Who Are You Listening To?

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The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the guidance of the wicked is deceitful. (Proverbs 12:5)

Character matters. Sometimes, we are easily misled by people who present themselves well but have only their own best interests at heart. Sometimes what they say even makes sense to us. Sometimes they may believe it themselves. That is why God warns us repeatedly to seek wisdom and discern the truth. We get a front row seat to watch this play out if we follow politics, but it is applicable in every sphere of life. Some of the most dangerous people in the world speak to us from our classrooms, our televisions, our cell phones, and even from under steeples. The Bible tells us that Satan himself comes in the guise of an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14.)

So, take care who you listen to. Take note of their character. Look beyond the superficial. There’s truth in the adage that actions speak louder than words. No matter how good it sounds, the advice of the wicked will eventually lead you to destruction. There will certainly be truth in what they say, but a little lie spoils the whole truth.

You might say that wicked is a strong word. We do tend to use it for something or someone who is especially bad by our standards. But remember that God’s standard is higher. None of us could reach it if it were not for the sacrifice that Jesus made. We were born wicked. If you doubt it, observe children who have not been disciplined. Look for people who are at least trying to meet the standard of righteousness. They will still make mistakes, but they are much more likely to [point you in the right direction. Remember, too, that the Bible is the only true measure.

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

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Mark Twain wrote, “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.” I suppose he meant that truth often turns out to be something we would have thought impossible, while fiction grounds itself in the realm of possibilities. Fantasy may ask us to believe something we know is not true, but then must build a logical framework around it. We call it suspended disbelief and engage in it for the moment in order to enjoy the story.

I’ve often thought that my time would be better spent reading non-fiction, and I do read a lot of that. But sometimes I want a break and enjoy a good story. The thing about fiction is that you don’t have to wonder if it’s really true. You go into it knowing it’s only a story, though the author may use the story to communicate truth. There is a great deal of non-fiction out there that is mislabeled. It can be hard to identify which work deserves the designation.

But truth certainly can be stranger than fiction. Take the Bible for example. The strange things in there actually speak to its authenticity. The idea of a flawed hero is not unknown to us, but did you ever see such a collection of failures in one place? Yet God used all of them to accomplish His purpose. They are God’s successes. And what of Jesus, the central figure? He was without sin, but He was crucified. Some would say his mission had failed, but they would be so very wrong. He did exactly what He came to do, and in so doing He offered redemption to the world! He died in relative obscurity, but His teaching has revolutionized the world. And the strangest truth of all, He didn’t stay dead! We serve a living God, the Lord of creation, the King of kings. The day will come when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

God loved us so much that He sent His son to die for us. He did this before we knew Him. He did this even though we were His enemies. Some of us knew ourselves to be His enemies, others will come to understand it in time. The imperfect cannot stand in the presence of the perfect. Justice demands punishment, yet we are offered mercy. Many will continue to believe that this too is fiction, but it is the strange, amazing, unfathomable truth!

If you don’t know the Truth yet, I’d like nothing better than for you to get to know Him. His name is Jesus, and He awaits you with open arms. Turn around! Change your mind! Give yourself to Him as He has given Himself for you.

I would be delighted to talk more with you about this. You can contact me through this web site or via Facebook. I may not have all the answers, but I know where to look for them.

Trusting God Today

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I based the book on my life experience, but I tried to minimize how much I talked about myself. The idea was to provide enough background to give some weight to my words without making it all about me. I wanted to bless you, and to glorify the Lord who gives it all meaning. This blog is an extension of that purpose, so I have second thoughts when I consider including more snapshots from my own life to bolster the content. It is my hope that when I choose to do so, it will provide you with some insight or encouragement to help you in your journey.

That brings me to today’s installment. I wrote last week of the unreasonable fear I felt about going to see the eye doctor. There is reason for concern, but I knew going in that I was not likely to learn anything from that first visit. And so it was.

I’ve been having episodes of fuzzy (more so than is normal for me) vision that vary in severity and length of time. I knew that the doctor was not likely to be able to diagnose anything from looking at my eyes and would probably schedule an MRI. I put off doing anything, fearing the cost of the scan based on the nature of my healthcare coverage. I remain unemployed as of this writing. That turned out to be another groundless fear that could likely have been allayed with a little research. The result of the visit was as I expected, and I had the MRI today.

Whatever was learned today will not be shared with me until my appointment with the doctor on Thursday, so there was no reason for anxiety. I felt none directly related to the event, but I will not deny having some trepidation concerning the results. What is going on? What does it mean? Will I lose the vision I have? Is something worse happening? What if I’m no longer able to care for Linda?

I already have many of the skills employed by those who are completely blind, but it would still require some adaptation. The unpredictability is disconcerting. I would get used to the change if it were constant, but having it come and go is disorienting. I used to love to go out for walks. I haven’t been in a while because having it happen when I’m out navigating the streets is a little frightening. I hate to admit that. I’ve always been the one telling folks to get out and live life. There is risk in everything. Maybe this serves to humble me. Sometimes the line between healthy confidence and dangerous pride can get blurred. I must remember that everything I have is given to me by God, and His is the glory.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I am reminded of the words of Jesus, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) He said this after exhorting His hearers to seek God’s kingdom first and the righteousness of God. All the things we need will be given to us if we do that. The only trouble is, we usually have different ideas about what we need than He does.

This is the point at which we must choose to trust Him. I know that I belong to Him. I know that He will work all things together for my good. It does me no good to fret over what may be. In fact, it does me harm. I can and should plan for the future, but always with the knowledge that the future belongs to God. I can’t be focused on His kingdom and his righteousness if I’m focused on my fears.

Christians Have a Duty to Vote

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My political leanings do come through in a couple of things I wrote in the book, but I have tried to keep them largely to myself when it comes to anything connected with its promotion. I want the message to go out to as many as will hear it without the distraction and division accompanying anything to do with politics. If you really want to know what I think, check out my personal blog at lionsrealm.net.

However, I do think it is imperative that we who are believers exercise the rights and privileges afforded to us by this great nation in which we live. We are called to make use of the gifts we have been given, and one of those gifts is the right to self-government, implemented through the ballot box. To stay home is to bury our talent in the ground. Let us use it to prefer good over evil. Let us use it to make wise choices for the good of us all.

This is an election year. As I write this, some of the primaries have already taken place, but most are yet to come. Often by the general election in November, we are faced with the necessity of choosing between two candidates for any given race, neither of whom we like. It may still come to that, but if you want to improve your chances of seeing people you can really get behind end up on the November ballot, do your homework and vote in the primaries.

Yes, that may mean you have to pick a party, and I understand why that will make some uncomfortable. I urge you to read the party platforms and note where they misalign with God’s word. None will be perfect, but some will be closer than others. And some issues are of greater importance than others.

There are many issues on which sincere people may disagree. So, my final exhortation is to remember that someone who disagrees with you is not necessarily your enemy. There are many areas of policy where we have the same goal but different ideas about how to achieve it. Let us start by assuming good intentions.

Imaginary Monsters

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I do not remember being afraid of monsters in the closet, but I do remember nightmares full of strange and frightening sensations that would drive me from my room to seek the comfort of my parents. I was not exposed to scary stories at that age, but my mind supplied the scare anyway. We grow to understand that our childish fears are unreasonable, but that doesn’t stop our imaginations from generating new monsters. Sometimes they grow out of real threats. At other times, they are just as insubstantial as the ones hiding in our closets when we were kids. I fought one of them yesterday.

I have been experiencing some troubling symptoms that affect my vision. Upon sharing them with my doctor, he referred me to a neuro-ophthalmologist. I pushed aside my misgivings and set up an appointment, but as I reviewed the new patient information and filled out the forms, the anxiety began to build.

I have become somewhat mistrustful of doctors over the years. I believe most mean to do good, but I have come to doubt that they really know how to do good in many cases. This one still insists on mask wearing, which makes me doubt him more. My eye condition requires some patience on the part of the physician and staff, as I can’t always reliably get my eyes to do what they are asking. Eye exams are stressful for me and everyone working with me. As my condition is not likely to change and there is little or nothing to be done for it, I usually avoid them. On top of it all, the potential causes of the symptoms I have been experiencing include some scary possibilities.

So, after a night plagued with bad dreams, I got off to a rough start, arriving late for my appointment. That didn’t help my state of mind. The stress caused the symptoms to make an appearance. As I sat in the exam room waiting for the doctor, I reflected on what I was feeling. I knew that my response to the circumstance was out of proportion to its gravity. I know that my Lord is in control and will bring good from whatever comes next. I began to softly sing an old tune created from Psalm 27:1 in the King James version, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” From that point, I began to get control of my anxiety. The examination was not so bad. The doctor immediately understood what I was telling him, and we ended up where I thought we would. More information is needed, so the next step is an MRI.

I created one of those imaginary monsters. There was absolutely no reason to fear. I knew going in that it was unlikely that I would receive an answer that day. I didn’t even need to be concerned with what I might learn. So, my heavenly Father came in, turned on the light, opened the closet, and showed me there was nothing in there but all my junk.

I don’t imagine there will be good news forthcoming next week unless God steps in and fixes something. I’m certainly asking. I do know that I have seen Him bring good from our circumstances time and time again. Whatever comes next, I know where my help comes from. My help comes from Yahweh! (Psalm 121)

Wheels Up

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In the book, I briefly touched on the fact that our church is struggling. We are an aging body, and there are now more of our members in Heaven than on Earth. We have been in our building for over fifty years, and the community has changed around us. I have been saying for some time that we have a choice before us. Either we grow, or we will die…literally!

What does that look like? How, with our few people and limited resources, are we to change direction? Are we equipped to serve the community in which we now find ourselves? What of our original mission? Has the world around us changed so much that it is no longer necessary? I still believe there is a place for what we do, but it need not be all we do. It will likely look different than it did in the past.

I have my own challenges. I believe I was made for this, yet the responsibilities of life seem to crowd it out. Between a full-time job and caring for my wife, how can I put in the time and effort the church really needs. At least for a while, I don’t have to worry about the job, but I still need one. So, my job is to look for one. I remain convinced that God put me here, but I confess that sometimes a little doubt creeps in.

Honestly, I’m also a little afraid. We have a mission field right there around us, but it is one I feel ill-equipped to cultivate. We have taken some steps to address physical need in a compassionate and constructive manner, but we have not had any experience putting the new policies into practice. I’m concerned that I lack the background necessary to address the challenges present in our community. Yet I know we must act. Jesus has given us a commission, and we must be about it if we say that He is our Lord.

So, when our local Baptist association informed us of a coordinated effort to help churches with various projects, I decided the time was now. I had already been thinking that a community outreach in the form of an outdoor event might be productive and had tossed around the idea with the membership. It was well received, but we had no clear idea of how we would go about it, and it just rolled off into a corner.

Now, we will have help. We’re finally doing something. I dubbed the project Wheels Up. The name came out of our identity as a church serving those with disabilities combined with the idea of an airplane taking off. It is my hope that it begins a new adventure for us as we build a new and diverse generation of disciples.

I wrote in the book, “You will never get anywhere unless you move.” Inaction is a decision, and not a good one. It applies to organizations as well as to people. I do not know what the outcome of this effort will be, but we are moving. Now we must trust that the Holy Spirit will give us direction.

Don’t Hurt Yourself!

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“Don’t hurt yourself!” We’ve all heard that, or something like it. It probably came from your mom as she watched you swinging from that tree or flying down the street on your bike with your hands proudly waving in the air. Maybe she demanded that you stop immediately. Sometimes parents can be a little too protective, but we grow to understand the motivation. When you got older, the messages may have become more complex, but the underlying meaning was still the same. “Don’t eat too much candy.” “Don’t forget your homework.” “Be home before midnight.” “Stay away from that boy/girl.” Our parents did what they could to help us grow up to be whole and well-adjusted adults and to keep us from the many perils of life in this world until we made it there. Despite their best efforts, some of us don’t quite make it.

I suspect that only one child in the history of humanity accepted His parents’ rules without complaint. We don’t like rules. We don’t like anything that keeps us from having what we want when we want it. Often, we do as we please anyway. When we were children, our parents responded to this rebellion with some form of punishment. In this case the consequence of our action is contrived, but with good reason. If we do not learn that our actions have consequences as children, we will learn it as adults, and they will be much more severe. Examine our prison population if you need proof. A majority of the offenders there lacked strong discipline at home.

Why did our parents treat us this way? In most cases, they were not exercising power for their own sake. They did not take pleasure in causing us pain. They did what they did because they loved us. All of the rules, admonishments, lectures, and punishments were intended to shape and protect us. They were saying, “I love you. I want the best for you. Don’t hurt yourself.” Most of us figure that out at some point in our lives. We come to understand that unrestrained indulgence is not love.

This letter is written to all of us, but in particular to you who for whatever reason may have kept your distance from God or “religion.” Or maybe you just aren’t comfortable with everything that’s in the Bible. From this point, I’m going to assume at least an acknowledgement that God exists and has a part in human affairs. I hope that even if you do not believe that, you will find new perspective on what we believe by continuing to read.

The Bible calls God our Father in Heaven. He gives us children so that we can understand that aspect of His love for us. He sets boundaries for us and gives us instruction to protect and nurture us because He loves us. If you’ve ever read the first few books of the Bible, you saw a whole lot of rules. They are there to help us understand our relationship to a holy God and our abject need for His redemption, but many of them also served to protect His people. In an era when no one could have known about the unseen pathogens that spread sickness and disease, God provided detailed instructions regarding clean and unclean that kept the people as safe as possible. All of the rules were motivated by love.

Though Jesus has made a new and better way (Rom 5:8-9) and we know that salvation cannot be earned (Eph. 2:8,) He has given us instructions that are for our own good. The ultimate tragedy is to refuse the gift that Jesus offers in Himself. Miss that and nothing else really matters. Yet it remains true that following the principles of living that He laid out for us in the Bible will keep us from much harm. This is the ache that is in my heart when I see people making poor choices. When we share the good news about Jesus, one of the verses we commonly reference is Romans 6:23, which says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We speak of the final damnation in Hell, but one need not look so far to see the truth in this passage. Most of us will experience the consequences of our sin while we yet live on this earth. This is often true even after we have repented and been forgiven. We may be spared the ultimate consequence, but some things are going to happen just because that’s the way things work. Unless God in his mercy intervenes, we will not be spared earthly repercussions.

Oh, loved ones, choose life! Enough suffering comes to us just because we live in a fallen world. Please do not add to your misery by choosing short term pleasures that will bring you long term pain. Study God’s word and live by it. He makes no promise of freedom from suffering in this life. In fact, if you are truly devoted you may find grief flowing from that devotion, but the reward is eternal! Do not turn away from the One who loves you with everything He has. I would see you truly live and not die. In my own poor way, I love you, but His love will never fail.

The Choice to Rejoice

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We really can be in control of our emotions. I think this is an important lesson for us to learn. Our society urges us to go with our feelings. If it feels good, do it. If it stops feeling good, stop doing it. Right and wrong are subjected to the fickle fate of feeling.

We are more than what we feel. If our initial reaction may be considered somewhat beyond our control, certainly how we choose to proceed from there is not. Experience and observation have brought me to this conclusion, but any doubt I may have had was removed when I saw that the Bible teaches the same thing.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Ephesians 4:26

I’m focusing on the first verse now, but I include the second to illustrate that we are to control all of our emotions. If we are told to rejoice, then it must be within our power to do so, regardless of our circumstances. “Always” doesn’t leave any room for alternatives. This is not to say other feelings are not appropriate. Jesus displayed them all. We were made to feel, but we were also given the means to decide how we will feel.

When I researched the words that are translated “rejoice”, the common words that seemed appropriate to me were to celebrate or party. To rejoice in the Lord is to openly and ecstatically celebrate Him.

Do I do that? Anyone who knows me can answer that. I do not. So, how can we change? It begins with how we think. When we learn first of all to be mindful of what He has done for us, how can we not rejoice? We must then train ourselves to see our circumstances differently. When something happens, how will we interpret it? Will we see the evil in it, or will we see the good? Sometimes the only good may be that Yahweh is still Lord and He will bring us through, but that’s more than good enough! Will we se potential hardship and danger around every corner, or will we see the potential for blessing? In the same chapter where Paul tells us to rejoice always, he gives us the tools to do it. He says,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:6-8 NASB 1995

This piece was originally written on a Sunday morning before I went to church. I was not feeling joyful, and these reflections helped me to change my own attitude. I chose to thank God. He continues to work everything together for my good, just as He said he would. I stopped looking at my long list of things to do and lamenting that I would again leave most of them undone. I began to praise God that I could go to our church, which has meant so much to me and been such a part of God’s fulfillment of his promises to me. That truly is a reason to rejoice, and my whole attitude was changed just by thinking about it that way. Try it yourself. It works!

What Does it Mean to Trust in God?

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When we talk about trust, do we have the same understanding of the word that God does when He says to trust Him? I think not. When we place some level of trust in another person, we believe that they have our best interests at heart. That can certainly be said of God. People will break that trust, whether with evil intent or just because we are imperfect. Since God can neither be dishonest nor imperfect, what can we conclude when it seems that He has broken our trust?

We can trust God completely, but we need an understanding of what that means. We believe that the one in whom we are trusting is both able and committed to do what he says he will do. We cannot trust that God will do what we believe to be in our best interests. We can trust Him to be true to His word and His nature.

The Bible shows us over and over again that when God’s people turn to Him and call on His name, he rescues them. I cannot say what God will do specifically, but I can pray. I have seen His grace and mercy in my own life and in those of many I know. I have also seen Him take bad things and make good things from them. Whatever happens, I will trust Him. I am convinced that all may do the same.

But this isn’t good news for everyone. Just as we can trust in His love, we must trust in His justice. We have all fallen short of the holiness that is required to live in the presence of God. We all must answer for all of the ways in which we have done so. The only hope for any of us is the sacrifice that Jesus made at the cross. His perfection paid for our sins. If we refuse to believe this; if we refuse to receive Him as lord of our lives, we can still expect that He will keep His word. It is my prayer that anyone reading this who has not yet believed will make the choice now. He does work everything together for the good of those who love him, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28.) Note the qualifier that this promise applies to those who love Him. It may be that whatever trial you are facing was meant to draw you to Him. There is hope while you live.

What then is to be said to those of us who have believed and yet face evils from which we might have thought ourselves protected? Only that God will keep His word. Whatever this life brings it is only temporary. We may not know what God is doing, but we can anticipate the glorious end which awaits. We can rejoice in His goodness and thus draw others to wonder what gives us such strength. We can cling to our faith and the One who gave it to us. We can talk to Him in prayer and learn from the written word and His Holy Spirit. We can surround ourselves with others who strengthen us when we become discouraged. We can take the love that God has given to us and give it to others. His joy heals the pain.

Those are easy words to say, but to those who are hurting they are little more than words. I have been there. It is my prayer that God will show me how to put action to those words. I cannot imagine the pain that some of my friends have experienced. Though the truth remains the truth, the ways in which we speak and apply it can make all the difference in its effective communication. Let love be first.

Driving Blind

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Does every blind person have a driving story? Probably not, but it seems many of us do. I actually did drive up and down a back road a couple of times once, but that’s a boring story. I’ve started using the term, “blind”, because it’s just easier, but I do have some useable vision. I travel with a cane. It does help, but I can and sometimes do go without when it is more of a hindrance, such as when I need my hands for something else. At those times I do have it on my belt. It took me many years to learn that it was better for me to have it for the benefit of those around me. It lets them know that I might not see them. I might not know that they’re talking to me. I won’t see a wave from across the room. I might run into them. I might be forgiven a traffic violation or two…or not. Thus begins my story.

On a quiet neighborhood street, I can, or at least I once could, safely ride a bicycle. I used to have one and I used it to and from campus while in school and for errands. A moped, however, is a different matter. You couldn’t convince me of that in my younger days. I couldn’t wait to get some kind of motorized conveyance, and as soon as I could scrape together enough money, I had it. I still marvel that my dad helped me do it, but I’m sure he knew it would be better to help me do it right since I was going to do it anyway. A couple of initial wrecks didn’t slow me down, and soon I had it with me on campus. I’ll probably never know how many times I put myself or others in danger. I can only conclude that God was protecting me. Eventually the school forced me to stop using it on campus and I sold it.

I was at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Near the campus was a wooded hill with a trail that went to the top. I used to go up there and sit. Sometimes I would just sit there. Other times I would study for class. On one beautiful Fall morning I decided to take my study materials and go up there, so I loaded up the basket on the back of my moped and headed out.

As I turned off the two-lane highway south of the campus, I heard the siren. As far as I can remember and surprisingly so now that I think about it, that was only one of two times I was pulled over. I think this was the first, but I knew it was for me. I’ve read that a blind person cannot walk a straight line. I’m not at all sure that’s true, but one thing is true for me. I cannot ride a straight line. There’s always a little correction one way or the other as I notice the drift. So, I was suspected of drunk driving.

I don’t remember the questions the officer asked me. I hadn’t broken any laws. One could operate a 50cc vehicle without a license and at least while he was watching I didn’t actually break any traffic rules. I just didn’t quite drive in a straight line. What’s wrong with that? As we wrapped up our little conversation, he asked me, “What’s that in your basket?”

“That is a braille writer,” I calmly replied.

He said, “I knew that’s what it was, but I wanted to hear you say it.”

He let me go with an admonition to be careful, and I went on to my destination. No, the foolishness of my actions still hadn’t hit home. It would take a few more months and some outside pressure to stop me. I wish that was the only poor decision I made at that time of my life. It is something to learn from.

We like to say that we have no limitations, but everybody has limitations. Recognizing them is part of growing up. There are some things we can’t do, and lots of others we shouldn’t. The challenge for us is to turn our focus to those things we can and should do. Sometimes we need to push those limits but be safe out there; and watch out for people like me. 😊