Failure

How do we define failure? It seems that when we don’t succeed at something, we say we’ve failed. We didn’t win the championship, so we failed to win the championship. I didn’t get the job I wanted, I failed to get the job. I missed that shot, so I failed. I didn’t make millions of dollars, so I failed as a provider. I didn’t get the boy I wanted from this pregnancy so I’m a failure. That list could go on and on listing perceived failures. Why do we always talk about the fact that we all fail or that failure is inevitable? One of the things I want to do as I address the subject of failure is to redefine what failure means. At least what it means according to my definition because I believe it’s too easy to say, “I failed, therefore, I am a failure.” It’s too easy to make that jump from not getting something we wanted to suddenly pinning the failure tag on ourselves. At times we mess up. We sin, we do wrong, we make mistakes, we don’t do what we should do, in fact, Paul reminds us of that fact when he speaks personally about himself, saying "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing" (Romans 7:15). Some might label Paul as a failure. If we were Paul, we might have said, we’re failures. We can do the same when we don’t do what we believe we should be doing. However, my struggle with the word failure and failed is that it’s too easy of a label to pin on ourselves. So, let me tell you my take on failure.

Failure is inaction! Failure is not making an attempt to do what you believe you are supposed to do. If I try, then I have not failed. For example, if you didn't win the championship, some would say, maybe even you would say, you failed. But I don’t believe that's failure! You simply didn’t succeed as you had hoped. The fact that you competed and tried and worked to attain that goal is not failure. Failure would have been quitting, failure would have been not making the attempt. Think that through. Even if you tried out for the team and you got cut you didn’t fail. It’s easy to label yourself as a failure. But you didn’t fail!! You simply didn’t succeed in your pursuit to make the team. If you applied and interviewed and did the best you could, but didn’t get the job, you didn’t fail, you didn’t succeed as you hoped for. So, with that in mind, when we don’t succeed or even if we have failed, then we’ve opened ourselves up for an opportunity to have God work in our lives in a way that can change who we are. Let's examine some scriptures.

In Luke 22, after the supper, Jesus looked at the disciples and said, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ Peter answered Jesus, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to Him, Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same (Luke 22:31-35). We all know what happened. Peter did deny Jesus! He denied the very Savior He proclaimed was Christ the Son of God. Did you miss Jesus words-- YOU WILL ALL FALL AWAY BECAUSE OF ME THIS NIGHT? Jesus said ALL! That's an amazing statement!

Had Peter "failed" and blown his chance to spend eternity in heaven because of his blatant denial of Jesus? Not one denial mind you, three denials! Let's go on to verse 32 which is very enlightening. Jesus addresses Peter in verse 32 saying, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." What exactly was Jesus saying? Why would Jesus suggest Peter be "converted"? Wasn't Peter already converted? After all, he was a disciple! What does this mean? The word converted in this sense means to turn back, to return to, to turn again. If we understand that Jesus was telling Peter 'when you are converted' He was telling Peter and every Christian believer who follows Him, that Peter was going to turn around, that he would come back, that he would return and convert back from his temporary inaction to do the right thing. It also points out that Peter became weak because of one thing- fear, and it was a temporary weakness brought on by fear that made him deny he ever knew or had been associated with Jesus. Peter was not acting unlike many of us when we face choices to do the right thing becoming overwhelmed by disappointments, doubts, or insecurities, etc. How often have we taken a step back and denied that Jesus could resolve our problems, was listening to our prayers, or really cared what was happening in our lives? Have you ever denied you're a Christian in a crowd of secular people who are making fun of the bible and its promises? Did you remain silent? Your silence is a manifestation of fear. In those moments of testing, we can sometimes fail to act, but we are not failures. Peter did not fall away or abandon Christ altogether. The mere fact Jesus pointed out to Peter "when you are converted" (when you come back to me realizing your inaction to speak up) shows that we too mess up but Jesus still wants us (as He did Peter) to "convert", to come back, to turn around because in truth, we aren't failures! We are His people, His Church on earth, His called, His faithful. In other words, Luke 22:32 highlights the mercy of Christ yet once again. You see, sometimes when we mess up, instead of turning to God, we turn away from God. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done. Sometimes we think, ‘well, I did it now, God doesn’t love me anymore. God is probably super angry, shaking His head at me, trying to disown me as His child.’ But that’s not true! Jesus came and died for you, He loves you, you’re His child and you are passionately and unconditionally loved. He wants you to come to Him so you can find healing. Think about how crazy that thought process is. Why would God send Jesus into the world to forgive us, and then when we mess up, He would disown us. That’s the last thing on God’s mind and heart. He wants to bring healing and wholeness to you, not beat you up.

James 4 tells us, "Draw close to God and he will draw close to you." What is it that you are not succeeding in? Is there something going on in your life, in which you’re beating yourself up about it? You can’t forgive yourself? You can’t move forward? You believe you don’t deserve to be forgiven or redeemed so you move further from God, when in fact you should be drawing closer to God. What issues are you going through? Remember, the thief is Satan. And his job is to get you to believe you don’t deserve to have joy. You don’t deserve what’s good in life. You don’t deserve salvation. He wants you to believe you’re a total screw up, a sinner who’s unredeemable. He wants you to believe you’re a failure and what would God want with a messed up sinful failure. Well, Jesus wants that messed up, sinful failure. I don’t believe God sees us as failures. We are sinful, yes. So, Jesus came to give us life. He came to give you more than life. He wants you to more than survive through the tough times. He wants you to thrive. He wants you to live the abundant life that only He offers. It’s there and it’s available, but you have to call out to Jesus for the healing, help, strength, and power. We don’t do what we should do. We do what we shouldn’t do. But in God’s eyes, we’re His kids, He created us in His image so we have intrinsic worth because God is worthy. Now get up, brush yourself off, return, be converted and walk like you are a child of the KING because you are!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Inside The Heart Of An Apple

I'm not invested in watching that much television anymore. If I do watch anything it's programs like National Geographic, Animal Planet, or DYI shows. The other day I was watching an interesting program about earthworms. What I found fascinating is that they are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female sex organs. Fascinated by all the information I continued watching as the narrator exhausted everything there was to say about different species of worms. He then asked the question "Have you ever wondered how a worm gets inside of an apple?" I was, so I listened intently as he went on, "If you think that the worm burrows in the apple from the outside, you'd be wrong," he said. He explained that scientists have discovered that the worm comes from the inside of the apple. I no sooner thought to myself how is that possible that he answered, "Female apple maggot flies find a sweet-smelling apple that is ripening and lands on it. Using a small, sharp, hollow tube on the underside of her body, the fly stabs a small hole in the fruit. Then she releases her eggs, which slide down that hollow tube into the apple." **I wonder how many apples I've bitten into that had eggs I knew nothing about?** YUCK! But I digress.

Soon after this process, the narrator explained that "the eggs hatch inside the heart of the apple." (That was an interesting way of putting it) Then, the tiny white worms called railroad worms, eat their way out of the apple! It dawned on me that this is a perfect illustration of how SIN, like the worm, begins inside the heart of a man and works out through an individual's thoughts, words, and actions. Listen to what Jesus said when addressing the Jews in Matthew 15: 15-20, "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man." He is saying, there is nothing externally outside a man, that entering into him can defile him (spiritually): but the things which come out of the man, those are the very things that defile the man (Mark 7:15). Drinking a cold beer, a smoking vice, or eating a diet high in fat ARE NOT what Jesus is telling us that defiles the soul. Granted these things may harm, injure, or even kill the body, but they are stupid choices we may eventually pay for in the body! Again, in simple speech, Don’t you understand yet? Anything you eat passes through your stomach literally goes into the sewer. But the words you speak, my friend, come from your heart—that’s what defiles you! Why? Jesus told us, "For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander." THESE are what defile you.

The Pharisees had questioned Jesus in the above explanation because He permitted his disciples to eat with what the Jews considered were defiled hands (from the outside). We inherently think that defilement comes from outside of us. This is what religion teaches us. As long as we can stay away from certain people or places or things, we can remain pure and right with God. It’s all about overcoming bad habits and bad company because if we can remain separate from the evil outside of us then we will remain pure. That's what most think but that is incorrect. It is much easier to keep the outside clean and so it follows our souls must, therefore, be clean. Right? Wrong! Religion and its insistence on rules, however, cannot change the heart! And yet, this is how we are defiled before God, and this is what Jesus addresses in the second part of his parable. He is not saying that there is no such thing as defilement; he just challenges the popular opinion regarding its source. Defilement, Jesus says, does not come from out there. Rather, it comes from within here. It is “what comes out of a person” that defiles him. It is said in James 3:6 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. (the tongue manifests what is hidden in the heart) The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:45) For thousands of years, the cure has always been A NEW CLEAN HEART. God said, "And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart." (Ezekiel 36:26). And David prayed, " Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). The message is simple. We need a heart change!

Now when we talk about the “heart” we tend to think only about emotions. Here it is contrasted with the stomach, but not because the heart refers to the spiritual part of a person as opposed to the physical part of a person. Both Hebrew and Greek speak of the heart as the seat of all physical, spiritual, and mental life. The heart is used to summarize who we really are, and the way we relate to God. We typically refer to this as our “soul.” It is that which makes us who we are. Again, not that our bodies are not a part of the “real you,” but it is also self-evident that there is something more to us than our bodies. I love what C. S. Lewis said: We do not have a soul. We ARE a soul. We "have" a body.
Jesus tells us all the sins listed in Matthew 15: 15-20 come from our hearts. Instinctively we know this! Before we ever commit sexual immorality with our bodies we do it with our hearts. Right? Same with theft, murder, deceit, envy, and pride. These things are sinful not because God has made rules to rob us of joy. What makes things sinful is our hearts in rebellion against God and the good purposes he has for us in His gifts.

I read an interesting quote while on my Twitter account this week, “The wicked think their sin is nothing, the moral think it is small, and the religious think it is manageable.” You see, if the problem is dirty hands, that’s easy. We can manage that with a little religion. But if the problem is a defiled heart we need more powerful medicine. The rules of religion can address our behavior. But dirty hands are nothing compared to a defiled heart. The good news is that God has given us a promise. To those who are guilty of defiling His holy name, He says, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:25-26).Through the gospel, we can be saved from our defiled hearts. God will give you a “new heart” that can respond to Him, rather than your old heart of stone that stubbornly refuses to obey Him. We come to Christ, then, not to rid ourselves of the impurities outside of us, but to find the only solution to the problem within us! If you are serious in following Jesus and you faithfully carry it out, He promises to wash your heart, to make you undefiled, blameless and pure and holy before God. You cannot do it by any effort on your part. He works that miracle by the Holy Spirit inside you. Father, I pray that no one will walk away from this blog today with an unwashed heart, but that their hearts might be made clean through the blood of Christ.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Garage Sale

Who doesn't love a good garage sale? You've heard the idiom, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." That is so true!
What if Satan had a garage sale. What do you suppose he would have laid out on tables? I imagine he would offer ALL THE TOOLS of his trade to anyone who would pay the price. (His wages demand death.) I can see it now. Spread out on the tables, each "tool" labeled hatred, malice, envy, gossip, perversion, lust - all the weapons that everyone knows so well. But off to one side on a table lay a harmless-looking tool marked "discouragement." It is old and worn looking but is priced far above anything else Satan offers. The reason it is priced so high is that Satan can use this one tool so much more easily than the others. No one ever seems to know this one even belongs to Satan, so with it he is able to open doors that are bolted tightly! Once he gets inside a man's heart with this particular tool, he can easily use any of the other tools that best suits his purpose!

Ask yourself, "What heroic and inspiring accounts were never written because Satan effectively used his tool of discouragement?" I have personally experienced this when attempting to write my blogs. Satan whispers his discouraging cadence like these on nearly a weekly basis: "No one will read your stuff" or "That subject is boring, don't write it" or "Just stop! No one is reading your blogs. See, no one even comments." In God's Word, we can find many sad stories of people who lost heart and gave up because of discouragement. For example, when Moses sent the spies into the land of Canaan, all but Caleb and Joshua came back with discouraging news. The fearful saw the size and strength of their opponents rather than remembering the signs and strength of their God (Numbers 13-14).

Remember Peter? Peter vowed he would never deny Jesus, yet he denied Him and fled with the rest when Jesus was arrested! He became so fearful of the retribution he would receive should he have agreed he was one of his disciples that he denied he ever even knew Jesus (Matthew 26: 31-75). Also, Timothy was discouraged to the point that he had become withdrawn and afraid of saying what needed to be said regarding the gospel message (2 Timothy 1:6-8) and thus Paul reminded him, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

We become discouraged when we start paying more attention to obstacles than to opportunities. We become discouraged when we start believing those whispers in our ears from the "father of lies" (John 8:44) instead of the Father "who cannot lie" (Titus 1:2).
We must keep reminding ourselves and other believing Christians that God can do great things with a heart that is His (Joshua 14: 13-14; Numbers 14:24; Deuteronomy 1:36).
My question for you is, does He have your heart and mind or is Satan having his way with you? Have you been fooled by what the father of lies has offered? James has the solution for getting out of the devil's clutches: "Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5: 8-9).
What lies has the enemy of your soul tried to convince you of? His assault on your mind is very subtle. He wants to influence your thinking. He wants to wear you down for his purpose. Stand firm, resist, withstand, and know he is a liar. I'll leave you with these words from scripture, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle is not yours, but God's."
Until next time,
-Pat-

A Simple Roofing Nail

I must share a story I read that I believe applies to ourselves as believers in Christ. It's a great lesson. The story goes like this: There was a congregation that built a beautiful new church building. In fact, folks came from far and wide to see it and admire its beauty! On the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure — except the nail! No one even knew he was there, so he became angry and jealous. “If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!” So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud. That night it rained and torrential winds blew. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The rainwater streaked the walls and all the beautiful murals hanging there. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by all the water. All this because a little nail decided to quit! But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure — but it was also useful! Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust!


The moral of the story I'm sharing is this: Every believer is important to the church! Like the nail, we may feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, our absence is felt. Each of us should make certain that we’re a help and not a hindrance to the future spiritual and numerical growth in the body of Christ. Unlike the little nail, let’s never quit. Why? Because it is important to remember that:
1. We Are Members of the Same Body, The Church (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) — As members of the body of Christ, we belong to each other and we need each other. Each member of the body has a function to perform so that the body as a whole will grow and remain healthy. Each part is needed, and no one part should think it’s more important than any other part. Remember, a spiritually healthy church is one in which the various members know their God-given gifts, and use them to serve and edify others in that local body (Ephesians 4:11-16; Romans 12:3-16).

2. We Are Soldiers in the Same "Army" (Ephesians 6:10-18) — The church is an army designed to fight against Satan and the hosts of darkness — not to fight each other. Scripture reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." We also need to understand that in the Lord’s army, each individual soldier (Christian) is expected to wage war and fight (1 Timothy 1:18-19; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3-4). Our weapons must never be carnal or our struggle will be useless and eventually deadly (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Therefore, as scripture instructs, "Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6.13).

3. We are all a functioning part (Ephesians 4:13) And in truth, to be functioning at its peak, a physical body needs every part to be working effectively just as our role as the body of Christ is to equip and build one another up “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." To this end, those of us who are stronger, more mature or given gifts, ought to use what we have to empower and equip others in their journey. Some of us will preach, some will teach, others will encourage, some will testify openly, others will pray for those in need, etc. This doesn’t make anyone of us more or less important than another—quite the opposite actually! We are required to have an attitude of servanthood. In fact, in God’s kingdom, the way up is actually down. Jesus Himself told us that in His Kingdom, "the first shall be last and the last shall be first" thus signifying servanthood, humility, meekness. Look at Jesus words, "I've given you an example. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (John 13: 15-17).

We serve each other. We need each other. And no one is above another. The blogs I offer to help Christians grow is no more important than the faithful lady who prays quietly from her bedroom each day. In God's Kingdom, the spiritually mature mentor the spiritually immature. The elders instruct the younger. The rich share with the poor. Those who have gifts equip others for acts of service. The powerful defend the powerless. The strong bear with the failings of the weak. Whether you consider yourself a "nail," a shingle, the soffit, flashing, ridge, eave, fascia, or gable in the roof of the house of God, you are more important than you realize! 1 Corinthians 12:26 says (speaking of all believers) "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." Just as without the nail, everything was affected in a negative way. Today I want to encourage those who feel they have no influence as a Christian, or somehow believe they are insignificant, or that they haven't any ability to affect the conditions of the world, politics, the growth of the Church, overcoming Satans evil devices, whatever it may be, to please realize you are needed! You can and do affect change in all these areas and so much more! And that, regardless of how you have been called by Christ. If you are a Christian, YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED to serve in some capacity regardless of what little part you may think you play. In fact, I would venture to say the private prayers of an 80-year-old Christian woman may be more effective than any blog I write that will more often than not fall upon deaf ears.

Finally, don’t minimize your role! All Christians collectively form the body of Christ. The body is formed of many different parts (Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). All are important. It does not matter what part of the body you are: You have a purpose. As these Bible verses say: "On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it" (1 Corinthians 12:22-24). How could something as insignificant as a little nail be so important? Now you know! Your purpose no matter how big or small is to serve in edifying the Church and to glorify your Father in heaven! It's time to serve!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Naked And Ashamed

As a Christian woman, I would never think of wearing short shorts or any apparel for that matter that insufficiently covered my body. In the same manner, I would never consider leaving my soul insufficiently covered or naked. What do I mean? Physical nakedness has always stood as a symbol of shame (Genesis 9:23; Samuel 10:4). I imagine all of us at one time or another, even as early teens, had a sense of modesty and didn't want anyone to see us naked. Why is that? Because we are born in purity of mind and with innate qualities of morality. As we grow older, these values erode and become tainted by the immorality of the world. If physical nakedness is a shame, how much more should we be embarrassed about the spiritual nakedness of our souls? People don't seem concerned. Why? Is it that others cannot see how we neglect our own souls or the ugliness of sin we hide there? God can.

The church at Laodicea thought they were spiritually rich and "clothed" (safe from judgment), but our Lord said, "and know not that you are wretched (desolate), miserable (unhappy), poor (needy), blind (unperceptive), and naked (spiritually uncovered)" (Revelation 3:17). He counsels them to purchase "white raiment that you may be clothed" (Revelation 3:18). More on this in a minute. It is possible to think that you are sufficiently clothed spiritually yet have no clue you are naked and the shame of your unrighteousness is laid bare before the eyes of God. Nothing is hidden from God's eyes. In fact, "all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13; Psalm 90:8). Thanks to Jesus, there is a remedy for spiritual nakedness. It is clothing the soul by HIS righteousness. What does it involve? It involves the purity of character or "white raiment" (same as being "clothed in white" - as Jesus describes it), LOVE for God (1 John 4:16-21), and complete submission to HIS will (Matthew 7:21). Jesus was totally submissive to His Father's will even in the face of death- "not my will but Thine be done" - and so should we be -- that we do not appear naked and ashamed before God on the day of judgment (2 Corinthians 5:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

In the parable of the marriage feast, located in Matthew 22:1-14, we see one man in attendance that did not have on the proper wedding garment (Matthew 22:11), he was not "clothed" properly even though he knew that he should have come prepared by wearing one (verse 12). Jesus is telling us something very important here. That is this, spiritually speaking, without the proper wedding garment the man was considered NAKED (2 Corinthians 5:3; Revelation 3:18; Revelation 7:13-14) ** it would advisable that you look these up sometime today.** The man was invited to the marriage feast, just as you, me, and the entire world are invited to come. However, just as with a black-tie event here, you may not attend a black-tie event unless you are dressed appropriately! You might arrive at the door but you'll be denied entrance. With that in mind, spiritually speaking, what kind of wedding garment should the man have had on so he could enter? Scripture says a white wedding garment (Revelation 7:9-13), same as "white raiment" mentioned in Revelation 3:18 which is made white by the blood of the Lamb- Jesus sacrifice on the cross for sin (Revelation 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-6.) This is all symbolic language of course. Your covering (garment) can only be made "white" (spotless, sinless) by the Blood of Jesus (accepting and believing His atonement for your sin by His sacrifice on the cross.) How do you acquire it and how can you put it on?

We can only acquire this white wedding garment (a symbol of purity and holiness) by being "clothed" with Christ. Another way of saying it is when we are "clothed" with Christ ... we "put on" Christ. We "put on" Christ when we are baptized "into Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Then, when we "put on" Christ in baptism, we immediately become "clothed" with the proper wedding garment (Revelation 19:5-8). Without Jesus, there is no hope. Wearing a cross around your neck, going to church on Sundays, or believing you're a Christian because you consider yourself mostly good is not the proper "garment" to attend the wedding supper of Jesus Christ. You'll be stopped at the door! When Christ (the bridegroom) comes again to receive His holy Bride (His faithful believers- see Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 21:1-2,9; 2 Corinthians 11:1-2), and all the members who were invited, they MUST BE CLOTHED IN "white raiment" according to Revelation 3:18 or they will be considered spiritually "naked" and thus be ashamed before the King (Christ). Notice in the scriptural parable I gave, EVERYONE was invited to the marriage feast (refer to Matthew 22:1-10) even though some refused to come (find that in Matthew 22:1-3). That's the world today! Spiritually speaking, every last person on earth is invited to the marriage feast THROUGH THE GOSPEL CALL (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Revelation 22:17) but even so, many will refuse to come (Matthew 22:14; Acts13: 44-46). One of the most poignant verses in the Bible is this, "For the message of the cross, (which is that Jesus died for you for the remission of sins) is foolishness TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, but to us who are being saved (the believers) it is the power of God" (1Corinthians 1:18)-emphasis mine. How many times have you ever approached a family member, friend, or even a stranger with the message of the gospel and that person thought it foolish or you foolish for believing "such garbage"? Those people are perishing!

Finally, it is God's desire that every person come to the saving gospel of Christ (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4), thus being clothed in the appropriate wedding garment (Galatians 3:27) in preparation for the marriage feast of the LAMB (Jesus) and His Bride (the church body of believers) (Revelation 21:2; verse 9-10). Are you ready to attend the marriage feast of the Lamb [Christ] and His bride (the church – Ephesians 5:25-32)? When the bridegroom [Christ] comes, only those who are “ready” (Matthew 25:10) will be allowed entrance into the marriage ceremony. All others will be rejected (Matthew 25:11-12).
If you have not already “clothed” yourself with the proper wedding garment, won’t you seriously consider doing that today? (2 Corinthians 6:2). Clothe yourself with Christ (Gal. 3:27), so you won’t be found “naked” or “ashamed” (2 Corinthians 5:3; Revelation 3:18) when the Bridegroom [Christ] returns to receive and rapture His bride; the church (Matthew 25:10; Revelation 21:1-2,9). Naked or clothed — ashamed or not ashamed. It’s our choice (Joshua 24:14-15). "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame" (Revelation 16:15 KJV) Here it is in the NIV "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
Until next time,
-Pat-

You Must Be Born Again. What???

So often we hear the line from John 3, "You must be born again" as a prerequisite to being saved but do we understand it? Even non-Christians have heard the term and sometimes refer to us as, those "born-again Christians." We say it, they hear it, but what does BORN-AGAIN really mean? First of all, let's look at random versions from five different Bibles to confirm that anyone who wants to enter the Kingdom of God MUST be born again.
1. NIV (New International Version): Jesus said, "Verily truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again."
2. ASV (American Standard Version): Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except one be born anew he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
3. CBS (Christian Standard Bible Version): Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
4. KJV (King James Version): Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
5. NRSV (New Revised Standard Version): Jesus answered, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above."

You can see that regardless of what Bible you pick up, every version agrees except or unless a person is born-again they will never see nor enter the Kingdom of God. Those are the direct words of Jesus. No version has ever changed that truth. However, people usually stop at verse 3 and never continue reading to find out what Jesus meant by being "born-again." So often we just seem to ignore verse 5 which expounds what being born of the Spirit is. Here is the full verse (Jesus Himself speaking), "Very, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." Do you see anything of significance there? Let me highlight it for you. Jesus Himself has told each of us that most assuredly and indeed, unless and until (barring no other way) you are BORN of WATER and of THE SPIRIT, you will never enter God's Kingdom after physical death. Being "born-again" is conditional. It is subject to a requirement. It requires water and Spirit. The word "water" has a significant meaning in this verse. This is what I want you to know. Most interpret the verse to mean a person has to be literally baptized in H2o ... submerged, dunked, engulfed, etc. and then you're saved. And though Christians do participate in literal water baptism as a way to acknowledge their faith and a symbol of washing away their sins, baptism in literal water is an indication of what actually happens in a spiritual sense. Jesus is telling us something in the spiritual sense! Watch closely, Jesus said you must be BORN of water. Born of water?? Born? Not dunked, dipped, or sprinkled? What does that mean? How can you be BORN of water? You can be submerged in water (baptized), but born if it? That's an entirely different thing.

Literal water baptism symbolizes "cleansing." It is an act of obedience symbolizing a persons belief in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior ... the believer's death to sin, the burial of the "old life," and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. But Jesus desires more than a symbol from us. He wants a deeper cleansing. Paul speaks about this deeper cleansing. What is it? It is the cleansing of our minds! It means a renewal of our minds by water but the "water" Paul is talking about is GOD'S WRITTEN WORD (the Bible). It is God's Word (Spirit and truth) that cleanses and washes our minds which have been bombarded and infected with all types of worldly lies, deceptions, and sins. The significance of water in a spiritual sense is so important! Consider this: All throughout the Bible believers are referred to as a "she," the "Body" or "The Church" of whom Christ is the head. "She" is also referred to as His Bride (the bride of Christ) since we are married unto Him in faithfulness. To be His Bride, she must be washed, cleansed, spotless and pure (symbolized in Revelation by being dressed in white) and the only way she can be made white is to be cleansed by Him; The WORD who was made flesh (John 1:14.) At the last supper when Jesus said, "Take, eat. This is my Body" He was spiritually referring to HIS WORD! We have communion with Him when we partake of (eat) His Word. THAT is fellowship with the Lord. Why? Because it is only through His Word that our minds, thoughts, and actions are changed. Look at Ephesians 5:6. It speaks about Christ giving up His life for her (His Church), "that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water BY THE WORD." Continuous washing and cleansing, growth and maturity come by "eating" THE WORD. It is Living Water and every Christian needs it daily to feed their spirit as the physical body needs food.

Now, this is key ... Jesus also said (watch closely) "The WORDS that I speak are Spirit and they are life" (John 6:63). So then, not only does the WORD cleanse and wash that same Word is Spirit and life! Jesus Words ARE God's Spirit and it IS the only means by which your heart, mind, conscience, and soul changes from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18) as it transforms us into His likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit! You must understand the importance of reading, taking in, and digesting THE WORD. Scripture clearly tells us JESUS WAS THE WORD MADE FLESH AND LIVED AMONG US (John 1:14). JESUS WAS AND IS THE WORD. According to John 1:1 THAT WORD was from the beginning. It was with God and was God. And that WORD was made flesh (Jesus) and lived among the apostles, disciples, Sadducees, Pharisees, people of Rome and every other person. The disciples were witnesses, "and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). This, therefore, proves Jesus WAS God who came in the flesh as man, to depart to us His Spirit, His Truth, His WORD, that we might be born-again in newness of life, transformed into a "new man" (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10); Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ezekiel 11:19) and find our way back to Him. God's Word is living and God speaks to us through it. His Word is Spirit and it is life.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can reveal and communicate the Bible's spiritual truths. Those who read the Bible apart from the Holy Spirit teaching them cannot understand it because, unlike all other books, it is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2: 6-16.) It is not a mental exercise but a spiritual one. "We (believers in Jesus) have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. The man without the Spirit (of God) does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2: 12-14). The more time we spend reading the Bible (taking of His body in communion) the more the Spirit QUICKENS us (arouses, awakens, strengthens). He reveals and shows us what His Word means, bringing us into alignment with His one, absolute truth ... JESUS THE WORD MADE FLESH!

You must be born again. Exactly this: First, we have to hear the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). That is the first step. “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). It sounds foolish that words from a Bible have the power to penetrate our hearts and change our lives, but they do because they are God’s holy words. Then there is the work of the Holy Spirit. He convicts: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). He changes us. He changes our wills, our affections, our objectives for living, our disposition. He gives us a new purpose and new goals. “Old things pass away, and everything becomes new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then He indwells us: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Jesus Christ says that we must repent of our sin. That means we are willing to change our way of living. We say to God, “I’m a sinner, and I’m sorry.” It’s simple and childlike. Then by faith, we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and Savior. We are willing to follow Him (HIS WORD) in a new life of obedience, in which the Holy Spirit helps us as we read the Bible. You don't have to worry that you haven't the strength to stop sinning. You'll never have it within your own power to do so but I promise, stay in God's Word, remain faithful to read, learn and grow and HE WILL DO THE WORK IN YOU! He gives you His power to overcome and live the life that pleases Him. It's a beautiful thing.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Welcome To ...

There are various franchised fast-food restaurants across America. I believe most of my readers will recognize these... Subway, Burger King, and FireHouse Subs to name just three. In the area I live, each of these fast food places shouts out a unique greeting when you enter their establishment. For instance, you may have been greeted with, "Welcome to Subway," , OR "Welcome to Burger King, home of the famous flame-broiled burger," OR "Welcome to FireHouse Subs" where it is then immediately echoed by every employee behind the counter. In my opinion, "mechanical greetings" leave something greatly to be desired. Employees in many franchises always vocalize the same words ... "Welcome to ..." (fill in the blank). These greeting would be fine except for the fact they are not sincere. There's never any passion or sincerity in their voices because it's just something they have been trained and instructed to say when customers enter their place of business. It feels cold and programmed. Sometimes the same thing happens at funerals when relatives of a deceased family members fly in from different locations around the states. People who have never bothered to write or call you will approach you with a plastered smile and a big "HELLO, how have you been? What have you been up to?" You just want to respond, "Well, had you bothered to call on your own or answered my letters you would know how I've been and what I'm up to!" Their greeting is as programmed as the business establishments. There is no real caring, there is no real love in their words.

The Apostle Paul speaks of sincere, authentic, uncontrived love and faith in 2 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:5 KJV. Paul emphasizes "unfeigned (sincere) love of the brethren." In the very next thought, he defines what that unfeigned love consists of ... "see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently" (1 Peter 1:22 KJV). As believers in Jesus Christ, when we speak words from our mouths, they should be sincere words; words of love, care, and concern for one another AND FOR OUR FELLOW MAN despite his or her opposing beliefs. Only God knows what effect our words of sincerity may have in encouraging those who are outside of Christ. Here is an example. One summer during my medical externship at a Well-Woman office I entered an exam room where there was a patient waiting to see a doctor about her unwanted pregnancy. As I knocked on the door and entered the room I saw a petite, young lady in her late early 20's sitting in a chair next to the exam table. "Good morning, Sandi. I'm Pat and I'm here to take your vitals and get a fetal ultrasound." As the girl look up tears were streaming down her face. I immediately felt empathy. I pulled up a chair beside her and took her hand in mine asking, "What's wrong? This test isn't going to hurt at all. I'll take your blood pressure, get a heart rate, and then you'll lie over there on the exam table. The FHT will require that I put a small amount of a jelly-like substance on your abdomen and run a transducer over your tummy. The transducer will send and receive ultrasonic sound waves and turn them into a picture so the doctor can read it when he comes in. It won't take more than five minutes and will be completely painless." At this point, Sandi lowered her head and began bawling. I sensed it wasn't fear that was bothering her but something much deeper. I felt a sudden urge to console and encourage her with God's love.

"Is it the pregnancy?" I asked. She nodded yes. Looking down at her chart I read that she was single and without insurance. Taking her other hand I asked, "Are you scared?" She nodded yes. "Because you're single?" She nodded again. "Has the father ran off taking no responsibility for this pregnancy?" Once again she nodded yes and mumbled, "I hate myself! My pastor said I'm going to hell. I don't know what to do!" "Look," I said, "There's no need to feel ashamed for what's happened. We all make mistakes. I've done some pretty wild things in my lifetime that I'd be too embarrassed to tell anyone. The most important thing is God understands how you feel right now, but He has not given up on you and He does not hate you! You're not alone. Others may reject you for this but God doesn't. And I don't. Your unplanned pregnancy may alter the course you have to take in life but it by no means has to ruin your life. There are plenty of women in your same predicament that come see us every day. On average I see about three each day and as many as seven per day. You are not alone. You can get through this." She finally raised her head and peered straight into my eyes. I wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'll tell you what. I'll give you a pamphlet that will help instruct you how to take the next steps to keep and raise this beautiful baby you have inside you. I'm not promising the road will be easy, but it will be doable if you trust God with every decision you make. It's what I did and I still do each and every day. Don't be ashamed. It is what it is and soon you'll have a beautiful little child who will love you more than anyone on earth. I will give you that literature before you leave but I would also like to pray for you. Can I do that?" Sandi nodded yes. And I did. There was so much more I encouraged her with not written here today.

Although I never saw Sandi again, three weeks after our brief encounter the head nurse practitioner called me into her office. I became nervous thinking I had fouled up a procedure, forgotten to clean a speculum, or had forgotten to change out the exam table paper! Cautiously entering her office, I sat down on a brown- studded, leather chair nervously anticipating what was about to take place. After all, I was in my 8-week externship which would determine if I was employable, and she had the authority to release me at any time. "I have something for you!" she exclaimed. She was holding a white envelope. My palms became sweaty and my heart began racing. This is it, I thought, she's going to let me go. I took the envelope from her hand. With a smile on her face, she shouted, "Open it. Go ahead, open it!" I reached inside the envelope and unfolded a crisp white letter and began reading.
To: Madelene Swainhart, NP
Hello. My name is Sandi __________ (name left out for privacy purposes). About three weeks ago I was in your office for my first pregnancy - out of wedlock I might add! There was an RMA working there at the time of my visit. Her name was Pat Phillips. I want you to know she saved my life. I wanted to commit suicide that day but she changed my mind. She said some pretty powerful things to me but more than that, she treated me with respect, acceptance, and empathy. You should give her a raise. It's the first time I ever felt cared for or cared about since becoming pregnant. I think you should know you have a great employee and you should commend her. I entered your office feeling dirty and worthless and wanting to commit suicide but I left feeling confident and okay about myself. Things are good now and I'm looking forward to having my baby. Please thank her for me!
Sincerely,
Sandi ______________

We need to wholeheartedly think about how we treat people and show the characteristics of Christ because just like Sandi, you never know how your words and actions may affect the unsaved world. I had no idea I had that kind of effect on her had she not sent that letter. Let us sincerely think about how we treat others and what we say to them, then make any necessary adjustments to our character and disposition. Let's be passionate about our Christianity because the eternal souls of men, women, boys, and girls are at stake.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Standing Alone

Have you ever found yourself standing alone for something and as a result, felt the loneliness and isolation associated with holding fast to your convictions? Maybe you stood for an unpopular political opinion, a cause close to your heart, an anti-abortion position, or maybe it was something that took place in a classroom discussion and everyone disagreed with you. It can be the most terrifying thing in the world to "stand" for your convictions and then to be ridiculed, rejected, or even despised by others. However, the moments that define you will always be those you choose to stand by while everyone else remains seated. The same holds true in Christianity. Jesus instructed believers to choose the narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14). That "narrow way" has few people on it but the way that is broad (the popular worldly path leading to destruction) is crowded with people. And when the world realizes that you are not going their way, they will ridicule you and pressure you to conform, lest you be rejected and despised. Jesus knew this would happen to those who would stand for Him. He prayed for us to the Father. He said, "I have given them Thy Word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Standing alone for God's truth means going against the crowd and making decisions based on what is right, not on what is popular at the moment. Far too often, we incorrectly reason that the popular side (the broad road) “must” be the winning side and that to follow the unpopular road (the narrow road) of our inner convictions might place us on the losing side. Notice, the Bible "it's not filled as much with mass movements as it is with individuals who were willing to stand alone" (Charles Stanley). There were only 12 apostles to begin Christianity. Can you imagine the odds against them? No one ever desires to stand alone. In today's chaotic world, we like to think peer pressure only affects the young. Not so! How many times have you been to a restaurant with a group? Your normal pattern is to pray before meals. When the food comes, you look around to see what everyone else is doing. Everybody else digs right in. So you do too. To stand alone for biblical truth means to go against the crowd and make decisions based on what is right, not on what is popular at the moment. Our actions should not be merely reactions to people; they should be the results of wholehearted love for the Lord and a wholesome fear of Him (Psalm 119:24-26; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Do you remember the following illustration? You can take a frog, drop it into a pan of hot water, and it will immediately react to the liquid and jump out. But you can take that same frog, drop it into a pan of tepid water, gradually turn up the heat, and the frog will sit there. In theory, at least, you can boil the frog alive if you turn the heat up gradually enough. It slowly adapts and accepts the temperature change until it’s too late. That’s what has happened to many of us, isn’t it? Those of us who are over 50, think of all the changes that you have experienced in your lifetimes. Take something as obvious as television programming or movies. Who would have imagined that the standards could have changed as much in the last thirty or forty years as they have? If it had happened all at once, most folk would have screamed bloody murder. You would have been shocked and offended beyond measure. And rightfully so! Many of you would have permanently turned off the television and never went to a movie again. But it didn’t change all at once, did it? Gradually, bit by bit, the level of decency and morality eroded. Sometimes we noticed. Often we didn’t! Because it happened so slowly, we conformed. Now many of us accept and watch things that would have once angered us without even blushing. When it comes to motion pictures, we don't even flinch when watching a brutal murder. We overlook the horror of rape and move on to the next scene. We accept lying and deception. Oh, and don't forget about fornication and adultery playing out before our eyes. All we want to know is who winds up with who at the conclusion of the picture! Even our children's cartoons are permeated with fighting, brutality, witchcraft, and even provocative half-clad female figures! We went from this:

TO THIS!

Why is this even in a movie for children?

Have you personally ever experienced the following? A conversation is taking place at the lunch table at work you are uncomfortable with. Perhaps an off-color joke, maybe just a bit of salacious gossip or a topic with some moral or spiritual undertones. You don't like it. You couldn't disagree more. Or an opportunity about your faith develops. The door is wide open. You know you should speak up. The pressure is on. Do you stand for biblical truths or do you remain quiet for fear of ridicule and rejection? Standing against the odds is never easy. As believers, we must be willing to stand for what is right in this godless society in which we live. It is vital! To do so requires scriptural convictions that we are willing to live for and, if necessary, die for (Revelation 2:10). Are YOU committed - at all costs - to following the Lord on the narrow way? Are you prepared to stand alone when necessary? Can you speak up in the midst of your co-workers when they express or uphold anti-biblical teaching? Every movement starts with one person who is brave enough to stand alone. That person could be you. If you are supporting what you believe in, it is always better to stand alone than not at all.
Until next time,
-Pat-

On Second Thought ...

I was watching a report on television the other day regarding a record number of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination to take on President Trump in the 2020 national election. Just a few weeks ago, 21 contenders were lined up to compete in the primaries. Yet, less than three weeks later that number has been whittled down to only five candidates. All the others have suspended their campaigns. The drastic change in these viable contestants made me think about how quickly people can change their minds. Think about how quickly the potential candidates changed their minds and decided to drop out of the race. When it comes to changing our minds about something, is it that we change our mind, our hearts, or our thoughts. Which is it? Are these all the same thing? Consider the following phrases:
1. I've changed my mind
2. I've had a change of heart
3. Hold on a minute/second
4. On second thought ...
5. Upon reflection, I ...
6. After further consideration ...
7. I'm not sure what I was thinking when ...
8. I decided to do a 180

Those phrases are kind of interesting, no? You've probably never seen a variety of those 'mind-changing phrases' listed in one place before. Yet, we've all used them at one time or another. Why do we change our minds? The Apostle Paul makes an interesting statement in Romans 12:2 KJV. He instructs us, "and be not be conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." For those that find the King James Version (copied from the original Greek) difficult to follow because of its usage of "ye" "thee's" and "thou's", here is the same verse from the New International Version (NIV): "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." The key point in Paul's statement is that we need to transform our minds from what we've learned, followed, or patterned our lives after by the world. That "transformation," that change of heart is only possible by applying the Word of God and making it relevant in our lives. Ephesians 5:24-26 tells us that Christ died for us (His believers, His Church, His Bride) that He "might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water BY THE WORD" NKJV (emphasis mine) -- THE WORD meaning His Words, the Bible. It is by His Words that our minds are cleansed and change from worldly to godly which in turn changes our actions that are pleasing to Him.

The "renewing of our mind" is a continuous process throughout our Christian walk (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:16).

We have to continue to read The Word for that renewal, that transformation to change us from glory to glory. Before a follower of Jesus can truly make the "outward" changes of the body (actions), there must first be the "inward" change of the mind (thoughts), for our outward actions start from within (Proverbs 6:18; Proverbs 23:7; Matthew 15:18-20). The whole goal and purpose for "renewing" our mind (making application of God's Word in our lives -see Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10), is so that we might cast down any imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ and to bring EVERY THOUGHT of our heart to the obedience of God." To break the hold of carnal patterns, selfish thinking, misguided and misdirected thoughts we were taught by the world, our minds must be directed to THINK about things that are RIGHT according to God's Word (Philippians 4:8-9). We must be willing to add divine attributes to our character (2 Peter 1: 4-8). Why? The purpose is so that our lives will be "active" and "fruitful" in service to God (2 Peter 1:8).

In order to change our thought patterns, we must be willing to "put off" the thought patterns of our old lifestyle (the Bible refers to it as our 'old man') by reading renewing, reading renewing, reading renewing, and "put on" the thought patterns of our "new" lifestyle IN CHRIST (the Bible refers to it as the 'new man) see Ephesians 4:22-24 and Colossians 3: 8-14. The purpose of all this? So that our conduct or actions or "manner of life" before others reflect the teachings of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). If you need further instructions beyond what I've said here, then open your Bible today and read Paul's explicit instructions on HOW to PUT ON this NEW MAN (Romans 12:9-21; Ephesians 4:22-32; Ephesians 5:1-33; Ephesians 6:1-18; Colossians 3:1-25). Remember, the "transformation," that "change of heart" is only possible by applying the Word of God and making it relevant in our lives. The Word of God set before us is to elevate our manner of life (which has been tainted by the world) into the "likeness" of that life which Jesus lived in order to bring honor and glory to our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16; John 15:8; 1 Peter 2:12).

We read, renew, and refresh so that we may be filled with the knowledge of God's will. Do you want to know what God's will is? Then read The Word. The purpose to renew your mind is that you have the wisdom to spiritually understand. Do you want to understand God's Word? Then read The Word. Do you want the power to walk worthy by pleasing God? You'll have to read The Word. Do you want to produce good fruit? Every believer should be bearing at least some fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Again, you have to read The Word. You'll never increase in the knowledge of God until you read The Word (Colossians 1: 9-10). A person who truly sees sin for what it is and wants this transformation must stay in The Word. By doing so, he changes his direction from that of:
* Rebelling against God to serving God.
* Practicing sin to abstaining from sin.
* Doing his own will to doing God's will.
* Going in the world's direction to going in God's direction.
* Disobeying God to obeying God through His Word.

True repentance is a change of mind resulting in a change of will that says, "I am wrong, God is right; from now on I will do things God's way and I will change my attitude about sinning against Him." There are many who claim that they have repented, but who don't act like it. They never truly changed their mind about sin. They were never led to repent by godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). In essence, they are like the boy who gets caught stealing a cookie and says, "I'm sorry" only to steal a cookie the next day. No real change of mind had taken place-- no repentance!! Or to illustrate with another example, they are like the man who tells God, "I admit that I've sinned against You; I'm sorry, forgive me" but resumes living his old sinful life again a few days later. No real change of mind and consequently no change of will has taken place. The result is no true transformation. So read, study, learn, understand, follow, transform!! In Jesus mighty Name!
Until next time,
-Pat-

Judging VS Warning

Christians are often accused of judging people outside of Christiandom when they give voice to things that are written in the Bible. Please realize, there is a big difference between judging people vs warning people. Love is always the motivator behind warning people of danger, whether referring to the natural or spiritual sense. Consider this scenario: Imagine you are the passenger in a car with some of your friends. The driver decides to be an imbecile and park in the middle of a railroad crossing at 11:59 a.m. You are well aware that the Union Pacific Big Boy #4014, weighing 1.2 million pounds passes through that same railroad crossing each and every day at 12 noon sharp.

Tell me, if out of concern you were to warn the driver that he needed to get off the tracks because he's in danger (though he cannot see it at the moment) would it be fair to say you are judging him for being an imbecile or warning him of serious danger and subsequent consequences? Can you see the difference? The lifestyle anyone practices, whether that is as a drunkard, a homosexual, an adulterer, fornicator, pedophile or murderer IS NOT MINE TO JUDGE since we all have or had diverse transgressions against God's law. But I am motivated by my love for my fellow man and as a follower of Jesus Christ to warn you of the consequences should you remain parked on the proverbial railroad track!

Christians who read their bibles not only know what consequences there are if you remain on the "track of sin", but they know what's coming in the future. God has given them the revelation! To everyone who follows Jesus, He reveals His knowledge. A Christian's concern for others is motivated by the love Jesus taught them to have for all people. They speak out. And it's easy for them to speak out because each and every Christian used to park on that same railroad track until someone warned them. I have often heard the words, “Don’t you dare judge me" coming from the mouths of non-believers. Likewise, I have heard DISOBEYING Christians shout to other Christians, "You know what God said, “Judge not lest ye be judged” (Rom. 7:1). Both believer and non-believer throw that verse around like a pigskin on Sunday Night Football. So many people interpret it to mean that no one should tell us what we’re doing is wrong. After all – the Bible says not to judge, right? Here is the bottom line. Read it 2-3 times if you have to. We can WARN the world of the danger they are in, (as in the example of the oncoming train), but we are not to judge them. That's God's business. We CAN, however, JUDGE OTHER CHRISTIANS when they have fallen out of the way. Do you need to read that again? Warning and Judging are 2 different things! Let me clarify. Passing judgment on an unbeliever, a "worldly" person, means to declare that person guilty and pass on them a sentence, thus taking the place of God (James 4:12). I cannot tell a homosexual, adulterer, pedophile, or rapist they are going to hell! How do I know they will wind up in hell when they may come to Jesus someday. I can WARN THEM what God says about their behavior and what will happen if they don't get off the track, but the truth is, they may change today, in a month, in a year, or even in 20 years and be saved. Then my "sentence" upon that person would have been wrong. I can only warn, not judge. James 4:12 says there is only one judge, one lawmaker ... the One who can both save and destroy.

Now, let me be clear. Though as Christians we are not to pass individual judgments or declare what punishment a non-believer deserves, we can most definitely judge what is under our authority. What is under our authority? Fellow Christians ... brothers and sisters in the faith. Refer to 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 NIV. Paul said, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside." One more time from the Living Bible, "It isn't our job to judge outsiders. But it certainly our job to judge and deal strongly with those who are members of the church and who are sinning in these ways. God alone is the Judge of those on the outside." As a Christian, I have never nor would I ever scream or point my finger to pass judgment on a homosexual and yell that they are going to hell. THAT IS NOT MY JUDGMENT CALL. I can, however, and am allowed to WARN them what GOD has said in His Word about the subject. We can warn people where dangerous behaviors and lifestyles lead (every Christian has been there, we've all sinned) but I should never take it upon myself, based on my own feelings or opinions, to tell someone they are going to hell. Remember the controversial Westboro Baptist Church? These supposedly "Christian" followers of Jesus Christ spoke openly of their hatred and carried vulgar signs that did not reflect Jesus' love or His message. They held inflammatory signs bearing messages like "God Hates Fags," "God hates Jews," "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "Thank God for AIDS." These people do not represent the God I worship! I totally disagree with their message. It's one of hate, not of love.

We in the modern church have largely ignored Paul’s injunction to stop judging non-Christians. Even Jesus said He didn’t come into the world to judge it, but to save it, did He not? (John 3:17). I completely understand the urge to judge the world. Things bother me too. The world is as bad as I've ever seen it, but I have to refrain. My faith in Christ demands it. Think about the role of a lawyer. He IS NOT the judge. His job is —ethically, morally and legally—to give the defendant the best day he can possibly have in court. The judge will decide whether he’s guilty or not! So Christians, the world has a judge. And it’s not you. God is fairer than you. More just than you. More perfect than you. And far more accurate. In the meantime, do your best to help reconcile your wayward brothers and sisters in the faith to their heavenly Father through Christ. That's your job. Take some comfort in that.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Crumbs

The year was 2005. My oldest sister and I took a 1,700-mile "sister's trip" to Sedona, Arizona. While there, our intentions were to check out the arts and culture, do some site-seeing, enjoy the out of Africa Wildlife Park, the Montezuma Castle National Monument, and visit surrounding towns to indulge in a variety of cuisines. Our biggest goal, however, was to visit the Grand Canyon! So in the middle of the week, we rented a Nissan SUV, headed north, and began the 109-mile trip to the steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River. We arrived 2 hours later. Like everyone says ... words (and even pictures) cannot do the Grand Canyon National Park justice. It's so much bigger than you can imagine and not one photograph can capture the immense layout. You simply have to see it for yourself.

It has been 14 years since my visit there and the memory remains in my mind. I'm writing this blog to share a simple little story about a squirrel that I met on the South Rim of the Canyon. I did not know it at the time, but as I look back to 2005, I realize the interaction I had with God's little creature can be applied to a spiritual lesson today.
As I made my way around a walkway, I noticed the cutest little squirrel sitting on a stone wall (yes, that's me in the picture). He would not approach the other visitors who tried desperately to get his attention. He would shake his tail a few times then scurry off a few feet from where he was, turn around and sit. Again and again, the visitors around me tried to coax him to come closer to them by offering water and chips from a bag. Each time he would scamper away just far enough out of their reach, turn and sit. It was obvious the little guy wanted nothing to do with the four folks in this picture.

I decided to give it a try. Standing very patiently, I knew that all he wanted was someone he could trust before taking any food. I've been called an animal whisperer before and felt confident I could win the furry little fellah' over. He would look at me as if to beg for just one small piece of anything. As I began to look at him more closely, I noticed that in all his God-created beauty, he was physically flawed. This little guy was missing some toes which made it somewhat hard for him to balance. As I looked even closer, his other foot was deformed and turned back so that he walked on the joint where the foot and leg connects. As I talk softly to him, the beauty of this little guy really stood out. Other squirrels were darting in and out and over the wall. None of these squirrels, however, could draw my attention from the hungry little one in front of me. He was struggling to stand steady as a strong wind blew. Yet, with great effort, he never gave in to the wind but stood firm on his one club foot. The strength, courage, and dedication of this deformed squirrel really touched my heart. As he was standing there on his one bad foot, not even indicating that he was so much as even thinking about giving in to his surroundings, it almost brought tears to my eyes. I thought about his dedication to life, how he stood strong among the other squirrels, and how he never gave up on what he wanted. But patiently he waited, just hoping for one small morsel of anything I might pull from my pocket. The people around us began to gather and watch the interaction between me and Mr. squirrel, amazed how others had failed yet I was able to win his trust.

So what lesson am I teaching today from my story? Every day in the cities of America, the homeless (God’s creatures) are on the street “desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fall from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:21). For the homeless and needy, just “crumbs will do.” I wonder why peoples emotions are not touched by these precious souls, who are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), as much as I was when I observed the Grand Canyon squirrel. Instead of tossing them a “crumb”, however, many try to judge them by thinking, “If that person really wanted money he could work. Why should I give him my hard-earned money for which I work 10 hours a day?” As examples of Jesus, we should be thinking, “Could he really work, or was he like the deformed squirrel only I could not see it?” Was he having as much trouble standing in the challenging “winds” (problems) of life as the squirrel? Are you missing the inward beauty of the homeless and needy, or are you just not looking for the beauty, but only “seeing” the deformity?

All of this caused me to seriously think about the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31. The text tells us that this beggar “was laid” (literally, “was thrown”) or cast carelessly down by his bearers and left there. This beggar obviously suffered some physical malady which did not allow him to walk. The text also indicates that Lazarus was not fed from the crumbs, but only “desired” to be fed from the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table (Luke 16:21). Yet, the rich man could only see the undesirability of the man rather than the man’s need. Perhaps our lives would be more spiritually blessed, fulfilling, and enriched if we were better able to “see” the physical and spiritual needs of our fellow man rather than the “deformities” in their lives and at least be willing to feed them the “crumbs” which fall from our table.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Revelation: "To Him That Overcomes ..."

The Book of REVELATION. It is the last book in the Bible which most people, even followers of Jesus, find difficult to understand. I love the book of Revelation for several reasons. First and foremost because it is "the revelation of Jesus Christ." The first five words of that book tells us that! This book REVEALS JESUS Himself ... Who He is. It's an "uncovering," an "unveiling," a "disclosure." In the New Testament, the word revelation describes the unveiling of spiritual truths (Romans 16:25; Galatians 1:12, Ephesians 1:17 and 3:3). It describes the revealing of the sons of God (Romans 8:19), Christ's incarnation (Luke 2:32), and His "glorious appearing" at His second coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7). In all its uses, the word "revelation" refers to something or someone, once hidden, becoming visible! In this case, it's Jesus Himself! OH, I want to know what that is! I also like Revelation because it is very clear, very straight forward in revealing who will get into heaven and who will not. I am interested in the WHO will make it. Aren't you? Not all of this book can be easily understood but there are things which can be and are so important we must take them to heart!

Again and again, Jesus is telling us directly "He that overcomes I will" ... and He proceeds to lists different things He will do or give those in reference to eternal life if they "overcome" AS HE OVERCAME (Revelation 3:21 --"To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am set down with my Father in His throne." -emphasis mine-) But notice, Jesus said He OVERCAME too! What did Jesus overcome? It's going to get interesting! First, we need to know what it means to overcome and what are we to overcome? The book of Revelation makes it very clear that "overcoming" is a necessity to enter and live eternally in the Kingdom of God. Let's first reference a dictionary for a definition. Overcome: Succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. To prevail, get control of, to control, bridle, tame, master, conquer, defeat, overpower, subdue, etc. Are you getting the picture? It is evident then, to overcome something means to get control of it and defeat it. There is one thing that no one has personal control over in their lives. One thing. That one thing is SIN. The Bible says in no uncertain terms that we as Christians are to live an overcoming life in our battle against sin. That victory isn't "by the skin of our teeth" because scripture tells us in Romans 8:37 that we ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS through Him that loved us. Victory over sin is possible. But pay close attention to what I'll be saying. For every believer in Jesus Christ, victory over sin is 100% guaranteed... it's a done deal because Jesus gave us that gift by His dying on a cross and taking our punishment for sin. To overcome sinning is tougher. Sound contradictory? I'll explain before this blog is finished.

Though believers want to live a life pleasing to God it can be quite daunting to fight what our natural, fallen flesh craves. That could be drunkenness, passions so strong that we contemplate engaging in an adulterous affair, or uncontrolled lusts that have driven us deep into pornography. If not careful, we can think, say, and do things that are not in accordance with God's will. Even Paul, who wrote around 14 of the 27 gospels in the New Testament and who was called to follow Jesus had this problem! He wrote, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I don't do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I don't want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who does it, but it is sin living in me. I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. I don't do the good I want to do, but the evil I don't want to do, and I keep doing it. Now, if I continue doing what I really don't want to do, it is no longer I doing it, but it is sin living in me." Poor Paul. I believe he was not only lamenting regarding himself, but he was describing any of us who battle our flesh to keep it controlled and subdued. There is a particular verse in 1 John that people get confused about. It is an appropriate verse to inject right here. Again, PAY ATTENTION.

1 John: 7-8, "But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." People become confused about verse 7 & 8, but it really is very clear what John is telling us. People interpret this to mean this: If I am a believer according to the Apostle John, all my sins are gone. Yet why then does he turn around and say I'm deceived if I say I have no sin when it just said the blood of Jesus cleansed me of all my sin. How can I, therefore, still have sin if I was cleansed of all of them? Every person, no matter how bad they are or have been, who becomes a believer in Jesus and makes Him Lord of their life is forgiven of every sin they have ever committed. It's finished, it's guaranteed, it's a done deal. There is no if, and's, or buts about it. Your slate is clean. You have a new beginning because the blood Jesus shed has cleansed and washed away all your transgression. In that sense, you have no sin. However, I guarantee you that just like Paul, you will fight your flesh as Paul did and sooner or later YOU WILL say or think "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I don't do, but what I hate I do. As it is, it is no longer I myself who does it, but it is sin living in me. I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. If I continue doing what I really don't want to do, it is no longer I doing it, but it is sin living in me." In this sense we must say and admit we have sin. Scripture does not contradict itself. Followers of Jesus (call us believers call us Christians) will still fall short of the glory of God and commit sin due to our propensity to sin though we don't want to. We want to be perfect and please God all the time. We just cannot carry it out! Therefore, verse 7-8 is telling us, if we walk in the Light (follow and stay with Jesus) we have no sin yet don't be deceived- we WILL SIN (at some point)! However, and this is big .... with confession and repentance, God will always forgive us because we follow Jesus. So if we remain IN HIM, IN THE LIGHT, though we sin from time to time as humans, His Blood continues to cleanse and He continues to forgive. What a loving Father we have!! This promise is only for believers.

Why do we become weak and give in to sin sometimes even though it's not what we want to do? Because, God's Spirit in us and our flesh (with emotions, feelings, wants, passions and drives) are constantly at odds with one another. This is why Jesus statement in Revelation 3:21 concerning "overcoming" is so incredible, "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, and am set down with my Father in His throne.") These words are so great, they can almost be hard to grasp! There is way more to being forgiven of sin, we can actually get a hold over sin (remember the definition I gave over overcome?). Stay with me here! To find out how we can prevail over, bridle, and tame our desire to sin we need to look at Jesus, our forerunner and example since He admitted He overcame too. The more we learn and grow in His Word, the desire to sin wanes! Let's look at some clues. Involved is your will. Jesus said, "Not my will, but Yours be done" -- giving up any desire, direction, or way He wanted things done. He also said, "God, You have given Me a body, and I have come to do Your will (Hebrews 10:5-7). Again, Jesus declared in the garden of Gethsemane as He prayed to the Father the night before His crucifixion, "Not my will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42).

Think about YOUR "will." Basically, your will is another word for sin in the flesh that we have all inherited. It includes a myriad of areas, including pride, impatience, selfishness, unrighteousness, irritation, laziness, vanity, complaining, sexual impurity, unbelief, envy, greed, I could go on and on! As a man, Jesus also had this self-will and was tempted, but His firm resolve from the very start was, "Not My will, but Yours be done!" For me to desire to overcome as He overcame, I need to make that same decision and faithfully stick to it, no matter what happens or how I feel. God gave Jesus the strength and resolve He needed to deny Himself, every single time. God does that for us too. He really does. How desperate are you to gain the victory? How vehement are your cries to God? How willing are you to obey? Do you want to be saved from death? To overcome as He overcame, you need to follow Jesus in everything, also in how you pray to God for help. The battle can seem overwhelming but you are not alone.

You can use the Word as a weapon. God’s Word is a sword (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It is the absolute truth and a powerful weapon against Satan’s and sin’s deceit. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, His reply always started with “It is written…!” (Matthew 4:1-11) But Jesus didn’t only quote the Word; He had authority when He used God’s Word, because He also lived by it. In John 1:14 we read the astonishing words that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus could be described as the Word personified. His entire life was a fulfillment of God’s Word, and thereby God’s will. When I read the Bible, I fill myself with God’s wisdom. It is the weapon He has given me; words to use against Satan’s deceit like Jesus did, words that show me what to do, words of comfort. I must do exactly what I read. Then I am wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. I totally expose Satan’s lies and deceit and overcome all the sinful tendencies in my flesh. Living according to these words makes me invincible. It's not an easy road, it's narrow and few find it. But if you are serious, if you commit yourself to do His will, God will supply you with everything to fight and get victory over the vices and weaknesses in your life. You WILL be an overcomer.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Why Is That Chicken Up There?

During one Christmas season many winters ago, I took a road trip with a friend. We were going to visit her mother who lived out-of-state and planned to stay there for a couple of days. We also had gifts with us to be placed under the holiday tree. There was one thing I distinctly remember about that visit. My friends' mother had a typical Christmas tree tucked in the corner by a fireplace. It looked like any other decorated tree with lights, garland, ornaments, and tree bulbs but there was no angel at the top. Now I realize not everyone tops their tree with an angel. Some use bows, stars, snowmen, or even a stuffed toy. But a chicken? Yes, atop that beautiful Christmas tree stood an 18" chicken! You can imagine how puzzled I was to see a chicken. I stared at that thing for hours holding my tongue just itching to say something. Curiosity finally got the best of me so I leaned over to my friend and asked, "Why is there a chicken up there?" The answer came, "Oh, we've always done it that way." "BUT WHY," I retorted. My friend looked at her Mom. "Mom? Why do we put a chicken on top of the tree?" "I don't know," she replied. That's the way mamma always did it." Grandma just happened to be in a back bedroom so my friend got up and I heard her asking, "Grandma, why does Mom put a chicken on top of the Christmas tree??" Grandma uttered, "Oh, we've always done it that way." Perplexed, my friend decided to call her great-grandmother at the nursing home. "Gran-ma-ma, why did you always put a chicken at the top of your Christmas trees?" Gran-ma-ma responded, "Child, we never had a star."

If you consider the religious world today in the same sense, many follow the traditions and doctrines of men they grew up with without question or investigation. I mean no disrespect when I say, worshipping a cow (because that's how you were raised) is just as questionable as the reason mom and grandma used a chicken at the top of their Christmas tree. Why don't people ask questions? "Can the blind lead the blind? Won't they both fall into the ditch?" asks Luke 6:39. Without investigation, how do you know your "beliefs" are true? Without questioning your traditions or doctrines you risk far more serious consequences than ever placing a silly chicken atop a Christmas tree (2 John 1:6-11). Read those aforementioned verses today, then question your traditions. Why not? Paul WARNS us in Colossians 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoils you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, AND NOT AFTER CHRIST." (emphasis mine).

The world is changing. Things are drifting. Even younger Christians are increasingly bringing in new ideas and concepts of "Christianity." They are coming of age in more diverse ways leading to an openness to racial and religious groups as well as LGBTQ and social justice issues in ways that older evangelicals strenuously opposed. We need to make certain that any religious teaching, idea, concept, or social diversity issue we are receiving coincides with the teaching of the inspired Word of God. Paul said this of the Jews in Acts 17:11, "These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." If you are following traditions or doctrines outside of the Word of God (Bible) you need to search the scripture which will verify if your belief system is in line with what God has said ... "whether those things are so." I say this because, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible says clearly we are to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12). That does not mean we EARN IT by doing great, good, or wonderful things (Ephesians 2:8-9), that isn't what Paul meant. It is not "work towards acquiring your salvation" because salvation is a free gift from God for those who accept His gift. Nor did Paul mean "work at your salvation", because no good thing YOU do can erase your sin debt! It is none of those things. We should be looking into the Word of God... test it, try it, read it, and study it because it teaches, instructs, guides and changes us because it is truly the inspired Word of God Himself. Search the Bible to see if what I say is true. Don't blindly believe what you were told as a child and blindly follow the same religion or doctrine your parents did if that foundation is not based on Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:15). Do you have a particular belief based solely on family tradition because "we've always done it that way"? Have you ever questioned or investigated why you do it that way? It's time to think about!
Until next time,
-Pat-