If you are an avid sports fan like me, you probably enjoy watching post game shows following a favorite teams game. After a win, you revel in watching the highlights that led to victory. However, in defeat you want to know what happened; searching for the reason why your team lost as analysts break down the film.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do, Romans 7:15.
Unfortunately, the older I get, the more analytical I become. Subsequently, I do the same thing with my own life, trying to point a finger on why I’m not getting the results I expect. While some may consider this a waste of time, this is merely a way that I discern what I need to do different in the future.
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin, Romans 7:25.
The breakdown to life on earth is pretty simple. Mankind was on a path toward destruction, destined for hell. Yet, this is where Jesus stepped in, taking the fall for every sin ever committed. Thus, despite my own failed attempts to step out of trouble, the grace of God is available to those who believe. May the Lord open your eyes as the Bible breaks down God’s plan for eternity.
My favorite college professor at the University of Delaware taught Physical Geography. During my interactions with Dr. Mather, he urged my to pursue a career in Meteorology. Beside a Major League Baseball hitter, what other occupation allows you to be wrong 80% of the time and still keep your job. Although his teaching made me eager to learn about weather systems, I felt called to go into youth ministry after graduating from college.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them, 1 Corinthians 12:4.
Following a semester of teaching poetry to junior high students at a boarding school in West Virginia, I sensed an ability to discern hidden things. This gift initially took the shape of writing, ranging from poetry, song writing and short stories. However, fourteen years ago this week God revealed an a new venue. One night, I couldn’t sleep, feeling like someone I knew was in trouble. So I started to pray for everyone I could think of when I heard a knock on our front door. My next door neighbor went to labor, three months premature. This time of prayer continued until I got word she and her new daughter were okay.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work, 1 Corinthians 12:5-6.
When I was younger, I tried to be well round. However, the older I become, it’s obvious that they are certain things I was never created and designed to do. Thus, I press on, specializing in my areas of expertise. Whether its discernment, a weather forecast or none of the above, strive to excel in what you do best. As for me, I continue to write, hoping one day to be a successful author or screen writer. Until this day arrives or my gifts shift in a new direction, I pray that the Lord honors the service of utilizing my God given talents.
Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character I grew up watching as a kid. However, Bugs first appeared in 1940 in the film A Wild Hare. Despite coming out on top in most episodes, Bugs was directionally challenged. Perhaps, this characteristic spawned the famous saying, “which way should I go Doc, which way should I go?”
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit, Galatians 5:25.
The average individual has to ask a similar question annually. What do I what to do for the rest of my life? Where do I need to live to make this a reality? Beyond the daily choices people make, two opposing forces exist in the world: the sinful nature and spirit. One feeds on self indulgence while the other exists to fulfill a higher calling. Since both are invisible, its hard for the average citizen to know which one to follow.
The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus, Acts 13:4.
Perhaps, the person with the best credentials in this area was the apostle Paul. In Galatians 5:16-26, Paul paints a vivid picture to help distinguish fleshly desires from the spirit. These acts can serve as a monitor, revealing where you are heading based upon current actions. Like a disciplined athlete, Paul began to fine tune the presence of Spirit, learning to keep in step with God. However, 1 Timothy 1:15 reveals Paul’s failures when he chose the flesh over the Spirit, making progress through trials and errors.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path, Psalm 119:105.
Modern society has something Paul never had a copy of, the complete Bible. According to the Psalmist, the Bible can serve as a spiritual flash light, pointing individuals in the right direction. While you may encounter moments when you struggle to discern a clear cut decision on what to do, God has given everyone a conscience to help along the way. My best advice to those uncertain about the next path to choose comes from Solomon. “Many are the plan’s in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s purpose prevails.” May the wisdom of the Bible serve as a key ingredient to help you get where you want to go.
The final 7 days of Jesus’ earthly life is often referred to as Passion Week. Beginning on Monday, Jesus experienced several different emotions. While approaching Jerusalem, Jewish broken down in tears, having compassion on lost people, unable to discern what was about to happen. A few hours later, Jesus is enraged by a temple corrupted by the world, becoming more like a flea market than a house of worship. The Bible claims Jesus turned over tables, trying to eliminate impure motives from this holy place.
When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling.“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” Luke 19:45-46
According to the Bible, God sees all things. If today was the beginning of his final week on earth, I wonder if Jesus would respond in a similar manner. How much compassion would be displayed? What anger would be demonstrated and where else beside the temple would Jesus target? Although its just a hunch, I believe Jesus would go into the house of saints, throwing idols off their shelves, trying to purge believers from their worldly ways. After this visit, Christians must decide for themselves, relying on freewill to determine, “who will I follow?”
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:13
One of the greatest misconceptions about Christianity is that God forces individuals to do this or do that. Essentially, the Lord gives freedom, like Adam and Eve in the Garden with just one rule to follow. Although the fall of mankind has complicated life, each day involves choices, Deuteronomy 30:15-16. According to Moses, good choices lead to life and bad ones to death. Therefore, if you want to honor God and avoid from having the tables turned over in your own temple, the body, choose the narrow path today, Matthew 7:13-14.
Sirius, Canopus and Rigil Kentaurus are the 3 brightest stars as seen from earth. Sirius, the brightest of all the stars in the midnight sky comes from the Greek word scorching. The further you get from civilization, the more visible the smaller stars become. From a worldly perspective, are you overlooked like a tiny star, do you blend in like a medium one or does the aura you give off shine bright?
Said the night wind to the little lamb Do you see what I see Way up in the sky little lamb Do you see what I see A star, a star Dancing in the night With a tail as big as a kite With a tail as big as a kite
One of my favorite Christmas carols is Do You Hear What I Hear? The lyrics of this classic uses hearing and seeing to discern what happened on the night of Jesus’ birth. If you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, the senses God gave you are often neglected, missing the miracles right in front of you. Therefore, if you want to make a difference in life, stop, drop what you’re doing and take a look around every now and then to help brighten the lives of others.
However, all human beings experience periods of darkness, times when your desire to press on fades. As your fire dims, the lights of others may be the only source of hope you see. If the light of Christians around you is absent, stars can burn out permanently. How bright is your star currently? Well, for the sake of Christmas, may the Holy Spirit rekindle the flame inside your soul so that silent nights will remain bright.
If you slow down enough to take a look around, suppressed anger lingers deep inside the human heart. The tension within the bullied builds until a spirit of revenge is born. Once this seed is implanted inside of troubled minds, the stage is set for the next school shooting.
During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to another form of suppressed anger. A friend from my cross country team began to punch me in the arm every team I saw him in school. This scenario repeated itself for 6 months until I took the time to find out why. Carl, who became my best friend, hit me to express his frustration as he helplessly watched his mother slowly die of cancer.
Today, some of the cruelest people you encounter often possess a secret that motivates their behavior. Just watch the Breakfast Club, paying close attention to John Bender’s character played by Judd Nelson. Whether its a bad family life, negative influences or low self-esteem, each plays a factor in determining which person you will meet. May a clear understanding of Galatians 5:19-22 allow you to discern suppressed anger from those who are simply evil.
Over the course of a year, there tends to be a couple of messages, sermons that I can’t avoid. As conviction lingers, the truth conveyed doesn’t go away. While laying in bed the other night, one thought kept repeating itself, “who’s leading who?”
When you enter into a new relationship, Romans 10:9-10, priorities should change. However, if you are use to living a certain way, its hard to adjust or alter your lifestyle. Although some Christians may talk a good game, yielding control over to Jesus as Lord can be a constant struggle. Subsequently, some days you do it your way and occasionally you take God’s advice.
The apostle Paul suggests the an internal battle is brewing, Galatians 5:16-18, with sinful desires trying to remain in control. Meanwhile, these distractions attempt to block your communication with God, Galatians 5:25. The only way to distinguish God’s still small voice is by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. The Lord doesn’t force the issue. Rather, the choice is yours: to live by the Spirit or indulge your fleshly desires. Who’s leading who? This answer will be revealed by the fruit that you bear, John 15:7-8.
Whenever the frailty of life comes knocking on your door, its never a good feeling. In the wee hours of the morning, as a routine surgery takes a turn for the worse, fear often grips unsuspecting souls. A doctor doesn’t need to say much before one discerns a dire situation. Nonetheless, as long as the heart is beating, hope remains alive.
Prior to my mother being rushed to the hospital, I read a passage from Leviticus 13:45-46. As bad as my current trial appeared, this passage gave me an unique perspective, it could be worse. You could become a social outcast, banned from entering the city gates, due to an untreatable disease. Once pronounced unclean by the priest, hugging, touching or kissing was prohibited. Like solitary confinement, individuals spent the rest of their days in isolation, stripped of the relationships they once held dear.
Today, I have a new appreciation for the words of James 1:2-4 and James 4:13-14. Seeing, feeling and experiencing pain is humbling, opening your eyes to the simple things people take for granted daily. However, despite the ups and down in the hospital the last 24 hours, I know it could be worse. While I pray for my mother’s condition to improve, the truth in Luke 1:37 serves as a source of strength. Although it could be worse, with God all things are possible.
Before the day’s of cell phones, internet and twitter, one of the most popular means of communication was CB radio. The 1977 classic Smokey and the Bandit starring Bert Reynolds glorified this coded form of conversation. In this film, Smokey referred to highway patrolmen, especially those setting speed traps for truckers. Snowman was Cledus’ handle, played by Jerry Reed, who drove an 18 wheeler full of 400 cases of Coors Beer and Bandit was Reynold’s nickname, who teamed up with fellow drivers to escape the police and fulfill their dare with Big and Little Enos, driving 2 vehicles from Georgia to Texas just in time for a big celebration.
In the 2003 Pilot episode, Amber Tamblyn plays Joan Girardi, a high school junior trying to comprehend God’s handle on life during Season 1 of Joan of Arcadia. Through a series of strange events, Joan’s not sure if she’s crazy, delirious or actually able to hear God speak. Afraid to tell others she is communicating with God, Joan starts to subtly ask others their opinions about the Lord’s existence, trying to make sense of her bizarre encounters. Finally, after obeying God’s first assignment slowly, she lays down to sleep, removing her headphones, hoping to discern God’s voice, waiting in silence, like an old CB radio with static.
The most difficult part of adjusting to God’s Handle, the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, 1 Kings 19:12, as your volume is not always tuned up. However, when you do make a conscience effort to hear God, sometimes you may want to turn the dial to another channel because you’re not happy with what you hear. This is where Free will enters the equation. If you are able to watch the first season of Joan of Arcadia, CBS and the writers of the show do a valiant job of illustrating moments of obedience and disobedience. Although the nature of God is flawed by Joan Osborne’s song “What if God was one of us,” the premise challenges the audience to ponder, “what’s God’s handle?”
You don’t have to be in high school to discern whether or not you belong. Based upon your personality and the people you encounter, conversations and friendships can quickly turn into tug of wars, seeking control. My own defense mechanism causes me to begin cautiously, often listening more than talking before opening up. However, once I feel comfortable in a certain setting or group of individuals, my true identity shines through.
However, there are many things which wage war against your soul in this life, making victory elusive, 1 Peter 2:11. Depending upon your motivation or degree or perseverance, many give up, throwing in the towel before they taste success. When you add this factor to the excess baggage people carry from their past, reaching the summit of John 10:10 seems unrealistic. Spirits of doubt, failure and pessimism imprint a loser mentality upon the souls of many. Instead of claiming the promise of Philippians 4:13, a lack of faith prohibits these bystanders from obtaining joy.
So how can someone establish a foundation for victory? What must one do to turn their fortune from failure to celebration? A Calvinist will say you don’t have a prayer; you’re either chosen or not. The Arminian will disagree, claiming everyone has a shot. While God’s grace does play a major role in victory, Ephesians 2:8, there is more as acts of contrition and penitence demonstrate whether or not someone is on the right track, James 2:26. From my own journey, below are essential ingredients which have put me into position to achieve victory.
1) Like Jesus, you need to find a quiet place, seeking solitude daily to get your heart and mind in the right place, Luke 4:42.
2) You need to find and or develop friendships which elevate your self-esteem and spiritual hunger, Acts 2:42-47.
3) Fill your idle time listening to uplifting music whether through Pandora, Radio Stations or You Tubes that will get you through each day, filling your mind with wholesome lyrics and thoughts, 1 Samuel 16:23.
4) Try to read a chapter of the Bible daily which will enhance your faith while transforming your mind, Romans 10:17.
5) Spend time each day in some form of recreation, whether running, working out and investing in a hobby which makes you happy, providing a sense of accomplishment daily, 1 Timothy 4:8.
6) Once a week, write down, preferably in a journal, goals that you want to fulfill before the day, week or month is over. This exercise provides needed vision for the future, Hosea 4:6.
7) Devote time once a month either helping, serving and volunteering within your church or community. It’s better to give than receive.
May these ideas inspire you develop your own daily/weekly disciplines and practices which will lead you toward a foundation for victory. May God honor the commitments you make to better yourself in 2014!
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