No Man Can Steal What God Gives

Today, it seems peace and joy are elusive. Sadly, hope seems a bit out of reach. Yet, I know that God is ultimately in control of all my circumstances. Good or bad, if they are allowed by God, it must be for his purposes to help transform me to look more like Jesus. In the Bible's book of John, chapter 3 verse 27, John the Baptist is addressing the people: "John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven." This reminds me that things like joy, hope, peace and more - especially eternal life- cannot be robbed from me by the actions of anyone else. I need to remember that! Do you?

日本に新たな王国がやってくる

はるかに新しい何かが日本にやってくる。ファンタジースプリングスがこれからも成し得ないほど大きく、より良く、もっと印象的な何かが。信じがたいかもしれませんが、本当のことです。「神は世を愛されたので、独り子(イエス)をお与えになった。それは、神を信じる者はだれでも滅びず、永遠のいのちを得るためである。神が御子を世に遣わして世を非難したからではなく、神を通して世が救われるからです。(ヨハネの聖書)

そこで彼らは、盲目で口のきけな悪霊に抑圧されている人(イエス)をイエスのところに連れて来て、イエスが彼を癒したので、その人は話し、見ました。民はみな驚いて言った、「これはダビデの子でしょうか。」しかし、パリサイ人たちはそれを聞いて、「この人は悪霊の長であるベルゼブブによってのみ、悪霊を追い出すことができるでしょう」と言いました。イエスは自分の考えを知って、彼らに言った、「すべての分裂した王国は、その前に荒れ果て、分裂した町や家は、その前に立つことはありません。そして、サタンがサタンを追い出すなら、サタンは自分自身に対して分裂するでしょう。では、彼の王国はどうなるでしょうか?もし私がベルゼブブによって悪霊を追い出すなら、あなたの息子たちは誰によって悪霊を追い出すでしょうか。ですから、彼らはあなたの裁判官になります。しかし、もし私が悪霊を追い出したのが神の御霊によってであるならば、神の国はあなたがたの上に来たのです。(聖書のマタイ)

その時、私は新しい天と新しい地を見た。最初の天と最初の地は消え去り、海はもうなかったからである。そして、聖なる都、新しいエルサレムが神から天から来て、手入れの行き届いた結婚式のように夫のために準備されているのを見ました。そして、玉座から「見よ、神の住まいは人とともにある」という大きな声が聞こえました。神は彼らと共に住み、彼らは神の民となり、神ご自身が彼らの神として彼らとともにおられるでしょう。神は彼らの目からすべての涙を拭い去り、もはや死、嘆き、泣き、痛みはないでしょう。(黙示録)

That Thing You Do

Back to the beginning. Not quite the very beginning, but very close. Well, let's go at least back to the beginning where I really began to get connected to a local group of Jesus followers. In the city of Orange, at its very famous Orange Circle- the area was the physical centerpiece of the movie That Thing You Do- lies an old movie theater that was converted to a church. Back when the area was run down and the people on the street were falling apart, Pastor Joe Magliato brought Jesus and new life. Even in his 80's, he's still going strong. God bless him! As for me, I know God was faithful in a dark time. Oh, LORD, that thing you do as we trust in you...

Coffee Shop Wisdom #2

I just can't imagine gaining your life philosophy from some product's marketing campaigns or the latest fad of the month. Instead, think through with gusto what you believe. That said, I do pay attention to what is around me, and I am influenced by the world I live in. Yet, I'm also influenced by the spiritual world I live in- the one I cannot see but I know exists. Here's a truth found in a local coffee shop that I know without a doubt is built on truth. A notable and quotable from St. Augustine. 
 

All the Earth Will Worship Jesus- Every Knee Shall Bow to Him

This photograph gives me chills! Here is a worship service in Asia, where people are celebrating the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Certainly, from the photo, it is easy to guess that these folks were probably not raised as believers but instead in another faith. 

As I read these verses in the Bible (Romans 14:1-12), the fear and awe of God hits me:  

"Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

    and every tongue shall confess to God.”

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God."

What a beautiful but scary picture of what heaven will be like! Giving an account to God for how we've lived our lives! What we've said. What we've done. Even what we've thought. We are all sinners who need the gift of Jesus Christ to save us. But also, what joy is coming! People from all over the earth, from all generations, praising His Name forever! 

Slapped Around By God

Have you ever felt like God has your number? Like He is paying attention to you and wants you to wake up to some awful thought or practice in your life? Boy, oh boy. This morning's message from the great Oswald Chambers and his classic My Utmost For His Highest hit me square between the eyes! So, let me share my personal correction from God with you:

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 He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature.— 2 Peter 1:4

Through God’s promises, we participate in the divine nature. But if we want to express the divine nature in our human nature, we must form habits—and the very first habit we must form is the habit of recognizing God’s provision.

Do you often find yourself saying, “I can’t afford it”? One of the worst lies is tucked up in this statement. It’s considered bad taste to talk about money—how much you have or don’t have—and the same is true of spiritual riches. We talk as though our heavenly Father has cut us off without a cent. We think it’s a sign of modesty to say, “It was a real struggle, but I got by.” Meanwhile, all of God Almighty is ours through the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we obey God, he will tax the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us. What does it matter if our external circumstances are difficult? Why shouldn’t they be? If we indulge in the luxury of misery and give way to self-pity, we banish God’s riches from our lives. No sin is worse than self-pity, because it erases God and puts self-interest on the throne. It opens our mouths to spit out streams of complaint, and our lives become constantly craving spiritual sponges, with nothing lovely or generous about them.

When God is beginning to be satisfied with us, he will impoverish every source of phony wealth in our lives, until we learn that true wealth lies only in him. If we aren’t consciously aware of the fact that his majesty and grace and power are being manifested in us, God holds us responsible.

“God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Learn to lavish the blessings of God on others, and his blessings will come through you all the time.

Death City and the Zombie Invasion!

They're coming! Clear the way! This is the real thing! More real than Death City! Universal Studios popular Halloween Horror Nights is coming faster than you can say, "Really! But Summer hasn't even started!" Ever been fascinated with zombies, vampires, and the occult? Boy, I have! Even going back to Dark Shadows television show of the 1960s. Looking back to a popular television series in the early part of this century, I found there's a lot of learning to do about zombies. Just check out The Walking Dead.

Poor Sheriff Rick Grimes! The long-standing hero of AMC's The Walking Dead, loses one beloved person after another to the zombie invasion. With almost four seasons under his belt, you think he'd be a bit tired from this zombie invasion...and become a walker much sooner than later.

Truth is, we're all prisoners or walkers. In the Bible's book of Romans, the Apostle Paul tells the readers we are all dead in our sins, doomed for eternal damnation without God. In a sense, we are prisoners of our own making. Think of what you have done in your past that brings you shame, that has hurt others, that has been dishonest or lacked love. If you're like me, that is quite a bit of things to regret and can be a heavy weight to live under. We're prisoners of our own doing!

And yet, Jesus! Thankfully, Jesus, the Son of God, paid the price Himself for our sin- my sin, your sin. And those that would put their faith in Him and live for Him, believing Jesus was raised from the dead for our benefit, would be given a new life. A life that begins anew here and one that will last for all eternity. Can I hear an "Amen!"?

But- and this is a big one- even those of us that know and love and trust Jesus- can act as if we are the Living Dead. How does this happen? It happens in a few ways: 

1- We can choose to live like we used to. Living a life that only pleases us, therefore we look and act no different than when we encountered Jesus. And the darkness in us grows stronger than the true light over time. 

2- We can insulate ourselves from the dying world around us. In the church, this is sometimes referred to as "the Christian Bubble". What happens is we hang out only with those who think as we do. The problem is, this kind of living creates a dullness in our souls. Why? Because we are made for more! We are made to love others and share the news of Jesus with them. 

3- We can live our lives as victims instead of as those victorious in Christ. I see this happen all the time. Let's face it- crap happens to all of us. Betrayal, deceit, disappointment, illness, misfortune, death. Jesus never did promise us an easy life- and He sure didn't have one. If believers in Jesus begin to own that as their identity, instead of realizing they love and serve the Living God, bitterness and sadness rule their lives instead of joy and peace. 

There's a Zombie Invasion in our world. People of all types are lonely, discouraged, and disappointed. The church itself has even taken on a victim mentality. (And I'm not saying it should be all wealth and health and prosperity- that's not a godly viewpoint nor one that is supported by reading the Bible as a whole.) What I am saying is that too many people who say they believe do not live as if Jesus has really overcome. 

Let's not be satisfied to live as a walker or a prisoner. Let's embrace new life in Jesus Christ- the only one who can give it- and live in freedom, joy, and peace- with a great eternity ahead as we persevere!

You ARE Being Watched!

You are being watched at all times, but not always in a creepy way like this! So, I write this today to a friend in need, (but it may apply to those of you reading here as well)- I read this today and thought of you: 

“You are the God who sees me.” He KNOWS you and where you are at. He cares for you and even if it may feel like you’ve been forgotten or tossed aside or wounded as a byproduct of someone else’s problem or sin, He - our wonderful personal God- loves you deeply and will take care of you.

                            Genesis 16:13

Indeed!

This was impossible. Were the women really seeing what was right in front if them? Early in the morning as the sun broke, they had gone to the tomb. Unexpectedly, what they found there startled them, scared them, and filled them with joy they never expected to have. "Don't be afraid." what an appropriate thing for this heavenly being to speak to the ladies. Quite fitting actually as many times, angelic beings began with these words before sharing something significant to humans. The next words out of his mouth stunned them: Jesus has risen from the dead and is going into Galilee. You'll see him there. In these days, the testimony of women was not considered reliable. The very fact that God continued to share incredible truths with women as well as men generation after generation was one more proof of their value. As they headed out from there to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen, they encountered him on the road. What they did next is what all mankind should be doing- they fell at his feet and worshiped him. Jesus, the one fully God and fully man had conquered death on a cross, proving he was who He said. His words, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He wasn't being exclusive; He was being inclusive- making sure everyone had a chance to hear the truth when he knew false prophets would broadcast lies. Jesus told it straight up. No one will get to heaven without believing, having faith that He is who He says he is. Jesus has Risen. Indeed! 

 

The Unexpected Silence

The absolute silence was so loud it was deafening. Could this really be happening? Even if things went on as they always did, the truth was that the man they looked to was dead. He had promised so much. A new life. Hope. Peace. Joy in the midst of pain. And an eternity with God the Father. He said He alone was the path to heaven. He said following Him was a very narrow path but He was the only truth. The self-proclaimed king promised He was the one to give real life when the world only offered a counterfeit in an attempt to steal their lives and their future. Shockingly, the very people he'd come to love and care for betrayed him. At the direction of the authorities, the soldiers beat him to a bloody pulp. He was so weak, so broken, so physically shattered, that a man pulled out from the crowd was "recruited" to carry his cross. The very cross that he would hang on next to two common criminals. All he had done was challenge the system and offer freedom. But people didn't like that, so he paid the ultimate price. Spikes were pound into his hands and feet. Then he was raised up as if on display to those watching. Both his mother and his best friend watched with a mix of deep sorrow and confusion. The weather shifted, and the sky blackened as if in response to what was happening on the earth below. As he bled until the end, he asked his Heavenly Father to forgive them. His famous last words seemed odd: "It is finished." Those who followed him went home broken hearted. 

(Copyright Mark Taft.)

Waves of Sadness

I had such hope for reconciliation between some folks I know. Their conflicts seemed endless, and the misunderstandings between them went on and on. Didn't expect the impact on me. But it is real. I know the Lord will heal me as I pray and wait and watch. My heart wishes that each person involved could see the other just like God sees them: imperfect but forgiven and worthy of love. If they could only let go of offenses. Then maybe forgiveness could flow, and they would be free instead of held captive by bitterness. In the meantime, it hurts them, and it hurts me.

Pray for Peace in the Middle East

Is Bible prophesy regarding the return of Jesus to judge the earth about to happen? Even Jesus says no one knows when that will happen except God the Father: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only" (Matthew 24:36). Watch for involvement in the war from Russia and China as many believe ancient documents like the Bible reference these two countries as getting involved and descending on Israel to destroy it- just before Jesus returns. 

The war in Iran could be just the beginning as we see things in the Middle East heat up. So, stop, pray, and pray for peace in the region. Mourn for those in battle and those who have lost their lives. And go before God in prayer that He and He alone would stop the war. 

In ancient times, when someone was mourning, the men would tear their clothes and switch to clothing of sackcloth garments and place ashes on their heads. I'm not ready to go back to those activities, but my heart is certainly concerned about current events- and I am praying for peace- and for all those that don't know Jesus Christ and his gift of eternal life for all who would believe wholeheartedly in Him!

The True Purpose of Prayer- It's More Than You May Think

When I look around at world events, I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is time to pray! I'm sure millions of people around the world are joining me in prayer for peace in the Middle East. We certainly need to be going to God to make this happen. And He is the only one who can make this happen. But why pray?

There's something so calming, so peaceful, so reassuring that rises up in me when I look at this photograph. A man on his knees praying. It's been me for many days of my life. Has it been you as well? There's a lot to be said for this discipline.

But again, why do we pray? It's pretty simple, at least at the beginning of things. We want something or we want answers from God. At our core, we want to know someone greater than us cares deeply about us and is paying attention.  Maybe we've hit the end of our selves and are broken, hurting or confused. So, we cry out to God, hoping he is real. And He is, and He wants a real ongoing relationship with us. But why?

Are you ready to dig in?

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When talking about prayer, we have to start at the very beginning…

It all begins with the character of God. In the book of I John, the great disciple of Jesus states, "God is love". (verse 4:16)             

God’s character is the beginning of everything good.  

Let's make it very practical here. God designed you and me. I'm not talking generically here, although that is correct theologically. For this purpose, I'm talking individually. He created us uniquely. What you love and care about. Your interests, your passions, your traits and characteristics both physical, mental and emotional. All of them were designed for His purposes. I'll explain that more later, but hold onto that thought.           

The problem is with us. We can and often do run away from Him. Even or maybe especially those of us who have decided to make Jesus the center of our lives. He's not just a band aid for our hurt or a way to make sure we spend an eternity in Heaven with Him versus an eternity in Hell without Him. The plan is bigger. If we don't understand who God is and what our relationship with Him means, we will never really know what prayer is supposed to be about. It can lead to deep anger or disappointment. We may be expecting results that God never intended.  

Of the many characteristics of God, four stand out to me as being worth consideration as we discuss prayer. Let's look at these from a Biblical standpoint.

 1- He is Unchanging.

In the New Testament, James writes in Chapter one, verse 17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

In other words, He is the same God for the starving children in Africa as He is for those of wealthy. Even though we do not understand his ways and what He allows, they are never subjective to the limited understanding of man. The Eternal God is so dependable.  In fact, He is not fickle and His personality doesn't change. If our image of God is dependent on our understanding of Him, our understanding becomes our highest authority, our god, not Him. Stop and think about that.

2- He is All-Knowing     

Psalm 147:5 says, “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.”

God created Man. Nothing we think, do, or say, past, present or future, surprises Him. He knows all things. Even if this terrifies me at times, and oh it does, there's an inherent peace and deep comfort in that for those of us that love and know Jesus Christ. He's not surprised by my sin, my bad motives, my stupidest decisions, or the ugliest of thoughts I have. He loves me still the same, even if He wants us to grow and live differently. The truth is, you cannot encounter God through His Son Jesus and not be changed by him. It's impossible. He knows that as well.

3- He always cares. Our circumstances don't change His love.

Here's a classic piece of scripture that best describes this point:

Romans 8:35-39 tells us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God's love for a fallen, imperfect man is shown best in the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross for sin. That He understands and has seen all the evil men can do, and yet He loves us. It is truly amazing. In fact, any man, woman, or child who would come to Him, confessing his sins, believing in his heart that Jesus Christ is the perfect payment for sin, will find an eternity in heaven with Him and true, fulfilling purpose here on earth. Hell is no longer his eternal destination, and Satan no longer has a hold on him.

 4- He is Always Good

Psalm 25:8 -  “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.”

Let me emphasize here. God is always good- even when we do not agree with Him or get what we want. God's goodness and mercy are found all through the Bible, but all of Psalm 136 resonates: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever!"

Stop and think about the times God has answered your prayers. These stories are important because they are your stories of interactions with our Living God. No one can take these from you, no one can tell you they did not happen. This is part of your history. Just think, the most powerful being ever took time to interact with you. Incredible!

Now, remembering what you just did, let’s look at prayer from God's perspective. A Biblical perspective. There's three main aspects of prayer.

1- Relationship with Him

God desires that we  would know Him and love Him. This goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. After the fall of man, when the forbidden fruit was eaten, God searches for them in the garden. It's not that He didn't know where they were. It's that He wanted them to answer as to why they were hiding from Him. Why did they no longer desired to know Him and talk with Him. Why they traded knowledge like God at the high, high cost of intimacy with Him.

An Eternal Relationship. He gives us hope for an eternity with Him. An eternal, loving,  relationship. Never broken unity. No pain, no loss, no doubts. Imagine an eternity of peace, deep love, and joy. This is God's heart for us!

As far as prayer goes, He does answer prayer. For those who put their trust in Him, prayer is a two way dialogue, a by-product of close and real relationship. Not the reason for it. Contrary to what the false teachers of the prosperity gospel would teach, God is no cosmic genie, waiting at our beck and call to give us all we ask. Instead, He is a good and perfect Father, allowing only what is absolutely best for us... pain and suffering included.

2- Transformation

The second reason for prayer is transformation. I'm not talking the Michael Jackson type of change, but the kind of change for the better. Every recovering alcoholic understands what I mean here. Ever plead or even beg with God to change you? To heal you? To make you different than what you currently are? Well, God has a plan for that kind of transformation. The plan is to make those who believe to look more like Jesus Christ. He desires to clean us up, heal our souls, and to change the course of our lives. It gives us hope and purpose, but it also means God has a plan for us: To look like Jesus and to care about the very things He cares about.

 3-   Instruction

He wants to lead us. Our beautiful, living, powerful, good God has a plan for us. He created us and made each of us unique. Because we are made by Him to be unique, He alone knows what will most fulfill us and give us meaningful purpose. The truth is, we only think we do. Yet, until we love and trust in God, we will never discover the truth and instead, be left to search endlessly on our own.

We all want to know if we make a difference. We all want to know we will make an impression in this world before our life is over. God's plan is that all people would know and love Him. (Just read the book of Second Peter in the New Testament.) And He desires to uniquely use us for this plan. 

There’s a progression here.  In other words, if we love Him and walk closely with Him, we will go on this journey with Jesus: 

·      Encounter Jesus, the Living God,

·      Be Changed by Jesus, the Living God,

·      Be Used by Jesus, the Living God.

And God desires to keep this cycle going! So, from a Biblical perspective, these are the three real purposes of prayer. As you think more deeply about each, you'll realize prayer doesn't always involve getting what we want, what we think is best. Sometimes, oftentimes, it's a very different story. 

To make sense of this fact, it helps to look at the life of Jesus as our model.

This Jesus, the one I love and follow, took on the pain and sins of Man. Once for all time. Even though His life was sinless and ours is not, there's a lot to learn by examining his life. He was, after all, a man of prayer. And what better place to look at his prayer than right before His Crucifixion.

Let's look at the Book of John, chapter 17 verses 1-4, right before Jesus is sent to be crucified.  

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."

This was the most crucial time in Jesus’ ministry. Would He finish well? No one would dare complete this task of crucifixion unless God Himself spoke it and they loved God enough to obey. Jesus’ prayer reveals THE most important aspect of why we pray:

“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”

But back to us for a moment. What about the things we pray about?

What happens when we pray and God answers? What happens when our life is impacted by what happens around us and to us?     It usually falls into these categories. 

·      Good things we like 

·      When Bad Things Happen

·      The consequences of our sin

·      The consequences of other’s sin

·       The results of Other people’s sin against us

What happens when we get what we asked for? When there's no answer? When the answer brings us pain? Keep reading!

When We Get What We Ask For

Rejoice and be thankful! God wants us to come to Him when things are good and not just come to Him when things are hard or when we need something. Remember how good He is! Celebrate that- and remember that.

Sometimes getting what we pray for comes with an unexpected side! There can be challenges that come with it. Opportunities to grow, change, and become more like Jesus. 

It's time for us, for me, to move away from an American mindset of Christianity. What I mean is, following Jesus does not mean we will experience success as our culture defines it. We will, however, experience success as how God defines it. And He defines it as obedience. Jesus himself says if we love Him, we will obey what He commands. Doesn't mean we'll get what the world says is a reward.

In the world's eyes, Jesus was a crucified failure. In God's eyes, Jesus completed his mission- to die for the sins of the world, to save all the people that would choose to love Him, serve, Him, and follow Him. The world would say he was a victim of a hate crime. The truth is He was no victim. Jesus was a strong, brave and obedient servant of the God Most High who completed the task set before Him- even if it looked like failure and shame.

What about When We Get No Answer?

Let’s look again at Jesus in the Garden. He knows what’s coming. He is in emotional distress, lonely, troubled. He’s in physical distress as well. His friends are too tired and worried and sad to stay awake and pray with Him. He is ultimately alone. He cries out:

 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22:42 )

The Father doesn’t change the situation, but He was strengthened. In this case, an angel appeared to Him. We may not get an angel, but we may not be asked to die on a cross either! Jesus continues on… to fulfill the Father’s plan.

Practically, when we get no answer, we can follow Jesus' model.

1-Keep Praying,  2- Wait and Watch for God, 3- Do the Last Thing He Told You

When the Answer Brings Pain

Our life's circumstances can come because of our sin, the sin of other people, or other’s sin against us. But, as we have just seen in the example of Jesus at the cross, it can also come because we are obedient to what God has asked. God works in ways and in time that we may never understand. Or it may take years before we can look at our life, look backwards, and then say to ourselves, "Now I understand."

What about the times we pray and do not get what we feel we have been promised?

Interestingly, the Bible does not ignore the fact that sometimes we do not get what God has promised. The book of Hebrews in the New Testament speaks of all the great "heroes of the faith". You know, the guys like King David, etc. The guys of Sunday School Bible stories.

Hebrews 11:39: "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised."

All the great heroes of the faith didn’t get what was promised!

We are in good company! Of course, this also brings a challenge to our minds when we do not receive our promised from God. What do we do when we think the promises of God don’t come- when it seems God is contradicting Himself?

Will we rely on our own understanding to bring us peace?

Will we trust Him, knowing His character and love for us?

Will we wait on Him even if it’s hard?

Again, will we trust in God even when it looks as if He is certainly contradicting Himself?

Looking at the topic of prayer from God's perspective always helps us. We can either choose to believe things about God that are not true, or we can believe He is unchanging, all-knowing, that He always cares and that He is always good.

The Complete and Biblical Purpose of Prayer is for Relationship with God, Transformation into the image of Jesus, and for Instruction from Him.

He wants Relationship with Us, Wants to Make us More like Jesus, Wants to Give Us Hope, and Wants to Use Us for His Purposes. As you follow Jesus, you'll find yourself doing things you thought you could never do. People will be amazed- and God will get the glory because people will know He worked within you to accomplish the very things that seemed impossible for you to do.

God allows the seasons so he can show his power to us, his wisdom, his goodness. Whether or not we get the answer we want or ever understand, He is still God! This we know: He does love and care for us. And His plan for us is incredible.

I'll end here with a piece of truth from the book of Romans. (Romans 8:28-30) Through the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD, HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!

Notable and Quotable: Jelly Roll

 "“The way shame sometimes shows itself is not always the way we expect it to be. We think shame is somebody in the streets on their knees, with their head down. But shame sometimes is pride. Sometimes shame is just bravado. Behind real bravado, I can normally find shame. I can normally find guilt. I can normally find insecurity. I was the biggest, the loudest, the toughest, the meanest, the growliest, the fattest. There’s normally deep inside of that a really, really small, insecure human. I was that, for sure."

                                                        Jelly Roll

                                                                       from an interview in Men's Health

Gifted musician and recent massive weight loss champion Jason Bradley DeFord, aka Jelly Roll shows some incredible insights. Reflection and growth await all of us if we work at it. And for those who believe in Jesus or want to investigate his claims, we can discover a God who works on our behalf:

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalm 34:4-8

Because I Wanted to Show You How Much I Love You

For years of praying and asking, all I ever got was one very simple answer placed deep in my heart, "Because I knew you'd be obedient." I could never get more than that, and it felt like I'd hit a brick wall. I had to be fine with that answer. It's been almost two decades that I received that answer every time I went to the Lord in prayer and asked why God chose me to be involved in something so powerful and yet so dear to my heart. Unexpectedly, it changed a couple of weeks ago. This time, it was "Because I wanted to show you how much I love you". Finally, it all made sense. Being obedient to do something I did not want to do- and honestly, something I fought against for six months- became something that has brought me much joy and much humility. Who am I? No one special, that is for sure! But our God? So amazing!

Chilling Reminder from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

These words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. chill me to the bone: "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." 

As a follower of Jesus, this incredible leader still makes an impact. I believe the only hate we ever saw in him was his hate of injustice. 

He also stood strongly in support of the State of Israel: “The whole world must see that Israel must exist and has a right to exist – and is one of the great outposts of democracy in the world.”

In a world that is increasingly moving to full hatred against this nation, we must heed the words of John the beloved apostle:

 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.  Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.  But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

1 John 2:9-11

We cannot do these things in our own strength if they are to be done rightly and for long term impact. We must first be changed inside so we can move forward with the right heart and attitude. How? Dr. King shares the secret:

“By opening our lives to God in Christ, we become new creatures. This experience, which Jesus spoke of as the new birth, is essential if we are to be transformed nonconformists … Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight vigorously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit.”

                                                                        Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Faith solely rooted in God's love was the ultimate driving factor in all Dr. King accomplished. That was his legacy. What will be yours?

I Want This Man's Job!

Go to over 40 countries? Check! Go to every single continent? Check? Create a documentary on your findings and entice the world to tune in? Check! Yes, I want this man's job! Who is the man? The lucky man in question is Texan Dave Stotts, and he's the one who has created the series Drive Thru History. You can finds it on Prime.

This guy is also a man with a purpose. He takes a deep, hard look at the impact of Jesus Christ all around the world. Telling stories that are inspiring but totally honest, he travels as he speaks on the impact of the Twelve Apostles, other believers, and those who use the name of Christ to then kill indigenous peoples in order to gain their treasure and their land. He holds nothing back. This specific series is subtitled The Ends of the Earth- How Christianity Changed the World. 

The twenty episodes are 25 minutes each. Each area of the world is covered. The photography is just as breathtaking as the stories Dave tells. Just to keep things even more interesting, his journeys are taken in a wide variety of cool cars and other modes of transportation.

Like I said, I want this man's job! Where do I apply? 

A Better Experience Than What Disney Offers

Let's continue the new year together by thinking about others instead of ourselves. There's a great joy in serving, in having your eyes opened to something and stepping in to make a difference. The simple act of our obedience in taking action can lead to surprising, life changing results. (Usually, it changes us just as much as the people we serve.) Yet, we do not do this alone. God is always working: 

“Look among the nations, and see;

wonder and be astounded.

For I am doing a work in your days

    that you would not believe if told."

Habakkuk 1:5

Put God to the test. Ask Him to open your eyes to where you should make a difference and then walk in with your heart open. It may be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!

Has My Ship Sailed?

When I first began the Insights and Sounds blog many years ago, 18 to be exact, it was never intended to be "All Disney All the Time". That's just not where my heart was. I certainly was tempted at times to go that route as so many folks were doing because of all the perks of being invited to special events and such. But I'm glad I stuck to my guns. 

Later, I also toyed with the idea of monetizing the site and then decided against that. You have little control of ad content on your site. Sadly, I've also seen un-family friendly material- actual pornography in the truest sense of the word- show up on family friendly sites I used to visit. One great one never recovered. All due to hackers I suppose, but it is unfortunate that there are those who want to expose children to such things.

Maybe most importantly, I wanted to be able to freely write about what I wanted to write about at any given time. Music, issues of faith and more. Or I chose not to write at all, as evidenced by stretches of time when there just wasn't anything of interest worth blogging about.

You Tube vlogging has now surpassed traditional blog sites. I do not have a face or a voice for video, so that is not a route I am going to follow. 

We will see what happens in the future. I certainly have many more things to write about and have some great posts planned. Will readers follow along or will they jump ship? Hard to say I guess.

Come back tomorrow for my first big Disney related post of the year...

New Year, New Beginnings

A fresh year! A chance to start again and reimagine our future! I just love the hope that a new year brings and the opportunity to refocus and begin again. Let yesterday's failures fall behind you. Join with me on the beginning to a new path, a new life, a different way of seeing yourself, others, and God. He is for you! His love is so deep that he sent Jesus to the earth to redeem us from our broken state and offer us eternal life if we follow Him. As good as that is in itself, our God also promises to be with us each step of the way giving us the strength we need to live out our lives in a way that honors Him and blesses us.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

                                              Hebrews 12:1-2

We don't have to do this on our own! In fact, God goes before us. 

Let me encourage you further with some great words from Oswald Chambers on how God sees our past, our present, and our future. This is from the book My Utmost For His Highest, taken from the entry for December 31:

"You shall not go out with haste,

. . . for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard" —Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. “. . . God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.

Security for Tomorrow. “. . . the Lord will go before you . . . .” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.

Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste . . . .” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.