Month: October 2023

Give Me Proof

With some minor updates, this is a blog i posted six years ago. The Holy  Spirit is prompting me to repost it as a reminder of our provable identity as children of God.

Everyone seems to be searching for proof of something. When pulled over by a policeman while driving we are asked for proof of identification and driving privilege, proof of ownership and proof of insurance. In court, prosecutors present proof of guilt while defense attorneys provide proof of innocence. When we hear any gossip or accusation our first response should be, “Where is the proof?” I lost my wallet recently (six years ago) and suddenly I had no way to prove my identity. I had no proof of my driving privilege, no card to present to my doctor to prove I have health insurance and no bank card to present for proof of my ability to pay for something. It opened my eyes to just how often we present proof without even realizing it.

Some things are harder to prove than others. It is much more difficult to prove a negative assertion than it is to prove a positive assertion. Next time someone asks you for proof that God exists, ask them for proof that He does not exist. Their response will be more difficult than yours because even if there were an absence of proof of His existence that would still not prove He doesn’t exist; it would only prove evidence could not be found. Of course in that instance there is plenty of proof available for us to present, if they are open to the truth.

When you profess to be a Christian believer have you ever had someone ask you to prove it? Even if you have never actually heard that dare, you can be sure someone is thinking it. So what proof can we present? John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” (Matthew 3:8) Jesus said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35) Paul wrote, “We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us and by our sincere love.” (2 Corinthians 6:6) It has been said many times that the most effective sermons are not preached from a pulpit but lived. Our lives and our love should provide all of the proof that is needed that we are God’s children through Jesus Christ.

Endless Love Stories

When two of my dearest friends recently married each other and became one, I wasn’t sure if I had one less friend or had a two for one super friend now. Thankfully, it has been the latter. Those two wonderful people certainly deserve the joy they now share with each other. They married in a private, quiet ceremony. Now they are planning a celebration party complete with renewing their vows in front of family and friends. The bride has asked me to give her away at that ceremony and I gladly agreed to do so.

I want to propose a toast to the newlyweds at the party. My first instinct is to wish them fifty years of life together, as my wife and I enjoyed. They both already qualify for senior discounts and after doing the math, I decided that wish might be too optimistic. i was trying to figure out how to downsize that wish for them when it seemed like my wife reached down from heaven, slapped me on the back of the head and said, “You lovable idiot! Wish them more, not less.”

When my wife went on ahead of me to heaven nine years ago, our love did not die with her. That is the “more” I need to wish my dear friends. Love in and beyond this life.  Lines from songs come to my mind. For me, “When God calls us both above, honey, you’ll know that you’ve been loved because I’ll go to my grave loving you.” For them, “Loving God. Loving each other. Making music with our friends. Loving God. Loving each other and the story never ends.”

Here’s to Cathie and Jim and their unending love story.

 

 

Personal Relationships

This is a blog I posted nearly seven years ago. Things seem a lot worse now than they were back then, so I thought it would be a good time to revisit the importance of personal communication and relationships.

There is an old airline commercial that is lodged in my memory.  It depicts the owner of a company announcing to his employees, “An old friend just fired us today.  He says he doesn’t know us anymore.”  Then he hands out envelopes containing airline tickets and says, “We are going to pay a personal visit to every one of our clients,” sticking the last envelope in his back pocket. Someone asks, “Where are you going, Ben?” and he replies, “To visit that old friend.” In this world of texts, tweets, Face Book posts and emails, there is nothing that has the impact of connecting with someone through personal contact.

The most effective (and rewarding) personal contact is face to face conversation.  For years I taught pest control technicians how important they are to the success of their company.  In their personal contact with the customer they are the “face” of the company. The next most important contact is phone conversation.  I taught administrative assistants how important they are because they are the “voice” of the company.

When cell phones first became readily available everyone walked around with their phone to their ear.  Even if it took the place of some face to face meetings at least we were still talking to each other.  Now people just stare at the screen of their smart phone or IPad with their fingers manipulating apps or typing messages while missing the opportunity for personal contact with the people around them – often their family.

Today most companies are using automated answering systems and communicate with customers by email or through their website app.  It cuts down on their payroll costs, but human contact and connection are being sacrificed in the process.  I have found myself yelling at a “virtual assistant” when my question didn’t fit their programmed FAQs.  Now I just press zero when options are given and if I don’t get a person on the line I hang up.  What saddens me is that younger generations have learned to embrace these innovations.  I fear some of them may never take the opportunity to fully develop the personal communication skills that are so important in forming deep, lasting relationships. As a result, they may not fully experience the great satisfaction those relationships offer. I’m afraid fewer marriages will last 50 years as ours did.

Now that I have exposed myself as the old fogy that I am, let me get to the point.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior we become His representatives/ambassadors.  We are His face and His voice to a lost world.  God could make His message known anyway He wants, but He chooses to use us to share with others our personal relationship with Him so that they may find that joy for themselves.  It is so important for us to have a personal, loving relationship with God, but it is just as important for us to develop personal, loving relationships with others.  Technology is amazing but we can’t let it interfere with or replace what is truly important in life.

The kind of love that only comes from God that He commands us to share with others can’t be spread by clicking hearts on Face Book.

Giving to the Lord

Today I had  a young lady named Jessica as my caregiver. She had been here once before, so I knew she was a Christian believer. She asked me to share more of my old stories and blog posts with her. God hadn’t given me a subject for this post, so I asked her what she thought I should write about. She said that I should write about all of the people our lives touch. I felt the Holy Spirit approve of that idea. Then, she said something that touched me deeply. “I am one of the people you have touched.”
After she left, I found a song I had heard recently and listened to it again. If you search Thank You for Giving to the Lord, you can listen to it. I normally don’t quote entire song lyrics, but I think you will understand why this one is an exception.
“I dreamed I went to heaven  and you were there with me. We walked upon the streets of gold beside the crystal sea.  We heard the angels singing then someone called your name. You turned and saw this young man and he was smiling as he came. He said friend you may not know me now and then he said but wait. You used to teach my Sunday School when I was only eightand every week you would say a prayer before the class would start and one day when you said that prayer, I asked Jesus in my heart. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am so glad you gave. Then another man stood before you and said remember the time a missionary came to your church and his pictures made you cry. You didn’t have much money, but you gave it anyway. Jesus took the gift you gave and that’s why I’m here today. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord. I am so glad you gave. One by one they came far as the eyes could see each life somehow touched by your generosity. Little things that you had done,sacrifices made unnoticed on the earth, in heaven now proclaimed. I know that up in heaven you’re not supposed to cry, but I am almost sure there were tears in your eyes as Jesus took your hand and you stood before the Lord and He said, my child look around you  for great is your reward.”
Of course it isn’t us touching others or others touching us. It is God touching us through each other. As long as we keep Him involved in our daily life;, our actions and our words, He will touch so many people through us that there will be a grand celebration in heaven some day.

Heartfelt

Helen Keller, who was born without sight or hearing, communicated this; “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or heard, but must be felt with the heart.” They say when you lose one of your five senses your other senses are heightened to make up for the loss. If that is true, Helen’s heart must have been very sensitive to the beauty and goodness around her.

My heart felt the love of my parents at an early age  and that was most beautiful. Then, at age eleven, I felt the love of God described by Jesus in John 3:16 and I accepted Jesus’ sacrifice and began to follow Him as my savior. My heart felt God’s Holy Spirit move into it and He has been guiding me through life all of these years. That has been the very best life has to offer. We have been told to stop and smell the roses, but instead let’s stop and feel the beauty of God’s creation. We have to be careful not to let what we see, hear, touch and even what we taste or smell, distract us from the beautiful feelings of our heart. As I’ve grown older, my heart has become more sensitive.

Habits

The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. When we think about our habits, we automatically concentrate on the bad ones, but there are excellent habits as well. As a matter of fact, I heard a psychologist once say that we can’t just stop a bad habit; we need to replace it with a good one. I have tried that and it does work.

Are we really what we repeatedly do? in a very real sense that rings true. Our habitual acts soon become part of our lifestyle and others do identify us by our lifestyle. Are you wondering what this has to do with our Christian life and our witness? Let’s look at it and see.

When we accept Christ as our savior, The Holy Spirit doesn’t just tell us to sin no more; He guides us to do what is pleasing to God instead. The Holy Spirit prompts us to do those things Paul calls “fruit of the spirit” instead of worldly pursuits. making those nine actions habits and our lifestyle will lead others to see our family resemblance with our heavenly Father and they will know who we are – excellent as a result of His mercy and grace. Those nine actions (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) will form our Christian identity once they become part of our lifestyle.

Facing Goliath

Most  people are familiar with the Biblical account of David and Goliath, even young Sunday school students. David was a young shepherd boy armed only with a sling and three smooth stones, who answered the challenge of a well armed, giant who was a trained and experienced warier. David didn’t care about Goliath’s strength, because he already knew God’s strength. With God’s help, it only took one stone to bring down that Philistine giant.

Many times in my Christian life, I have faced challenges from Satan that appear to be a giant or a mountain blocking my path. Fortunately, I not only know God’s strength, but the Holy Spirit that now dwells in me is the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (see Romans chapter 8) and that is more strength than I have ever needed. When I was younger and healthy, God gave me the strength to defeat the giants and climb over the mountains. Now, in my later years, God goes ahead of me to fight my battles and clear the path for me. He either moves the mountains or leads me safely around them.

My brother or sister in Christ, when the enemy challenges you consider it evidence that you are on the right track in God’s service; otherwise he wouldn’t bother with you. When it happens, concentrate on God’s strength within you and He will never let you down.

 

Home Coming

I heard a story recently from 1904. Due to age and health problems, a 75 year old missionary was being sent home to America from Africa. He was booked on the same ocean liner as President Theodore Roosevelt returning from an African safari. As the ship pulled into New York harbor, it seemed the whole world had turned out to greet the President. Bands were playing and flags were flying and a thunderous roar was heard as the President walked down the gang plank. There was no one to welcome the old missionary. He said that his spirit  was complaining as he tried to flag down a taxi, “Lord, the President comes home to a tremendous welcome after three weeks of killing animals and I come home to be welcomed by no one after 25 years serving you in Africa.” Then he said he heard the still small voice of God answer, “My son, you are not home yet.”

Scripture warns us not to make this world our home. Several of my favorite Gospel songs echo that sentiment as well. Kind of like that old missionary, we are on assignment by God here on earth until He calls us to come home to be with Him. Each of us is an original with unique gifts and mission and Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us when our tour of duty is over and we go home to be with Him forever. That will be a celebration like none we have experienced or even imagined.

I was so anxious to get back to my townhome from the nursing home that tried to trap me into spending the rest of my life there and I know it was God who made it possible for me. I had my Christian brothers and sisters and my caregivers to greet and care for me. But as comfortable as I have been since I got back here, I know I’m still not home yet. “Home where there is no night. Home where the Son is the light; the place I have dreamed of for so long. Loved ones there to welcome me, but His sweet face will be the first I see. When my journey’s over I am going home.”