The Brilliance of a Full Moon

Have you mooned anybody lately? I hope you have. Okay, not in the way you’re thinking. Let me explain what I mean.
I was mesmerized by the full moon this past week. It was HUGE! I later found out that the moon was orbiting closer than normal to the earth. That got me thinking about some things. Of course, we all know that the moon has no light of its own. What we see is its reflection of the sun’s light, but sometimes things get in the way of us seeing that reflection. As I came inside a few minutes ago, I noticed that for as brilliant as the moon was last night, it was not visible at all tonight. The reason? It is cloudy out there. In exactly two weeks, the moon will not reflect any of the sun’s light. In fact, there will be no evidence that the moon even has the ability to reflect light because the earth will be between the moon and the sun. The moon will be the same; the sun will be the same, but the world will get in the way. Does that ever happen in your life?
I’m sure we have all heard sermons and such on how we should be like the moon and reflect the Son’s light. That sounds good until you realize that for 14 days of each month the moon is waning—it reflects less and less light each night until finally, it doesn’t reflect at all. Is that really how we need to be? Naturally, we would all respond, “No,” but the truth is, many of us do exactly that. We don’t mean to, we just do. The world gets in the way, and we don’t do anything to stop it.
As we allow things to come between us and Jesus, we cannot fully reflect the Son’s Righteousness. Sometimes it is a gradual thing, like the waning of the moon. Something small and insignificant, in our estimation, attracts our attention away from God. It isn’t anything so serious that it will prevent us from serving God; it just diminshes our zeal for him until our light is barely visible. Unfortunately, as long as we are reflecting the Son somewhat, we deceive ourselves into believing its good enough.
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven,” Matthew 5:16. Where does your light come from? It isn’t really your light, but the light of the Son’s Righteousness… “I (Jesus) am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” John 8:12. We have been called to be sons of light and to reflect the Lord’s glory. If we are doing anything less than that, we are being disobedient to God. He commands us in Ephesians 5:8-10 to live as children of light and to find out what pleases the Lord. According to that verse the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Those things don’t come through osmosis. You have to actively seek the Lord and pursue his righteousness. The Lord reveals himself in his word and rewards those who are faithful.
So, how do we then live? Commit God’s word to memory, study fervently, and don’t let anything come between you and the Lord because you can’t reflect what isn’t before you. God’s desire is for you to become just like Jesus. May the Lord’s righteousness be your own. Be faithful and don’t let the world keep you from looking like Jesus.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Cor 3:18
Go reflect the Son and "moon" the world!

Giving an Account

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. Ps. 32:1-2

The scriptures very plainly say that everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and then, according to Romans 14:12, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Have you ever wondered exactly what you would be giving an account of? After all, your sins are forgiven. In Isaiah, God said he has blotted out our transgressions and remembers our sins no more.
I have heard many people say that on the day of Judgment we will watch a “video” of our entire lives and have to explain all of our actions and choices. I don’t think so. If God is true to His word, which I firmly believe He is, then there is no video or record of my sins. So again, what will we be giving an account of?
For generations, people have argued over the concept of works in Christianity. We know the scriptures say that we are not saved by works. Instead, Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” And we know that James said that faith without works is dead. So obviously, there is a place for works. Is it possible then, that these works are the very things we will stand before God and give an account of? In Revelation 22 Jesus himself said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”
I guess the question now is, what are you doing? What are you doing to advance the Kingdom? What are you doing that could qualify as storing up treasures in heaven? Your spirit is saved, your sins are forgiven, but you are still here. Your work is not done.
And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God, Micah 6:8. Our responsibility, now that we belong to the Father, is threefold: God, others, and ourselves. To act justly is to do what is right in the sight of God, to live in obedience to His teachings, to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. To love mercy is to love our neighbor as ourselves, to truly care about and minister to our brothers and sisters in the faith as well as to those living outside God’s kingdom. And to walk humbly with our God is for our own benefit. It is the time we spend in one-on-one fellowship with the Father studying His word, meditating on His teachings, being fed by His Spirit, and growing and maturing spiritually.
So, how are you doing in those areas? Are you ready to stand before the Judgment Seat and give an account? “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised,” Hebrews 10:36.
In the words of Paul, let me encourage you to continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Col. 3:23

Wisdom of the Heart

Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Prov. 8:11

We live in a society that values wisdom. People spend thousands of dollars to make sure their children receive a top-notch education. In some parts of America, parents compete to get their toddlers into the most prestigious preschools to “guarantee” their future success. They do everything they can to fill their minds with knowledge. Unfortunately, many people view Godly wisdom as an intellectual endeavor as well.
We often believe that if we know Bible facts, we know the Bible. We strive to gain a head knowledge of God. That’s a good start, but it should not be our ultimate aim. In fact, God says in Proverbs 2:10, “Wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” Throughout the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes the importance of a changed heart. It is only when God’s word enters our minds and transforms our hearts that our actions will bear Godly fruit.
Too often, we excuse our ungodly behaviors blaming them on our weak flesh or Satan’s schemes. Sometimes we even minimize our own responsibility and decide that since we are believers in Jesus, we’ll just let God’s mercy take care of us. If that is our attitude, we are being unfaithful to God.
Think about it. If your children have a “head knowledge” of you and your expectations, give lip service to you by saying, “I love you,” and “I’m sorry” when they disobey, but never do anything to change their behaviors because they know you’ll forgive them since they are your children, would you truly believe they loved you? Then why do we do that to our Father? Would you tolerate that behavior? Then why should God?
1 Thessalonians 4:7,8 says, “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” And why does He give us His Holy Spirit? So that “He may strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” 1 Thess. 3:13. Therefore, hide God’s word in your heart so you will not sin against God. “My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” Prov. 4:20-23. True wisdom is Godly wisdom. And Godly wisdom will transform your life. May you be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The Easy Way or the Hard Way

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom. Prov. 15:33

“Don’t tell me what to do! It’s my life and I’ll make my own mistakes!” Those words have been shouted by both rebellious teenagers and adults at parents, pastors, teachers, and friends for generations. We all want to spare others from making the same mistakes we made, from walking down paths we know will lead to destruction. Despite our best intentions, we are often seen as meddlesome and irritating. The old adage, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” is true in many regards…even in our spiritual walk.
Sometimes, as believers, we want to take what we think is the easy way. We go through life doing our own thing until something major or catastrophic sends us running to the Father. We gain a basic understanding of God and His truths, and we coast on autopilot until a life situation forces us to look more intently at God’s word. We want to make our own mistakes and then ask God to fix the mess we find ourselves in. Sounds a little like a rebellious teenager doesn’t it? And yet, what we won’t tolerate from our children, we do ourselves to the Father. 2 Peter 1:3-4 illustrates how God, like a loving parent who wants to spare his children from the pain of mistakes and ignorance provides a solution. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” So, where does this knowledge of Him come from?
Proverbs 1:1 says, “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, King of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life…” Solomon, the man who received his wisdom directly from God shared with us what God taught him about wisdom. We can either try to gain wisdom through trial and error or we can follow the advice of Solomon who said in Prov 2:1-5, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Notice all those action verbs—it’s going to take some serious effort on your part.
Then he promises, “Wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you,” Prov. 2:10-11. Do you need any better promises than that? How about these: Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you, 4:6; Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, 2:12; Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her, 8:11; He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers, 19:8; and, Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off, 24:14.
God’s wisdom is found in God’s word. Every day we should be actively and eagerly searching the scriptures to discern God’s good and perfect will. If you don’t know where else to start, may I suggest the book of Proverbs? Remember, its whole purpose, according to Proverbs 1:1 is to help us attain wisdom. You decide, do you want God to teach you wisdom the easy way (through his word) or the hard way (through your own experiences)? Wisdom will be taught—one way or the other.

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

A Time to Teach

A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40

A student was showing me some of his drawings this past week that were absolutely wonderful. He told me his uncle had taught him how to draw. His face truly glowed when he said, “My uncle told me that in another couple of months I’ll probably be as good as him.”
My response was, “You know, there is a proverb that says when a student is fully trained he will be like his teacher.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I was convicted by my own statement. If my job is to teach, shouldn’t I have the knowledge and experience necessary in order to teach? Of course I should. That’s why I spend countless hours each year going to in-services and workshops that the school district sends me to and reading, studying, and researching on my own. I want to be an effective teacher. In a sense, I am trying to teach my students everything I know about reading and writing. I’m giving them the skills to be like me.
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations….teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20. How can I possibly teach other people to obey everything Jesus has commanded if I don’t prepare myself first? As the body of Christ, we should be actively studying, learning, and preparing ourselves in such a way that we can instruct others in the ways of the Lord. There is no way you can make disciples unless you, yourself, are a student of the Lord.
Now, in order to be a student of the Lord, you can’t limit your learning to what you get at church. After all, I “studied” math by sitting and listening in a classroom for about twelve years. I even passed all of those math classes. But, I guarantee you , I am not a “student” of math. I know the basics of math…just enough to help me figure out discounts at the store and how much carpet I need to cover the floor in a room, but I don’t know math. Likewise, if all of our spiritual knowledge comes from sermons, we will not have the wisdom and understanding that the scriptures command us repeatedly to gain. We may acquire a basic knowledge, but we won’t truly know the Lord or his teachings. A good teacher never stops being a student. As long as we draw breath, there will always be more to learn about the Lord. A priority for us as teachers of faith should be to instill a passion for studying and learning; growing and maturing. If the fully trained student will be like his teacher, that means he must see the passion in us, or he will never have it himself.
I believe the “great commission” is given to all believers. We are all responsible for teaching others how to be disciples of Christ and to obey everything he has commanded. Therefore, we owe it to God, to ourselves, and to everyone we will ever have the opportunity to teach to make sure that we, ourselves, are constantly growing and maturing in our knowledge and understanding of the Lord’s commands. It won’t just happen. We must immerse ourselves in the Word daily.
You may not see yourself as a teacher, but I assure you that you will come in contact with people this week who have never set foot in a church building. The vast majority of the Lord’s teachers look remarkably like ordinary people. The way we live and act in public demonstrates our true beliefs. In fact, unless the Lord’s disciples live daily as disciples, the world will never see a difference between themselves and us. What will people learn about the Lord when they watch you this week? Train them well.

…Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Tim 4:8.

An Awesome God

When was the last time God acted in a way you totally did not expect? For generations, even to the beginning of time, man has presumed to know exactly how God should and would work in every situation. Unfortunately, our minds cannot even begin to fathom the extent of God’s power. As a result, we force God and his infinite might into a restrictive box. We, the created, limit God, the creator. How absurd is that?
In Joshua 10, the story is told of the Israelites fighting the Amorites. Joshua said to the Lord, “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the valley of Abijalon.” The next verse says, “The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel.” Joshua 10:12-14. What if Joshua had not believed that God could or would do something he had never done before?
Has God stopped being God? Does he still fight on the behalf of his redeemed? Can we still expect him to perform supernatural feats so that we, his people, can have victory? The word of God reminds us of what God is capable of and willing to do. Our faith needs to go beyond what we know God can do—what he’s done before in our sight and experience—and trust him to do something wonderful and new.
The scriptures tell us that Jesus could not do any miracles in his hometown because the people lacked faith. Throughout the Bible, we read about God’s desire to give us victory in every area of our lives. Regardless of what we might like to believe, however, man never gains the victory on his own, but “He holds victory in store for the upright. Pr 2:7; The Lord gave David victory. 1 Chron 18:6; The Lord gives us victory over our enemies. Ps 44:7; Victory rests with the Lord. Pr 21:31; and God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 15:57.
Does victory always come in the same prescribed way? Absolutely not. Isaiah said to the Lord, “For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.” Is 64:3-5.
Remember Joshua, and allow God to move in wonderful and mighty ways. Take it one step further and, like Joshua, ask God to do awesome things in your life. And then don’t be surprised or give credit to the “god” of circumstance, coincidence, medical science, or man’s wisdom when the Lord does something amazing in your sight. He is, after all, Jehovah El Elyon, the Most High God.

Babies growing up

What a weekend! My baby girl turned 23 on Saturday. I know it's such an overused cliche, but it really doesn't seem like we have been together that long. Time sure flies. I am so proud of both of my kids, their spouses, and their babies. We are getting so close to celebrating two first birthdays. Now that's incredible! We went Sunday afternoon to have family portraits made--all 8 of us!! What a feat. I can't wait to see the pics. We'll get to see David, Ashley, and Noah Friday evening. I'm really excited that we will get to babysit Noah while Dave and Ash go on a date. I just call that my contribution to maintaining healthy marriages...that's the official "sound good" reason. Of course, there is always that "I can't believe this is my very own grandson, and he's gonna play at my house!" thing too. Life is good, God is great, and I am blessed.

All the Parts Make a Whole

Have you ever heard the story about the seven blind men and the elephant? Each man touched one part of the elephant and then concluded what an elephant was like. The first touched an ear and said an elephant was like a great fan. One touched the tail and argued that an elephant was like a rope. As each man touched a different part, he became fully convinced in his mind that he knew exactly what an elephant was like based on his own personal experience. Each was partially right, but no one was totally right.
Now those of us who have actually seen an elephant know and understand that an elephant is the sum of all those parts. We can see the big picture—the whole picture. What if those seven men could come together as a community and share their perspectives? Don’t you think that is an important part of why God puts us into a community? None of us has everything figured out in the scriptures, but when we come together, we can share and discuss those things we have discovered. As each person shares his understanding and perspective on God’s word, we are all edified and built up in the faith. If someone presents an idea we have never considered before, we can take that opportunity to delve into the Word and search for ourselves just as the Bereans were known to do.
Is it possible that a scripture could have more than one meaning or correct interpretation? Take the verse in Matthew 11:29. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” All of my Christian life I have heard that explained using the concept of a yoke and oxen. Many have said that if we yoke ourselves with Christ, he will help carry our burden which will result in rest for our souls. That following him will not weigh us down, and that he will, in fact, keep us on the right path.
Recently, I have heard that in Biblical times, in which Jesus lived and taught, each Rabbi was said to have a yoke. His yoke was what he considered to be the greatest commandment because it determined how he would interpret the scriptures for himself and for his students. Some thought the greatest commandment was “Keep the Sabbath holy.” As such, these were the men who found fault with Jesus healing on the Sabbath. They were also the ones who created various restrictions and placed them on others to be sure that the Sabbath was not violated. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Now, which interpretation of the yoke is correct? What if they both are? And what if there is yet another facet to that verse that we have not yet discovered? When it comes to understanding the scriptures, is it possible that we are sometimes like the seven blind men? Do we ever think our interpretation is the only right interpretation and thus, limit our ability to learn more? Jesus said, “Consider carefully what you hear.” Until everything in God’s word is disclosed and we have a complete understanding, we need to search and study to show ourselves approved. My prayer is that as a community of believers we can continue to sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron.

Mia

Happy New Year!!

Don’t you just love new years? You have an opportunity to look back on the previous year and evaluate successes and failures, strengths and weaknesses. And then, make changes for the better.
Now before you think I’ve totally lost my mind for talking about new years in August, let me just say that for parents, students, and school personnel, tomorrow begins a new year. And, I have to admit that I felt a twinge of excitement as I moved all of my equipment and supplies to a new classroom and got everything set up and ready to go.
This year, I have a new room, new curriculum, new students, and new challenges. With everything being new, I began thinking about a “new year’s resolution.” At one point during my musings, I remember thinking how sad it is that other people, in other walks of life, don’t get a regular fresh start like those of us in the educational realm. Then I remembered the verse in Lamentations 3:23, “Your mercies are new every morning.”
In other words, we don’t have to wait until the start of a new year or even the start of a new week before we resolve to make a change. Every breath you draw is an opportunity to start fresh—to begin again.
We are commanded to be made new in the attitude of our minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:23-24). The words “put on” are the same words used to describe the action of getting dressed. So, just as each day you put on your clothing, each day you should also put on your new self which was created to be like God. And, in the same way that you remove a dirty shirt and put on a fresh, clean one when you notice the filth, as you walk your life and realize from time to time that your “self” has become soiled with the thoughts and actions of this present age, strip it off and start fresh. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Ro. 12:2.
It is by the grace of God we have the privilege to start over, but it needs to be immediate. Too often, however, we live in the land of mañana…tomorrow…next week…on my birthday…on January 1st…and the change never happens. The scripture says, “Today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). There is no better time than the present to make a change. After all, which of us is guaranteed tomorrow? Today is an important day to God. There are numerous admonitions in the scriptures regarding today:
Choose you today whom you will serve.
You have been set apart to the Lord today.
Obey what I command you today.
You are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God.
Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
So, happy new year, happy new life, happy today. What changes will you make today as you strive to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect? Remember, we were created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Journey of the Feet or of the Seat?

What an amazing summer! I saw the world's top ten beaches...sort of. Theoretically, I saw them, but not in actuality. The truth is I sat in my recliner one Saturday afternoon as the Travel Channel took me on a whirlwind tour. I was able to see the beaches, but I could not truly experience them. I could only look where the camera looked. I could only hear what the microphone picked up. The taste, smell, and feel of those beaches were out of my reach. Now, I could say that I have seen the world's best beaches, but I would be deceiving myself. If I rely on someone else to make the trip, he can give me the facts, but he cannot give me the experience. His journey can never impact me in the same way it did him.
It didn't occur to me how much I was missing until they did a story on Playa del Carmen. I have physically been to that beach. While I was there, I parasailed, laid in a hammock that was tied between two palm trees, and watched the monkeys, iguanas, and other cretures frolicking about. I was appalled that the things I enjoyed so much about that beach were not even mentioned in the show. It made me wonder what I missed out on in their coverage of the other beaches.
Sadly, some people build a relationship with God in pretty much the same way. They are content to allow someone else to do the work and then present God to them in a clean, neat package. Their knowledge of God is second-hand; they have never experienced him for themselves. They think they know God, but their knowledge of him is like my knowledge of those beaches...superficial. There is so much more to see, know, and experience. And yet, whether in ignorance, complacency, or apathy, these folks are not interested in putting forth the effort to grow.
The Hebrew people believe that true learning involves action. James 1:22 says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Throughout the scriptures we are commanded to "walk in his ways," and to "give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord." We must commit ourselves to God. In order to do that, we have to move--walk in his steps, study every day, and purify ourselves just as he is pure (1 Jn 3:3). We cannot sit there and expect growth to just happen. Following God is not a journey of the seat. It is, however, a journey of the feet. Get up and go. Seek God with all your heart. Though it cost everything you have, get wisdom. It's time to get off the seat and get onto the feet. May God bless your journey.