Month: February 2019

There is a song by Max Frost and the Troopers released in 1968 titled “Shape of Things to Come”. The lyrics begins with “There’s a new sun rising up angry in the sky. There’s a new voice crying but not afraid to die. Let the old world make believe it’s blind and deaf and dumb but nothing can change the shape of things to come.” Perhaps these words tell a story of an old world gone and new one emerging. Perhaps I am reading too much into the lyrics. Regardless, the appearance of someone or something as we see them from an external view defines their shape. Do we really know the shape of things to come? Is the shape we see a person now, the same as in the beginning or in the end?

If you look at a seed, can you tell what that seed will grow into when matured? Maybe, if you are a horticulturist, you may be able to recognize a certain seed and what it will transform into. What about the rest of us and what if the seed is of someone? Yes, there are experts in the medical field that can determine the sex of a human embryo. They may even be able to determine known medical defects in advance of the child’s birth. Can anyone determine the ultimate shape and contribution to the world by examining a seed? It’s a miracle of transformation from one shape to another. “God gives it the sort of shape that he chooses, and he gives each of the seeds its own shape..” (1 Cor 15:38) Now, I know some of you who read this may begin to formulate your opinions of where I am going with this line of communication. You may be thinking I am writing about the creation of life and at what stage does it start. I am not going to get into the timing, but I hope all agree that the physical shape of life changes from a seed to something we can all recognize from its external appearance. Do we treat people in the same way that we want to be treated? Sadly, in this 21st century, we still have preconceived notions of the shape a person should appear. I am not just referring to the pigment of our skin, but the physical shape perceived as acceptable. I saw a beautiful story on the TV about a girl with Down Syndrome who is a phenomenal golf player. She has a wonderful attitude on top of her excellent skills on the golf course. That shatters the mode of our understanding of what a person can accomplish based on their shape.

My challenge yesterday, today and in the future is to look beyond my limited understanding of the shape of a person and see the real miracle God has revealed. Treat all people as you want to be treated (Luke 6:31)

T

The word difference appears in 24 of my previous blog posts. That means to me the subject has a lot of substance. It is a point in which people are not the same. There are a lot of differences between a man and a woman. Don’t want to get in trouble with this example so will not go into any more details of the differences. LOL

What makes a person think differently than another? I am glad we do not all think alike as “group think” can get us all in trouble. I get so sick of the politics in today’s world. One group thinks one way while the other is in power. Then once the first group is back in power the conflicts before seem to evaporate and is all okay. All you have to do is go back about 8-10 years to hear what one politician said then and now to prove my point. It is all about who’s in power, in my opinion. I have written an entire book about the dangers of group think and how we can be convinced one way is the only way. Whether you believe in Divine Guidance or not, I am of the opinion, we are given a free will to make our own decisions. Some of our decisions are not supported by Divinity and even some are down right stupid. We may even pay an ultimate price for some of our wrong decisions. I am thankful that my bad decisions in the past have been overridden by a greater purpose.

It does not matter what side of the political arena you set up camp, in my opinion. To me, what matters most is your willingness to consider differences in the debate. I think we all have to be careful not to fall into group think which may lead to deception. Did you know that there are approximately 4,200 religions of which Christianity is the world’s largest followed by Islam, according to a quick Google search? That is amazing to me and indicates to me that we have many different tribes of common belief. You may say, yeah but they are wrong and we are correct. Says who? I happen to believe that Christianity is correct. My basis of belief is called the “mystery of faith”. I will let you follow up on that for yourselves and while you are at it, read 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. My point here is not to get into an argument about who is right or who is wrong, but welcome the debate. In my opinion, formal debate is good as it gives us a chance to better understand one another. What is bad to me is when we hide behind a banner refusing to hear the other’s point of view and never reach an agreement for the good of us all.

T

Before I get into the topic of grace in the following paragraphs, I want to announce that my first book is now completely publicized. You can access my webpage at http://www.pagepublishing.com/books/?book=sticks-and-stones

The word grace has been mentioned in 21 of my previous blogs. I tend to use that word sometimes to simply. The word itself is simple but the interactions between us humans and divinity is a complex maze of twist and turns. Us humans, make it complex by our un-willingness to accept that we need spiritual guidance in life. Make it simple! Go on faith.

A young man witnesses another explaining the lineage of greatness while being stoned to death. The young man even holds onto the coats of the people throwing the stones. This same man later actively persecutes the followers of the greatness described earlier. Yet, somehow this same man becomes an apostle. In my opinion, we are given a free will to decide the path in life. Some of us choose a path that may lead us to pain and destruction. But, if we listen to our inner selves telling us to go another route, we can receive a very precious gift. Continue reading to find out more.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, “I don’t deserve to be called an apostle, because I harassed God’s church. I am what I am by God’s grace, and God’s grace hasn’t been for nothing.” That my friends is Prevenient Grace which is God’s active presence in our lives. It is a gift that is always available, but we have to take a huge step of faith to go beyond a feeling of being directed into an active participant.

I have often thought of where I may be without the acceptance of His grace. His grace was present well before I knew him. It is frightening to go out on faith but the alternative is even more frightening now that I look back on my life. Once we recognize and accept that even while we were sinners Christ died for us, we can move from prevenient to Justifying grace. Our relationship with God is restored through Christ’s death. The joy is that we grow into a new creation and a faithful servant ever growing in faith.

Like Paul who received a wake-up call in the form of temporary blindness to make him turn around, many of us may go from prevenient to justifying grace and linger much longer before we are converted. When we finally reach the point that we are assured of our salvation, we reach that level called Sanctifying Grace. We can grow in sanctification toward perfection according to God’s will for our lives. We never quite reach perfection but should continue towards that higher mark.

T

The phrase “familiarity breeds contempt” according to a google search was first used in Chaucer’s Tale of Melibee in 1386. I believe credit should be given to an earlier time. The Gospel according to Luke 4:24 states, “I assure you that no prophet is welcomed in the prophet’s hometown.”. Jesus read from the ancient scrolls in his hometown of Nazareth. Imagine the people’s outrage that this up-start would dare to speak to them this way. He was only telling the truth that the people were thinking about themselves and not the needs of others. All of us want recognition, but few of us are willing to humble ourselves to become a blessing to others without reward. We recognize people from past familiarity but not present or future growth. Everyone was raving about Jesus and wanted him to perform specifically for them. They were familiar with him so felt they could be more demanding considering him, just Joseph’s son. That changed when he put them in their place. We should be careful of recognizing a familiar person and assuming they are the same when they have actually matured into a greater creation.

I refer you to a previous blog called “Love Is” published 2/6/16 where the gift of prophecy means nothing, without love. Jesus did not retaliate to the angry mob who wanted to throw him off the cliff. Instead, he passed through the crowd and went on his way. The anger they possessed towards him evaporated with his willingness to accept and love all of them. Grow beyond the contempt bred by familiarity in your life into a greater creation.

T