How Big Is Your Heart?

Or perhaps I should ask, "How deep is your pocket and how willing are you to reach into it, regardless of the amount, and give what you find to God?"

That's a tough question.  It forces us to examine ourselves, something most of us are unwilling to do for fear of what we might find there.

We want to think we have a big heart, don't we?  But the truth is that most of the time we look to our own wants and needs first without giving His a second thought.  Other times, we make a mental assessment of how our money and time will benefit us before giving it to God for Him to use.  If there is a little left over after addressing our own comforts and desires, then we will consider giving a pittance for a cause.  But only a pittance.  After all, we wouldn't want to completely empty our pockets...just in case an emergency or something else more important comes up.

I am once again reminded of the rich young man who approached Jesus and asked Him how he could find the way to eternal life (Matt 19:16-24).  As he patted himself on the back for his self-perceived obedience to the law, Jesus looked into his heart and revealed what was really lacking.  This man's pockets were deep, yet he only did that which was legally required of him and nothing more.  When Jesus told him to empty those pockets and give all he had to the poor, his unwillingness to do so was obvious as he walked away, dejected and sorrowful.  The cost was far too high for him.  He had no desire to rid himself of his wealth because he considered it his most prized possession and what it could do for him, not what it could do for Christ's kingdom.

The object lesson here is not that it is wrong or sinful to be wealthy.  Nor does it teach us that good works will somehow gain us a toehold in heaven (Gal. 2:15-16; Eph. 2:8-10).  Rather, Jesus'  intention was to reveal what truly ruled this young man's heart.  There is no doubt in my mind that, if his heart had been different and he had joyfully done what he was being asked, it would have been returned to him one-hundredfold (2Cor. 9:10-11).  That's the message we miss in this story.  Some of the blessings that are bestowed upon us are to be showered upon others in order that God will be glorified and His work completed.  And when we open our hearts to generously give our time or money for His purpose, He will turn around and continue to bless us.  Maybe not by refilling our pockets, but certainly in the reassurance that we aren't valuing material things above Him, and the evidence of His constant presence in our lives.

To be honest, I am no different than the rich young man, other than the fact that he had more money than I do.  I can make all the excuses in the world to justify what little I do for God - a dwindling savings account, the economy, joblessness, giving to my family who really don't need it, first meeting my own comforts.  But none of them satisfy the guilt I often feel when I see others in such great need.  I live like a king compared to some.  There are times when their hopelessness screams from the images I see or the words I read, and conviction that maybe I'm not doing enough washes over me.  I consider that a good thing, though.  It means that God has opened my eyes and ears and that my heart is being conformed to better serve Him.  Hopefully, it's getting bigger, and my fear of being left without at my age is being exchanged while I'm still here for joy in sharing what I do have.

It goes without saying that everyone who has a hand out wanting it to be filled are not necessarily where you should give your time and money.  It is also worth repeating that good works will not gain you favor with God.  Those works of your own  are seen by Him as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) that will be burned life chafe and their ashes blown away in the wind.  Only His works that we joyfully perform for Him will bring us a lasting and eternal reward.  But, I would bet the ranch that somewhere there is a place or a person He has in mind that could use your help and He might be waiting for you to take the challenge.

So, how big is your heart?  Five dollars, here; a pocket full of change, there?   I'm not trying to send everyone on a guilt trip.  It's not my business how you spend your money, or the amount you place in the offering plate, anymore than how you think I should spend mine (2Cor. 9:6-8).  But ask yourself if you really need that latte, dinner and a movie, or a bigger and better something that you think will improve your life.  Look around you and count the things the LORD has already blessed you with.  Then broaden your horizon and, through new eyes, look at the possibilities a dollar or two, or a few moments spent, would make in the life of someone else.

I have begun doing this merely because the LORD brought someone into my life that has caused me to reexamine how big my heart truly is.  I think when He created me, a corner of my heart was reserved especially for this person.  But it was slumbering until the appropriate time of my life that He had determined for me came around, then He awakened it to be used for His glory, His work.  Without a second thought to what I had in my pocket, I grabbed the opportunity to be a part of His plan, even if it's only what I perceive to be a small and seemingly insignificant role.

It was all God's doing, not mine.  When I think about how quickly I responded to His gentle nudge, I am left in wonder.  I will say that I do have a generous heart but, in the past, I had to carefully weigh how much I would give.  If the circumstances surrounding meeting this person had been different, I would probably have had mild interest and less enthusiasm, maybe making a one-time gift.  But because my heart belongs to my Savior,  after awakening it He began watering that small corner in my heart, making it grow and spread until it was nearly consumed with the desire to joyfully assist Him any way that I could.

That's the benefit of having your heart get bigger.  It means that He is gradually molding and shaping it to reflect His own heart so that the love He has for you can be spread abroad and sown upon other hearts in need of Him.

If you are looking for a more worthy place to spend that latte money, just let me know.  I am positive I can suggest an alternative.   But, if you think you have already stretched yourself as thin as you are willing to go, remember that God created our hearts with lots of extra room for more.  After all, we are always asking Him to make our hearts like His, and the depth of His heart is bottomless.

Who knows?  Just maybe there is a corner of your own  heart in slumber and waiting to be awakened, too.  Allow God to stir it from its sleep and then reach deeper to see what might be caught in the seams and lying idle at the bottom of that pocket.   Use your time and money wisely for His honor and glory.  Believe me, the reward will be far greater than a fleeting moment of pleasure sipping on a latte.

Strange and Unlikely Visitors

Wow...I didn't realize that this blog has suffered so much because of the necessity to write on my other blog, until I looked at the date of the latest post.  I apologize to those of you who have faithfully returned to see if there is anything new.  But I want you to know that the well isn't dry.  Between squeezing in flurried moments of cleaning, shopping, meals, trying to stay ahead of the game, and everything else that tries to consume our daily lives, it is just pouring out its precious waters onto other pages that have a more urgent need.

Although I haven't added a new post, lately, I still check in every day.  As I have mentioned before, the first place I look is at you.  My traffic counter lets me see the state or nation you reside in and, if you have a blog of your own, a peak at what makes you tick.

Blogs are revealing and their intended purpose varies.  Some people merely create them to keep other family members up-to-date on what's happening in their tight circle.  Many have become an avenue through which a person can unload their thoughts and express themselves in ways that he or she is unable to do face-to-face with others.   And then there are those who use it to elevate themselves while hiding behind an avatar of deception, those who expound upon their misguided perceptions/ideologies/philosophies, or  the occasional atheist who enjoys transferring his hatred for God onto its pages.

It sometimes saddens me to see a blog writer's empty and troubled life spread so vividly for all the world to view.  It is as if they are crying out for help to an audience of strangers that border on voyeurism and who could care less about the person behind the words.  Their posts express a need, they long to be heard, but there is no physical hand to help lift them up and  help put their focus on what really matters.

Confusion and desperation for answers is prevalent on some of the blogs I visit from my traffic counter.  It is especially obvious on those which haven't been constantly maintained and updated.  Their last post often reflects a void they are unable to fill; empty, meaningless, a wandering befuddled mind searching for answers, but finding none.

When I first started this blog, I had the idea that it would only be read by those of like-mind and spirit.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  The majority that stumbles upon this site cover a very broad spectrum of false beliefs or utter unbelief.  What is most revealing about them, however, is what they lack: the One that so many of them reject or deny and that could bring them the peace and tranquility they so obviously desire.

Although I was once just like them, it is now strange for me to think that there are those who believe that their hope relies upon themselves, their own work, or a mute, deaf, and lifeless idol of wood or stone (Lev. 19:4; Psalm 31:6; Psalm 96:5; Psalm 106:36; Isaiah 2:8; 31:7; 40:19-21; 42:8, 17; 45:16, 20; 1Cor. 10:14; 12:2; Rev. 9:20).   Or, worse, the belief that there is no hope at all once their lives end here.  They are unlikely visitors who have unknowingly found themselves on a blog that is dedicated to the One they are searching for or Whom they have chosen to reject, a blog that I try to fill to the brim with His Word, His Ways, His will, His Truths.

I have often wondered how long my strange and unlikely visitors linger here.  Do they pause and wonder what this blog is all about and spend a few moments to read the things I have written?  Does any of it penetrate that diamond-hard shell that has encased their hearts?  (Zech. 7:12)  Or do they suddenly see that this blog is not a place they want to be and leave as empty and despairing as when they first came?

Whether you want to believe it or not, my unbelieving friends, Jesus Christ is also your LORD, your Savior, and the purpose of this blog is to point you to Him.  It has been created with the hope that it will bring you to the Light of understanding, repentance, belief, faith, and trust in the One True God, Jesus Christ.

And this blog is intended for you, believer, who has been accepted into the beloved family of God, to exhort and encourage you as we await the glorious and imminent return of our LORD and Savior.

To my readers who have not yet believed this Truth, He has delayed His return because of you.  His desire is that through this blog, or through another form of intervention that He chooses, you will believe He is your Redeemer and your God and will worship Him.  There will be a day in the not-so-distant future when you will come to that realization.  When you do, you will either gladly and joyfully bow your knee and profess Him to be LORD, or be forced to as you recognize your grievous error of unbelief and await your eternal judgment for it.

"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." ~ Rom. 14:10b-12

If you find yourself to be an unlikely visitor to this blog, I am asking you to take a few moments and thumb through its pages.  It goes without saying that I am positive you will find something here to give you pause and cause you to examine yourself and where you really stand.  If you are looking for answers to what life has dealt you or what lies beyond your perception of reality and eternity, there is hope contained within its words.

Read the things written here with an open mind and a willing heart.  Search the Scriptures that are cited.  You can even view them by hovering your mouse over the citation.  After all, nothing you read here is of my own making.  It is borrowed from God's own Word and His Word is trustworthy, faithful, and true.  It is a seed to be planted and it will never return void of fruit when it is shed abroad on man's heart.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you." ~ Jer. 29:11-12

To all my strange and unlikely visitors, I hope you will become a "return visitor."  If you do, it will tell me that you did find something or Someone you were looking for.  Maybe it will even encourage you to change the reason for and the direction of your own blog. 

If that happens, then you will know the true purpose for stumbling upon mine and that it wasn't just an accident. 

Let me know if it does, will you?

180 Movie: I Dare You to Watch This

How many times have you found yourself engaged in a lengthy and often heated conversation with someone who is pro-choice only to leave feeling more frustrated and heartbroken than you were before you began?

Anyone who values the life of an unborn child has experienced this at least once, if not more times than you can count.  But there are those whose hearts are so deeply affected and grieved by the horror of abortion that to be involved in this type of conversation leads them to go to extraordinary measures to try and convince the one they are speaking to that their thinking is a grave and deadly error.  Ray Comfort is one such person and he has gone the extra mile with his new video production, "180."

Those who are familiar with Ray Comfort and his off-beat but effective brand of street preaching know of his success in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  If you have watched the videos of Ray and his associates, like Tony Miano and Kirk Cameron, boldly approach sinners on the mean streets of southern California, or are a regular reader of his many blogs and websites, you understand and approve of his style and delivery and applaud the conviction that quite often comes across the faces of those with whom he is speaking.

Sin is sin.  We all know that no one sin is greater than another in God's eyes.  As Ray and the others always reinforce, if we have broken one, we have broken them all (James 2:9-11).  But I can honestly say that I have rarely, if ever, witnessed the speed of conviction over the obvious sins Comfort lays out in his street witness than when the topic of abortion is presented in "180."  As is displayed in this pro-life video, the results and the time it took to convict  are nothing short of jaw-dropping.

I am sure there will be some who will condemn Ray Comfort for using the analogy of the Holocaust to present his case against abortion.  Although the images are graphic, you will see just how effective the parallels are and how our society, especially our youth, are not being taught about important historical facts and the people who have played a genocidal role in our world.  I share in his tremendous dismay and grief over the reaction he received to his initial question about who Hitler was.  But Ray is successful in tying the two together because the Holocaust and abortion are equally atrocious and destructive to the sanctity of life, and both should be viewed as unmitigated and unwarranted slaughter of the innocents.

I hope you will take 33 minutes and 3 seconds to watch this video, even if you are of the mindset that you wouldn't personally abort your own baby, but feel that a woman has the right to choose for herself, or there are special circumstances that make it acceptable.  As my niece wrote when she shared it on Facebook, "I dare you to watch this."  You may just find that you also will take a 180 degree turn in your thinking.

That is the reason this pro-life video was produced and that's what Ray, the producers, and I are praying will happen.  If our prayers are answered and your heart is changed, please share this on your own blog and ask others to do the same.  Purchase a copy for mere pennies and hand it to someone you know, share it with your church, or even give a copy to a stranger.

By doing one or all of the above, together we can end abortion and give the unborn the first breath of life they deserve.

Just A Note

As many of you know, I have two blogs.  The second one, Wongani's Hope, has a new post, the third installment of Beka's story.  I hope you'll take a few moments and visit it.  If it's your first time there, you can read the whole story to date by scrolling to the bottom of the page and working your way up.

I am praying that Beka's mission will touch your heart and that you will become a "Follower" of the blog.  Please leave a comment, too, so that Beka will be encouraged by your support.  She's an amazing young woman and the LORD is doing marvelous work through her.  We would also love it if you would share this blog with others so that others will pray for the children of Malawi.

Thanks for taking the time.  Beka and I both appreciate it and we know you won't be disappointed!

In Christ's and Beka's service,

Karen

Making the Best of My Time

I am learning about time management.  I've never been real good at it.  I can become easily distracted by other projects that appear to be more important than one I may be currently working on.  I'll set one aside and re-concentrate my focus onto something else and, all the while, the first project lies waiting to be completed.  Or, I'll try and juggle two or more at a time, then not be satisfied with the end results of either.  When I get in this funk, there's only one direction for me to turn:  God.

When I first started this blog, I had a stack of things I had written over the years that I figured would just go unread by others.  I would share them with family and maybe a few close friends, but that was as far as they would go.  So, when the blog needed its first posts to get it up and running, I had a good supply to draw from.  As time went on, inspiration kept coming at a pretty good rate and I was usually satisfied with what was being written.  But once again, the distractions of life and what appeared to be more important than keeping this blog fresh caused me to forget where the inspiration was coming from.  I would acknowledge that fact, put my focus back onto the reality that God started this blog for a reason, and all would be well...at least until I needed to be reminded, again.

That's where I find myself, today.  As many of you know, I have volunteered to create and administrate a new blog, Wongani's Hope, for a missionary to Malawi, Africa that I have grown to love and admire.   As I frantically work to catch its readers up to what's happening with her, in the back of my mind is a nagging voice telling me to also give this blog the attention it deserves, and that the LORD expects.  I believe in my heart that He wanted them both floating around in the ethernet so that others would benefit from them.  Both have importance.  Both are the work of His hands, as is evident when I look at my traffic counter's world map and the circles that indicate where my readers are from.  He has a purpose for both blogs and it's up to me to make sure that His purpose is met. 

A beloved Aunt once said, when I was fussing about getting housework done, "It'll be there tomorrow."  She was right then and if she was still with us, she would be right today.  The things we perceive to be of most importance in our everyday lives are actually the least important.  They are things that have the capacity to overpower the tasks God has set before us.  It goes without saying that we are expected to take care of the possessions and blessings He has given us, but sometimes they can be temporarily set aside for His bigger purpose.  After all, there's a world out there who has never heard of Him and His Son and the reason for this blog was to introduce Him and tell of His glorious works, plans, and will for mankind.

 "He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting." ~ Psalm 104:19

Just as the LORD set the seasons and established the heavens to mark time, He has also marked the time I will spend on both blogs.  When I feel as though I'm overwhelmed trying to juggle both of them, and while the need for housecleaning, laundry, meal preparation, and intimate times spent away from the computer with family and friends lie in the background, I need to remember this.  If I allow Him to be the Administrator of both blogs, as well as my life and all it entails, His purpose will be met.

 "I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:10-15

That's the best time management advice I can think of so, from now on, I'm going to make the best of the time He's planned for me and, hopefully, both blogs will reflect that.

I hope you will also go out and make the best of the time the LORD has given you and that it will honor and glorify Him, as it should.

Until next time!

 

Remembering the Reason Behind 9/11

One of the most often asked questions following the tragedy of 9/11 was how God could allow it to happen.  This question drove Americans to fill church pews in record numbers the Sunday following the terrorist attack, hoping that an answer would be provided.  It goes without saying that if they had occupied the right church, they would have heard the right answer.

We find ourselves a decade after what is now seen as the most brutal attack on American soil, preparing to hold homage to those whose lives were cut short that day.  The saddest part, however, is that many have forgotten what they heard from those faithful men who stood behind the church pulpits, and the pews have emptied of those who sought solace there.

The  truth behind what brought this to our soil has been replaced by political correctness in its worst form: denial of the historical and Biblical facts surrounding those who carried out the attack and what God says must come next.

The following sermon was given by Pastor John MacArthur, Grace Community Church, in Sun Valley, California, on September 16, 2001.  It can be said with all sincerity that his congregation heard the truth that day and if they were listening and truly wanting to hear why God would allow the attack on 9/11, they would never forget it.

I hope you will take the time to listen to both parts of the sermon.  God's truth and His warnings are contained within it.  May it bless you.  But, more importantly, may it return your focus back onto Him, His nation Israel, and His desire for all men.

In Christ,

Karen

A New Project In the Making...

Hi, everyone!

Once again, I'm finding other things taking me away from posting on the blog.  But this time, the reason is a good one.

Last May, my husband and I were blessed to be able to hear a presentation given by Beka Feth, a missionary to Malawi, Africa.  Since then, the LORD has moved in amazing ways, demonstrating to us that the work she is doing is of His own making.  He's also encouraging me and others to become involved in that work.  Not in Malawi, but here in the States.  It's been a reminder of how gloriously long is His arm!

Without going into details right now, I just wanted you to know that I am creating a blog for Beka and will also be administrating it, too.   God has impressed upon me an urgency in getting it up and going, thus the reason this blog is temporarily suffering.  Once it's up and running, I am confident that He'll give me the words and the time to service both blogs.  Until then, however, posts here will be a tad bit infrequent.

There's plenty of stuff to read here.  As I encouraged you the last time I found myself without the time to keep the blog fresh, look over the archives and "Labels" because I'm sure you'll find things you've never read.

When all the finishing touches to Beka's blog have been made, I'll share it with you here on this blog.  As I said above, God is doing amazing things through her in that tiny nation, and I know you'll agree.  When you see and read about her journey, I hope you'll all become "Followers" of the blog as we watch Him transform the people in Malawi through Beka.

Until then, stay tuned into this blog!  I sincerely appreciate your visits and promise to keep it focused and centered on the LORD, praying that it edifies, encourages, and strengthens you until His glorious return.

For Christ's honor and glory,

Karen

Chasing After the Wind

If you were to face the loss of a job, dwindling finances, and a mortgage you can't pay, how would you react?  If the economy became so bleak that the necessities of life became harder to acquire, what would be your response? Despair?  Hopelessness?  Desperation that drives you to do whatever is necessary to cling to these things?

I would say that the majority of us react that way.  The last two generations have become used to having everything they want or need, even at the expense of placing themselves in the graveyard of debt, passing it onto their children to deal with after they are gone (Eccl. 2:18-22).

Jesus said that at the time of the end, men would continue to revel and spend, in spite of the things that are happening around them (Matthew 24:37-39).   If you don't believe that we are approaching His return, stop and take a look around you.  Open your eyes to how you and others view life; the recreation you think you deserve, and the toys and gadgets that you think brings you happiness.  Ponder the waste of time and money spent on frivolous, decadent displays of "self" which only further supports the LORD'S warnings of how men will be living their lives during that point in history.

"All is vanity," wrote Solomon in Ecclesiastes (Eccl. 1:2).  Who knew this better than Solomon?  He had been given riches and possessions beyond the wildest dream of any man.  He asked for wisdom and God gave it to him.  He reveled and spent more than the wealthiest in history (Eccl. 1:14; 2:1-3; 2:11-12).  Yet, as his life drew to a close, Solomon realized that all that he had learned and acquired was nothing compared to knowing God and His will for man (Eccl. 5:6-8; cf Isaiah 49:4).

Solomon gained the greatest wisdom by acknowledging the folly of "chasing after the wind" and the results that it could bring (Eccl. 2:10-11).  The wisdom God gave him, albeit not what he expected, was revealed to him at the close of his life, not while he was enjoying the benefits in his youth (Eccl. 5:18-20).  I can think of no better way to end this post than to use the words of the wisest man to ever walk this earth and the summation of his life:

"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, 'I have no pleasure in them'; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.  Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

...The end of the matter; all has been heard.  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.   For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil." ~ Ecclesiastes 12:1-8, 13, 14

I encourage you to take a closer examination of the things you value.  You may just end up in the same place Solomon found himself: that all he had done was chase after the wind.  None of the temporal things - riches, possessions, wisdom - truly matter in the big scheme of life.  It's WHO you know and obey while enjoying the benefits of His blessings on this earth that really matters.  As Solomon discovered - and I hope you do, too -  that kind of wisdom will bring the greatest riches, and they will last an eternity.

Sheep or Sheeple - Which One Are You?

John 10:1-21

My grandkids are in 4-H.  Since my 13 year old granddaughter, Ani, began three years ago, she has twice taken the Grand Champion title for the steers she has fed and conditioned.  Her brother, Liam, who is going to be 11 in January, has raised pigs for the last two years and has done quite well.  Kieran, brother number two who just turned 8, will be transitioning from a Clover Bud and open classes and into qualified projects next year.  I'm proud of all three of them.  The 4-H organization has taught them how to value livestock and the industry, and the responsibility and time and effort it takes to raise their animals.

But one animal that none of the kids will be raising during their 4-H tenure is sheep.   Sheep are easy to raise and feed, and the cost of doing so is dramatically less than raising a market steer or a pig.  Most parents prefer the seemingly non-offensive, less smelly, smaller animal to the larger varieties.  They think that their child should start out with livestock that's easier to handle and would never harm them.  They may have a point, especially for the "backyard" livestock keeper.  Who doesn't love a baby lamb and their cuddly, soft, downy wool?  And a well-fed lamb does produce wonderful chops!  The essence of my grandkids' decision not to raise one, however, is basically due to the challenge the larger animals offer, and the lack of the same with sheep.

Let's take a look at the character and habits of sheep.

Sorry, but sheep are dumb.  Sheep have a deeply embedded herd mentality.  Sheep have a propensity to follow after danger, grazing with their heads down, not knowing where they're going, and not recognizing danger before it's too late.  In spite of those attending them bearing the title "shepherd," it is almost impossible to drive them in the direction you want them to go.  All is well as long as the lamb has company - other lambs, that is.  Place a lamb skin on a wolf, and they will follow it, thinking it's another lamb.  (I once had an Old English Sheepdog that could get any balking herd of sheep to follow after her because she had the appearance of a lamb - in spite of her hatred and resentment for the things.)

When the lambs are presented in the show ring, no halter, ropes, driving sticks, or canes are required.  All the handler must do is place one of his or her hands under the lamb's lower jaw and the other on its rump to propel it into the position they desire.  When they stop to set it up (place it in its show position), the lamb stands there, imagining that the hand that's under its jaw is preventing it from moving.  My point is made: imagine an animal so dumb that it actually thinks it's tethered or unable to move where it wants because someone has a hold of its jaw.  (A sheep's brain weighs 140 grams, as compared to a cow's brain weighing in at 425-458 grams.  Compare both to a human brain weighing 1300-1400 grams, and that's all that needs to be said.)

Those who have no true knowledge of sheep might think, "That kid has trained that sheep well!"  Even though the kids work long hours conditioning their lambs, they begin when the lambs are very young.  The less-seasoned showman considers the lamb a pet and it is most often treated like one.  By playing with it and keeping a hands-on approach, the lamb becomes accustomed to being handled and falls easily and submissively into the proper techniques that are required to show it in the ring.  They are just simply an easier animal to raise and handle - unless you want to drive them.

Does any of this sound familiar?

It is no wonder that people are likened to sheep.  The often-used pun "sheeple" is appropriate in regard to how men behave.  They follow after danger with their heads down, fall into a herd mentality, and are unable to recognize a wolf in sheep's clothing (much like my old dog who fooled the sheep every time), and fail to follow after the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  Usually all it takes for a person to be led astray is a slyly placed hand under his jaw and a little push in the wrong direction, and off he goes!  Once he's in the position that the enemy wants him to be in, he remains frozen there.  He isn't aware that all he would have to do to break free from that which restricts him is to cry out for his Shepherd's aid and return to Him.

There is a sheep pen that has been established by the LORD where He puts all those He has gathered.   On the perimeter of that pen is a gate that He has secured and through which He leads His sheep out.  They know His voice and will turn and run from a stranger.  They know He is their Shepherd and will protect them.  They also know that the pastures He leads them to will be lush and verdant.  When one strays away from Him, He will leave the others behind to search for it.  He has even given His life for His sheep.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock.  I might even go so far as to say that the sheep that belong to Him are wise.  

Unlike the foolish 4-H sheep described above, those who belong to Jesus know their Master and are faithful to Him.  He has no need for restraints to keep His sheep obedient and subjected to Him.  He makes no demands upon them except to love and obey Him.  When His sheep know Him, the hand He places upon their hearts is gentle, not forceful.  It guides them towards righteousness and holiness, perfection and peace.  And eventually, Jesus will shepherd them to His eternal kingdom where they will be forever free to graze with their heads down without fear.

So, are you a sheeple or a sheep?  It's a good question to ask oneself.  Jesus desires to add you to His flock.  Truly, there's no better place to be.  And if you are one that's being held captive by the hand of deception that is only leading you astray, simply call out to Him.  He's ready and willing to break that hold for you and lead you to safer pastures.

I hope I see you there. 

Getting Knocked Off the -Ism and -Ist Perch

If there was ever a time in history that has the propensity to confuse and befuddle Christians with excessive terminology, it's in this generation.  And the biggest problem with all the "isms" and "ists" that are being passed around is the division that is caused when differing viewpoints are debated - usually hotly and with little or no regard to the commonality Christians do have with each other: belief in Jesus Christ and His Gospel of salvation in its fullness.

The "5 Points of Calvin-ism"..."Arminian-ism"..."dispensational-ism"..."preterist"..."pre-mid-post-millenialist"...and every other "ism" and "ist" that can stir up and muddy the waters of the Gospel message reminds me of the photo I've attached to this post.  We  have become a bunch of different types of birds, each jostling for space on a narrow perch, and all singing discordant tunes that are out of harmony with each other.  This does nothing more than bring dissension among believers and a stubborn drive for each bird to make his position the only valid and legitimate one and to guarantee he remains on the perch.

Of course, then we have those who label themselves with cute hyphenated versions of "-isms" and "-ists" like silly little school girls.  The "Calvi-dispy" crowd and others remind me of immature children who form their own private little club.  In order to become a member, one must jump through the hoops these elitists have erected, learn the lingo, and agree completely with them.  If not, you have no hope of becoming part of this intimate and divinely inspired group and you're knocked off their perch.

This is not to say that I don't have my own convictions on these important doctrines, and most of those convictions are in line with the -ist and -ism crowd (minus half a point).  What I am saying is that all too often our approach comes across as arrogant and argumentative, rather than with gentle instruction and a desire to help others see their errors.  We become exclusive, wanting only to associate with those of like-mind.  We bar the door of our tight-knit, hand-selected, little group from those with differing opinions (and often misguided ones) and then gossip among ourselves about their ignorance.  Believe me.  I have witnessed this.

Should this be the way we, as Christians, behave?

It goes without saying that no one wants to deal with a trouble-maker.  Someone who inserts himself and attempts to cause division should be removed and handed over for the LORD to discipline, if that be His will.  But to merely turn your vitriol on someone who has the wrong understanding of a particular doctrine, and who may be quite capable through the intervention of the Holy Spirit working through you in coming to a right understanding, is the wrong way for us to behave.

Who are we to decide for God who should be the recipient of that understanding?  Is He not Sovereign in His choices?  Has He not given us the means and the knowledge to share with others what we do know and a clear mandate to accomplish it?  For us to hide our "lamp" under a "jar" is for us to also hide the Light of Christ that gives understanding and reveals the hidden and hard things.  The knowledge that has been given to us and the understanding we have should be put on a "stand so that those who enter may see the Light."  (Luke 8:16)  By employing Jesus' instructions, the goal of reaching unity in common belief is more easily attained, thereby keeping peace in His body of believers instead of us acting like a bunch of squabbling birds fighting over position on the perch.

It is no small wonder that so many refuse to hear the Gospel when they see us fighting amongst ourselves over "-isms" and "-ists."  How is that furthering the Truths of God?  At best, all we are accomplishing is proving the unbeliever correct in his assessment:  hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, and a stubborn determination to always be right are still very much present in the Church.

Like those who have gone before us have discovered, there will come a time when we all will be amazed (and probably ashamed) at how much we may have missed the mark regarding certain doctrines.  None of us should think that we have all the right answers.  If we do, we're only fooling ourselves and placing ourselves in the precarious position of being knocked off our self-elevated perch.  There is only One with ultimate wisdom regarding these issues and He will determine how and when we come to a full understanding of them in His own way.

Although I am in agreement with many of my brothers and sisters regarding certain tenets of belief, I will humbly reserve sufficient space for God to correct and instruct me when He deems it necessary, even if it's through another.  The ironic part about it is that I believed these things before I even knew they had a name with a suffix attached to their end.  I didn't need to bog my mind down with -isms and -ists in order to understand them.  They came with the Gospel, and that was enough for me.  The most important thing I can do for Him right now is to allow Him to lead me in how I share what He's given me to others with less knowledge so that they, too, may benefit from His wisdom. 

God knocked me off my self-elevated perch a long time ago, and I cannot express the gratitude I have for that lowering of myself.  Every once in a while I try and climb back onto it, but I'm beginning to see that the view is much better down here, at least until I reach the level of wisdom He desires for me.  If I do have a position on that perch, it's one that He has ordained for me, not one I've chosen for myself.

So, enough with the "-isms" and "-ists" - at least for a time.  They only benefit mature believers in furthering their understanding of God's purpose and will by digging deeper into His Word.   There's a world of unbelievers out there who need to hear the Gospel of salvation in its purest form: simple and direct with nothing left to conjecture or debate, and nothing that will confuse or distort their understanding of it.  Once they have that firmly planted in their hearts, the rest will come by the Holy Spirit's intervention and instruction.