The Two Wolves

Colossians 3:2

Our Sunday school class finished a study of Habakkuk today. My friend Jena lead the study. She is a great speaker. I always enjoy her lessons.

In the course of the study, Jena told the Cherokee legend of the two wolves. The legend goes like this:

A Grandfather from the Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight between two wolves." The young grandson listened intently. "One wolf is evil, unhappy, and ugly: He is anger, envy, war, greed, selfishness, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment, inferiority/superiority, false pride, coarseness, and arrogance. He spreads lies, deceit, fear, hatred, blame, scarcity, poverty, and divisiveness." "The other wolf is beautiful and good: He is friendly, joyful, loving, worthy, serene, humble, kind, benevolent, just, fair, empathetic, generous, honest, compassionate, grateful, brave, and inspiring resting wholeheartedly in deep vision beyond ordinary wisdom." The grandson paused in deep reflection of what his grandfather had just said. Then he exclaimed; "Oyee! (in recognition). Grandfather continued; "This same fight is going on inside you, and inside all human beings as well." The grandson paused in deep reflection and recognition of what his grandfather had just said. Then he finally cried out deeply; "Oyee! Grandfather, which wolf will win this horrific war?" The elder Cherokee replied, "The wolf that you feed. That wolf will surely win!"

This story made me pause and reflect. Which wolf am I feeding? Sometimes it feels like the evil wolf is winning.

It is the political season. The Presidential campaigns and the debates are getting heated up. I allow myself to get all worked up about a lot of what is being said. I usually end up saying things that I regret saying.

I sometimes forget that it is of no real consequence who gets elected. It will be the one whom God wants in the office.

Our study in Habakkuk helped me to remember to focus on what is really important. To focus on the things above. God has the rest of it handled. My focus and trust should be on Christ Jesus.

The world has so many things in the way of distractions, yet nothing really very substantial or fulfilling to offer. I have been reminded to continue moving forward...to stick to the Plan.

Thanks, Jena.

God is AWESOME!

Speaking Out

Titus 3:1-2

The more I read about the Westboro Baptist Church, the angrier I become.

These people do not represent true Christianity. As Christians, we are Ambassadors of Christ. We are supposed to be gentle and humble and live at peace with others (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We are not supposed to be going out of our way to disrupt society and offend people.

The only offensive thing about us is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (John 15:18-19).

I am going to make it a point to pray for Westboro Baptist Church. Join with me in praying that the Holy Spirit will move in their hearts and convict them of their sin and that God sends some real teachers. They are being led astray by false teachers and by what the Apostle Paul called "doctrines of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1).

The people at Westboro Baptist Church are taking our Lord's name in vain and spreading hate. We are to share the love of Christ Jesus in gentleness to bring glory to His name.

God is AWESOME!

Always On My Mind

Acts 8:26-38

My wife and I were talking this evening, and she mentioned to me that a friend of hers whom she hasn't seen in a long time called her today. Her friend told her that she had been thinking about her quite a bit, and she saw this as prompting from the Holy Spirit to pray for her. She called my wife to tell her that she loved her and wanted her to know that she was praying for her.

I have always thought that was one of the neatest ways the Holy Spirit works. Someone's name, out of the blue, pops into your head and you can't get them off your mind until you either call them or pray for them.

I just look at it as further assurance that God is concerned for and involved in the lives of every one of His children. He is, after all, our Wise Father who loves us dearly. (Luke 15:18-20, John 3:16)

God is AWESOME!

No Introduction Needed

John 2:23-25

My pastor has been participating in an accountability group with some other local pastors. As an outgrowth of his participation in this group, he has presented the congregation with a challenge. We are doing a 40 Day Spiritual Journey.

The challenge is to read five chapters of the bible a day. The same five chapters. This week we are reading the first five chapters of John's gospel.

On Sunday, he will ask if anyone wants to share something that stood out to them in their reading, or if God had shown us something that we had not seen before. Well, I'm cheating. I'm going to share mine here.

The passage that stood out to me was John 2:23-25. "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man."

I think this stood out to me because it is such a sad statement, and it reminded me of how the condition of my heart was described. (Jeremiah 17:9)

I am thankful that when God looks into my heart, He sees only the Blood of the Lamb that covers it.

Thank You Father that Christ Jesus is my righteousness and that You entrusted Yourself to Him...because you know what is in me.

God is AWESOME!

The Patriot

Jeremiah 20:7-9

We recently celebrated the 236th birthday of our great nation. July 4th is the day we remember the brave men, the patriots of old who fought and died for the freedom that we enjoy today. We celebrate the great men who wrote our founding documents and declared that we are a free people, an independent nation of sovereign states. One nation, under God.

Whenever I think of great patriots, as weird as it may seem, I think of the prophet Jeremiah. He was born to be a prophet (Jeremiah 1:4-5).

Jeremiah loved his country. He didn't like having to prophecy against it. He suffered greatly for saying what he had been told to say.

Jeremiah trusted and loved God more than he hated what he was doing (Jeremiah 20:11-12). In misery, like Job, he pressed on. Trusting God with every word, with every step. Trusting God through every beating. He loved God and his country enough to continue.

I often ponder how a Jeremiah would be received in the United States. Probably much the same as Jeremiah was received in his own country (Jeremiah 20:7-8).

Since we as Christians are called to expose darkness to light and speak Truth, which will bring persecution, I hope we will have the courage to say what Jeremiah said: If I say, "I will not mention Him, or speak any more in His name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

God is AWESOME!

Random Thoughts

We were at the park walking yesterday. It was so hot that I kind of withdrew into my imagination to get my mind off the heat. Here is some of what went on in there.

Watching birds and dragonflies flying. The more I thought about it, the more amazed I was. A human being would never survive a ride in a vehicle that can maneuver like them. I observed a dragonfly going full steam ahead and then come to a dead stop in the air. Wow! God is a genius!

Closing my eyes, I watched memories in the form of little movies in my head. I allowed myself to think about that. I am a Doctor Who fan. If you are a fan as well, then you will know what I mean, but if you are not, I guess you'll have to go watch some Doctor Who to know. We are like a TARDIS. We are bigger on the inside. On the outside, I'm compact. My body only takes up so much space, but on the inside, I can go thousands of miles and not find the end. It is as if God fit an entire universe inside every individual. I suppose there had to be somewhere He would have enough room to show us who He is.

I thought some nerdy superhero stuff. I won't bore you with that.

I'm glad God, our wise Father, gave us a place we can go for some privacy. Even if it is in the midst of a crowd. In there, it's just Him and me.

God is AWESOME!

Ever Vigilant

Ephesians 6:11-13

I heard some distressing news about a former co-worker today. The disturbing news was about a person whom I perceived as a committed follower of Christ Jesus.

It wasn't so much what this person had done that was distressing to me (although it was distressing indeed). It was the fact that it could have been anyone that did it. The fact that our faith, no matter how solid our footing or how firm our stance, is so very fragile.

It occurred to me that this is why it is so vitally important to immerse ourselves in Heaven's culture. To put on the armor that Paul teaches about. All it takes is the slightest stumble, and the enemy exploits it for all it is worth. Our enemy will take the smallest opportunities to sink his claws as deeply into our minds as they will go (Genesis 4:7).

Look at the example we are given in King David (2 Samuel 11:14-15). He was a man described as one after God's own heart. Even he stumbled.

There is one thing that the enemy seems to forget. Something that we ourselves resist when we are in the throws of our sin. The power of the conviction of God's Holy Spirit. He hounds us, and we are driven back to our Father. (Luke 15:17-24) We are welcomed back with forgiveness and true joy.

For those of us who have been there, quite a few I would suspect, we know the feeling of the weight being lifted by the forgiveness washing over us as we kneel before our Wise Father and confess our sins to Him. (Romans 8:1, Jude 1:24)

Thank You, Father, for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for the realization of how fragile my faith is and that apart from You, I can do nothing.

God is AWESOME!