Notable and Quotable: Amy Grant

"In this world of mixed opportunity, 

there is equal access to the Spirit (of God)".

Amy Grant

In an interview with Southern Living on the Biscuits and Jam podcast, singer Amy Grant shares these real words of truth. Her A&M Records Heart in Motion album and its major hits - including Baby, Baby- may be thirty years old, but this Biblical truth is eternal.

 

Black Author's Piece Challenges the Direction We are Headed

Black author and Emmy winner Ryan Bomberger has written an excellent piece on our culture's focus on racial reconciliation and righting wrongs. (The excerpt begins below.) But his perspective brings new questions worth considering. He is the co-founder of The Radiance Foundation and the writer of NOT EQUAL: CIVIL RIGHTS GONE WRONG.

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"We see it everywhere. Thanks to Corporate America, mainstream media, so-called civil rights groups, academia and a relevance-worshipping Church, we are a nation increasingly judging one another and separating ourselves by the color of our skin. We’re surrounded by marketing that elevates one group while excoriating another. It’s okay, we’re told. It’s all in a day’s work toward “diversity” and “inclusion.”

Funny thing how so many get excluded in those pursuits.

Racism is evil. Exploiting it, marketing it, and expanding it is too.

The racial messaging is loud and clear: if you’re not the right hue, there’s obviously something wrong with you. And those reminders are relentless. From Hollywood babble to pandering politicians to Big Tech Tyrants to Institutions of Higher Mislearning to euphemistic bridges to nowhere in woke churches, we’re barraged by an unending stream of color conscious craziness that demands society sees hue before they see you.

As with all things rooted in human frailty, today’s celebrated form of segregation is immensely profitable, especially for those peddling the victimhood. There’s no scarcity of New York Times bestselling authors reminding us to define ourselves by our “whiteness” or “blackness," and to assess every situation, every word, every interaction with others through the broken narratives of Critical Race Theory. It’s exhausting. That’s not living.

At every turn we’re being commanded to check our color, check our privilege, check our to-do-lists of guilt-oriented tasks. Corporate America has taken genuflection to a whole new low. Remember when Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy got on his knees and started shining hip-hop artist Lecrae’s shoes in a seriously cringey display of reconciliation-gone-wrong? He told other white people to do the same. If you ever try to shine my shoes, I will kick you. I repeat. I. Will. Kick. You. This doesn’t erase racism. This doesn’t change the past. This just makes someone feel really uncomfortable.

Guilt is a powerful thing. And when it’s coupled with racism, it’s a cash cow, especially for the groups that rely on victim evangelism. The Black Lives Matter movement raked in millions while cities and businesses burned last summer. The NAACP, in full denial of the massive violence and destruction wrought by many #BLM “peaceful protests,” was the recipient of millions more in pledges from Corporate America...

 Read the rest of this excellent piece here.

Black Voices, Disneyland, and the Jungle Cruise

Black voices and representation matters. We as a country have been notorious about trying to remove that during our history. It's good we are fixing that even at the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom parks. Am I angry the white man is now on the bottom of the Jungle Cruise totem pole? No. I find it clever and humorous. 

But let's be honest, all voices matter. Everyone wants to be respected. With that said, the movement away from free speech and cancel culture is frightening. Why?

Unity does not mean uniformity. And if I disagree strongly with someone's opinion, I'll still fight for their right to share it. I'd rather know what people are thinking than not. This is one reason open discussion is important. Particularly on a social media platform where people routinely say things and use words they would never think of using face to face.

As we work this out together, I plead with you to exhibit kindness and generosity of spirit. Ask questions and seek to understand. It is a Biblical model after all- and it works!

America Gone Crazy

Starting with President Donald Trump, it's time for America to grow up. Stop the violence. Say what you will, but violence accomplishes nothing. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was right. Our great democracy was founded on godly principles. We have moved so far from what God intended. We are seeing the fruit of that. It's time to look within and act with humility before God. We are sinners, and the current state of Washington D.C. and our nation prove it. Human life is sacred. But when a nation chooses to kill its unborn children, kill its elderly, and lynch and enslave and degrade those because of their skin color- and that's just the beginning- we've lost our sense of decency and humanity and purpose. Is it any wonder why we find violence acceptable? We've become animals. I'm disgusted, and you should be as well. Can President Elect Joe Biden and company bring real unity to a nation gone mad? I doubt it. Neither could Barack Obama. It must be a work from God- and we must each look inside first... and repent before God.

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.)

Soul Less Than It Could Be

Pixar's Soul is a very good film, but it is far less effective than it could be. The main culprit is the now expected "imaginative element" that strips the story of its power and impact. By incorporating the Mormon (Church of Latter Day Saints) belief of "Premortality" - where people before birth lived in the presence of God without a physical body - into the plot, the storytellers avoid going deeper into the life of main character Joe Gardner, his family, his friends, and Black culture. Much like how the Black Lives Matter movement loses points and impact by aiming to "disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure", Soul loses a chance at being a much better film by trying to be clever. Instead of using the time to further develop Joe's story to even greater depth, there's too much time and emphasis placed on the struggles of the film's spirit world.

That said, there's more to celebrate here than to be disappointed by! Jamie Foxx is terrific as Joe, everyman middle school music teacher who longs for more. Tina Fey is annoying and effective as "22", the troubled spirit who accompanies Joe on his quest. Some self-proclaimed culture watchdogs have problem with her casting, but let's grow up. Humans interact with all types of people from different backgrounds and cultures and of different colors. Actors should have the freedom to act. It's part of their job description inherent in their title. 

An easy win is the sparkling music and the now expected life-like animation. Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and especially Jon Batiste create a compelling musical foundation that strengthens the story Pete Docter and team wanted to tell. Singer Cody Chesnutt is especially good as the musician who chooses a subway station as his busking locale. From an animation standpoint, the scene where Joe sheds a tear is powerful in its understatement and simplicity. 

While the music is excellent, it is the wide scope of characters and how they interact that gives Soul its depth. Unlike too many Disney films in particular, Joe comes from a traditional two parent- male and female - family. The character of his mother wisely avoids stereotypes. She's both strong and independent without being militant or disrespectful of others. When we first meet her, Joe's musical idol is imperfect, displaying a jaded and somewhat snobby attitude. Joe's friends in the barber shop run the gamut of personalities. In other words, his world is filled with normal people trying to make it in a difficult but often amazing world. Kudos to the writers for balancing the difficulties of being Black in America without pushing agendas. These factors make Soul accessible to all and a story everyone can embrace and learn from. As Dr. John Perkins states in his excellent book One Blood, a must-read for people of every color, we are 99% more alike than we are different. Something our politicians, Hollywood, and people in general, would be wise to remember.

(Image copyright Pixar.)

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!

Question Everything Disney Does

The opening of the Disney theme parks is coming up quickly. Walt Disney World will soon be a hub of activity with the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opening first, Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios later in the week. Fans out west at Disneyland (and I guess California Adventure) are not so fortunate. Certainly COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) has changed things! Including the moving forward of those highly debated plans for the character infused transformation of Epcot. 

The murder of George Floyd has revealed once again the racial reconciliation (and major changes) that needs to happen in our country. Disney has responded by announcing the change of Splash Mountain to an attraction based on Princess and the Frog, a noteworthy and very good, but not quite excellent, animated film. Fans on both sides of this decision are in an uproar. Some are celebrating the removal of a story they feel represents racist America at its worst, while others ask "Are animals racist?" When it comes to anything with Song of the South, seems there's no winning. As for me, as long as most of the Audio-Animatronic characters are saved and the revision is still excellent, I'll be happy. Still, there's no replacing Zip A Dee Doo Dah even if the music of the newer movie is really good.

All this points to a general lack of trust in current leadership, be it Bob Chapek, President Trump, to the World Health Organization. Everyone is suspect. And that is a good thing! We are a money and power hungry world- and our leaders often reflect those values. Therefore, we will disagree with each other when motives are suspect.

Unfortunately, it seems in our country and even around the world that it is no longer appropriate to discuss an issue. Instead the order of the day is to yell, scream, and slander, shouting names and labeling people instead of having civil discussion. Once credible news sources have now given way to inflaming disruption versus helping people to think logically. Why? Because it fuels clicks and viewers. Certainly our current and previous  president fall into this trap of creating further division. And we the people are all the worse because of it!

Are you getting tired of people telling you what to think? Wouldn't you prefer to be given the facts and instead taught how to think? Two very different things! The only real trustworthy source is God himself... and He is not Black or White. Nor is He Red or Blue. Check this out. These words inspired by God Himself were written over two thousand years ago, but they are just as fresh and just as needed today:

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5)

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All these words from the great apostle Paul in the New Testament of the Bible remind us to keep our focus on a God that never changes. One whose motives towards us are always for our good. A God whose holy standards are for our benefit and for the benefit of others. In Him alone, we can place our trust. 

The world is shifting proving itself to be falling apart. Will we respond in fear or faith? Will we represent Him or our political beliefs? Will we show loyalty to our color or to the God who created each of us in multiple shades of beautiful? The choice is yours to make. Question everything- especially what's in your own heart.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Racial Reconciliation in America: Is it Possible?

Editor's Note: Interesting read below if you are interested in racial reconciliation in America. If you live in the Denver, Colorado area, you may want to check out this social justice gathering at Cherry Creek Wesleyan Church on Friday, July 22, at 7pm.-----------------------------

Why attend a – DoYouKnowMe.org - Real Relations event?

Even as our culture becomes more ethnically and culturally diverse from our neighborhoods to the President - there is a remarkable amount of polarization and tension driving division in this country. A culture of instant gratification encourages the use of stereotypes and superficial labels. We respond to people based on pre-conceived ideas rather than relationship. We cannot hope to find common ground because we are not really in dialogue – we are just preaching our own perspective. People can see examples of the tension exploding in a variety of ways, but is an issue that people don't know how to process. People don't have a healthy way (vehicle) to talk about racial issues - even if they are willing.

The idea is to bring people together in a relatively safe environment of music, story and prayer to acknowledge and give expression to the issue on a personal level. Because everyone is unique we are not promoting any particular agenda or ministry - specific approach or attitude. This is not a top down approach but an attempt to empower people and through them - local communities to action! If people are willing to expand their own understanding we hope people will take their personal commitment to the next level and seek to understand the people around them – even if they don’t agree.

DoYouKnowMe.org is based on the idea that much of the tension we are experiencing (some of it turning to violence) is because we are unwilling to REALLY get to know people through loving committed relationships. Each of us "labels" people based on our perception of them without really getting to know them. Changing this would be good for all people – but as Christians we have been called to this in our daily lives. As people of the Church and disciples of Christ we are not always living out the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself." If each of us would be willing to identify the person in our own "sphere" (that we may have chosen until now to pass by) and choose to get to know that person - things will change for the better. If each of us will change one thing in our own sphere of influence - every sphere influences another -and the ripple (or multiplication) effect can be tremendous.

Think about each of your personal, familial, relational, recreational, social, religious, educational, vocational, governmental etc. spheres. I really believe that if we can get people excited at a grassroots level about changing one thing in their own sphere of influence we can make a difference beyond ourselves for the kingdom.

The results could be exponential! (2 Cor. 10:13-16) Of course that transformation (willingness to change one thing) comes as we enter into prayer and worship! Please come and join us – and simply ask God, “Who is MY neighbor?” and “Do I really know them?”

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Material Copyright Do You Know Me.org