Month: July 2018

One is a lonely number. Two is not much better, but when coupled as one, becomes so much stronger. Horses have proven the power of team work as alone, they can only pull based on their own strength. When coupled together side by side, they can pull three times their individual strength. Pretty awesome! Perhaps, us humans should learn a little more team work and less fighting about our differences.

In 2015, my wife and I made a trip to Ireland. It was a great trip and escape from the summer time heat in July. I learned about Saint Patrick. He was born in 385 AD and became a slave exiled from his homeland of Ireland. Yet, from this one humble slave, a Saint was born. How did that happen? He got involved in a monastery and when his training was over, given an opportunity to go where others had gone to grow Christianity. Us Christians find it sometimes the easier approach to stay in a safe group for our missions. We feel good about our efforts and justify our decisions. Patrick went by himself back to his home in Ireland. They tried to talk him out of it, but his mind was made up. I believe he had help from the Holy Spirit that instructed him that they would go together as a team. Was his decision popular among his peers? Doubtful, as humans really do not like individuals who buck the system. He went anyway. Was he welcomed in this pagan land he used to call home? No! Did that stop him? No! He lived to be 76 years old. He died on March 17^th, 461 AD. If you want to learn more, please explore history. We have no excuses!

How do we know Jesus lives and represents peace to all? All means all, as I understand the scripture. You must have enough faith to believe. Ephesians 2:14, says “He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us.” He said we all have access to the Father by the one Spirit. When Jesus was tired he rested in a deserted place for a bit.The multitudes searching for miracles, found him. Wherever he went, he chose love to win them over regardless of their differences. Everyone who touched him was healed. (Mark 6:30-56)

St. Patrick believed Jesus was with him through the Holy Spirit. To be coupled with the Holy Spirit made him so much stronger. Their compounded strength made a difference bringing light into darkness. Perhaps, we are not meant to be a saint, but we can at least go on faith as the song, “Hymn of Promise” ends, “unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.”

T

In 1980, the average cost of a new car was $7,210. Only 10 years later, the average cost was $15,400. I have heard it said that inflation doubles the cost of things every 10 years so the average cost of cars is increasing at a little more than the rate of inflation predictions. Have you noticed that at least in the States, car commercials never use the total cost of a car anymore? Their advertisements all focus on how much savings are possible with a good credit report or good trade in or some gimmick to get you from the TV advertisement to their show room. Of course the deal seems to change during negotiations where games are played to distract the buyer from the final real cost. Can anyone tell me with a straight face what you paid for your last car? If you are like me, I got so mixed in with how much down payment I needed and what I would get for my trade in to get the monthly note down to a manageable number. Of course we can always just pay cash and forget about the monthly expense. Right? Well yes, but what about that savings we plan to use in the future? We then begin to leverage our savings with the cash outlay and eventually convince our selves it is a good deal to hold on to our cash for a future expense just in case. Then we need to decide how much of our savings are we going to part with as a down payment. Very stressful time I am sure if you are like most of us.

Have you ever considered the value we place on our mode of transportation or our place we call home or our vacation to get away from it all? It simple terms, a down payment is that initial payment made for something bought on credit. The deal is done when we negotiate how much to put down up front and how much interest we are willing to pay for the balance of the money owed. It is a promise we make with the seller to pay back in full with some extra over time for the right to use the acquired item in the present. The housing market took a huge hit that impacted all markets when sellers got overly zealous to hook buyers on homes they could not afford and did not need to live in comfort. The idea was too simple as sellers believed housing cost would always go up so buyers could always pay back. In many locations, that simple idea fell apart so that buyers were under water in debt on homes they could not sell nor afford. Care should be taken to never over value a thing over our ability to pay for the thing. True, but what value do we put on ourselves?

Herodias danced for King Herod and in return Herod promised too much. The final payment was the head of John the Baptist. (Mark 6:14-29) The payment for a human’s head was a dance. Seems absurd but the value of humans even today are miniscule when compared to some argument leading to a shooting or other tragic event. The damage to life is done and the value of a life lost does not compare. Consider your life for a moment. What value do you put on your life. Would you give your only son to save the life of another? We have received an inheritance in Christ as God’s plan for humanity. We are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because we believed in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance applied toward our redemption. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

Can we really place a value on our souls? The down payment is likewise as the Holy Spirit cannot be valued in today’s market. The Holy Spirit guides us and helps us and more importantly shows us how to live while we journey to redemption. It is a daunting task to be valued in such a way that our value is always increasing as we become more willing to accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our ultimate mission in life. Do not be like Herod who opened his mouth and made an open ended promise. Instead, be like Jesus who taught us how to live and sacrificed it all so that we could be sealed with the promise of everlasting peace.

T

Humans have always been fascinated with the cosmos which is the universe in a structured view. Wikipedia says that mythological cosmology is a way to explain the cosmos based on the religious mythology of a specific tradition. Say what!

Before the telescope, humans could only see stars, sun, moon and some planets with the naked eye. An explanation of heaven corresponds to 7 objects seen that follow a pattern. These include our Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Everything else is great dark expanse and billions of stars. I have not attempted to pick out these seven classical planets as described by ancient astronomers, but I trust they can be found. These seven objects related to the seven heavens or divisions of Heaven, also referred as the abode of immortal beings.

In particular the third heaven is considered a lower level of paradise. In some readings of authority but not canonized in the bible, the third heaven is sort of a holding area on the journey to a higher paradise. It is also where those not worthy fall away. It is said the Lord rested there before going up into paradise. You get the picture I hope? Does anyone really know? Not sure if anyone has actually made the trip and returned to tell us. Many seem to have experienced the “out of body” phenomena. Debate continues on what causes this but it is hard dismiss regardless what we believe.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2 refers to the third heaven and some scholars believe he is referring to himself as a revelation. He then says was given a thorn in his body to be humbled. (v7) He pleads relief but the Lord gives him grace enough as power is made perfect in weakness. (V9) What if someone today told you of an out of body experience where they explained entering into paradise and saw things that seemed unexplainable? I suspect most people would consider a candidate for the psychological treatments. A few may believe with some doubt and still a few more may believe 100%. What if the person was from your family or home town? Would that matter? Most likely you may say, “well he or she has always been out there in la la land.? Maybe? Is there any wonder why Paul backed away from his revelation?

How about that Jesus fellow? Where did he get his magic? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he Mary’s son? His brothers and sisters all live close by and repulsed by his behavior. What an embarrassment to his family. Jesus had much more than an out of body experience. He made claims to a heavenly kingdom. Can you imagine the talk in the neighborhood? So what to do? Move on and share the good news with those who will listen. He even trained his twelve followers to do the same. (Mark 6:1-13)

Keep moving, keep sharing the miracles and focus on heaven’s vision.

T

How do you define equality? As I write this message, I hear fireworks going off in my neighborhood. The fireworks represent our independence in the USA. It is interesting to remember what being independent really means. That we are not under control or needing support from anyone else. Many of our children try to declare independence well before they are ready simply because they do not like to be controlled. Adolescence is too young an age to declare independence, but when is a good time to break away from support and control of our guardians? When can we claim equality which is a state of being equal in status, rights and opportunities?

Are we equal, when we are free from all things that try to control us? Perhaps, we are equal when our net worth is equal. But then how is someone’s wealth measured? Is it through bank accounts or through some other attribute that makes us wealthy? “Although he was rich, he became poor for our sakes, so that you could become rich through his poverty.” (2 Cor 8:9) How do we define equality? Is it the value of the gifts we give? “A gift is appreciated because of what a person can afford, not because of what a person can’t afford, if it’s apparent that it’s done willingly.” (2 Cor 8:12) The last part of that verse is so important to remember that it is not the gift but the willingness to give. The writer of Corinthians continues to say its a matter of equality so one day your surplus fills another’s deficient and visa versa. That makes us equal.

Jesus was asked to lay hands on an ill daughter of a prominent Synagogue leader. While he was traveling through the streets for that purpose, a woman with a bleeding issue for twelve years simply touched his clothes. She wanted to touch him because she had so much faith in his healing. Was she healed? Yes. The power left him immediately and he knew he was in the presence of a faithful person. Likewise, he healed the leader’s daughter. (Mark 5:21-43) Now, I ask you. Who was more deserving to be healed? The woman in the street became a living testimony of His healing grace. The leader was humbled by the mercy given to the woman but also testified the miracle of his daughter. They both became equal that day.

How do we define equality? I believe we first have to recognize the gift of life and life giver, through the eyes of others.

T