Category: Preacher

Is the miracle in the water? It has been a while since my last post as busy with the above question along with questions of the days of creation. What day are we currently in and what is the time span between days? How many mass extinctions has our planet earth experienced so far and are we currently in another? These questions and more are explored in my newest book just published called “One Cubic Yard”. I thought I would share a little about creation. What are your thoughts?

From what I have learned, I believe the seven days of creation is directly relatable to the age of our universe and the earth we call home. Before the first day, there was the beginning. When was the beginning and when did the first day start? The first day after the beginning there was light. What created the light and what was the light?

This is just day one of creation. How long was that first day? Was it 24 hours like our modern-day standard or was it a time measured far beyond our understanding? Is each day of creation measured equally? During the second day, sky was created. What is your concept of the sky? Was it created to provide the earth a protective bubble to start conditioning itself for more creations?

It was not until the third day land, plants and trees separated by water was created. Is the water any more special than all the other creations? Who was the creator of all things or did all things just randomly happen?

If water is just one element created and assuming the one creator is God, is water his purification tool? When we are baptized, water is a component that becomes part of the miracle of joining the Christian Faith.

In John 3:16, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. Once we go on faith and become a believer in Jesus, the next step is to affirm our commitment as a believer by publicly being baptized. The water during this time becomes the element in which miracles of faith can be affirmed.

In Exodus 17, God created the miracle of finding water from rock to quiet the discontent of the people Moses was trying to lead to the promised land. Was the water the miracle or was the miracle in God’s patience not to start all over with a new creation? If you believe the creator of all things is God, then do you also believe he can end the creation timeline?

John 4 tells us that the Jews thought they were the only ones who would be saved. Little did they know God’s plan involved all humans in salvation. The story of the woman at Jacob’s well is a story about the gift of salvation not just a select group but all who come to the Lord searching for the living water. Was the miracle in the water in Jacob’s well or was the miracle in the interaction between one who was lost with one who could save? The woman believed first then brought her community so that they too could taste and see the miracle for themselves.

In only covering the first three days of creation, it is my hope that you will continue to search for the truth. What happened on the fourth day? Did we begin to see with clarity? How could we as we were not even a part of creation. How about the fifth day? Nope! However, a lot of growth happened on the fifth day. Along with the growth, there were growing pains. Did the earth have a tough time going through these pains? What about the creations on the earth during the fifth day? All underwent a great transformation if they were lucky enough to survive. The sixth day was just as tumultuous. When did we arrive as one of God’s creations?

I hope you travel with me on my adventures to discover these and many more questions that may have you puzzled as well. Journey with me in “One Cubic Yard”. If you do not believe in the days of creation or the timeline, I challenge you to still travel with me. Maybe both our eyes will be opened to the miracles of creation.

T

I find it very boring to play golf or go fishing by myself. To me, it is a social opportunity to share. Can you imagine hitting a hole in one in golf and nobody is around to share? I think it does not count if there are no witnesses. I guess you could make the claim the shot was made, but many would be skeptical. Same thing with catching a huge number of fish. Yes, you can bring home to show the catch but who is to say you got them at a store or someone gave you theirs to make yours look even better. Regardless, I would rather not deal with doubt but back it up by others sharing the amazing feat. It is okay to share with others, but the caution is not become part of a senseless mob. There are abundant miracles when shared with people who are led by the spirit.

When I read in John 21:1-19, the story is so much more credible as it was substantiated by others. Simon Peter and the other disciples had just lost their precious Jesus who had been crucified for all the world to witness. Yet, Jesus had already appeared to them twice after being raised from the dead. Can you imagine how the followers of Jesus must have felt? First, I imagine some doubt, then confirmation by repeat appearances. Peter was a leader as well as a fisherman. When asked what now, he said, “I am going fishing.” And they all said, “We will go with you.” Appears to be a reasonable response when under so much stress. Fishing is a good way to relief stress so off they went. Little did they know that on this day, Jesus would meet them a third time to show them one more miracle in the form of a net full of fish. Instead of denying Jesus three times as he did on that terrible day, Peter was so enthusiastic to embrace his Lord, he did not even need a boat. Jesus met him and the others on the bank already cooking up some fish. Jesus once, twice, three times asked Peter if he loved him. The answer each time was yes, then Jesus challenged Peter to spend the rest of his long-prophesized life to feed his sheep. All of those who witnessed this miracle also heard his directive. Can you imagine the clarity they felt at that moment of their mission in life? Perhaps, we should pray for clarity in our mission as well. Perhaps we should avoid false leaders and naysayers who chooses to lead based on false evidence appearing to be real.

The world is full of misguided statements, when made, appear to be truthful, but in realty are full of words to influence us into reaction. A comedian is slapped by a known actor and the actor is applauded with little repercussions except a slap on the wrist then continues to gain attention. A drug addict who’s fame for playing the part continues to play in a court of law trying also to regain nobility. A comedian is attacked on stage by an unknown spectator with unequal reaction as the known actor in the previous event. An unlawful act of disclosure causes an extreme reaction, without consideration for due process, all with the intention to undermine said due process. Finally, a world watches with horror, the brave freedom fighters in the Ukraine defend themselves from a totalitarian in Russia, called Putin, while no one in the so-called free world takes a stronger action to stop this insanity. This is reminiscent of how the world reacted in the early days of Hitler in Germany causing all to pay a huge price, especially the Jewish people. We can choose to react to the disinformation mob and become part of the mob shouting “Crucify” him or her or we can choose to act responsible to determine the truth.

Jesus challenged us all when he questioned Peter if he truly loved him. Us humans are like sheep in that we tend to follow the leader. If it leads them to greener pastures or desolation, they have no choice. Unlike sheep, we are given more mental capacity to choose wisely who is leading us. We can consider the source of the information and choose to be part of the mob shouting crucify them or we can choose to seek spiritual guidance to obtain clarity in our mission. Choose wisely my friend.

T

In 2011, I lost my mother to this world. Seven years earlier, I lost my father. Since this time, I have been interested in the significance of the number seven. Perhaps, it is just a number, but this number has many things that make it unique. The seven Spirits of God are mentioned four times in the Book of Revelation. Chapter 1 verse 4, John addresses the seven churches in the province of Asia then again refers to the seven spirits before Jesus’ throne. Revelation Chapter 3:1 refers to the seven spirits and seven stars. Chapter 4:5 relates seven lamps to the seven spirits. Finally, in chapter 5:6 the slain lamb with seven horns and seven eyes meaning the seven spirits of God. In the Book of Isaiah each Spirit is named. There is also reference to the seven graces in Romans 12:6-8. My question is what is the significance of the number seven and why so many times it gets referenced?

There is seven days in a week. Seven represents unity between the Holy Trinity and four areas of the world. There are seven wonders of the world. Even the Koran mentions seven heavens. Muslims walk around the Kaaba in Mecca seven times. Hinduism believe in seven higher worlds and seven underworlds. Buddhism’s Buddha as a newborn rises and takes seven steps. It is associated with luck and magical properties. It matches our memory capacity and attention spans. It is considered a unique prime number. It is the most popular number. It is considered significant in the cycle of life. Finally, it represents a sense of fullness or completeness and perfection. This hit my emotional button at the time of my mom’s passing as it seemed to me closure or sense of completion. Regarding memory capacity and attention span, have you ever noticed phone numbers are made up of seven numbers, not counting the area code, as we have difficulty retaining much more in one memory experience? What does all this mean? I believe that we should look closely at these seven spirits and strive to be Christlike. How do we do that? Read on.

Isaiah 11:1 prophesied that the Lord would come from the stump of Jesse and bear fruit. Verses 2-3 listed the seven spirits as spirit of the Lord, spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of power, of knowledge, and of fear of the Lord. And he would take delight in knowing this fear. These seven spirits defined the human presence of the divinity namely Jesus Christ. Can we match the spirits of the Lord? No, but in Romans 12:6-8, we learn we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. These graces are prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ministry, in service to others; instruction, in teaching others; encouragement, in exhortation to others; generosity, in giving to others; leadership, in guidance to others; compassion, in mercy to others. All these gifts of grace are important and some of us possess many of these gifts while some of us fall short. Maybe we have given up in this polarized world? Maybe, we do not realize we have these gifts. It appears to me that Isaiah reference to the Spirit of the Lord is specific to the One to come where in Romans it is for you and me. We can be Christlike and strive for all seven as we attempt to be perfect like Christ. If we do not try, we may not know our full potential. Jesus is the perfect score card that we should all attempt to reach. Let’s take each of the seven attributes one at a time.

Isaiah’s number one being Spirit of the Lord remains number one and defines our Savior. Number two is wisdom where Romans offer the grace of insight. Have you ever had a premonition? I believe a wise person listens first, discerns what they hear, then speaks with a prophetic understanding. Spirit number three is understanding matches up with the grace of helpfulness. Because a wise person speaks with a prophetic understanding the ability to have a servant’s heart to help not hinder growth in others. Number four counsel and the grace of a teacher’s heart continues the growth of others beyond your instruction. Number five power and the grace of encouragement turns those who were once weak into a stronger being. The sixth Spirit of knowledge makes the grace of generosity multiply ten, hundred and thousand-fold. The seventh spirit of Fear of the Lord makes our grace gift of leadership so much more credible. Who wants to follow someone that pretends to be fearless? Finally, the delight in knowing this fear of the Lord match perfectly with the gift of compassion. How can we be compassionate or have mercy on another, if we do not believe a higher power than us shows compassion and mercy for us? If we fear the Lord but rejoice in knowing this fear makes us submit, we can live in peace that ultimately, we are not in charge. What a blessing and mighty Lord we serve!

Footnotes: You might recognize that the spirits listed in Isaiah do not match exactly with Romans’ gifts. Theologians over centuries have added Piety as attribute number six. The set of seven now are commonly known as the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. While some Christians accept these as a definitive list of specific attributes, others understand them merely as examples of the Holy Spirit’s work through the faithful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_gifts_of_the_Holy_Spirit

An alternative view is that the seven graces (“charisma”) of Romans 12:6–8 reflect the seven spirits of God. The Holy Spirit manifests in humankind through these graces, reflecting the seven spirits of God. The seven graces are: 1. insight (prophecy); 2. helpfulness (service or ministry); 3. instruction (teaching); 4. encouragement; 5. generosity (giving); 6. guidance (leadership); and 7. compassion. This agrees with Isaiah 11:2–3 if “the Spirit of the Lord” is recognized as categorical and “the delight in the fear of the Lord” is added. (Isaiah 11:3, Berean Study Bible) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Spirits_of_God

Think of yourself as a sculpture in progress towards perfection where our Creator chips away our hard spots to form a beautiful work of art as we strive to achieve a perfect seven.

T

What is the meaning of a friend? A google definition states “a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection…”. Okay, but do you know the people you call friends on your social media sites? You may know of them, but do you really consider them with a bond of mutual affection? The answer to that question, if we are truly honest, is no. So why do we have this fixation on establishing lots of friends on social media instead of building true friendships? Perhaps, the answer is in our awkwardness to communicate or open ourselves up to another individual. Perhaps, we just want to be part of the media “like” community whether the people like you or not. It is easy to push a few buttons and think you have a great relationship with friends. It is hard to actually talk with another, spend time with that person, learn what you have in common, learn your differences, and establish a bond based on fondness towards each other. A true friend is someone you are willing to talk with and spend quality time doing fun things together. A true friend is someone who may shed a tear or two with you during sad times. Now, I am not insinuating a sexual relation, but mutual affection or interest that binds you. Can you remember those friends maybe in the past, or if lucky, still in your life that means so much to you? That my friend, is a true friend.

In biblical terms the name Theophilus is of Greek origin meaning “friend of God”. Without getting into the theories whether Theophilus was a person or an honorary title meaning friend of God, I like the idea. Luke and Acts refer to Theophilus so I like the message to anyone claiming to be a friend of God. What if, instead of the author(s) of Luke and Acts using the word Theophilus, friend of God, is used. Luke then in its introduction to the gospel in 1:3,4 may read, “Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account to you, most excellent friend of God, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” Acts 1:1,2 may read, “In the first book, friend of God, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.” Imagine now speaking to your true friends as if they too were equal friends of God. Do you think you may have a everlasting friendship established that would bind us together into a common goal? Enjoy your true friendships and may He give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Him. (Ep 1:17)

T

Lately, like many of us, I have been overloaded with negativity and polarization of the recent presidential election. Whether you were for or against the victor, I believe we can all agree, violence is not the answer. Maybe, we should not be so Jonahish. Two years ago I posted “Change” focusing on the importance of looking at situations with a different mindset. Read more why we should be open to change as “…this world in its present form is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:31)

We can be like Jonah who hated the cruel Assyrians in the huge city of Nineveh and walk away from them. The result is total division like what I see in our society today. We hate one another’s beliefs and therefore consider anyone, not of our opinion, an enemy. Perhaps both sides of today’s conflicts deserve a chance to be heard and both need an open mind to hear. In Matthew 5:44, we are told to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. How can we practice love, if the other side is perceived as wrong and unwilling to compromise or change? We can stop being so Jonahish! When God came to him and said go to that great city, he fled because he did not want to love his enemies. The story could end like this in our current situation, if we remain like Jonah in our attitudes towards one another. What changed Jonah? Being swallowed by a big fish might have something to do with his change in attitude. You think? He prayed while in the belly of the fish for 3 days and nights ending his prayer with “…What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.” (Jonah 2:9) The Lord answered his prayer and gave him a second chance to fulfill his mission to become a change agent for the good of Nineveh and Israel who both were headed for destruction.

Jonah was asked again to love his enemies and this time with a renewed commitment convinced the big city to believe in change. Even though Jonah was not too happy about being used as a change agent and continued to argue for destruction, he was shown even those you disagree are part of God’s vineyard. All of us need to be nurtured in order to grow.

Perhaps, with a little care and understanding of one another, we too may grow, if we remain open to God’s loving miracles of reconciliation. T