A COVID-19 Easter- The Grinch Strikes Again

In the spirit of Dr. Seuss, I give you the following poem about Easter, COVID-19, and hopefully, a big laugh:

How the Virus Stole Easter

With a nod to Dr. Seuss

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Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began, bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, and the hospitals full; doctors were frantic, and no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring, the virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen. They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed. “There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out. No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest. The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed. “Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went. The virus pressed on; it would not relent.

The world woke up Sunday and nothing had changed. The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world started grumbling. “They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do! Their mouths will hang open a minute or two, and then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.” So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear. And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies. It started down low, then it started to rise.

But it wasn’t depressed. Why, this sound was triumphant! It couldn’t be so! But it grew with abundance! The world stared around, popping its eyes. Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in each nation, the tall and the small, was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came! Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine Stood puzzling and puzzling. “Just how can it be?” “It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies, It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before. “Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And what happened then? Well....the story’s not done. What will YOU do? Will you share with that one or two or more people needing hope in this night? Will you share the source of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty - but so is the tomb, and Jesus is victor o'er death, doom, and gloom. So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer, as the virus still rages around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people. May the world see the church is not building or steeple.

May the world find its faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, May the world find a Joy in a time of dejection. May two-oh-two-oh be the year of survival, but not only that - Let it start a revival.

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(Poem by By Kristi Bothur.)

10 Reasons to Avoid Disney World

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? I want to go as much as anyone, but here are 10 Reasons not to! Disney's magical world in Orlando, Florida has much to offer- or does it?

1-  Rise of the Resistance.  Disney World's most coveted, hardest to ride new attraction is still a mess! Not just the most wanted ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios but resort wide. Capacity may be much better than it was the first several months of operation, but having to book a reservation at 7am the day you want to ride is just ridiculous. I can almost guarantee the first generation Imagineers - and even many second generation ones would be/are embarrassed by this mess. Great, ambitious ride but extremely low capacity and high unreliability. What were they thinking?

2- Scheduling Your Trip is Even More Difficult. As if planning a trip to Walt Disney World wasn't hard enough, now you have to book park reservations along with planning out everything else. I understand but no. Just no.

3- Limited Resort Options. Spring Break at the Polynesian Village Resort? Not open. You get the point. Choices are fewer and this makes reservation scheduling even more difficult. Besides, many of us love planning a resort only day to explore one after another. Now, that's not easy and maybe impossible to do.  

4- Cancelled Theater Shows. Legend of the Lion King and Finding Nemo the Musical are only two of the cancelled ones. If you love these kind of attractions (and I don't personally aside from these two in Animal Kingdom), this may not be the best time to go. Particularly to the Studios and Animal Kingdom where these kind of performances feel as if they outnumber real attractions. I guess the same could be said for the reduced number of live performances in the streets of World Showcase. 

5- Higher Prices. Disney suits have to make up for fewer guests somewhere. Look around and check into the prices for your favorite snacks or merchandise or other activities. You'll be surprised- but it won't be pleasant. And I'd bet prices will not return to previous levels. Do they ever? No.

Yes, that is Tower of Terror behind the Morocco showcase.

Has thoughtful design gone out the window?

You'd think so by viewing the back of the France pavilion

from the Disney Skyliner!

6- Epcot Changes. Sure, the attractions are open, but one of the best and unnoticed aspects until it's gone with a Walt Disney World vacation is the atmosphere. Constructions walls abound. With the delay of Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind and at least one more year of work on Communicore (R.I.P.), waiting is sure to pay off. Just as noteworthy is the loss of cast members from the countries of World Showcase. Part of the fun is interacting with them and the charm and memories they bring. Clearly a lesser experience now more than ever.

7- Reduced Park Hours. This is just an insult. In addition to making Disney Springs even more crowded in the evening, if you go, you'll be paying the same amount for less time than ever in the parks. You may be thinking, "Fine- but I go there for more than the parks." That's well and good, but then consider there are probably great resorts closer to your home if you want to spend a couple of days relaxing. What makes Disney unique are their parks. They are the backbone of it all.

8- Wearing A Mask All Day. While I fully understand and support doing so for the sake of those around me who may be compromised, do you really want to do this? Do you really want photos of your family's perhaps once in a lifetime trip where all you can see are Little Jimmy's eyes and Teen aged Susan's over glittered Mickey Ears but not their smiles? Yuck.

9- Perks No Longer. What used to make staying on the property worth it is disappearing bit by bit. From the loss of significant Extra Magic Hours, free Magic Bands and Luggage Tags, and full Mickey's Magical Express, the loss of resort perks is astounding. The true peak of great Disney service was around 1989 after the opening of a third park and the Grand Floridian Resort. Truth is, it's gone steadily down hill ever since. 

10- Character Interactions and Evening Entertainment. Standing in line for a princess or a rubberhead is not for everyone, but for those with small children in their group, it can be the highlight of a trip to the World. No firework shows / evening entertainment? Unforgivable- but just another reason to keep the parks closing early.

So, these are the 10 Reasons to Avoid Walt Disney World. Will I write an article arguing the opposite? Perhaps. If I can think of that many!

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Expect the Unexpected!

The year 2020 was very unique to say the least! If we learned anything this year, it was this: Expect the Unexpected! This is really nothing new. History teaches us that once we think we have everything figured out, something unexpected happens. You can go as far back in human history and see this. 

Back in the Old Testament, the first part of the Bible, God's people encountered a God who acted in unexpected ways: Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Hagar, Solomon, Saul- the list goes on and on…These were imperfect people encountering a righteous, perfect, and loving God. But it wasn't who they expected him to be. Our God has a long history of doing what He wants, when He wants and involving the people He wants. Rarely if ever does this look like what man expects! Especially, sometimes, the religious man, those who think of themselves as spiritual, or those who think they know everything.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, you can just imagine his new disciples  Peter, Andrew, and James and John talking to the new recruits: They probably said, “Expect the Unexpected”, and they wouldn’t be wrong! Jesus’ words and actions were often unexpected- even unwanted. And his questions were piercing! 

Follow along with me and read the New Testament book of Mark, verses 8:27-30: 

"27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. (That's the northern part of Israel by the Jordan river.) And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 

28 and they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”  

29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”  

30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him."

I'm going to go through these 11 verses until the end of the chapter, and by doing so, we'll see Jesus challenges us by asking 3 important questions.

Jesus' primary question, Question #1  -  “Who Am I to You?”     

This may be the most important question of all time. We all have to decide for ourselves who Jesus is. It's so surprise to readers of this blog that I believe Jesus is the Creator God made man, uncreated by any other and subject to no one, the one and only perfect sacrifice for the sins of man. He's eternal, holy, righteous, and fully worthy of our love, trust, and obedience. But each person has to decide that for themselves.

By this part of the disciples' journey with Him, they have seen Jesus miraculously feed the 5 Thousand, walk on water, cast out demons, heal leapers and paralytics, and raise the dead! This is a pretty impressive resume, I'd say! All these actions gave credibility to his message that He alone is The Way, the Truth and The Life- and that no one would enter Heaven any other way than by relationship with Him. 

They’ve lived with Jesus, watched him closely. Supposed messiahs have come and gone. Was he the real deal? They would soon discover the answer for themselves- well, at least Eleven of them would.

So, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Everyone jumps in with answers (John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet). But then Jesus gets more specific - “But who do you say that I am?” It gets quiet, but Peter speaks up:  he responds correctly- “You are the Christ!”  

“You are the Christ", Christ means the “Anointed One” -the Greek word for the Hebrew term "Messiah". Peter's confession equates Jesus with the Heavenly Father, God in the flesh. We all have to figure this out for ourselves. We will have to give an answer and an account of our lives. 

 Let’s keep reading. Go to the next few verses,  Mark 8:31-33. 

31 and he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.   

32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of god, but on the things of man.”

Jesus’ probing question, Question #2  - 

“Where is Your Focus- My Plans or Yours?

The heart of the question means are we focused on God's eternal kingdom or the one of earth that will pass away?    

Gotta love Peter! He's bold, passionate, unstoppable- even fearless! A “Let’s get things done” kind of guy who takes the bull by the horns. Constantly pushing the envelope. Always putting something to the test. He knows what’s right and knows what to do and how to do it in every situation. 

First, he’s the rock star student by answering Jesus correctly when everyone else was silent. But then, he gets full of himself and shoots off his mouth. This time, Peter is dead wrong!  Peter could not accept was God was doing and how he did it! Peter challenged the very God he just acknowledged as to the wisdom of his plan?!! 

He didn’t ask questions for clarity.  He just told the creator God of the Universe “NO!” Stupid, ballsy, or just human?

At his core, Peter was a humanist that has encountered the Living God and had to change the way he thinks and lives!    

I’m just like Peter sometimes! Aren’t you?  

Jesus’ response to Peter is also pretty unexpected! There were important lessons his disciples needed to hear. Very important lessons that would serve them well as they carried out Jesus' mission once He ascended back to Heaven before returning one day in the future:   

• God’s ways are not man’s ways.   (Isaiah 55:8)

• Followers of God will not always understand what He allows!

Learning this quickly would serve them well because their word was about to be rocked. They would soon be sent out without Jesus to do the same things Jesus did. Then, they would watch him die on the cross, paying the penalty of a criminal, before watching Jesus be raised from the dead, proving He was God. 

For all of them but John the Beloved, their lives would also end early and violently because of their faith in Jesus. The Disciples were called to trust Him regardless of the circumstances! We who love Jesus and follow Him have the same choice to make. We either trust him or we don’t. It’s that simple!

The events of 2020 were totally unexpected! If you’re like me, it was a season of intense investigation as to what motivates us and what we’re made of; a season of revealing idols in our lives. (Sometimes we are our own idol!) It was also a season of purification as God reveals sin in our lives.

Ultimately, it was a season of renewing His purposes for us personally and for the churches that following His Great Commandment and Great Commission. What do His questions mean for the local church?

Maybe God is hitting the “reset button” on the church!

My hunch is that the American church will end up looking more like the Persecuted church. This means the governments hate them, try to eliminate or nominalize believers, and that citizens are free to maim, persecute, and kill them. It also means they have hope, please God by proclaiming Him regardless of their troubles, have the closest of community, see the miraculous, and live the kind of life that brings eternal rewards. It may be easy to see where they are poor, but can you see where they are rich? I can!

There's that option or the local church ends up looking like the world- A Social Club who thinks and acts and lives from a humanistic mindset. Pleasure is all that matters because today is all that matters. There's no eternity, but there's also no hope.

The New Testament church was not only known for caring for each other but for setting the world on fire with the good news! For eight full chapters of the Book of Acts (what happens after Jesus ascends into Heaven) and before the Apostle Paul’s conversion, God used normal people like you and I to spread the Gospel message, and bring God glory by healing the sick, and doing the work of the kingdom. The truth of mans' sin and of eternal judgment was never ignored. In fact, those truths pointed to the need for Jesus... which brought great joy to those who believed.

Did you know “Ekklesia”- the Greek word for church- means “the Called Out Ones”? That term is used in Matthew 16:18. Are we called out by God? Yes, as believers in Jesus, we absolutely are! This means we are called to be different than the world in order to reach it.

What else should 2020 teach us? God’s kingdom and purposes are never thwarted by problems or what looks like defeat. They are proven true and powerful through them!  

If you’ve been a believer for long, looking at your life should prove that! You should see times where God has allowed something horrible to happen, but if nothing else, it's taught you to rely on Him and trust Him. As it has many times for me, the worst things that have happened have also brought blessings and great understanding years later. You just have to be patient!We may not always understand the answer to the question of "Why?" but we learn we can always trust our God who is eternally loving and good all the time.

In the midst of a year like 2020 ands the coronavirus, civil unrest, wars, and social injustice, God is still on the throne and his ways are right and pure and honorable! Think of the crucifixion. Jesus’ death was attributed to the wickedness of men but helped complete the purposes of God. This season in our history is no different!

So, first Jesus asks, “Who Am I to You?”.  Then he asks, ““Where is your focus- my plans or yours? The eternal kingdom or the one that will pass away?”  What's his last compelling question in this chapter of Mark? Let’s read the last four verses.      

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 

35 for whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 

36 for what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 

37 for what can a man give in return for his soul? 

38 for whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Jesus’ provisional question , Question #3  -    

“Will You Follow Where I Lead You?”   

There’s no middle ground here. We will or we won’t.

For all the unexpected words and actions of Jesus, this is what we can expect:

• Judgment is coming - our individual sin makes us guilty before God

• His love caused the Father to send the Son to die in our place 

• We can have eternal life and forgiveness of sin through Him and by no other way

He promises He will not turn you away if you come to him! (John 6:37)

But Jesus has expectations of those who are his:

(Remember, we’re not earning our salvation- these words and actions are an expression of our gratefulness and our new life.)

What does Jesus expect of those of follow him?    

• To remain in love with him

• To be faithful, to be true to his Word, to trust He is in control 

• To persevere, enduring hardship

• To be His messengers, his hands and feet and mouth to a dying world! Treating people as He would

We will not always understand what God asks us to do! It could be risky, it may not make sense, someone will be upset or it’s not the way things have been done in the past. It's a small price we have to pay.

This isn’t just about the Great Commandment to love and the Great Commission to go out and share the Good News! A vibrant walk with Jesus is an ongoing journey-  

Remember the focus is on Him and what he’s doing- not us! We are not to be a people that waits until the end of our life to ask “What would most please Jesus, what does God want of me? Am I furthering His kingdom or what would most bring God glory?”  That said, Jesus does call us to die!

John 12:24  says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “  Since, we all have to die anyway,  let’s bear fruit that pleases our God!

The events of 2020 were not a disruption of God’s plan. They were part of it! In 2021 it’s time to move forward!    

We just celebrated Jesus birth, His name Immanuel- “God with us”- and He still is with us! Be encouraged! This may be the biggest battle for our minds that this generation will face. God is always at work. He still is!

So friends, be encouraged- He’s with us, He’ll never leave and his power is in us and available to all who are his. Remember we have our church family- we’re not doing this alone!

Those who crucified Jesus didn’t expect him to be resurrected- but He was! Those who don’t know him don’t expect him to return- but He will! No one will escape the coming judgment. Every life will be evaluated. Do you know Him? 

Peter acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, argued with the crucifixion, failed so miserably, and denied Jesus three times. He didn’t expect to be reinstated (or even have his feet washed). But God’s love was so deep, human failings didn’t deter Him! Happily, we are in the same grip of His love! Go forth!

 (Images from Crello.)

Control or Consent (Part Three)

In Part One of "Control or Consent?", we first discussed our desire to control our circumstances and then our image. In Part Two, we contrasted Christianity in the West with what God's view of how our faith in Jesus Christ should impact our lives. We've also looked at what the world says is the right way to live our lives. Now, let's slightly shift gears and look at what the Bible says is to be the view we hold of ourselves and others. Look at the Apostle Paul's letter to the new believers in Rome, starting at verses 3-5:

"3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."

It's an uncomfortable truth, but in order think more highly of ourselves, we have to think less of others! Ouch! We can fall into this easily! This view of people is in contrast to God who gives each person different roles and places in life but the same value! I'm not always successful at thinking more highly about others than myself, but I'd rather humble myself and change my attitude and actions than have God humble me.

Here's some good questions to think about:

   -   Can I train myself to give others the same kind of grace I give myself? I fall on my face often and don't want to live under my failures. Can I offer that to someone else?
   - Can I train myself to see people the way God sees them? Worthy of dignity and honor and respect?  
   -   Can I see people who don't know Jesus as God sees them? This can be difficult at times as Christians can be seen as the enemy or we can see them as an enemy. But the truth is no one will listen to a message about God's justice, love, and forgiveness, if we don't treat them with honor and respect.

Unfortunately, sometimes those of us in the church have the opposite problem! We think that God has failed us in the way He designed us and that we have no value! We may even think we are broken beyond repair and that He cannot use us His purposes. But that's not true! Why else would a powerful God send His Only Son Jesus to die on our behalf and in our place if we have no value or purpose. Hmmm...

We've now seen who we are and how God sees us and others. Let's keep reading in the book of Romans and continue onto verses 6 through 8.

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. " 

This is what we are called to! Use the gifts God has given us for the benefit of people we loves. (Also look at 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 for additional lists of gifts God gives.) We are ambassadors of Jesus, making His appeal through us that others would be reconciled to Him. We are on a mission- and all of us are missionaries! We're all gifted differently for God's glory and His Holy Spirit gives us the power to use our gifts.

So, how are we to use our gifts? That's next up in verses 9-16. Paul doesn't miss a beat! :

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight."

I really have a problem with people who are phony! Our love for others has to be genuine. God defines what is good and evil. We do not. He is God and can do what He sees is best. Regardless of what we read or see in our world, God's standards are true and are the ones by which we will be judged. 

When we step out and use the gifts God has given us, we'd better be prepared for problems as well as words of thanks. We will go right up against people and ideas that don't appreciate we are bucking the stats quo. This happens inside and outside the church. But if we are doing what God has called us to, He is pleased- and that is the bottom line. Pastor, author, and now missionary Francis Chan once said these words that have stuck with me, "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.”  

The Apostle Paul ends the chapter addressing the opposition we will get as we are faithful. These verses 17-21, speak a truth I don't always want to hear:
  
"Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

This may be one of the hardest tests in the "Faith vs. Control" battle. How will we react when opposition comes our way? I bet at one time or another, every one of us has been opposed, slandered, betrayed, overlooked, or treated poorly. I know I have. What will we choose to do? It needs to be forgiveness.

Forgive, move on, and keep doing what God has told you to do!

   -   Will we choose to pray for those who hurt us? Even do well by them?
   -   Will we continue to work through the process of forgiveness? 
(By the way-Forgiveness doesn't always mean restored relationship!)
  -   Will we choose to continue on with what The Lord has called us to?      We must!

Biblical forgiveness is something the world doesn't not understand, but they are intrigued by it. This creates an open door for the Good News. Why? Because true forgiveness reflects the heart of God. 

So, how do we live? How will you live? Will you allow God to hit the reset button in your life? Whose view of our world and the people in it will you hold too be true?   

Maybe you've said "no" to God in the past when He was directing you. Those opportunities are gone, but He has new ones waiting for you. Take the risk!  

Perhaps those natural plans and dreams are just a foreshadowing of what God intends for your life. Offer them up to Him. It means taking a chance and putting your faith in action.

Don't Ask: “WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I OFFERED UP MY PLANS AND DREAMS TO GOD?”

Instead Ask:  
“WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF I OFFERED UP MY PLANS AND DREAMS TO GOD?”

God created  you with a specific design. Wouldn't it make sense that by offering up your plans would bring you the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment and bring Him the most glory?

Control or Consent? (Part Two)

With an upside down world, a world of COVID-19, rioting, and unleashed rebellion, one where evil is often considered good and visa versa and there are so many voices clamoring for our attention- especially in a presidential election year- the most important question we must answer is “Whose voice will we listen to?”  

The world’s? Our own? Our favorite political party? Perhaps our favorite news outlet? Or that of God? The voice we listen to will tell us how we should live. Will we choose Fear or Faith? Panic or Peace? Helplessness or Hope? Control or Consent? Death or Life?

A while back, we talked about human nature and our active desire to fully control our circumstances. And the high price we pay! (See it here.) When that wasn't possible, we move on to desperately trying to control our image. Beginning all the way back in the Garden of Eden and the real First Couple, from their story we learned:

• Our enemy Satan is working against us! When we give in to pride and control, we play right into his plans! He loves prideful people. Who will win?
• Going our own way reveals our lack of faith and our fear that God has forgotten us! Which route will be choose?

If we call ourselves people that are chasing after God's heart and His ways, pursuing our desire for control takes us places we never want to go. Pressing into this leads to a loss of integrity, a loss of relationship as people become objects to be used,  and this results in a damage to our witness of Jesus Christ and his power to change us from broken sinful people into men and women who are still imperfect but saved and changed by our loving God.

In addition to all this, insisting on and getting our own ways sacrifices the good God intended had we waited on Him patiently. Trusting He knows what is best for us versus rushing ahead without Him. It's a cheap substitution we take in place of what He planned. Most importantly, we fail God by taking His place in our lives. What a high price we pay for this! 

Big egos bring down kings to commoners, presidents to press secretaries and everyone in between. Thankfully, God is merciful to all of us when we return to Him. We don't always get the full consequences of our sin although there are always natural consequences to our actions.

Now that we’ve seen it’s better to trust in the Lord than ourselves-  How will we live our lives? In days like this, where there’s much change and turmoil, Our response as Jesus followers is crucial!

This difficult season in life isn't what causes our tendencies to react poorly. The truth is, this season just reveals what is already inside us- good or bad. It also reveals what foundation we have truly been building our lives on.

The world says “Our hope is in a return to normal!” As Jesus Followers, this is not our foundation.  Our God says, “Our hope is in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to us and in His Triumphant return” (Titus 2:11-14). This is our foundation- Jesus will be faithful, and He will return in triumph to judge the world.

What does this mean for God's people, His church? Maybe at least in America, where we've had centuries of blessing and freedom, maybe God is hitting the reset button. Is He killing the American Dream of a carefree life where we get to do as we please? Or could He just be making us rethink how we are to live as those who love God and are called according to His purposes?  

In the midst of an ever changing world, how do we live? How do we recapture what God intended? The answer is to be found in the Bible's book of Romans, the letter the great Apostle Paul wrote to the young church there. Specifically, chapter 12.

Here's some background:
• Paul wrote this during his third missionary journey in about 57AD- during the time of Nero.
• Rome was an influential city of about one million people from all over the world. 
• Highly diverse, a center of commerce. Known as a place of worshiping multiple gods.
• It was also a place where the church was growing- where God had work for His people!

Now the opening verses, 1-5:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.   

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."  

As you can read, human nature hasn't changed at all! The people of Israel in the Old Testament had this strange cycle in their worship of God. He would bless them. They'd enjoy His blessings and take life easy until they got bored. Then they'd worship other gods. The One True God would then bring punishment and correction, sometimes for generations, until they cried out to Him. Then He would answer their prayer and redeem them from their enemies. And the cycle would start all over again.

We in the West who are Christians seem to be no better.  We feel right into Satan's trap of complacency. We pursued our goals, our dreams, a lifestyle we wanted- all while under the banner of God's name. 

Of course, this is everyone or all churches, and it's a generalization. Yet it does apply for the majority of those who claim to follow Jesus as over time, Christians are looking more and more like the world. Our love of money, our pursuit of a culture of death and rebellion, etc. In all too many ways, we are not too different. The price for living like this is very high!

• Our hobbies became extreme but our faith became low risk! Comfort became our primary goal and idol.

• We became more desirous of maintaining a Christian culture than we did about personally reaching out to others and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. 

• We the church transitioned to a culture of inviting people to church instead of inviting them into our lives so we could tell them what Jesus accomplished through His Death and His Resurrection. 

• We allowed those in the world to take lead on responsibilities God entrusted to His people. So, the world seized the opportunity and twisted the original intent.  Where have we fallen short?
   - Stewardship of His beautiful creation.
   - Caring for the unborn- providing care and mercy for those who   are unable to do so for themselves.
   - Social justice and creating a culture of unity and brotherhood between all races.

Isn't the way the church has acted in the 21st century just the opposite of what we read about in the New Testament. Absolutely! Is God pleased? Absolutely not. No only is God not pleased as His children in the West are forgetting so many important pieces- the balance of our words and our actions working together to bring God glory- He understands we are missing so much fulfillment and joy. Just look at the consequences of this "incomplete faith" on the church:

• “Ministry” eventually became a job for professionals. Just another career choice.  
• Were you more serious about Jesus' words? This meant you had to end up on a church staff
or overseas on an international missions field.
• Sunday service became the day when professionals put oil a performance for those who attended.
• Our lives became safe as they became under our control. We no longer needed God's empowering to do the work He called us to. We could rely on our own strength and wisdom as we managed our safe, secure, and ultimately empty lives.  

After years and years of living this way, our faith became boring as we ripped out its original, passionate, God-focused intent! So we moved onto other things that interest but ultimately leave us empty and unsatisfied in the deepest places.

I've fallen into this trap at times! Have you?

How do we recapture the life God intended? It begins by how we look at our lives. Here's the beginning of that chapter:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. "  (verse 1)

• We belong to Him if we claim to be His! 
• The system of Old Testament sacrifices – offering up dead animals on the altar- were completed in Jesus at the cross. Once and for all! (See Hebrews 7:27)
• Believers there in Rome understood the sacrificial system- but they needed to know how to live in a brand new way!
• Offering the way we live as our sacrifice means we are following Jesus' example! He gave all for God's glory and His purposes. Our call is no different.

In the letter to the Galatian church, Paul says- 
“ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”” (2:20)


THAT IS GOD’S VIEW OF WHO WE ARE!

Worship is more than avoiding sin! It's more than a pursuit of holiness! It's a life focused on God's plans, with God's heart, for God's purposes. The truth is when we are focused on these things and doing the work of God's Kingdom, sin avoidance and the pursuit of holiness in the way we live is far easier. God desires we live for Him and not just be willing to die for Him.

People that think as the world does view life very differently. 
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  (verse 2)

Not thinking like the world must be an important truth as Paul had to warn the believers in Colossians of the exact same things (in Chapter 2 of that book) and the same warning went out to the church in Ephesus in Chapter 4 of that letter.  What is the world's view? "Live for today and satisfy every desire for whatever you want! Your body is yours to do with as you please with whoever you wish." But God says the wisdom of the world is foolishness (I Corinthians 1:25).

How are we to be transformed? Renew your mind with God's truth. Read the Bible for yourself and not just someone's interpretation of it. Pray and ask God to do His work in you. It's a prayer He wants to answer! Wait for Him to speak top you and show you what He wants from you. Get with a small group of believers on a regular basis for a time of Bible study, prayer, and personal encouragement. Christianity has never been a solo sport. It's always been a team competition although each of us are judged and rewarded individually. 

One of the hardest things to figure out is God's will. The foundation is the Bible, but other parts also come into play. the Bible is God's revealed will for all believers. You can read it for yourself. Love the LORD God with everything in you and Love others as yourself. Straightforward beginnings. 

The personal will of God for your life has to be sought out. And it takes time. 

   -   Reading the Bible 
   -   Hearing His Voice through your private prayer 
   -   Wise counsel of others
   -   Sometimes dreams and visions  
   -   Lastly, circumstances

None of these will ever conflict with the Word- but His answer may conflict with our own thoughts and preferences. When you think God has given you something to do, how do you check it?

The great theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem says there are four dimensions in discovering God's will. He says Consider the action itself. Consider your attitude about it; be honest about your motives, and think about the end result. What will happen and who will get the glory?  

The world might look at earthly success as a mark of an important and accomplished life. God looks for an obedient, humble, heart. 

This is a good place to stop for now. In Part Two, we'll look at how we are to treat others as we go about being involved in God's work. Stay tuned...

Three Little Bears

 These three make me smile! With COVID-19 around, schooling options increased but made things more difficult. Making the best of a bad situation is what we have to do.

Distance learning can have its advantages, right? Let's hope so for these cute little guys!

The High Price of Control (Control or Consent? Part One)

So far, I think it's safe to say that the year 2020 will go down in history. It' s a mess! Of course, our places of rest and relaxation, those wonder Disney Parks worldwide, have had problems opening at all (Disneyland), opening and closing (Hong Kong Disneyland) or have opened with a variety of restrictions, limited hours, and lessened experiences and adventures.  COVID-19, racial tensions all over the world (not just in the U.S.A., you know?), and wars, rumors of wars, and tension that is almost unbearable.

For someone like me, a control freak, these are difficult times! I like order, a sense of routine, and I like everything to make sense. At least that's what I say publicly. Honestly- I just like things the way I like them! In my home, in my work, in my life- my plans, my timing, my way! I don’t like others telling me what to do and how to do it- and honestly, you don’t either! 

This season of change, disease, conflict, turmoil, loss of freedoms, is hard to navigate! At times, I’ve been angry, fearful, defiant, frustrated, and even depressed- because I can’t get what I want! I’m more likely to speak and complain than I am to listen and to pray!  Are you like me?

Yet, when I stop and pray, read the Bible, and ask God to show me- and then wait- I catch glimpses of what He is doing! He's not surprised by any of this. And actually  He is in control. I’m blessed to be in His family and watch Him work through us who believe!

The Desire to Control is a core sin issue all the way back to the beginning, and Genesis 3 is wherein all began. Back in the Garden when we meet Adam and Eve, the first couple. As you'll see, the desire for control comes at a very high price. Higher than we ever want to pay!

Here's Genesis 3:1-5, but first a recap. God creates this stunningly beautiful and peaceful world and everything in it. He gives and and woman a great purpose, and He gives them honor, making them to be bearers of His image. There's no brokenness, no shame, no sin, no worries. All the couple has to do is rest, stay in relationship with God and enjoy all He created. Sounds great, right? Yes! Then unfortunately, Satan, the devil, one of the angels God created but who rebelled from Him, comes into the picture to destroy it all.

"1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.  He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

We want to control our circumstances- it's human nature and it goes all the way back to the beginning of time. This part of human history leaves me with some questions-

Was Eve right there in front of the tree when the serpent found her? Some scholars say she was! I doubt the serpent escorted her to the tree!

My bet is he waited until she was there in front of it. Just as God says to Cain (the guy who killed his brother in cold blood) in the next chapter, “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to (what’s best for) you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)

Then Satan, whose in the garden in the form of the serpent, waited until Eve's curiosity got the best of her- and it did, revealing her heart condition. Eve was fixated on what she couldn’t have instead of being thankful for what she did! Sounds like me. Does it ever sound like you? Always focused on what's missing in our lives. Man, we can have it all, and it can still be never enough. We fall so easily into Satan's trap. He's a lion waiting to pounce! Here's what it looks like.

Satan always waits for an opportune time to approach us. Are you at your weakest? This is when we know we need God, so Satan is not so obvious! He’ll wait until more time has gone on, when you begin to doubt God’s love and goodness. Then, temptation will come. Are you at a point of strength? Satan will wait until you begin to rely on yourself instead of on God. The enemy loves our pride! It makes temptation easier for us to dive right into.

You can be sure that Satan desires to remove our dependency on God by first making us doubt His Love and Goodness. He plays into our anger, fear, frustration and ego, making us think we know better or can do better. He knows God’s word - the Bible- (and even has correct theology!) but he wants to rule and keep others from knowing God's love and forgiveness which is offered to all through Jesus Christ. (See the Book of John in the New Testament, Chapter 3, verses 16 and 17.) Satan always includes a portion of truth in the mix to lead us to sin.

He plays with words to twist their meaning and then manipulates us with them. (People do this all the time. I hate it!) He asks the woman if God said they couldn’t eat of ANY tree in the Garden. Surely, he knew differently, but Satan wanted to make her doubt what she knew she’d heard from God. Once that happens, our desire to control plays right into his hands.

Ultimately, Satan always us offers the lie of getting something that seems good and satisfying to us but without God’s involvement. As if God will not give us all we need!  His approach is not always a direct afront or an easily recognized temptation. That’s usually too obvious! How can you tell? Well, Satan’s way usually offers a shortcut, a quick alternative to get what we want. Just a bit of compromise is all it takes. That white lie? That compromise of integrity? It doesn't take much to move us into that dangerous territory.

As we know, he tried this approach with Adam and Eve and it worked! He tries it with us and it works. Thankfully, he tried it with Jesus and it didn’t work! (Luke 4) Our God and our God alone triumphed over Satan's evil plan.

Satan takes advantage of our God-given free will. He'll try to play right into our control issues and the pride it reveals. Listen now - this is important- Our Enemy's goal is to get us to trade a living active relationship with God in order to gain His qualities. If we can think we will walk in control, knowledge, and power without having to be under God's authority, we are prime candidates to be deceived. 

Back to the Garden. Our human response is no better than Eve's. She tells the serpent we May not touch Tree of Knowledge of good and evil (vs 3). Perhaps with good intentions to 1- communicate the seriousness to the serpent or 2- she really just set that up as an additional boundary to help herself with obedience. If so, not a bad plan- but never is it as good as going right to God for our questions and for strength when tempted…or just trusting Him, believing He knows what’s best for us.

Our lust for power, our pride, our desire to control our lives happens so naturally that we may not even realize we are doing it. Our continual challenge is believing God and trusting Him. Going to Him vs. trusting in someone else's opinion or relying on our own strength- even when it doesn’t make sense to trust God! The truth is, the stronger our desire to live our own way, the deeper pride is anchored in us, weighing us down and pulling us toward eternal destruction.

Let's continue os in Genesis 3, verse 6 and 7:

"6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."

Eve’s isolated, away from Adam, never calls out to God to check for truth before taking action. Was she trying to control the relationship? Adam never checks in with God either. Was he just wanting to fit in? What was that all about? Eve desires wisdom, so she eats of the forbidden fruit. Her desire for what seems good overrules her obedience to God. She may have had good intentions, but they come with disastrous results because God’s not the center! Our choices can certainly get us in trouble! And our sin never just affects us! Our internal voice : “It’s not fair”, “It’s not enough”, “My way is better” etc. everything around us echoes that. It is the song the world sings.

How many times do we jump into something we think is right for us and justify our choices, when we know deep down we may be disobeying God, hurting someone, or trying to just get what we want because we want it?  We may even fool ourselves and fool others, but we never fool God! Too often, when we get what we've fought for, even if its something good, it is far less satisfying than what God would have given us had we let Him work on our behalf. Do we have the faith to wait and to wait on Him?

Could it be we only trust any authority when we are the one's in charge? Ouch! That hits home for me, and I'm not proud of that! When we do it our way, we get the glory, not God! It may all look good, but it is not what God intended. What God intends for us is always better from an eternal perspective and often from a current one.

Back to Adam and Eve- So now we see the desire to control our circumstances doesn’t work in our favor!  What’s next?

On to Genesis 3, verses 8-13...

"8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Again, there’s a very high price for control – and it takes another form… We Want to Control Our Image! Notice in earlier verses, they sewed fig leaves to cover their nakedness (vs 7), and then Adam blames Eve (vs 12). Now- We have to deal with shame, fear, blame shifting, and a desire to run away from God instead of to Him!

Funny how human nature hasn’t changed at all! If we can’t control our circumstances, we’ll try to control how people see us! It’s not just our politicians, influencers, and activists that do this! It happens in entertainment and sports, in business, in education, in the church, in any group of people. I've fallen into that trap. Have you? It’s just easier on social media now, right? 

Think of how we choose to control our image- the image others have of us:
• Always in control if not powerful 
• We’re the authority in any circumstance- knowledgeable and wise- and full of false humility
• Always happy, always self-reliant 

Image control is a form of manipulation. Ouch again!

The problem trying to control our image is we begin to believe our own press! And it's all a fantasy! Not being honest with ourselves about our sin, our motives, what truly drives us, what scares and worries us, keeping us isolated, lonely, broken, angry, fearful, depressed. Trying to control our image can keep us in bondage. I'd rather walk in freedom.

Ultimately, controlling our image creates a dishonest image, an illusion. It can be one  that drives others away. And if you are a follower in Jesus, it can keep those two don't yet know Him away from God due to our dishonesty.  When we live like those who don't know God, we play right into Satan’s ultimate goal- dividing people from God for eternity!

We may try to control our image, but God knows us intimately! Maybe this is why we’re reluctant to talk to Him? It can be difficult to deal with what is really in us. It’s easier to just read the Bible alone, than it is to read the Bible and take time to listen to the God who wrote it!

Genesis tells us it cost the whole human race a lot because of the sin of Adam and Eve. Verses 14- 23. 

"14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Certainly dire consequences! (Notice- There’s consequences for sin, but God never curses the Marriage relationship!) Let's keep reading (Finally, there’s hope!):

"20 The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life."

God’s love and faithfulness to us and His devotion to righteousness causes Him to make a sacrifice on our behalf. Something had to die on our behalf.  

• This sacrifice is a foreshadowing of what Jesus will accomplish on the cross.
• God restores the honor He created us with. And even now that we’re broken, we still have a place in his family.
• We get to walk in freedom and forgiveness not in shame. By His blood, we are forgiven and made new!

From the very beginning, God does not treat us as we deserve!
“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. “(Psalm 103:10)

So, let me ask you- Who is in Control?

Just like Adam and Eve, we can engage Satan without even realizing it!  
• Focusing on what we don’t have / what we cannot do - instead of our blessings
• Fixating on Temptation instead of fleeing from it.  
• Placing our hope in something or someone other than the Lord
• Throwing our weight around, trying to force people and situations to bend to what we think is best.
• Believing the image of us that we present to others, being dishonest before God

Pursuing this path of control takes us places we never want to go!    It leads to:  
• Loss of integrity- both how we view ourselves and how others see us
• Loss of relationship as we force others to bend to what we think is best
• Damage to our witness of Jesus to the outside world
• Sacrifice of the good God intended
• Control reflects Fear that God may not know best or fearthat He has forgotten us!
• And Most importantly- We fail God by taking His place in our lives!

But we  can engage God in times like these and escape the trap!
• When that temptation comes, acknowledge it and call out to God! (Temptation is not sin! Following through is sin.)
• Develop a heart of thankfulness. Begin your day with thanksgiving.
• Avoid isolation- get creative!
• Keep our hope placed on Him- remember in this world we will have trials and tribulations. People will fail us!
• Remain humble before Him- ask God to grow us in humility. 
• Check our motives before we act and speak. Put away false humility! Use our words to encourage others, be honest with them, and not manipulate them.

As much as I’m a Control Freak, I also have a desire to please my Lord, seek His Heart, and Be About His purposes! Are you like me too? (Don't miss the last few paragraphs!)

This may or may not be the Final Quarter in the history of the world. But it’s clear that old things have passed away. Whether we like it or not, God is using this new season- and He needs His People to be his ambassadors in a world that is dying- with an eternity in Hell at risk for those who don’t know Him.

The truth is: This season doesn't cause our problems! It just reveals the core sin nature in us, and it comes to the surface!

It's time to start listening to what God says and to put away a life that is displeasing to Him.
• Tired of taking control of your life? Tired of running from God who loves you? You may know Him or maybe not, but we all struggle here.
• Are you needy and broken by sin- needing freedom and forgiveness?

If you know God and have given your life over to Jesus, maybe its time to do some business with Him. 

If you don't know Him, listen to Jesus' words:
“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, NO ONE COMES TO GOD THE FATHER BUT BY ME!" (John 14:6)

He wasn't being cruel! He was being loving by keeping it simple and direct. He knew other people and our enemy would want to confuse us. Jesus paid the price for your sin and for mine, and He died it our place. But He rose from the crucifixion to prove He is God. Will you trust Him and believe this is so? God is waiting to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him if this is true- and wait and listen for Him. He is calling you home!