Hebrews 11:1

A Cricket in . . .

A Cricket in . . .

At night I read different books to our kids. We try to read classics and books that have a history of inspiring people. We like to read the book and see how they compare to the movie. There has only been one we liked the movie better, but that is for a different day. We have read stories from Chronicles of Narnia, to Pilgrims Progress (updated to contemporary language), to the Guardians of Ga'hoole.

We recently finished a little book that we were all surprised by. I must make a few confessions first.
1. I didn't want to read the book. I thought a story about a cat, mouse, and cricket would be boring and ridiculous.
2. The book got misplaced about a third of the way through. No, I did not hide it, it legitimately got lost in the Abyss we refer to as the "kids' room".
3. I was disappointing when we found it, but the kids were excited.
4. I cried at the end of the book. (No I didn't see that coming.)

This little book is "The Cricket in Time Square" by George Selden and illustrated by Garth Williams. It was published in 1960 and won a Newbery Award in 1961. It is about a cricket, Chester, who inadvertently moved to, you guessed it, Time square subway station. He gets found by a little boy, Mario, whose family own a newspaper stand. He has several adventures of going to china town to get a cricket cage, becoming a famous singer, and learning the big city. He makes two other friends, Tucker mouse and Harry cat. That is all I will say about the story.

 
This is a beautifully well written story of friendship. Unlikely friendships that developed and the love that grow between them. It is a story of selfless encouragement and different beauty around us. There are many valuable lessons from this story. My favorite lesson is that we are made unique. Unique gifts and talents. Unique backgrounds and experiences. Unique qualities that some times have to be learned or purposefully listened for.

If this story is not on your shelf, it should be in your lap. It is so funny and moving. There are not many stories that have touched me like this one has. Why? Well, I think for me, I was a country cricket who had spent time with wonderful people, in different places, but finally had to go home. I loved the people I was with, and the places I lived. They have made a long lasting, eternal even, impact on my life. I believe, I made an impact on other's lives where I was at. But I, like Chester Cricket, had to return home. The draw of the mountains, the smell of the rains, the love of the people all pulled me into this hollow in the mountain to use my gifts and abilities for the glory of God.

As I read about Chester and his friends, my mind flew back over the last several years. The friends that encouraged me. The people who told me they were praying for me. The lessons that I learned. The unlikely heroes I met. The friends I have left in other places. I, like Chester cricket, have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot of people who love me.

May you, like Chester Cricket, sing your song for all to hear, as only you can sing it.

What's around the bend?

Let me start by saying, I love driving. I love seeing new places and new roads. Sometimes I want to know where I am going, sometimes I just want to drive and see where I end up. But there are different types of roads. Let's talk about two.

I went to central Illinois for the first time a few years ago. The first time looking out across the prairie and fields was amazing. The corn fields dancing in the breeze, the streams slowly drifting across the landscape cutting straight across fields and property lines. The sky went all the way from the east to the west. A full 180 degrees above and 360 degrees in every direction. The sun hit the house at 5:30am and didn't set until 9:30pm. While receiving directions I was taken outside. The gentleman points and says, "you see those light fixtures? They are six miles away. They are at the exit. If you go toward those lights the whole time, you will get there." Sure enough. I could see those lights almost the entire 6 miles. Got there with no problem.

I knew how fast the wind was blowing by looking at the wind mill 10 miles north of our house. The point is, on the prairie you can see a long ways away.


Now I live back in one of the most interesting places on the face of the earth, the Cumberland Plateau, it's a part of the Appalachian region. (And for you foreigners, that is pronounced App-uh-latch-un). The plateau is marked by steep hills, cut by streams constantly running between them and large rivers that flood. The roads here move with the bends and turns and elevation the streams and rivers contain. Houses are build on the sides of the mountains. If you have flat river bottom land, it's valuable. The sun might hits our house around 9:30am and set around 7:30pm, but my parents only get about 5 hours of sun in the winter. People don't usually live at the top of most mountains, because it just quickly drops off on both sides.


This type of terrain makes driving interesting. You move with the mountains and land. You cruise along with the rivers. You don't just drive across the ground, you and your car are a part of the road and the world around you. I love to take the long way here.

BUT, this means you have to be careful. You can't see what's up ahead. You don't know whats around the bend. Ice may be covering the road that hasn't melted on the North side of a holler. You don't know how long or steep the curve. You can't see most entrances onto the main roads. Driving requires a lot of caution and a lot of faith.

But isn't that how FAITH is described. Abraham didn't have all the details as he went west and could not see over the next hill. Joseph didn't know what would happen when being taken to Egypt. Joshua didn't know all of the places he would fight. Elijah could not see past the end of his cave. Mary and Joseph didn't have all the details of their family. But they went with God anyhow.


Sometimes it's tough though, isn't it? Trusting that God will lead me around the curve into something great and beautiful. To trust God enough to believe his vision placed before me, even though I can only see so far.

The vision God gives us takes on traits of both types of roads. He gives us a long vision and a bunch of short visions. We spend more time on the short vision road, though. God shows us a little bit at a time. We have to have faith to go to the curve. There might be a huge drop off on one side or it may open up to a beautiful valley or mountain top view. It's as if God is saying, "It's OK. Keep your head, take your time, we will travel together and we will get there." But also he says, "Roll the windows down, feel the curves, smell the air, listen to what's going on around you. I've made this journey for you."

Ask the Spirit to show you what to do, where to go. There are signs along the way, people to stop and ask (usually in your church), maps that tell what to expect (the Bible). If we are willing, God will set us straight. He has prepared good works for us do since the beginning of time.

It makes the drive even more enjoyable, to know God has laid out the road and is taking us along on it. He is pointing out the directions. Allowing us to enjoy what he has done.

Let God take you down the road. Slow down going into the curves, punching it coming out. Let's see where God will take us.

The Coffee Psalm

I love when I find new ways of expressing ourselves to God. In looking for a way to teach my kids Thanksgiving and worship I came across this psalm.

There could be the thought, that this psalm is making trite (overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness) the worship of God. In fact this psalm is doing the opposite. It is relating to God in a new way. Expressing to God our inner thoughts based on what we know, have, and enjoy.

So enjoy this little cup of praise.

JESUS SUFFERED WHAT?!? REALLY?!?

I studied through most of the book of Hebrews this past summer. I've really enjoyed it and learned a lot about it and I have a new appreciation of Jesus being one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man. I don't get it, but it makes him cooler than any other God, so there.

It is also easy to see that Jesus is BETTER than everything else. Even better than butterscotch, coffee, or nocturnal horizontal fellowship. 

I came to a phrase I had heard, but always brushed it off and limited to the one place we see Jesus suffering, on the Mount of Olives praying before his arrest and crucifixion.

Hebrews 2:18 says "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Ok, not a big deal. Satan tried to tempt Jesus three ways covering the basic three sins all others are built on, right. That's how we limit this and make it out to be a simple matter for Jesus. He didn't really suffer all those times. 

But if you keep reading you come to Hebrews chapter 4. (You get that, it comes after 2 somewhere)

Hebrews 4:15 says. “We do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who was tempted in every way, just as we are- yet was without sin.”

Jesus was tempted in EVERY WAY? You mean he was tempted to steal? He was tempted to kill someone? He was tempted to engage a woman in a "biblical way"? Hold on a second. That can't be right. If we follow this on out we have to say he was tempted to lie. He was tempted to gluttony. He was tempted to have relations with things no one should have relations with.

And then to say he SUFFERED in Temptation. 

I looked at this over and over and thought this canʼt really mean Jesus actually suffered when he was tempted in all of these ways.

So I read a few commentaries and study notes. They all pointed to the same idea. Jesus suffered when he was tempted. The text is plain. That is what it says. "Jesus suffered when he was tempted." Jesus was "tempted in every way." This means is wasn't just at the crucifixion. All temptations. They didn't explain it any further than that. Probably because the Bible doesn't explain it any further than that.

So I put on my holy imagination generator cap and tried to wrap my brain around this idea.

1.Jesus is fully God.

2.Jesus is fully man. 

3.Being a man means he would feel the same physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual experience  as anyone else would. 

4. Being fully God means he would feel the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual experience of everything to the absolute fullest degree. He would have the unbridled ability to experience anything at its highest pinnacle of exstacy without physical limitations or concern. This would be for both good and bad stuff. 

We have to remember a few things about temptation. Temptations are natural and all around us, they present themselves to us and we decide whether to take the next step. We decide to engage or flee. We choose to examine it further or consider it. Temptations lead to sins only when we engage it. Some things are harder to resist. 

Jesus knew the effect and experience he could have. Jesus knew it would be extreme to say the least. To chose not to experience something that amazing, for me and every other living human, would be a struggle. Jesus passed by it without sinning. If he had experienced those sin things, he would have sinned as well, thus not being perfect, and unable to die for our sin. 

Jesus had this knowledge. He understands it when we struggle with temptation. He might have struggled more than we can. He understands the powerful pull of temptation. 

What are temptations that we deal with today. Go ahead and name them off?

The good news does not end there with the fact Jesus was tempted. The next verse in Hebrews 4 says,

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in out time of need.” 

He does not leave us alone in out temptations. He offers us grace and mercy before the temptation. He helps keep us from suffering in sin, when we let him.

That is a GOOD God. 

Crowing rooster and laying eggs

The Rooster crowed.

We bought 8 chicks from a farm store this spring. This was a well talked about and planned out decision. We wanted fresh chickens and fresh eggs and fresh fertilizer and someone to till the garden. Well, chickens are perfect for all of that. They live in a mobile chicken coop called a tractor. We move them each day. Have plenty of water for them. Give them garden and kitchen scraps (not dinning room table scraps). They are funny to watch and we no longer use the derogatory term "Chicken" to describe fear. Them things are mean.

Well, we bought mixed chicks so it was a gamble as to how many hens we would get. All eight lived and 5 are roosters.

That Rooster crowed again.

So now that one of them is screaming all the time, it is time for Smokey, Colonel, Crispy and BBQ to take a trip to the freezer. We'll keep the smallest rooster, he'll eat less and let him take care of the edges of the yard around the garage and house in his own little rooster RV, we might name him "Frankie".

The kids love these things and it is their responsibility to take care of them.

Our chickens laid their first eggs. You would have thought we won the lottery, the way it was passed around said be careful a dozen times.

The strangest things have happened. Every since that rooster started crowing, our hens started laying, and I get hungrier. Now it might be that they are all the same age and it would have happened anyhow. It could be that the hens needed to hear that raspy Frank Sinatra style crooning to get their little female bodies into action. I don't know.

But it does make me think.

Jesus told one of his disciples, Peter, that he would deny he knew Jesus. All of this is in Luke 22:31-34. He told Peter Satan asked for him specifically. So was this a conversation Jesus and Satan had over Peter, like God and Satan had over Job? What was said there, "You already have Judas, we both know that, you cannot have the rest. . . . You can try, but you can't touch them." Then Jesus, don't forget now, he is God, gives this statement that shows the power of free will for us humans. "I have prayed that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

Jesus knew Peter would deny him. There were no "if's" in Jesus statement. It was a fact. And we go on to read that Peter did in fact deny he knew Jesus. He even sworn and cursed to prove how emphatically he didn't know him.

Did you catch what else Jesus said. This denial did NOT do away with Peter's faith. Peter still had faith. Peter still believed in Jesus being the Messiah. Peter still believed the teaching of Jesus. Peter still loved and followed Jesus. Peter was still as bull-headed in his approach to evangelism. Peter still continued on with the disciples. Peter still spent time praying with the other believers. Yeah, he messed up. BUT his faith didn't fail. In fact this became the "Twist" in Peter's action story.

Peter realized he blew it when he heard the rooster crow that morning. I used to think of the rooster crowing as sign of a bad thing, but that may not be true. It is true that it signaled Peter of his sin, making him aware and responsive. He left the area. He got away from the place of his sin. He repented. Jesus told him he would. Jesus didn't make him, but he knew it would happen. Jesus restored him as a leader of the disciples. Peter was reminded  that Jesus was was the rock the church was built on, not Peter.

When we hear something that brings our sin to mind we should be like Peter, turn back.  It doesn't mean our faith has failed, it means our faith has won. It doesn't mean we hide from our brothers and sisters , but we can encourage others.

As I ate my first home raised chicken egg sandwich this morning, I thought about some of the struggles I have with sin. I don't always need a rooster to point it out to me. When I do, in faith in God's forgiveness, I repent right then. I hope you will too. Good things come when the rooster crows.

That rooster crowed again. Time to make room in the freezer..

Dying to Love

The fairy tale "Phatasties" by George MacDonald ends (spoiler alert) with the main character dying in his "fantasy" (a type of literature, not a delusional dream) in Fairy Land having never reached the woman that he wanted to love him. He chased her all across Fairy Land, through many strange and magical forest, castles, and terrain. Finally, visiting her through a magical door, in a Scrooge sees the present christmas sort of way, he learns she does love him, but loved a knight more. At the end of the story the hero saves a multitude of worshipers of a false god, but selflessly dies in the process. As he is in his grave here is his realization.

"I knew now, that it is by loving, and not by being loved, that one can come nearest the soul of another; yea, that, where two love, it is the loving of each other, and not the being loved by each other, that originates and perfects and assures their blessedness."

During his time overseeing the lady and the knight talking about him through the magical door, they talk about how he had done no great things. How he just aimlessly wandered hoping to find her. This caused him to consider his life. What he does and how he "loved". He realizes it was all selfish.

We can't really blame the hero. Actually, I think we are all like him. Until we learn to sacrifice ourselves, we cannot come near the soul of another. Until we learn to put our beloved first, we cannot be assured of their blessedness.

We see it all the time when two young people start "dating". If one is "dominate" then the other looses their life and identity to be with the other person. For argument's sake lets say the female is the dominant one. He will have to give up hanging out with his friends. He will have to always go to her house. He will always be defending why he talks to that other girl all the time in that class. He will give up his hobbies, because she needs him to help her bathe her dog. He will stop making plans with friends because he doesn't know what is going on. This would be a selfish love on the black widows part, because she is forcing someone to love her and devouring his life.

When Jesus, the apostles, and God talk about love it is always in the actions, thoughts, and emotions of how we interact with others. When Jesus said to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37), he says nothing about God giving us anything. When he says to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), he doesn't talk about receiving anything in return. When Jesus talks about loving our enemy and praying for them (Matthew 5:43-48), he doesn't say they will come around or be reconciled. It is completely for the one who loves.

Of course, we cannot talk about love without looking at the list of characteristics in 1 Corinthians 13, it is list for the lover. The lover is to be patient, in turn it gives his beloved (which is anyone he comes in contact with, not just a spouse) freedom and safety. When it says the lover is not to keep records of wrong doings, it is so he can truly love as God does and forgives. Love protects, hopes, trusts, perseveres. All of this benefits both people, but it is the lover who is being made perfect by these virtues (Matthew 5:48).

Song of Songs, the holiest song in the Bible, is about two people making preparations to wholly give themselves to the other person. They are not singing about what the other will do for them, but what they will do for the other. They are not describing what they will receive, but what they will give. In this beautiful ballad, we see the purity of unrestrained love and how the other is blessed by it. As MacDonald put it, these two souls were becoming nearest each other because they are loving each other.

Now personally,I cannot find in myself to think of loving my enemies, the Taliban, Democrats (just being funny), that crazy neighbor, or sometimes even family like is described in 1 Corinthians or Song of Songs. When I pray for them it is more like one of David's "God will you smite them down, O mighty smiter" type prayers. But by loving and praying for them, we might come closest to their soul, allowing us the opportunity to be a blessing and be made perfect. Hopefully though, you will not have to learn it by strangling a demon wolf god to death while dying in a fairy land

SOMETIMES IT'S HARD

Let me introduce you to two of the coolest kids in the world. This is Lucas, in yellow, and Caleb, in red for those of you who need it. I cannot remember how this particular story started out. Caleb just crawled up in my lap, saw the pictures and said, "We were fighting over jelly beans and had to hold hands. I cried." At least he remembers. I do remember they were fighting. They had been fighting a lot lately and we had enough of it. We had tried separating them. We tried making them work in different places. We tried "time out". We probably swatted their fanny a couple times (which is a great way to teach a kid not to hit;-)  note my sarcasm.)

I thought about it for a while. What could I do that could possible scar them for life? What would release the sweet sounds of wailing and gnashing of teeth? What could I do that is so heinous and deplorable, I could get my children taken away from me? What would be etched in their little developing brains for all of eternity? Then it hit me. I made them sit together.  . . . nothing happened. I made them give each other a hug. . . no tears. I made them hold hands. . . this is a picture of those beautiful result. They cried and wailed and tears flowed down their faces. It was a beautiful sight. It was then that I realized, as their little cheeks were streaked with sorrow, I was a good parent.

Lucas and Caleb in trouble for fighting.

My wife, Katie, and I have 5 kids. Lucas and Caleb are the youngest two. One of the most important things we desire as parents is the unity of our family. Having just moved back close to family I feel this more and more. Our families are the most important group of people God has designed and given us. It is were we learn love, or hate. It is were we feel absolute safety or fear. Brothers and sisters are more important than anyone. After my wife and I are gone on to Paradise they will be all they have left. Their unity and love will affect generations of Esteps. 

I feel a similar urgency for my kids as Jesus had for the apostles and the church. I pray this for myself and then for our kids. Here is a part of Jesus' prayer for the church. You can read his whole prayer in John chapter 17. 

“My prayer is not for them alone [Apostles]. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message [everyone after the Apostles], 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

We live in a culture and society where the church is at odds with each other. Denominations and churches not liking, making fun of, and even condemning other churches over non-salvation issues to Hell. Mahatma Ghandi said once that Christians were the reason he was not a Christ follower. (This in not a good excuse, but I can understand where he is coming from.)

I know of a church that has 20 people in it and they think they are the only ones going to heaven. I know of churches that think using instruments during worship is a horrible atrocity. I know of churches that tell their congregations what kind of underwear to use and clothing to sleep in, everyone else is going to hell. I've heard of churches that have divided over whether or not to place a hook at the back of the church for the pastor to hang his hat and coat on. (On a personal note, I think this is a story they tell at Bible colleges just to illustrate how silly a lot of our disagreements are in the church.) 

I have to admit, I am like this as well. I have a  prejudice against prejudice people. I don't want to be around them. I don't like being told I'm not saved because I don't speak in "tongues". I don't like arguing with people. I don't think things like underwear, types of pants, which version of the Bible, or using notes to preach with are really worth the aggravation of being around some people. 

The division of the church is the saddest blight affecting Christians throughout history. It has all but destroyed our witness to the world. We must pray, as Jesus did, for the unity of believers. A wise pastor has said we are to have UNITY not UNIFORMITY, LOVE not LEGALISM, GRACE not GUILT, and RELATIONSHIP (with God) not RELIGION.  

If we were to rewrite Jesus’ prayer so we could pray it, it might go like this. “I pray that all of us who believe in Jesus through the Apostles Teaching and the Bible may be one, just as you are in Jesus and Jesus is in you. May we be in you so that the world may believe that you have sent him. You have given us the glory that you gave him so we can be one with each other: your son in us, and we in him. May we be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent Jesus and have loved us even as you loved him.”

Let's think of the believers we work with and know. Are there any we need to forgive? Are there any we need to love? Are there any who need grace? Pray for THEIR unity with the Father and the body as we pray for OUR unity with the Father and body. We, followers of Christ, need to repent of the hatred we have for each other. We need to forgive each other, so Christ can forgive us. We need to confess our unity to the Father and the Family. The unity process may look and feel like the one my sons went through. I think the unity of God's kids would be just as beautiful to him as it is to me.

UNshaved faces

While shaving this morning I got to thinking about my reflection. About how people see me differently than I see myself. How so many people look into the mirror and see something horrible, ugly, fat, or mesmerizingly beautiful. If you have seen me more than three times you have probably seen my face in at three different configurations of hairiness. It is either unshaven, gotee, soul patch, petite gotee, or any combination there of.

You see, I hate shaving. I think it is useless and a waste of money. I am proud to say I've had the same disposable (used at minimum of once a week) since the beginning of August. Shaving ranks up there with covering your property with a vegetation you can't eat, but spend a lot of time and money to keep it from growing (grass). Sorry, that is for a different topic. I like to shave my face differently every time as a form of protest. God gave us hair. We all have it. So why do we spend so much time trying to cut it off and make it look like we have none? Just like hair on top of our heads. Why do we spend so much money cutting, coloring, curling, straightening (even though your hair is already straight, honey) and fixing it up in all kinds of weird ways. My favorite, which I have done, is to fix hair so that it looks like you just got out of bed. hahahaha! Yes, it is weird the effort we put into.

The church is probably the weirdest of all when it comes to hair. I have heard of churches that would not hire very good ministers because they have a beard. I have heard of church who wouldn't let ministers speak because they had hair that was too long. (I don't know where that is found in the Bible.) I've regularly heard, "You really need to shave all of your face."

But is it really all that important? I've read the passages in the Bible that say priests are not to shave the sides of their head or trim the edges of their beard (Leviticus 21:5). In Numbers chapter eight God wants the Levites (the priestly family) to be sprinkled with water, shave their entire body,  and wash their cloths so as to be ceremonially clean. I would definitely be upset about that. To take the Nazarite vow, a vow of consecration and fasting before God the individual, even though they began with a shaved head, was not allowed to shave any part of their body.

In Acts chapter 21 we read about the Apostle Paul being confronted by some legalistic gentlemen of the church and then given a "legalistic" way to pacify these ignorant gentlemen. He was to go perform the Nazarite rites at the temple and shave his head. This did nothing for him, because a few guys saw him and then he ended up getting beat by a mob. This is the second time in history when a hair cut got a guy almost killed, the first was Samson.

Then we get to Paul's writings to the corinthian christians. This is where we get a lot of today's legalistic rules about dress, hair, and how to act in worship. Paul goes talks about a woman's place and a man's place. He talks about women having men's hair cuts and men having women's haircuts. He talks about Christ being our head and God being his head. It's all really exciting and you have to read it slow. You also need to know the Corinthians. It was kinda like an ancient Las Vegas. If Paul were to write to the church in Vegas, he may have talked about grease backed hair and not dressing like a show girl. He might say to the guys not to wear girl jeans. An image of Justin Bieber just came into my head. He might say to the girls, take it easy on the make-up.

You see Paul was writing about a CULTURAL PROBLEM. The pagan temples set the fashion standards of the day. Also women's rights and femanatzi-ism was going strong and to prove we were all equal they were all dressing alike or had the same hairdo. Guys were wearing their hair long and women were cutting it to prove a point, fit in with a particular group, or because they thought it was the cool thing to do at the time.

So if there was a band that dishonored God and wore their hair a certain way, or a racist group that shaved their heads, or group of women that colored their hair a certain color to prove a point, then this passage would apply directly to you. His point was not to do this kinda stuff, it doesn't help your christian witness.  Right before all this he says, "Everything is permissible" - (freedom in Christ) but not everything is beneficial . . . not everything is constructive."(1 Corinthians 10:23). Basically how we dress, cut our hair, shave our face, wear tattoos, piercing, or what we eat is allowed by God. Remember God told the prophet Samuel not to look on the outside for the best, God looks on the inside. BUT, Paul says it may not be beneficial, for myself or others who are weaker christians and non believers.

The important thing is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18 "We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." So if shaving my face helps me better reflect God's glory to some people then I will do it. I won't like it, and it may be different every time. I will live my life so that it is reflecting of what is on the inside. To be all things to all people so as to save some. The next time I look in the mirror, I will see Jesus, hairy, good looking ;-), and in a constant state of transformation.

image from http://thebeardclub.blogspot.com

How is your underwear

We all have them. They are comfy and secure. We know when we wear them we are not going to have to worry about crawling, wedgies, slipping, and whatever else could happen down there. And then we have that pair we keep in the back of the drawer in case we haven't done our laundry lately. We can all relate to the feeling and excitement of underwear that fits good, comfy, and proper. When your underwear fits good, your more likely to be comfortable and pleasant. When it doesn’t, the day can be really long and we can get really agitated with people.

Our conscience is the same way. When we have a clear conscience there is that deep down comfort. When we don’t have a clear conscience, then we are getting spiritually chaffed. That’s why we need to put on first things first, like our underwear first thing in the morning before any other cloths. Our life on the outside, what everyone can see, must begin inwardly, with what others can’t see. In other words, a clear conscience isn’t just knowing the truth, it’s being true.

A clear conscience gives us freedom and confidence. Confidence happens when people see an “outside of you” that matches the “inside of you”. It all begin with what’s under. Let’s Check the Word: 1Jn 3:19-22 "Then we will know for sure, by our actions, that we are on God's side, and our consciences will be clear, even when we stand before the Lord. But if we have bad consciences and feel that we have done wrong, the Lord will surely feel it even more, for he knows everything we do. But, dearly loved friends, if our consciences are clear, we can come to the Lord with perfect assurance and trust, and get whatever we ask for because we are obeying him and doing the things that please him. And this is what God says we must do: Believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another. Those who do what God says--they are living with God and he with them. We know this is true because the Holy Spirit he has given us tells us so."

SO, the Apostle John says that what is on the inside has to come first, he is talking about having the Holy Spirit in us to guide, act, move, and help us. When He is in there first, we are able to stand before God, and others, with a clear unwedgied conscience. If you do not have one then John writes that we are to Confess and Believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 3:21, Romans 10:9,10).  Repent of your sins (repent means turn away from the junk and bad fitting underwear of life) (1 John 1:8-10). And finally be  Immersed in the name, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-14).

Now I don't care if you wear whitey-tighties, boxers, thongs, or go commando, and I REALLY DO NOT want to know about it. I do care if your conscience is clear. I care more if you have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you and the promises that come with that. So start your day with what matters on the inside and enjoy the crawling-wedgies-slipping free life.

 Mitch, a lump of clay

To good to be ... God?

You know the saying. We're taught it at a young age. It's the battle cry of every good pessimist and now most of America. "That's too good to be true!" bit we have good reason, right? We have info-mercials running 24-7 promising to be the greatest thing in our life, help our marriages, make our kids smile and work, and generally fulfill our pursuit for happiness.

Politicians, G.E., LG electronics, and ketchup all promise a "to good to be true" effect on our life. Even my soap promises a "High lather shower experience that will leave you feeling clean, refreshed and invigorated with a woodsy scent. Rinse well."Why would I want to rinse something that powerful off?

I don't think I'm a pessimist. I would consider myself a cautious optimist. I always heard the saying, "if it's too good to be true, then it probably is." Up until recently I had never give that phrase much thought. I recently had something offered to me which caused me a lot of concern. And I said to myself, 'it's too good to be true'. While I was praying though God reminded me that he is TRUTH (John 1:14, 14:6)) in fact standing before Pilate Jesus said the whole reason he came was to testify to the truth.

While reading in the book of Matthew Jesus is talking about only God being good (Matthew 19:17). We also see that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). Peter said that those who are followers of Jesus have tasted and know that God is good (1 Peter 2:3).

So with all of that being said I had to ask myself, "Is this offer too good to be God?" Oh wait what about the "good" part of that phrase? So then I asked "Is this too God to be God?" It's kind of a redundant question, I know. It is a good question. So I have to ask myself a bigger question. "Do I really believe God would set everything up my benefit, the other's benefit all for his glory and furtherance of His kingdom?" So is God active in our everyday lives?

When things seem to be "falling into place" or "just happens to. . ." or "this is too good to be true". Maybe it is God intervening in our life, and  "To God to be God" is just how He would do it.

Ponder a while

In Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus he describes the angels going to the shepherds and then the shepherds going to see Jesus. “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. It seems everyone else was amazed and surprised at what the shepherds said, except Mary. You see Mary had been visited by an angel. Joseph had been visited by an angel. Mary’s cousin’s husband had been visited by an angel. Maybe this was starting to become a normal thing for the young couple. 

The greek word used for “ponder” means “to put one thing with another to consider circumstances”. So Mary took all of these events that happened over the last months to form her conclusion as to what was happening. So she added this event with the shepherds account. In eight days, when they go to the temple, she will add more. When the magi come to the house with the gifts she will add more events to her treasure of circumstances. That would have helped since they had to pack and flee for their lives in the middle of that same night. Then when Jesus stays behind in the Temple, and scares his parents to death, Mary treasures these things as well. 

John, immersing people in the Jordan, would call him “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”

Later on when Jesus was older and being crucified between common thieves she would have had to pull these memories together to consider what was happening right then in light of everything that happened up till this  point in their lives. 

She would remember the Angel telling Joseph, “You will name him Jesus, because he will save people from their sins.” and she would remember the shepherds coming bowing before the infant king, just as the centurion dropped to his knees and proclaimed, “Surely this was the Son of God.” Which would have brought back the angels words to her, “He will be called the Son of the Most High”.

As they poured the myrrh on his body to bury it, she remembered the Wise men that came and brought the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. 

Jesus returned to life three day later and when she saw her boy on the path, the words from the angel continued, “The Lord God will give Him the throne of his Father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his Kingdom will never end.”

Nothing that happened with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus was an accident. Everything that happens in our lives is seen and known about by God. 

It isn’t an accident that you are reading this. It isn’t an accident that the weather was like it was this week. It is all a part of God drawing us to Him. What we have to do is what Mary did. Look at all of the events that happen in our lives and ponder, put them all together, to see how God is working. 

Jeremiah wrote 31:3 “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’.” 

Be like the Youngest

Have you ever noticed that when something serious is happening and you are really trying to bring home an important point something, or someone always has to mess it up by cracking a joke or bringing up a point or thought that is completely unrelated. It happens a lot with kids. Well, that is exactly what happened when Jesus sat down with his disciples for His last supper.

Luke 22:24-26 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over the people; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors (one translations says they rule as politicians who like to be called “friend of the people”). 26But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

So here is Jesus giving the lords supper. This is my body that is broken for you. This is my blood that is being poured out for you. Eat this meal in remembrance of me. And then they start arguing over who is the greatest. But Jesus once again reminds them about being the youngest. 

“BE LIKE THE YOUNGEST”

Do you remember what it was like to be a kid? Do you remember the excitement of catching a fish and squealing and throwing your fishing pole? Do you remember what it was like to hit the ball in little league baseball game? Do you remember catching frogs, tadpoles, or  salamanders and just looking at them in a mason jar and wanting to keep them? 

Do you remember being told God made the stars and put them in place and we just believed it. 

Do you remember memorizing the 23rd Psalm, and learning God takes care of us. Then learning how shepherd took care of sheep and the picture of Jesus reaching down to a lamb that had fallen over a cliff. 

Do you remember making hand prints in plaster of Paris, and writing “Jesus made me special” underneath them. 

Do you remember singing “Jesus Loves Me” and “The B-I-B-L-E, Yes that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B-I-B-L-E”

Remember learning Jesus died on the cross, with all of our sins, so we wouldn’t have to. Remember Jesus’ blood. It washes all my sins away and makes me clean. While teaching a group of elementary kids about communion I told we do it every week so we don’t forget what Jesus did for us. One kid said back “How can you forget THAT?” 

When it comes to faith,  don’t look at it with all of these complex theological issues. Look at simply as the youngest would. The kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these. 

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. All of us to him belong. We are weak, but he is strong.