:4-6); I have been redeemed and forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14); I have been adopted as God’s child (Ephesians 1:5); I belong to God. I am not sinless (Romans 3:23), but all these statements apply to me as an obedient baptized believer in Christ Jesus, my Savior. God loves all who are obedient to His Word and the first step to obedience is found in Acts 2:14-41. If the new year is full of frustration and confusion, put your spirit on a diet. Get away from the worldly temptations sickening your soul. If you don’t find God’s way of living a lot more comfortable, don’t panic; the devil will always take you back. Happy New Year, Y’all.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Christmas in Heaven

I walked my yard for the last time this year with the expressed purpose of picking up pecans. The drought hasn’t been kind to my old tree and its production has noticeably dwindled the past few years. Unfortunately, I think the squirrel population has doubled and the competition as to who gets to the yard first to collect nuts has been intense. I’ve put up with the squirrels for years without too much grief, but this year they’ve done some things I’ve never seen them do before. I came home one day during the summer to find green nuts all over the front yard. The nuts were set and growing, and all I can figure is, a couple of delinquents started running through the trees biting chunks out of the green nuts, dislodging them from their umbilical, because every nut on the ground had a bite taken out of it. I hoped they had gotten a belly ache like I used to get from eating green apples. Not much changed over the summer because as I harvest the yard this fall those same squirrels are taking bites out of the mature nuts on the ground and just leaving them behind. Ooooo that makes me sooo mad!! Well, several of the wasted nuts in fact didn’t go to waste as my little Chihuahua has discovered the delights of fresh pecans upon the palate. So there I am kneeling in the fall leaves, pealing shells from half eaten pecans, feeding nuts to Bella and wondering why a squirrel hates me.

This is the time of year when the food police come out of the woodwork with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining ten pounds. One can’t pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday do’s and don’ts. “Eliminate second helpings, high-calorie sauces and cookies made with butter,” they say. “Fill up on carrot sticks,” they say. Good grief! Is your favorite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I don’t think so. Isn’t mine, either. A carrot was something we threw up on the roof for Rudolph to chomp on while waiting for Santa to get back. Hey! Go and enjoy the parties. Just don’t get squirrely and take a bite out of something, then deciding you don’t like it, putting it back on the serving dish. That’s worse than double-dipping a chip. Yuck! Cookie-less January is just around the corner, so, what other time of the year can you have a piece of apple, pumpkin and pecan pie at the same time on one plate without anyone really taking notice? Labor Day? Enjoy.

[2 Corinthians 5:1-8] I know some of you have had loved ones depart from you this year. Here’s a little poem for you; “Christmas In Heaven” by Wanda Bencke. “I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below; With tiny lights like heaven's stars reflecting on the snow. The sight is so spectacular please wipe away that tear; For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear; But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here. I have no words to tell you of the joy their voices bring; For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing. I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart; For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. I can't tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place; Can you just imagine Christmas with our Savior face to face? I'll ask him to lift your spirit as I tell you of your love;
So, then pray for one another as you lift your eyes above. Please let your hearts be joyful and let your spirit sing; For I am spending Christmas in heaven and I'm walking with the King.” I pray you have a blessed day and all is well with you and your family.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Give With Wisdom and Love

I noticed this past week that Rudolph the “Red Nosed Reindeer” has entered his fiftieth year of service as lead sleigh hauler. That kind of makes one sit back and think about all the years that have whizzed past, marked by the season of giving thanks and sharing with love. I too have fifty plus years of work and service behind me and like Rudolph, I hope I have many more ahead. Of course we’ve all had to adjust to the ever changing ways the world has to deal with new technology and business management. Even the North Pole has recently had some organizational changes. The recent announcement that Donner and Blitzen have elected to take the early reindeer retirement package has triggered a good deal of concern about whether they will be replaced and about other restructuring decisions at the North Pole. Streamlining will be necessary due to the North Pole’s loss of dominance in the season gift distribution business. Home shopping networks and internet shopping have greatly diminished Santa’s market share. He could not sit idly by and permit further erosion of profits. The purchase of a late model, lighter weight, and streamlined sleigh, has made reindeer downsizing possible. Reduction in reindeer will also lesson airborne emissions to comply with new EPA regulations, and hopefully reduce the unfavorable world-wide press editorials of years past. Tradition still counts for something at the North Pole and management is pleased to announce that Rudolph’s roll will not be diminished. Well, I guess the evening sky spectacle won’t be as big a deal as it used to be. I’m saddened.

[Romans 12:1] From, “Gift of the Magi” a Christmas story written by the famous short story author, O. Henry. Jim and Della, a young married couple, lived in a tiny flat in New York City around the turn of the twentieth century. On the day before Christmas, although they had no extra money to spare, each secretly desired to give the other a special gift. Over the course of the previous year, Della had only managed to save a dollar and eighty-six cents - mostly in pennies. At the suggestion of her friend Maggie, Della reluctantly decided to cut her long, beautiful auburn hair and sell it to a wig maker so that she could afford to buy her beloved husband a proper Christmas gift. Jim, on the other hand, had failed to get his hoped-for Christmas bonus. He left work that day penniless and desperate. So in order to buy Della a gift that would show his love, he pawned his treasured gold watch that had once belonged to his grandfather. On Christmas Eve night, with great fear, Della showed her husband her short locks and gave him his gift - a beautiful gold watch chain to replace his worn leather fob. Shaking his head and almost in tears, Jim confessed to his wife he had hocked his grandfather’s watch to buy her a Christmas present - a pair of jeweled combs for her beautiful flowing hair. At first they thought, “What fools we are!” But then, with powerful irony, O. Henry asserts that, far from being foolish, their extravagant gifts of love to each other made them as wise as the Magi who traveled far to bring their gifts to the Christ child. Their seemingly useless presents turned out to be the priceless gift of love (Matthew 2:1-11). I ask myself, is this Christmas hub-bub all worth it? Are we all fools? The story reminds me that any time we give our best in love to others a miracle of sorts occurs. God has given us the ultimate gift, in love. He gave us His only Son to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins (John 3:16). Give with wisdom and love.

Saturday, December 06, 2014

A Partnership Of Three

I have an anniversary coming up, one year short of thirty, with the woman I don’t deserve. She has the patience of Job and can squeeze a nickel so tight it changes to a dime. Without her I would probably be destitute and boo-hooing over my wretched life.

A husband happened into the bedroom and overheard his wife, as she was sliding hangers full of clothing across the steel rack one by one, to say, “Oh I wish I were eight again!” Without interrupting her he slipped out of the room with a brilliant idea for their upcoming wedding anniversary. All the arrangements had been made and on the eve of their anniversary he announced, “Tomorrow we are going to spend the whole day together.” She retired excited about what the morrow might bring. The alarm rang and she was greeted with kisses and instructions to get dressed they were going out to breakfast. At the pancake house she could have anything her heart desired. Following breakfast they went to the park to ride horses. Then they went to the mall where he bought her the doll she had always wanted as a little girl but never had. It was pizza for lunch with games and a silly side show. A walk in the park led them to the bumper cars, the Ferris wheel and the merry-go-round all of which they rode over and over again. Supper was at a burger place topped off with sharing a banana split. Popcorn and soda during an animated fantasy movie, which made her laugh and cry, finished a day she’ll never forget. Exhausted, she thanked her husband for a wonderful day. He told her he got the idea from her after one day hearing her sigh and exclaim, “Oh, I wish I were eight again.” So, I thought I would take you out for the day hoping you would return home feeling like a little girl again. Breaking out in laughter she looked her husband in the eye and said, “I meant my dress size!” I don’t know what I’ll do this anniversary but it never seems to be enough to express the thanks for putting up with me another year. Keep trying guys. We’ll get it right some day; we can be so stupid!

[Hebrews 13:4] “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” There is no doubt that God frowns upon the cheating spouse. And, there is no doubt in my mind that it will take more than the forgiving spouse of a repenting adulterer to avoid the wrath of God. It will take the love of Jesus to forgive the adulterer and reconcile ones spirit to God in peace. Is it important to have Jesus in the marriage? Yes! Jesus, God’s Word, (John 1: 1-5; 10-14) is the disciplined love that brightly shines in the marriage and in the home. The Word of God has not been given to us merely for our enjoyment, but to furnish us with life. As blessed as God’s Word is, Jesus said to the twelve, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17). “If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10). “A Happy Marriage Takes Three” by J. Morse. “Most people think a marriage is, a partnership of two; But these little words of wisdom, I will relate to you. The happiness of marriages, Has another partner near; Who can handle every storm of life, And make problems disappear. He’s the guide along life’s pathway, He’s the glue that bonds with love; He’s the one that makes a dream come true, And sends blessings from above. This partner’s name is Jesus, Always trust him and you will see; Marriages are sweeter, in a partnership of three.”