Grieving a Fellow Struggler

"Mommy, I'm okay, but all my friends are dead."

                                                                                     ~ Six-year old girl, Newtown Survivor

The amazing thing about the above quote is the fact that police had arrived at the elementary school within 10 minutes of the first shot.
When it was over, this little girl's words were the first thing spoken to her mother. It seemed that in her mind, assuring her mother that she was alive was the most important thing in the world.
The fact all her friends had tragically died was secondary.
What this shows us is that in times of grief and tragedy, we often look to others in a quest to comfort them rather than draw inward because of our own pain.

This weekend I was informed that a friend of mine had passed away.
Granted, we didn't talk much over the years but did belong to at least two clubs that are fairly exclusive. We had both graduated from the same high school which is now closed and secondly, we were both diagnosed with cancer.

We had become reacquainted in recent years as we battled the disease in our own ways; God chose to heal me but my friend continue to battle the disease.
I cannot explain why and I wouldn't even begin to attempt an answer.

I can, however, begin to speak of what happens in such a time; especially when there are so many similarities. 

Tragedies which occur in society effect people differently; few take on a national grief such as the September 11th attacks. When the Towers were hit, all other news seemed insignificant.
Horrible events seemed to precede and follow that one day with varying degrees of pain and loss; but when  the murderous rampage took place at Sandy Brook Elementary, an uneasiness began to sink into our hearts.
Small coffins for so many will do that to a normal soul.

After those events, most would think that we are beyond shock, but it isn't so.
Every time we lose someone where we identify with them to a large degree or love that person dearly, the shock of the loss takes on new meaning.
Sadly, we discover once again that we are helpless in the wake of tragedy and pain.

Reflecting back, I remember at Columbine the teenagers were killing their classmates because of years of rejection and internal pain. Our teenagers lost their innocence as police began to regularly patrol schools, which continues to this day.
I remember having a moment of silence on stage with the audience before performing in a theatrical production after the senseless shooting at Virginia Tech.
From Fort Hood, we were told that the treasonous Army Major was secretly a jihadist; as were the 17 men who caused the destruction on September 11th.

But with Newtown  the shooter left no reason nor did he answer any questions.
In fact, the shooter had even murdered his own mother with four bullets while she slept. His mother had clung to a faint hope that her son could be 'fixed' or healed. 
In the end, her hopes were crushed as they ended with her life and the lives at Sandy Hook.

Newtown's tragedy reminds me of the loss of my friend; like the shooter, there is no explanation of his cancer. There seems to be no logical reason for him to pass away so  young...and for me to still be alive.

I hurt tonight, not for myself or for those of us who remain; but rather for his children. And I am left with a lingering question, 'Why do my children get to have more years and Christmases with me, but his do not?'

Making sense of such things on a personal level is very difficult; for it cannot be done outside of one's mind because every person must come to grips with what God is teaching at this moment.

Speaking of the theological truths and the lessons learned at such a time does absolutely nothing to ease the pain or relieve the grief.
Not now anyway; but there is comfort in knowing that God knows how bad we suffer and what we are feeling now because He Himself suffered with the loss of His Son.

The renown scientist Stephen Jay Gould once stated:
"[Humans are] a momentary cosmic accident that would never arise again if the tree of life could be replanted."

According to him and other modern scientists, humans are nothing more than complex organisms who are programmed by our selfish genes and natural desires to act purely out of our own self-interests. 
Well, I don't believe that and that isn't what I experience when a tragedy or pain strikes.
Instead, what I have observed has not been indifference but rather compassion and the out-pouring of generosity toward those affected.

Amid a painful loss, nearly every person in our secularized culture will recognize the value and worth of an individual human being.
This is a consequence and carry-over from the Judeo-Christian belief that all men have been created in the image of God.
And when a tragedy does strike or death steals away a life, people will instinctively turn to ministers and to faith; agnostics and atheists remain remarkable quiet because neither have been able to dry one tear or give a decent answer as to why these things happen.

Tragedy, pain, loss and death will often call our faith into question; but they also validate our faith in remarkable ways.

When we are suffering a personal loss of pain, the age-old question arises:
"Is this world, even a world that God will someday restore, worth the pain it involves?'

Ask the family of my friend who passed away and they will respond with a thunderous, 'YES!'

Perhaps God feels the same way about those who suffer on a fallen planet such as ours.
Only God Himself can answer whether or not this world is worth the suffering; and He has already spoken on the matter in the person of His Son.
You see, it is in His Son where we see God's greatest act of love intertwined with His greatest moment of grief.
Whether it is human beings or God Himself, grief is the place where love and pain converge.

Pain, disease, suffering and death are humanity's universal problems; no person nor society has a monopoly on the resulting tragedy from them. 
They intrude and often give way to a blame game of attempting to find fault with something or someone.

When a national tragedy strikes, liberals will blame the availability of guns. Conservatives will blame the lack of support for the police. Mental health officials will blame lack of resources to screen people so that the tragedy could be prevented; and Fundamentalists will blame the lack of prayer in schools.
Trying to assign blame to a tragedy does not solve the problem nor does it make it go away.

But the truth is that whether it is a national tragedy or a personal loss, the actual root cause can be summed up into one word: Fallenness. 
Few will name it as such, but we are fallen and we live in a fallen world. Things are not like they are supposed to be, they are skewed.
As such, this fallennes has given way and evidences itself as evil and violence, which has become so prevalent, most people are largely unconscious of it at all.

Pain and death cannot be conquered in this life because we are fallen; but it can be redeemed.
These are able to be redeemed only through Christ, God's own son.
For it is Him where pain loses its sting and death fails to have victory.
If you want redemption and peace, you can have it; but you must have it now, in this life and in this age.

My friend is gone; I cannot bring him back, nor would I attempt to do so because I would not want him to suffer any more. 
While I pray for a cure and for his family, I am thankful that I will see him again in eternity. 
And you can as well, by repenting and trusting by faith in Jesus Christ and accepting the free gift of the grace of God He has provided.

Until next time,  win one for the good guys.

Insight Into Suffering

Those West Virginia Hills

One of my grand heroes of the Christian faith is the author and apologist, C. S. Lewis.
In our time, he is probably most known for his series, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' and Narnia series; due in large to the movies which have been produced in recent years.

Clive Staples Lewis

Yet, C. S. Lewis wrote many other works; gathering accolades from the theological world,
rivaling some of the finest works in history by placing the Christian faith in understandable terms without compromising the truth of Christ.

While I have enjoyed C. S. Lewis' works for many years, my favorite story involving him come from reality; it is from his own life and it involves horrible pain, rather than Christian bliss.

Joy Davidman

At age 53, C. S. Lewis met Joy Davidman Gersham, who would become his future wife.
Joy was the total opposite of Clive Staples; she was sassy, divorced, Jewish then claimed to be an atheist and afterwards converting to Christianity, and,  horror of horrors, she was a former card-carrying member of the American Communist Party.
Lewis described his marriage with her as 'exquisite rapture.'

After 40 months of marriage, Joy Lewis died of bone cancer; it was later stated that her husband thought of their marriage as 'unplanned bliss clouded with cancer.'
She was only 45 years old when she died; a crushing blow of severe grief would be that result for any person losing their spouse after enjoying such a blessed time together.

Maybe 'blessed bliss' is an  understatement; for their love story has been preserved in the theatrical production and later movie, 'Shadowlands.'

As in his joy, C. S. Lewis' grief was just as powerful.
A year after her death, in 1961, Lewis published, 'A Grief Observed' which was derived from notebooks he had kept during his bereavement over his wife's death.
In it, Lewis, who was world-known for his religious convictions and writings, describes being dealt such a blow by her death, that it shook him to the core and even caused him to question his own faith.

Immense grief, horrid tragedy and massive suffering will do that to even the most faithful Christian.
No person should ever feel guilty when asking God of their pain and tragedy which they do not understand; our brain placed against the infinite mind of God means that we will always have questions, for we cannot fully grasp all of which God commands.
When we do not understand or lack control over our situation in life, we certainly may have questions but we can also have full trust that God is guiding the situation to its rightful end.
But how can we be sure?

Well, I'm sure of God always bringing things to their rightful end because I have had that experience; the experience of Cancer adjusts your thinking and places an individual in a totally new and different mindset for the rest of their lives.

The story is told of theatrical play with many people sitting in the audience; one of which is hiding a transistor radio, discreetly listening with an hidden earpiece.
Suddenly, amid the scene on the stage, the man with the radio exclaims, 'The President has been shot!'
It was 22 November 1963 and he had announced the assassination of President Kennedy; in that moment, reality caused other things to become instantly superficial.

That is what the pain of Cancer, the physical suffering of my disease or even the emotional pain caused by those who once were called 'friends,' this is what theses things do in our lives.
These things and all suffering of all stripes interrupt our small world with a news flash from another world; readjusting our hearts and minds onto the things that we know to be more important.

Years ago, I began ministry in a trauma hospital; someone died every day.
That was a tough time and it is a tough ministry when your sole job is to attempt to shine God's light of truth into extremely emotional and painful situations.
Yet, that time taught me that a faith that truly matters, a faith which really means something and is worth adhering to, that faith should penetrate all areas of our lives - including and especially pain, death and suffering.

Ministry has taken many turns in my life over the years; first in hospitals, then on the streets, then in a local church and among the Armed Forces.
I have been thankful for the opportunity God has given me in them all; but today, surviving Cancer has given me an unique insight to suffering.
As such, I am able to 'herd words' together; isolating issues, pain, insights and thoughts directed toward those who are suffering or even dying.
These few words, I pray, make a difference.

In time, I believe that it has been a privilege to suffer and to be allowed to bring these insights to this space.
One thing I have discovered about ministry itself is that it tends to invite the sin of pride; especially the preaching ministry.
Every minister must continually remember that Pride is the mother of all sins; it was the Original Sin of Lucifer before the throne of God.
Yet, disease, pain and suffering has a way of humbling a person and keeping them humble as they recognize every breath as the gift of God which it is.

The insight and value of suffering is largely missed by the current generation of American Christians.
One reason is societal - this generation has never truly had to suffer for anything; rather, we have lived in an era of safety and plenty with no real concept of the hardships/ravishes of depression or war while we have enjoyed the cures and vaccines for once deadly diseases.
The shortsightedness of my generation is truly amazing; it would do us all well to look to the past and learn from our elders.
I have learned much from the past.
As one said, I am a 'Younger Dinosaur.'

Baptist Dinosaur - It has a 'Hard Shell.'

The description of a Younger Dinosaur? 
Well, it is a committed Christian, living in a secular age against the societal tide, who is fed by truth-telling songs and centuries-old literature.
By that definition, I'm glad I am a Dinosaur.

As such, a Christian is able to look around them in this life, during good and difficult times and see His beauty in the ordinary; observing and enjoying the designs by God's own hand.
And when pain hits, suffering comes or a death wreaks unexpected havoc, I see these things and know that God hasn't given up on the human race.
You see, our life in this world is something like a rehearsal for the next; pain causes us to refrain from viewing Earth as our final home.

So, the real questions of life about our suffering and pain is simply this:
'As a Christian, do I make believable the truth and promises of God?'
'Am I able to do this in times of Pain as well as Joy?'

Jesus did - but do I?
Do you?
Does the local Church?

I don't think so; I think we are far too selfish and concerned with our own pleasure rather than God's glory through all things.

Pleasure is a good thing in its proper context; it is God's own invention, not ours.
But life's delights, pleasures and joys are not good enough to last into eternity.
Our desires and delights are too small, for our vision is too limited; blind by the flashing lights of this age.

Yet, for all of its defects, this world still bares the marks of its original design, which anticipates the Creator's return in calling us to remember His intent.
And while the issue of pain and suffering may not be solved in this world nor in our personal lives; one day, pain, death and suffering will all be redeemed by the Lord.

And that is a day I am looking to with much hope.
Until next time, win one for the good guys.

Shaft of Hope

"Redemption is not perfection. The redeemed must realize their imperfections."

                                                                                                               ~ John Piper

Virginia Tech. Columbine. September 11th. Jonesboro, Arkansas. Newtown, Connecticut. 

A few years back, those names and dates would have been associated with education, or hope, or something other than what we now think when these names come to mind.
Today, it provokes thoughts of senseless violence, the suffering and death of innocents and needless tragedy.
It brings a sadness to our hearts and in some cases, our grief yields to a quiet, ceaseless anger.

Some turn to the government or some other agency which attempts to produce hope when they are going through a personal trial; this rarely works.
The failure occurs when we look for a material or physical solution for something that is spiritual in nature; suffering in this life is, at its root, spiritual.
Yet, there are times when a large response to suffering in a physical way does produce good things.

For example, our government's response to suffering is generally an attempt to eliminate it; as such, from this we now have vaccines for many diseases which once dealt a death blow to children.
Yet, as a consequence, new enemies developed; such as AIDS and Swine Flu. 
When added to wars, terrorism or economic instability, you quickly discover that well-intentioned efforts become similar to an unspiritual version of wack-a-mole.

Regardless of our pain or our suffering - through disease, death and even monumental personal tragedy which leaves scars none can see - it is comforting to know that God will

ultimately heal the planet of pain, suffering and death.
Until then, it is extremely difficult for us to reconcile our pain in this life with a loving God because what we are experiencing now isn't the same as what God had intended us to have on the Earth.

In such times, Christians will often turn the Word of God, and rightly so; yet, the Bible offers no guarantee that suffering will be removed from our lives.
It does however promise that pain, suffering and death will one day be redeemed.
Until that time in which the Lord Himself descends and does so, we can take some solace in the fact that suffering and loss does have a usefulness in this life - not just in the world to come.

Pain and suffering, whatever form it may take in  your life, provides a grand introspection - although we don't see it at the time.
As a result, emotional pain will reveal to us what is really important in life, causing us to shed some of the baggage we've carried around for years needlessly.

As suffering over a loss will ultimately cause you to become thankful for the time you had with a loved one and long for the day when you rejoin them in eternity, emotional pain will ultimately point to Christ, as our Healer and Redeemer.

Few realize that the Bible is one long story of Redemption; of God seeking that which has been lost and reconciling His people to Himself.
He is truly a God of Second Chances.

When Adam sinned as the federal head of the human race, God did not strike him down and start over with another. Instead, God provided a way for him to be redeemed.
Adam's son Cain killed his own brother; yet, God did not eliminate him off the earth nor did He allow him to become a marked man. Cain was spared his life and sent away into the east.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were fully blessed and inherited the Covenant Promise of God; this, in spite of their lives or deception.
God called Moses to lead His people; who then was hesitant. 
David was lusty enough for his eyes to get steamy while watching another man's wife take a bath; yet, Bathsheba isn't what David is remembered for in Israel today - instead, it was his rock solid repentance.

Amazingly, when you read the Bible you will find within its pages a rather large assortment of liars, cheaters, adulterers and murderers.
And the one over-arching theme with every story of every person is rescue; then the rescue is followed by hope.

From what is in Scripture, we learn that when God seems absent and we are suffering, it is up to us to show His presence. Often in these times of pain, the world only knows God and His truth through the witness of His followers.
If we were to act on our natural instinct, we would flee suffering every time.
But sometimes, there is no easy escape and at times, we should not want to escape because the redeemed product is better than the fallen mess which once existed.

Like Jesus, Christians are not exempt from suffering.
Yet, the trials we endure become a major opportunity for grace; a chance for God to reveal Himself in a real and prolific way through our lives.

Repeatedly in spiritual surveys with individual Christians, people report growing more spiritually when they have endured a time of suffering, pain, loss or crisis.
This teaches us that there is a spiritual value in our emotional or physical suffering; now, suffering and pain certainly were not a part of God's original plan, but as a redemptive transformation which takes place amid a trial, God allows us to find something greater and more worthy than just simply the pain of darkness.

For God offers us a ray of hope, a bright shaft of light shining through all our pain and turmoil in the present, redeeming it into something greater that we can see in the moment.
His hands remain open and His arms wide; and as we begin to look at Him, His redeeming grace begins to transform our suffering and pain into something He can use through your life to provide hope and truth to others as He heals you.

You see, we are too concerned in life with how things will turn out.
God, on the other hand, is far more concerned with how you and I will turn out.

And if you are trusting Him amid your trials and triumphs, I can promise you things will turn out just fine in the end.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.

Earthly Decisions Matter

'We see either the dust on the window or the view beyond the window, but never the window itself.'

                                                                    ~ Simone Weil

Early Christians in the Roman Empire had it rough; in the beginning they were considered heretical Jews. 
Later, they were thought to be cannibals - partaking of the 'body and blood' of Christ.
Mostly, they were poor, rejected and ridiculed by the majority of society who could not fathom an intelligent human being believing a dead man had risen from the grave.

On the other side were the Romans; who, in their society were outwardly virtuous but behind closed doors and in private - they were decadent to the core.
At that time, Rome was prided as being tolerant and praised for being broad-minded.

For the individual Christian, they walked a very thin line between good and evil; every choice mattered.

Roman Coliseum

One of the great questions addressed by the Apostle Paul of the early Church was whether or not they were allowed to eat meat which had been sacrificed to an idol. The early Christians simply did not want to do anything that would impede their witness or cause another to stumble or deny Christ in any way.

For hundreds of early Christians, though begged by compassionate Romans to take the worshipful loyalty oath to Caesar, they chose execution in the Coliseum, rather than go through the motions.

Every choice mattered.
It still does.

In the modern world and even in many modern churches, there is a great promotion of tolerance. In society, there is the acceptance of a civil religion which is to offend none while glorifying the nation.
In both, there is little mention of the invisible Kingdom which demands of us our loyalty at all costs.
At the heart of every choice we make is the reality that there are two worlds constantly at war with one another existing on our planet.

Did you know that it is possible to adjust a microscope so that it reflects your own eye?
It's true - and this may be what is happening spiritually in our world today.
The world disguises the true nature of the universe; reflecting back to us a corrupted vision of what we think the true nature may be. 
It is as if there is a curtain to true reality. 

A full one-third of Scripture deals with the invisible world; though modern preaching and teaching has strayed from this emphasis.
The truth is every decision or choice we make, in every instant of human time or space, all we do in this life has consequences in both the spiritual and physical world.

And generally speaking, it was not until the 20th Century that societies attempted to live without God and the spiritual.
The Soviet Union sought to set up a government on what was described as 'dialectical materialism.'
As such, religious faith was a major obstacle because an individual could not have divided

Soviet Propaganda

loyalties; the Christians knew this as well for Jesus taught that a person could not serve God and Mammon.

The result was the shuttering of 98% of all Churches, almost entirely Orthodox. 
The Communist government also killed over 42,000 priests and published their own national newspaper called, 'The Godless.'
And in some schools, kindergarten children were instructed to pray to God; but nothing happened. Afterward, they were instructed to pray to Joseph Stalin, then were given a bag of candy.
The resulting theology or "manology" - trust your leader for your needs, not an invisible God. 

As a result, for 75 years, the USSR theoretically committed to justness and equality in the present hour of their government; but ultimately, they achieved the exact opposite.
Some may have had the best intentions when the Bolshevik Revolution began, but the creation of the Soviet Union was the creation of the greatest monster ever known to man.

One of Russia's great authors, Dostoyevsky, once stated, "Without God, everything is permitted."
This proved tragically true.
During the reign of the Soviets, about 60 million citizens were killed at the hands of the government.
And if the Soviets had succeeded, there would be no religious faith in Russia today; but they failed.

Unlike the United States, in Russia today they teach the Ten Commandments in public schools.
And in a wonderful turnaround, 61% of Russians identify themselves as believers. 
If the communists had succeeded, Russia would not have such an influx of of new cathedrals being built today as is taking place.
But again, the Soviets failed as the physical world proved once again to have great limits; especially when it comes to the spiritual nature of man and his world.

While faith tends to swing like a pendulum in the individual heart and in societies as a whole, how do you explain such horrid things like what the Soviets tended to do?
The Communists were an outward slap at all things religious; why didn't God stop them?

Well, I can't answer that question simply and maybe not completely; but I can give you some insight.
William Shakespeare wrote that evil  reigns in the visible world; it is brazen. But God is subtle.
This tends to be true most of the time; yet, it is usually the subtle that rules at the end of the day.
Scripture speaks of spiritual powers - actual realities that cannot be explained in physical or material terms.

If you ask an unbeliever why the Soviets did what they did, they would point to political reformation or possibly the evolution of society or something of a social science nature.
I would disagree.

For if you look at the history of Russia at the time of its revolution or even at Hitler's Germany, these cannot be explained in terms of evolution or politics. 
Insanity simply seized the people.

On another front, there was no logic in the Cold War arms race; if one government attacked the other with nuclear weapons, the policy was literally defined by the acronym M.A.D.
It means - Mutual Atomic Destruction.
This is not sane.

There in no logic in a sniper killing people in a mall; nor is there any in an adult male shooting children and teachers on a school campus, be it Sandy Hook or Virginia Tech.
And what logic is there in corporate greed stealing the pensions of the elderly?
Why is it and what is it that keeps the United States from sheltering the millions of homeless on the streets tonight, especially the combat veterans? There are more empty houses than there are homeless, so this shouldn't really be a problem.
What keeps us from feeding the hungry? I don't know because there is more food on the planet than there is people who can eat it.

These are not the questions that can be answered logically or physically or with materialism; in fact, it may be logic, physical solutions and materialism that keeps us from solving these issues for they are true walls to spiritual answers.

Are these things due to forces beyond our control?
Not really, because the New Testament has no problem identifying those forces and every one of them come back to a spiritual problem in the human heart.

Whatever may be going on in  your life, or in your church - I can promise you that the real struggle that is waged is to be fought against that which we do not see.
It is this same battle in which Christ has already given you the victory; a victory achieved by faith in the decisions and choices we make every day in honoring the Lord through our lives.

In truth, there is much more happening than what is visible to the human eye; but there is little which happens which does not effect the human heart.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.

The Redemption of Pain

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

                                                         ~Khalil Gibran

For years I have dealt with pain and suffering; whether it were that of other people or of my own. 
Some people believe that their suffering and pain is greater than any other person's has ever been; only the truly arrogant can conceive such a thought. For all pain is equal, but different.
Others have painful times physically, some emotionally.

Regardless, the Christian view of suffering should be centered upon the redemptive factor it contains. 
Pain, physical or emotional, causes us to suffer; yet, it also contributes to our life.

Many times we question whether or not God 'sends' suffering.
Does He make it happen, or does He allow it to happen?
Is pain and suffering for some greater goal of God's we cannot fathom?
Well, I'm not sure entirely; but I do know that in the Gospels, Jesus doesn't tell people that god has sent suffering into their lives so that their character will be better developed.
In fact, not once did Jesus lecture the suffering; He healed them.
We would do well to seek healing with those who are hurting rather than to try and describe to them why they are suffering.

With the leper, Jesus touched Him and then healed him - certainly an act of uncleanliness in His time; but He knew as well as anybody, to help those who are unclean, sometimes you must enter the filth which surrounds them.

With the woman caught in adultery, Jesus didn't defend her actions but neither did He take part in the act of stoning.
When it was over, He didn't lecture the crowd nor the woman; He admonished her to repent and sin no more.

You see, throughout the New Testament, the suffering passages, whether physical or emotional, God shows us how a 'bad' thing can be redeemed for our good and His glory.
We would do well to seek to do the same; even when we are hurt by those we love or face an uncertain future with our health.

Modern Christians tend to respond in America to the message of 'God has a wonderful plan for your life.' This is not the message of the New Testament, nor that of the early Church.
In fact, I don't remember one prophet beginning any message with that phrase.

The Persecuted Church

The Apostles wrote to persecuted Christians, and they wrote about the redemptive quality of suffering.
And today the message is the same to us - the suffering of any Christian can be redeemed in ways they could not have imagined at the time of their pain.

Yet, too often the person who is suffering and is the object of that pain, forgets of the work of God going on behind the scenes.
Many times when this happens, the individual can become consumed with bitterness, secret schemes to retaliate, or even hate.
Christians of this nature are easy to spot generally; yet, even when they are not and keep their true nature hidden, it will come to the surface at some point and be exposed.
They will focus on themselves and make others an image of ridicule; funny, I don't remember reading anything that placed Jesus in that type of light.

Instead, Jesus died on a day that we call Good Friday.
On the day that Christ died, it was as if all nature took notice of His death; witnessing the greatest crime in the history of the universe as God's Son hung on a Cross.
But you see, with true redemption, there is a person going through pain and who is suffering; they don't try to steer clear of it or go around it because it is easier.
That individual does what God leads them to do, no matter how painful the temporary suffering might be.

It is at this point in a person's life where they will go through a 'hinge' moment.
This is a crossroad where a person must make a decision they may not want to make; the future may be looming and a see of the unknown lies ahead.
Yet, that decision which will effect the rest of their life must be made.
And what it boils down to is if you are going to be faithful or not to the Lord; when this involves the future, it is a huge challenge - especially when others are involved.

By definition, to redeem something means that someone must pay a price.
For example, to redeem humanity and the planet which we destroyed, someone had to die and that "someone" was the very Son of God.
But in this new state of available redemption, it is a forward looking opportunity, not a backward dwelling hindrance. 
Yet, even in this new state, scars remain.

For example, an alcoholic may give up drinking but the physical scars on his liver will remain; as will the emotional scars on his family.
Spiritually, though Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead - His scars remain.

Murrah Building After Bombing

In Oklahoma City, those involved in the tragedy of the 1995 bombing of the federal building are on a life-long journey of healing; yet, the scars caused by the act of terrorism must continually be endured.

And in our lives, whether it is a Church division, a divorce, a disease such as cancer or even a death of someone close to us - the painful memories will never disappear.
But those memories and those past actions can be redeemed.



The truth of the matter is that eventually, we will live 'Happily Ever After.'

Happily Ever After

But this day will come only when the redemptive story ends; it will end only when Christ returns and redeems all things.
In the meantime, you and I are stuck in the middle of the story as characters who cannot yet see the end. 
But it is an end that is worth fighting for in honor and integrity even when we are in pain and when we are suffering because of physical limitations or the emotional damage caused by another.

For you see, however unclear the story of life may be to us, it is God who is writing the story.
And this means it is a story and an ultimate redemption of our pain that we can trust; for His name is 'Faithful and True.'

Until next time, win one for the good guys.

The Blasphemy of the Church

"I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man."

                          ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

I've been a Christian for many, many years and it still amazes me how people think of Jesus.
The things in life we deem so important aren't even mentioned about Him in Scripture; even those closest to Him give no indication of His physical features.
Yet, what I have found is the fact that people tend to impose of Jesus their own beliefs and thoughts of what the Lord ought to be rather than who He truly is.

I grew up in a fine local church where behind the baptistery was a stained-glass image of Jesus holding a lamb; it was the picture of Jesus as our shepherd.
Indeed, He is.
At the seminary I attended, there were a series of paintings depicting various scenes from the Apocalypse as described by the Apostle John.
In one such painting, Jesus is seen on the canvas as the returning King and Judge of the world.
He is these as well.

Both artists have infused what they believed in their heart Jesus to be on to their artistic mediums. 
Christians do the same, but we do not necessarily use artistic means to communicate what we believe; instead, people will know what we believe about God by simply watching our lives.
Because of this fact, at times, there is no greater blasphemy of God to be found on earth.

In the older movies of a bygone era, Jesus was often portrayed as stern, unemotional, without feeling - moving through life with another world in mind.
To me, this 'Prozac Jesus' never really communicated the whole truth of who He is or what He has done for the benefit of humanity.
Others agreed.

When the 1960's and '70's dawned, with them came a reinvention of Jesus Christ.
This may seem strange, but every filmmaker and author who portrays Jesus does so through a lens of their own bias.
The same is true for every Christian.

The real question is - Who do you believe Jesus really is and is that the same Jesus we find in the Gospels?
The evidence of such, it will be found through the life you lead, how you interact with people and what you say to them. 

For example, when Christians do things in secret, trying to get their 'way' in a church or garner support for things that aren't Godly; what does this say about their faith?
What does it say about who they believe Jesus is?
This is a question which is not for me to answer, but if we had to judge Jesus Christ by the worldly actions of some church leaders, many would never come to know Jesus as their Lord.
Indeed, for this reason, many do not and will endure eternal separation.

In 1969, President Nixon personified the pride of the American people when our astronauts were confirmed as stepping foot on the moon, by saying:
"It's the greatest day since Creation."
That was when Billy Graham reminded the President of Christmas and Easter.
Touche. 

While the President was consumed with American pride, he boasted in the success of the moon landing; momentarily forgetting of the work of Christ.
At times, Christians will become consumed with ourselves, our lives, our wants and desires - and in that selfishness, forget all about who Christ is and make Him in an image of ourselves.

In many of my writings, I often return to the question of suffering, of evil in the world, of pain.
These familiar themes betray me; for, I know something of feeling the cold blow of evil, of betrayal, of suffering through disease and the physical and emotional pain which comes from it all.
It is like I am fingering an old wound which never really heals.

When God does not respond in our lives like we think He should, we tend to act on our own.
This is blasphemy because we are to imitate Him and not think Jesus should imitate our lives; if He did, I can promise few would follow Him.
Yet, we still want God to rescue us from the scene of suffering and pain.

Job's great accusation against God:
"Do you have eves of flesh?"
If we were to ask the same today in our time of suffering, the answer would be a clear and strong, 'yes.'
God does have eyes, flesh and a voice through the person of His Son, but also through every man and woman who is called by His name.
God is not mute nor is He unfeeling; He feels just as you feel for when we hurt, He hurts.
And when we injure another believer, it is as if we have injured God Himself for He is within us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Often we hear of Christians, 'seeking the will of Jesus...' for their church or their lives.
The problem with this is that most Christians cannot look beyond themselves to 'find' Jesus' will for either their lives or the local church - if they could, there wouldn't be as many people who have sworn off the church because of the undue pain it has caused them.
But I digress.

It is true that most Christians can only see themselves in Jesus.
For example, the Lakota tribe refers to Jesus as 'the Buffalo calf of God.' That's fitting for Indians found on the Plains.

The Cuban government, on the other hand, circulates a painting among the people of Jesus with a carbine slung over His shoulder. They tend to see the Lord as a political revolutionary.
In the wars of religion with France, the English would often shout, "The Pope is French, but Jesus Christ is English."

Quiet simply, people have a hard time looking beyond themselves for a true image of Jesus in their lives - thus placing an image of themselves in His place.


I own countless books written about Jesus.
Some picture Him as a revolutionary, a magician, as the husband of Mary Magdalene, a Jewish cynic, a prophet and even a cult leader.
Some describe Him as black, like Africans; while most of the paintings I have seen of Him show Jesus with fair skin.
I am told that there are images of Jesus similar to the Hindu gods in India and even a few Asian versions with Jesus having slanted eyes.

Quite frankly, this only tells us of our failings as Christians; giving Jesus our flaws rather than allowing Jesus to hep transform us into becoming more like Him.
To make Jesus like me, or you - that is blasphemy.

Honestly, it has been my observation that if you want to see what people really think of God, just look at how they live and what they talk about.
And if you do this, you will be confronted by the issue of wondering what in the world some people see in the Gospels about Jesus that makes them so mean and angry towards others.
If they didn't think God was that way, they wouldn't act that way - which leads us to wonder why some people lie, gossip and hurt their brothers and sisters in Christ while claiming that right because they occupy a church office.
You never see that in Jesus, only in humanity and if a person acts this way because they think Jesus acted in this manner, it is pure blasphemy against God.

In Scripture, there are few details on Jesus' family; in fact, scholars still debate whether Jesus Himself had brothers and sisters or if the words referring to his siblings should be more accurately translated as 'cousins.'
In the Gospels, written by those who knew Him best, there is not one word given for a physical description of Jesus.
There is no mention of His shape, His stature, hair or skin color and not even a mention as to the pitch of His voice.
These are facts we place much on in our time and in our world; but were of little consequence to the Gospel writers. 

The main thrust of the writers of the New Testament in general and the Gospels in particular is the fact that Jesus died as a sacrifice to bring fallen humanity forgiveness from God if we will simply believe in His work on the Cross.
Honestly, I don't really care what color Jesus' skin is; I only need to know that He loved me enough to die for me so that I may have abundant life in His name.

Knowing this, any fog of life, its inconsistencies, its pain or suffering, any of these things should soon clear up when we look to the Gospels themselves and there see revealed the real Jesus.
For in the Scripture, there is no propaganda, only truth.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.