Exist or live?

“There was a time when I didn’t exist, but there will never again be a time when I won’t exist.”

This was quoted at a seminar I recently attended and I can’t seem to get it out of my mind. I have been thinking about life and existence all week. I didn’t have a choice in my conception and birth that was my parent’s choice. However, it is my choice that will determine my existence as living or dead AFTER my last breath on earth. What I do with my life from the time I came out of my mother’s womb until I breathe my last breath is in preparation for a time when I won’t physically exist…yet I will still exist.
Sounds like a riddle? Jesus often spoke in physical terms to explain an eternal/spiritual concept. What to the physical ear can sound like a riddle is revealed as truth to the spiritual ear. Two examples:

1. Jesus speaking to Martha after her brother Lazarus died:
Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:23-26)
2. Jesus speaking to Nicodemus explaining that unless he was born again he could not see the Kingdom of God. To which Nicodemus explained, “Huh???”…well, not exactly that word.
Nicodemus said, "But if a person is already old, how can he be born again? He cannot enter his mother's womb again. So how can a person be born a second time?” (John 3:1-16)

What sounded like a logical question from Nicodemus, Jesus used as a segue into explaining the lives in of John 11:26. "I tell you the truth, unless you are born from water and the Spirit, you cannot enter God's kingdom. Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit. Don't be surprised when I tell you, 'You must all be born again.’ No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man (Jesus) has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

So what does all this have to do with my opening statement?
Knowing at some point in time I would be born, God had a plan for my life. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Knowing exactly what I would need for my body to be formed and grow, God was there when I was conceived. (Psalm 139)
Knowing the number of days I would live on earth….God determined my beginning from my end. (Psalm 139)
Knowing eternal life past my earthly existence….God gave His Son so I could always live (eternal life) not just exist (decaying yet remaining alive…forever). (John 3:16-21)

“In the beginning…God” are the first words written in the Bible. "Come!" Let whoever is thirsty…whoever wishes may have the water of life as a free gift…Jesus, the One who says these things are true, says, "Yes, I am coming soon." These are some of the last words written in the Bible. In between are all the answers we will ever need to make an eternal choice.
There may have been a time when I didn’t exist, but there was never (nor ever will be) a time when God did not exist. One question remains for you and me: do I want to “live” or just “exist” after I die and leave this earth?  That choice will always remain ours.

Prized possession

Mr. Jenkins was the old eccentric that lived at the end of Dead End Alley. The street name was actually Prince Avenue but it had never looked like a description of royalty! Mr. Jenkins would rummage through peoples garbage and bring home…stuff. Always had stuff just lying around his yard. Never could understand why anyone would want an old tub in their yard filled with dirt and flowers, the neighbors all complained that it looked just plain tacky! Mr. Jenkins was once asked, “What value is there in old rusted pieces of broken down appliances, scraps of ‘who-knows-what’, some of it unrecognizable through years of exposure from the weather. Why do you hang on to this stuff? It is an embarrassment to the neighborhood.”

The old man paused and then carefully choosing his words replied, “These were once prized possessions of someone…someone who saved money to buy them, who cared for them, cleaned them, and showed them off as bran-spankin’-new. Time was when they all had a purpose and value to them; when people would fix things that were broken, now everyone just wants to throw away…seems like EVERYTHING is disposable now. See this rockin’ chair? To you it is a broken piece of furniture, of no use or value. But I imagine a momma once sittin’ here and rockin’ her baby…singin’ and tenderly caressing a precious gift given to her by the Almighty. You see this ‘junk’, as you call it, just needed some tender loving care and it could have been restored back to its original purpose. Kinda like you and me. Just like I clean the dirt and tarnish away from this junk, God did the same for me. He used my tears to clean out the dirt I been collectin’ over the years. We need to stop lookin’ at each other as ‘junk’…need to stop throwin’ each other away when life gets tough. When we can get past the outside dirt we are all carryin’ then we’ll see the beauty…the treasure inside each other. We’ll take time to help fix the broken in all of us instead of throwin’ in the towel and throwin’ each other out.”

People can be seen as “junk”. Children in and out of foster care because parents no longer are able or desire to care for them; abandoned like a piece of trash along the street. Marriages torn apart…looking for something (someone) better, younger, more interesting; adult children giving up on their parents once they hit the “golden years”, and the list could go on.

Perhaps you feel like you are living in a “junk yard” today, discarded for reasons you had no control over. You may even have thought God has forsaken you. Let me reassure you…HE HAS NOT!!
When others let go of us, God will never forget us.

"Can a mother forget her baby...have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." Isaiah 49:15-16
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Friend, you are of such great worth and value that the God of all creation...of all created beings is singing over you today!! He sent his only son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of all our past, present and future sin. He has not thrown you away, but rescued you from the junk yard of life, cleaned you and restored you to your original purpose: to give God glory in everything you do.

The dynamic duo

Fear and worry are the dynamic duo that once given an inch will take the preverbal mile in our lives! Much is written on fear and worry throughout God’s Word. Isaiah wrote, “So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed (worried) for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

I find it interesting that an antonym for fear and panic is self-control. I don’t know about you, but I must admit that sometimes I don’t like that word, self-control!! Could it be that it makes me accountable for my actions (as in one scoop of ice cream instead of three!)? That it requires I make a choice and ultimately the consequences of that choice cannot be blamed on someone else? “I can’t help but worry” has been an excuse I’ve heard a thousand times….yes you can! It is called, “choice”, as in SELF control.

Solomon reminds us of the danger of not having self-control: “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Prov 25:28
When we allow fear and panic to invade and take control of our thoughts we are opening the doorway of our hearts and minds for physical, spiritual and mental attacks. As in the city walls , WE cause a break in the seal placed around our hearts and minds through which the Holy Spirit was sent to bring safety and security.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (this includes fear and worry!).” Eph 4:29-31
“Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness (this includes fear and worry!).’ 2 Timothy 2:19
Picture your heart and mind as a fortress and above the door is the inscription, “The Lord knows and guards this entrance.”

Jesus said out of the overflow of the heart our mouths speak (Luke 6:45). Ultimately what we believe and live will be revealed through our speech and our actions.
In other words, whoever has control of our mind and heart also has control of our actions. If fear and panic are the foundation our walls are built upon, our actions throughout the day will be aligned with anxiety, paranoia, anger, jealousy, etc. because those are the byproducts of fear and panic. But if we allow God to be the foundation faith, hope and trust will be the walls built around our city (our heart and mind). This will then result in actions such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (or no limit).” Galatians 5:22-24.

It is our choice…..fear and worry or trust and faith. Both options are placed upon the unknown, but only One option gives life.
Be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes. Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you. Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. (1 Peter 5:6-8)

Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding

Usually the first thing I say and ask when meeting someone is, “Hello, my name is Kay and you are?” A name is the doorway into discovering and connecting with another person. In biblical times names were descriptive of anything from the circumstances in which the child was conceived or born to the times they were living in. For example, when Jacob’s wife Leah gave birth to her children they were given names describing how God heard and knew Jacob’s relationship with her.
How would you like to go through life with names that meant: “he has seen my misery (Reuben)” or “my struggle (Naphtali)?”
Don’t know about you but that sounds like the makings of a country song, “Here comes Misery and Struggle” complete with banjo and harmonica background...sorry, I digress!!

So what is in a name? When God called Moses to lead his children out of Egypt, Moses asked God, “When the Israelites ask me ‘What is his name?’ what shall I tell them?” God answered, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Genesis 3:13-14) God’s name was and still is indicative of action…past, present and future. God was giving them the promise of faithfully loving and caring for them, of always being with them not far away and it was all in His Name. He continued by saying, “this is my name FOREVER, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Genesis 13:15)
It was not by chance Isaiah foretold Jesus birth and that he would be called ‘Immanuel’—which means ‘God with us.’ (Isaiah 7:14) This was also reaffirmed to Joseph in a dream prior to taking Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:19-15). God was once again reminding his people, ‘I AM is still with you…I haven’t left you.’

Upon given the promise of a son (Samson), Manoah asked the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” The angel replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” (Judges 13:17-18)
This verse intrigued me and I started thinking if we cannot understand the meaning of a name, particularly the names of Jesus and God, how then can we understand the why’s and how’s of the actions of the One bearing that name? Yet we are forever analyzing God’s actions so we can somehow justify those actions when they don’t meet our expectations.

Isaiah reminds us, “Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14)
God goes beyond our comprehension to do the impossible in our lives and when He does this our only response should be like that of Job (Job 1:20), Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:20), Mary (Luke 1:38) and numerous others—falling before the Lord in worship and submission.
If we wait until we understand, we will miss out in the most amazing part of bearing His Name (Christians)--the anticipation of the power of God working in and through us. “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well…and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” (Mark 16:17-20)

Where do you find yourself today? Are you still trying to understand before you submit to God or have you “fallen before the Lord in worship and submission” giving God the freedom to use you to display His Name...whether you understand or not?

Into the obstacle

“And as soon as the priests who were carrying the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:13

A new generation of Israelites is at the threshold of entering a land promised by God to their forefathers and their parents. The miracles and stories of how God delivered them from Egypt, provided for them, watched over them and directed them during that time has been passed on to this generation from their parents.

Now they stand at the bank of the Jordan River, the gateway to that Promised Land. A land inhabited by people who did not worship Jehovah God; a people whose only means of relinquishing their land would be through hostile encounters.

This was a land so bountiful it has been described as “flowing with milk and honey”, a land already planted with everything the Israelites will need the moment their feet step on it.

One obstacle remained: in order to enter they must first…step.
Step into a river that was running at flood stage (Joshua 4:18). Step into a river that would not stop flowing UNTIL the first priest carrying the ark would enter it.

The one thing we tend to overlook in this passage is that God not only gave the conditions of the water being stopped, He also reminded them I OWN ALL THE EARTH…INCLUDING THE WATER!
“And as soon as the priests who were carrying the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:13
The Israelites are going to be faced with difficult situations and hostile people the moment their feet hit the other side of the bank. God’s power has already preceded the Israelites entrance to the Promised Land. When Joshua sent the two spies into Jericho, Rahab testified, “We have HEARD how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea…what you did to the …two kings of the Amorites. When we HEARD of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed…for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” (Joshua 2:10-11)

This verbal confirmation from outside the camp of Israel about the power of God along with the miracle God was about to perform in their crossing of the Jordan will once again strengthen the people’s faith in God’s promises and fulfillment of those promises. This will be the foundation upon which God will move in the conquering of the Promised Land.

Where do you stand today? What is God calling you to do that seems impossible? What obstacles are you facing that are standing between you and the abundant life God has promised you? Will you stand on the banks shaking your head and wringing your hands waiting for ‘it’ to slow down, go away or possibly someone else come in to rescue you? Or will you ‘step in’ to the unknown EXPECTING God to fulfill His promise to you BEFORE it happens? Rest assured, God owns ALL the earth and EVERYTHING in it…including the obstacle standing in your way.

Memorial stones or grave markers?

Throughout the Old Testament are examples of memorial stones set up representing situations the Israelites found themselves in so future generations would be able to know the power and presence of Jehovah God. Had they not experienced these situations, there would have been no memorial stones for future generations--no lessons to pass on.

Don’t know about you but there are things in my past that I would just as soon remain in my past…buried! “Remember the good ole days” has become a much trumped slogan when our today starts to become overwhelming or perhaps doesn’t play out how we had hoped it would. The “good ole days” held challenges as well, although we tend to forget them when comparing to today. When reminiscing on the past we also tend to focus on the positive rather than the negative.
Perhaps by not reflecting on some of the past we then won’t have to deal with the consequences or even possible reconciliations. But in doing this we could also be shortchanging future generations from lessons learned.

“In the middle of the Jordan…take up a stone…to serve as a sign among you. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:4-7

A new generation of Israelites is at the threshold of entering a land that was promised by God to their forefathers and their parents. Joshua and Caleb are the only remaining people from the generation (20 years or older) that left Egypt to enter the Promised Land, a generation that wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until they died. The miracles and stories of how God delivered them from Egypt, provided for them, watched over them and directed them during that time has been passed on to this generation from their parents. This generation has never known anything but wandering, never been part of a permanent community to be able to show their children where they played or worked. They have never known or suffered at the hands of the Egyptian taskmasters as their parents had; nor tasted the first of a crop their own hands planted and harvested.

Now they stand at the bank of the Jordan River, the first obstacle before they step foot onto promised soil. A land that is so bountiful it has been described as “flowing with milk and honey”. Land that has already been planted with everything they will need the moment their feet step on it.

When reading the above verse, I started thinking, “Do I erect memorial stones or grave markers representing my past?”
Romans 15:4, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
I am a firm believer of not living in the past, rather using our past as a tool of warning or encouragement to future generations. When we bury our past and any pain it brought it becomes of no value to anyone including us—it becomes a grave marker representing something that is dead and buried. But, if we allow our past to be as an encouragement to others it then becomes a memorial stone—something that is remembered and can be used to help others. We can use our past to tell of the faithfulness of God OR perhaps what happened when we didn’t allow God to work in our lives.

What about you? Are you erecting memorial stones or grave markers with your past?

Power in Praise

Mention character and what comes into your mind? Possibly phrases such as, “she/he is quite a character!” or perhaps a particular definition such as “they have a generous, patient or weak character; they have a strong personality; they have a character flaw.” A child’s character is sometimes described as being strong-willed.

Our character is influenced by many things and/or people early in our life; parents, teachers, peers, television, movies, Sunday school teachers, etc. The strength of one’s character includes forgiveness, not getting even for wrongs that have been done to us; helping those who are less fortunate than us; standing in the face of adversity and determining never to give up; being honest when confronted with an opportunity to lie or cheat…even when no one is watching.

Galatians 5:22-26 reveals not only an inward but also an outward manifestation of a character that has been renewed by the Spirit of God--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and self-control. At any given moment in our day, these characteristics will be tested by those around us, sometimes unintentional and others times very much intentional. It has been said if we want to learn patience we need to be around those who will push us to the limit. We almost come to expect the testing of these characteristics.

But the hidden test to the strength or quality of our character is one we don’t expect. One that can so easily sneak up behind us and knock us off balance when we least expect it. It is the test of praise we receive from others. Praise from others can bring moments of awkwardness or embarrassment, but I never thought of it as a test of my character until I read this verse: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.” (Prov 27:21).

Praise…admiration…applause…honor from others can very quickly turn into self-importance, smugness and even pride. If not careful, we can even determine our self-worth based upon the praise we receive from others. What we do with praise is as critical as how and why we use the gifts and talents that resulted in the praise.

After Paul described the Spirit controlled life he gave this admonition: “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”(Gal 5:26 NIV) Other versions say; “not become boastful, challenging one another; compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better than the other; competitive, irritating to one another, being jealous of one another.”

Paul has just described release from a sinful nature into the glorious fruit of Christ’s nature within us and almost is the same breath ends with this warning. Why? Because even Paul understood the fragility of our human nature. Not always, but there are times when God moves in and through us to those around us that our old nature will raise its ugly head and enjoy, if not seek, the approval and admiration of others.
Dare I say even Paul struggled with this when he said, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh.” (2 Cor 12:7)

So how do we guard against self deception and come through the test of praise?

1. First and foremost praise is reserved for God. Of the over 350 mentions of praise in the Bible at least 99% are directed to God. Praise is a form of worship. When we seek out praise from others, we make an idol of ourselves and God said there is to be no other Gods before us but Him.
2. We are to encourage one another…not praise one another—“that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.” Romans 1:11-13; Moses encouraged Joshua (Deut 1:32); the early believers encouraged one another in their faith, using the gifts and talents God gave (Acts 15:32; Acts 3:15; 16:40; 18:27; 20:2). Be cautious how we offer encouragement so the “praise” will always go to God working in and through the individual.
3. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Col 3:23)
4. It is the Lord we are serving, and the reward we receive from God will far outweigh any praise from men (Col 3:24)
5. Let us not become weary in doing good…even when no one notices, God does! (Gal 6:9)
6. Let the praise bestowed upon us be an opportunity to boast about the power of Christ. (2 Cor 12:7-10)

There is power in praise! Satan will use anything to deflect the praise away from God. Let us be careful whose power we welcome and want to be aligned with.

Hallelujah! You who serve GOD, praise GOD!
Just to speak his name is praise!
Just to remember GOD is a blessing—
now and tomorrow and always.
From east to west, from dawn to dusk,
keep lifting all your praises to GOD!

Psalms113:1-3 (The Message)