Hope in the House of Mourning - March 25, 2018

Ecclesiastes 7:2 - It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.

How does one stay optimistic in the face of despair? What causes the ember of hope to keep burning when every circumstance seeks to extinguish it? Mankind has mourned the loss of loved ones for millennia, and yet we have not "evolved" beyond its necessity. Grief is a God-given emotion that is crucial to our well-being. While it may be uncomfortable, the pain often works as a catalyst to drive us toward a solution. The end of sorrow will result in either a positive or negative outcome. This is often dependent on whether we know Him who allows both pain and sorrow, or conversely laughter and joy. When we allow God to show us His divine plan in the pain, then we gain invaluable insight into His own heart and how He cares for us. Through these lessons of love, we can grow spiritually to help others. However, for those who choose to disregard God and turn from Him as our Sustainer in times of trouble, we might attempt to seek out other "spirits" to provide a balm of solace. While they may offer promise of instantaneous relief, they only compound the problems without allowing pain to have its perfect result.

Throughout the years of my biblical studies, I have reflected on our lead verse and its meaning in regard to hope. In this regard I continue to see the wisdom of Solomon's admonition and the importance of understanding our mortality. This truth rang true with me on a personal level recently. The loss of a loved one often creates a vacuum in our lives. Some have described it as literally sucking the air out of us while we struggle to make sense of human loss. However, as aforementioned, pain has its place in our time of mourning. Many do not want to consider we are but mortal flesh, just passing through life as a vapor (James 4:14). The uncomfortable idea of death is not desirous for consideration. To embrace such a notion warrants either action or apathy. Many, the Lord Jesus tells us, will cling to the latter (Matthew 7:14). However, for the former, there is hope -- a hope that life is more than our day to day struggle here upon earth. The Preacher in this text of Ecclesiastes tells us there is hope if we choose the house of mourning rather than the apathy of the house of feasting. Unfortunately, apathy is often the result of fear and not wanting to act upon sound wisdom. Many are those who are stuck in this valley of decision! (Joel 3:14) They have yet to find the courage to face life on God's terms. Conversely, those who have allowed themselves the luxury of pain understand how it brings us through this hopeless valley and on to a place of strength.

Too many in this valley of despair mourning for loved ones turn to a false balm to ease their pain. They might use medications, illegal drugs, or alcohol to hide from their feelings. As human beings made in the image of God, we are not designed to hide from anything and especially not God. The Lord has dealt with man's betrayal to hide from Him ever since that fateful day in the Garden (Genesis 3:9). When we continue to turn from God, believing we know best regarding how to deal with the pain of suffering, then we lose spirit. However, our turning to God, as Solomon states causes the "living" to take the divine substance of life to his or her heart. In other words, to be alive means to confront life according to the will of God and to face it with courage. The dying, or those without the understanding of God, continue to lose their soul little by little in their denial of God's place in their lives. The former enlarges our hearts, the latter continues to diminish it.

Solomon gives us two choices where to "go" in Ecclesiastes 7:2. We may choose certain pain, where we courageously face our inability to cope with our emotional state on our own. This is a place of vulnerability and discomfort. However, it is honest, truthful, and without guile. That is why others are often there to comfort one another in a time of loss in order to draw upon each other's strengths in a time of crisis. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, or our own inner loss of relationship with a God that seeks our fellowship, we must not hide from God. We must allow His sorrow to do its work within us. Without it, we cannot come to the other side where there is once again peace and joy in living. As the Psalmist states: "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) May we who seek to hide from God and the pain of mourning find ourselves hidden in Him and drawing upon the strength of the Almighty to bring us through to the other side.

Father of all mercies, may You draw those who are fearful to face the prospect of their own mortality. May You grant these the opportunity to come to You and experience Your grace and love in the house of mourning. May those who find themselves empty at the loss of a loved one recognize their own loss if they were to go into eternity without You. Grant these repentance through Your free gift of salvation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Arresting Developments - March 18, 2018

II Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (KJV)

Several years ago, I was in my office going through emails. My then four year-old grandson burst in and told me I was under arrest. Earlier this same morning he was commandeering a pirate ship that had just set sail. However, now he had moved to the other end of the law by telling me his name was now "officer." Imaginations of children are so endearing. They show us how they make sense out of their world by exploring how they fit in, putting on different roles much like we would change a shirt. While this type of behavior in an adolescent is sweet and tugs at our heart strings, how would we react to such behavior in a 34 year old? Where it is cute in a child, this would be embarrassing to behold in an adult if they truly believed their flights to fantasy like a child. If we use this analogy regarding our lead verse, it is quite easy to understand how the Lord wants us to mature to a point where we understand the mechanics of righteous imaginations.

Paul, in the context of chapter 10 of his second letter to the Corinthians was speaking to an immature church body. This young Gentile church had dealt with the problem of immorality in his first letter due much to Paul's rebuke and continued follow-up. However, there were some who still questioned his authority as an apostle. In chapter 10 through 12, he goes to great length to describe himself and his credentials and why he should be regarded as their spiritual father. In II Corinthians 10:5, he is describing the understanding of a mature saint of God and their ability to choose right from wrong and to war in the spirit accordingly. In a very real sense, Paul had become a spiritual enforcer for the kingdom of God upon this earth. The King James Version uses the word "imaginations" in this verse rather than the New American Standard's use of the word "speculations." Both words are appropriate. However, imaginations gives us a more vivid explanation of Paul's point of reference. Speaking to spiritually immature Christians, he was stating they should not be naive regarding the warfare that should be their spiritual heritage. Rather, that vain imaginations and speculations about what they believe is right and holy should be cast aside. Instead, they should grow up in Christ and allow His wisdom to lead and guide them, taking captive anything that would prevent them from being totally sold out to God.

Today, we are in great need of spiritual enforcers like Paul who would see the great need to war in the Spirit according to the wisdom of God. However, here is the main reason why this is not possible in so many church bodies in our contemporary western societies. We, like the Corinthians, have refused to reject our immorality, our passivity, and our subjectivity to sin. We have instead attempted to marry ourselves to both the world and to Christ. Paul tells us earlier in this second letter that light and darkness cannot mix---that they are incompatible (II Corinthians 6:14-18). Jesus Christ will not align Himself in our hearts and lives with the idols we have set up. Therefore, many of us do not know how to cast down our vain imaginations because we have instead embraced them. As James tells us this is an impossible arrangement that will only result in our growing enmity with God (James 4:4). Beloved, there is a place for godly vision which is diametric to worldly imagination. In order to obtain the former, we must let go of the latter.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote some sobering words regarding the vanity of childish imaginations and the necessity of godly vision. In I Corinthians 13:11 he states: "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things." In order to become spiritual enforcers for ourselves, our families, and our churches we must grow up and away from our compromise with this world. We must not fellowship with darkness but come into the light of Christ's wisdom. There is no other way to make hell tremble and heaven rejoice regarding the spiritual warfare which is the heritage of every child of God. Our gaze must be so transfixed on Christ as we take on His mind, taking every thought captive for the furthering of His kingdom. Our legacy is to enforce God's law and bring all offenses before the judge and let Him deal with them according to His will. However, to get to this place of maturity will take us choosing the light over the dark. We must forsake the compromised position, embracing the implacable stance of a stalwart soldier of the Lord. This is the great story that Christ desires to write in our lives, beloved. One not of worldly imagination but of godly wisdom born in the heart of the Almighty.

Heavenly Father, may we destroy vain imaginations by growing up in Your Son. May we acquire His wisdom as we forsake the things of this world and embrace His maturity in the beauty of His holiness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Estate Planning - March 11, 2018

II Corinthians 5:1 - For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Many of us who are Baby Boomers are either retired or well on our way. Whether we are ready for the time when we will draw Social Security and pensions (if we are fortunate), it is an inevitable reality. Some of us have prepared better than others. Through various circumstances, many have not been in the position to plan properly. To increasing numbers of soon-to-be retirees, the prospect of leaving the workforce is somewhat unnerving. I speak mainly of those who have neither put their faith in God nor have any type of retirement savings. Because of this, we see a much older work force performing jobs that many youngsters used to do. Instead, oldsters are finding they cannot retire but must make ends meet by working through their 70s and sometimes into their 80s. Then, there are others such as Christians who believe a savings does not matter, that God will take care of them as long as they are doing the Lord's work. This is true in many cases, for Jesus told us if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness that our needs would surely be met (Matthew 6:33). However, I am also of the opinion that many use this as an excuse for mismanagement of the individual wealth the Lord entrusts to each of us. Wisdom is the keyword regarding our family's nest egg. We can sometimes become bad stewards and believe God will bail us out in our old age. However, the bail out may not be the reality we had hoped for.

God has not called all of us to be missionaries to the ends of the earth, giving up our possessions for the sake of the Kingdom. For these, God has promised a wealth of riches even in their seeming poverty here upon earth (Matthew 19:29). However, for the majority of us, God has told us to stay and support ministries such as these with our finances and to be lights in our own communities. Whether we stay or go, we can be a great asset for the Kingdom of God if we are obedient in what Christ gives us. If he has told some to go, many of these will say it is quite easy giving up everything---in the beginning that is. The true test of discipleship will often show itself in the first few months as the romantic notion of missionary work wears thin. That is when it becomes evident who is truly called to lay down their lives where there is no running water or air conditioning. Some at this juncture pick up their old lives at the airport and beat a hasty retreat. However, those who have planned both their earthly and heavenly estates properly understand their position of wealth. Before setting out, they correctly heard from the Lord and planned according to God's wisdom. The joy of obedience rather than the sorrow of folly becomes their ultimate heritage (Luke 14:27-33).

For the majority of us He has called to stay, we must faithfully use what He gives us to help further His Kingdom. Many of us will not have millions of dollars to give for the Lord's work. However, just as the widow's mite, He will require us to give sacrificially so that we might receive what we need in this life and the one to come. However, at this juncture we must use wisdom. God may tell someone to give away their weekly paycheck and he will provide for that family. Nevertheless, for someone to take a scripture and test God's faithfulness without hearing directly from God is the worst sort of presumption. It is not only disobedience to give when God is saying not to, but it is also robbing the family of God's providence for that week. We must be careful not to tear down the "earthly tent" of which Paul speaks in our lead verse. While this scripture speaks of our earthly flesh, I believe it also refers to the earthly covering which we create for those who are trusting in our faithfulness to provide for them upon this earth. This means we have a moral and spiritual responsibility to seek the Lord for wisdom regarding our finances for our families, our church body, and inevitably the souls we will touch through these resources. Our earthly tent must be one that is pitched where God desires and where it is of paramount effectiveness for Him and others.

Our estate planning for both here and heaven is contingent on hearing the word of the Lord for our own lives. We must not shrink from providing for those who are trusting in exactly the way the Lord is requiring us to trust. As Paul states, our bodies are not our own and our earthly tents will one day be transformed into heavenly expressions. Until that day, we must continue to allow God to marshal everything within us and provide the covering He desires to bless others through our earthly estate. Earthly retirement will never mean retirement from God using us for His Kingdom. Instead, He will use those who have wisely built their earthly domain according to His will to further His Son's desire regarding lost humanity. May we all plan accordingly, for one day this earthly tent will be transformed to the heavenly one. May we not be sorrowful that we did not plan wisely, and may our heavenly abode be an expression of lives lived for Christ upon this earth.

Heavenly Father, may we look to You for wisdom as our earthly tent decays, yet our heavenly one increases. Give us understanding to know how to invest properly while upon this earth. If You tell us to go, we will go. If You tell us to stay, show us how to bring both the spiritual and material wealth You desire into Your Kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Trust and Obey - March 4, 2018

Luke 5:8 - But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!'

We all have certain skills which we do better than others. Some of us can create beautiful art work, or others of us have the ability to take a bunch of dried flowers and make a stunning floral display. Others have extraordinary ability in their vocations. Whether it is motivating others in a management position or making a particular product, these often make it look easy. When we look at the disciples and their lives pre-Jesus, they were probably good at what they did. Matthew, for instance, was disliked by the Pharisees which most likely meant he did his job well, extorting taxes from the locals. Yet, when Jesus saw Matthew and told him to follow Him, the scripture tells us he immediately obeyed (Mark 2:14-15). Likewise, with those who fished for a living. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) we see the calling of Peter, Andrew, James, and John at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. However, in Luke we are given a bit more detail regarding Peter's call and his response. In the fifth chapter of Luke, the Lord boards Peter's vessel and asks him to row out a distance from the shore so He would not be pressed by the crowd when teaching. After his discourse, he tells Peter to to put out and let down the nets for a catch. Peter tells Jesus how they had fished all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, he would do as he was told. The extraordinary miracle that resulted is recorded in verse six as Luke tells us "they enclosed a great quantity of fish." In our lead verse, we see the reaction of Simon Peter to this remarkable turn of events.

In this case, the old saying "seeing is believing" is appropriate. The scripture tells us when Peter saw the large catch of fish, that he was struck with a new understanding of this Man from Nazareth. Perhaps he initially scoffed to himself when Jesus told him to cast off and throw out the nets. After all, what did this man know that Peter and his brother Andrew did not? Had they not fished all night and caught nothing? Either out of respect for Jesus or just to prove him wrong, he obeyed the Lord. The outcome of his obedience would forever change this young fisherman's life. Peter fell at the Lord's feet and confessed he was an evil person, and that he could never be friends with someone as holy as this Man. He may have considered, in that split second, that if Christ knew where to fish then He surely knew everything there was to know about himself. This made Peter uncomfortable to the point of conviction where he confessed he was unworthy of the Lord's presence in his life. As Luke records, "when Simon Peter saw that," he was at a crossroads. However, the Lord in His extraordinary kindness told Peter how his past life did not matter. From now on he would enter in to his true vocation.

Does it bring us to our knees when we see "that" for which the Lord has done? Peter's "that" was the Lord's ability to perform the impossible when he and his comrades had toiled all night for nothing. Sometimes, God can reach us best when He shows us our inadequacies in the things in which we think we excel. Peter undoubtedly thought of himself as a "professional" fisherman. There may have been none like the fishing teams of Peter and Andrew or James and John. Yet, this itinerant preacher from Nazareth who grew up miles from Galilee shows up one day on its shores and tells them how to do their job! The first miracle is that Peter conceded to do what the Lord asked. When he surrendered his intellect to Jesus, then the next miracle occurred -- a boat load of fish! But then the greatest miracle of all happened. Peter saw his inadequacy and acknowledged the Lord's ability to do more than he ever thought or imagined.

What are we facing today that we think we can handle alone? We may consider we have gone through troubles before on our own. Why should we trouble the Lord? The reason is obvious from Peter's example. Surrender of our human reasoning allows God to perform great things if we will but obey. We must allow God to interrupt our lives and change the paradigm of our thinking. As we allow our minds to change, our hearts will follow. Our gaze on "that" will determine what we believe, beloved of God. May we all look to Him for He is able to do abundantly beyond anything we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, cause us to surrender the mental beast on our shoulders to You. Grant us the revelation of Your will on our lives. Please allow us to see "that" miracle like Peter saw which firmly placed him forever on the road of discipleship. Grant us the understanding necessary to see that we are nothing yet You are everything within us. In Jesus Christ's Name we pray, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick