A spiritual revolution

Obedience to God means disobedience to the devil. Begin your own revolution today by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

A Cancer that Destroys its Host




Cancer is known to kill it's host and as a result destroys itself. In other words, it survives by depleting and overwhelming the necessary food supply of the host body until it is too weak to survive. Of course, once the host body dies so does the cancer cells. 

Unforgiveness in the human soul acts much the same way.  It is a cancer that depletes the human heart eventually destroying the host. The fermentation in the mind feeds the bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness into a bloating tumor consuming the person's energy and devotion.  It is never satisfied until the host person is dead on the inside of it's dreams, vision, and freedom from misery. As with cancer which requires the cooperation of other cells; unforgiveness requires the cooperation of the person's thought life to survive. Cancer depends on it's environment to survive and so does unforgiveness.

The unhealthy power of resident unforgiveness
 
Not forgiving is like laying flowers at a grave daily, you are no longer planting seeds for a better tomorrow. By doing so I am memorializing the event, keeping it alive in the memory. Just as the flowers are losing their fragrance due to being separated from it's life source, so am I when I lay down at the scene of the incident and not moving forward.  Some things die and you need to let it die and never go back and visit. When I don't forgive I turn my back on my future.

Unforgiveness has a colored pencil in its hand and will color how you look at things now. It has the power to change the person perception concerning people and situations in the present as well the things in the future.

Allow the past to be a learning experience but refuse it becoming a continuing punishment. People reminding you and attempting to get you to build a house at certain incidents in your past must be resisted. What’s done is done- move on and do not permit others to control your direction. If you keep looking over your shoulder while trying to walk forward will cause you to bump into people you otherwise would have avoided.

As long as I carry resentment towards the past  in my heart, the less capable I will be of loving in the present! Resentment, unforgiveness, and bitterness are all weeds that choke out the ability of love to grow in our hearts. Protect the garden of your life with diligence and plant God's Word in it's soil, and saturate it everyday with the His presence through prayer.

I have found that it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then. When people remind me of things in the past, they are referencing many times to a different time when I was a different person. I can't relate to that person anymore because I have moved on.

Did you know you can victimize yourself by wallowing around in your own past literally becoming a hostage to things you can't change. However, we are not victims but over-comers and more than conquerors!

Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.




Monday, June 22, 2015

Are We Misdiagnosing People on Purpose



It appears we are using the word "hater(s)" today to describe and judge anyone who disagrees with us. Just because a person disagrees with my opinions, ideas, policies, or decisions does not make them a hater. I am afraid it is being used to manipulate others into submission or silence their voices of opposition. No one wants to be labeled as a hater, so the wilting of intestinal fortitude subsides to maintain a supposed good name. The problem is that when we silence the arena of ideas by word manipulation, we open ourselves up to becoming a society of mindless robotic humans who live in fear of expressing their opinions and thoughts.

We have to be able to withstand challenges to our ideas and not wear our feelings on our sleeves or resort to labeling and misdiagnosing people's motives. When our ego becomes the most treasured part of our being and we do all to protect it - then we are projecting that everyone's opinions that differ than ours do not matter. This requires everyone else to submit to our ideas and there is no option and if you dare oppose then the consequences will be you being ostracized and labeled as insignificant.

To be frank, what I just described above is the height of selfishness. Is this what we are spiraling into as a civilized world? The irony of that is that selfishness does not create a civilized world, humility does. The essence of humility is taking a sane view of oneself and thinking of others before ourselves.

By welcoming other opinions and opposition we actually increase the effectiveness of a plan, policy, or ideas because of drawing from different perspectives. Selfishness says my perspective is the exclusive and ultimate view while humility says let's hear all sides and permit wisdom to weigh all options and make a quality decision that benefits more than me.

Criticism is always difficult to accept, but if we receive it with humility and a desire to improve our character it can be very helpful. Only a fool does not profit when he is rebuked for his mistakes. If I do not accept constructive criticism and silence it by labeling the individual, I have shut off a facilitator of growth in my life. Let's remember that every person who disagrees with us is not a hater. They may be the means to development and maturity in our lives.
  
Proverbs 15:5  A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.



Thursday, June 18, 2015

Acting Civilized in a Volatile World - Charleston Tragedy



The heinous and horrific act of violence perpetrated on the Charleston community is unconscionable. It is now obvious this was motivated by a racist individual. He killed nine people plummeting their families and community into total despair simply because he felt it was justifiable to take the lives of people based upon their skin color.

What do we do in an aftermath of such proportions? I want to first list things we shouldn't do at a time like this before offering the solutions of what we should concentrate on accomplishing.

We must remember that the actions of a few do not speak or represent the whole. Each criminal must be held responsible for their own actions and not permit them to hold society hostage as being responsible for their actions. For example, a woman who drives her car into a lake and drowns her four children does not represent or speak for all mothers. A man who kills his wife does not speak for all husbands. A gang of certain ethnicity committing atrocities do not speak for the entire ethnic group. A young white man driven by racial hatred murdering nine black people in a church does not speak for all white people.

The community of Charleston does not need pundits, radio talk show hosts, and activists flying in from all over the country speaking inflammatory rhetoric. We need to be more responsible and realize our concern should be about healing the wounds and not pushing an agenda at the expense of stability. 

We have a choice to make in America. Permit these situations to be exploited by self-interest groups and activists looking to pimp the circumstance into a financial windfall and fame, thus creating division and deepening racial divides? Or, are we going to come together and overcome evil with good?

What needs to happen?

The families of the victims and their community need support, comfort, and an outpouring of love from all of us. This is not the hour for screaming in the streets and inciting violence ruining businesses and property. It is keeping it in focus - others do not have to pay for one person's decision. That person is held accountable and not a whole race, religion, or ethnicity. We must operate with a degree of civility and reasoning without the knee-jerk reactions that are stirred by those who have hidden agendas.

Are their cultural environments conducive to bad behavior?

Of course there is. Racial, religious, and ethnic intolerance is found in every culture and nation of the world to some degree. Things grow because there is soil to sustain it. If you change the soil then what is produced changes. Changing the soil through proper education and the instilling of morals will create a culture of valuing each other which in turn produces a bedrock for societal cohesiveness. A fish thrives in water because it is an environment that contains everything it needs to survive. Take the fish out of its environment and it dies. Will racism and all forms of bigotry be totally eradicated? No, but we can have an environment that creates little to no possibility for growth, thus isolating their perspectives and ideologies beyond the moat of reasoning. This will translate into loss of influence and opportunity for these who propagate such intolerable thinking that leads to despicable behavior.   

The importance of education  is indisputable in its value to constructing a generation. Information becomes the hinge that swings the door of opportunity to a land of progress. However, as with all things in life, this demands balance, because when educating people and yet forgetting the instruction of morals is inadvertently creating  a danger to national and international stability. Think about Nazi Germany as an example. It was the land of some of the most educated minds and technology such as Einstein and Mercedes-Benz and yet it produced a Hitler. Educators today must realize the importance of serving students information and increasing their knowledge, but also assisting them in developing their character, which is necessary in being a positive contributor to society.

Steve Johnson wrote
The ideal that schools should produce people who are both smart and good has a venerable tradition in the United States. Most children in 19th century America learned their ABC’s from McGuffey Readers, which were replete with stories of honesty, self-reliance, and courage. The Readers’ author, William H. McGuffey, was a professor of moral philosophy at the University of Virginia. But by the early 20th century, schools were beginning to lose their comfort with such moral indoctrination. As America became a more pluralistic society, it was harder to come up with a shared notion of good behavior. Given the lack of agreement, moral education, it was argued, was best left to the individual child’s family and religious institution. By the late 1970s, character development had all but disappeared as a goal of American public schools.
My contention is that there is a common meeting ground for all people to agree on in a pluralistic society. It will also promote moral behavior that reaches across all ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious lines. There is a shared ethic that can be the guiding principle for all. I’m using the above example concerning the United States, but it is applicable for all peoples or all nations of the earth. What is this common denominator that can erase the tension of offense and conflict of personal philosophy and religious slants? It is none other than the Golden Rule – treat others the way you want to be treated.

What if parents along with the educators of every nation adopted this philosophy of life? Surely all would agree with it and it would be the bridge and connection that would provide a seamless uninterrupted flow of unity becoming a powerful force in affecting the next generation. Think about it! What if children and youth are being taught to filter every interaction with another human being through the golden rule before they act? It becomes the basis of life and what they build their life upon and the moral compass that provides concrete direction for their lives. Can you imagine a child on the playground who emotionally becomes riled at another classmate, but before hitting the other, the voice of instruction sounds in their head “treat others the way you want to be treated.” If the child persists beyond the conscience of restraint that has been taught since birth and assisted by educators, and hits the other, the educator can immediately ask the perpetrator “is that how you want to be treated?” Use it as a teaching moment before the punishment is meted out.

Would this be hard to implement?

Not at all! Let’s unify and begin a media blitzing campaign through all available media outlets and take advantage of this small world created by technology. We can use the golden rule principle which is found in every major religion, culture, and the constitutions of nations. They all have it in one form or another. All that is needed is a network of people to get the job done – are you one of them?

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Do You Want it After you Get It?



People often believe that success is getting what you want. However, wanting what you got after you get it should be more of an indicator of success. For example, if a guy invests all of his time, money, and effort, in winning the heart of a girl, only to realize after he gets her that she makes him miserable. He got what he wanted but he didn’t want what he got!

How many people have made it their chief aim of life to become rich only to realize after achieving this goal that it doesn't satisfy and often dissolves them into misery. They got what they wanted, but they didn't want what they got. We have all heard the saying "not everything that glitters is gold." Everything has a surface, but what is seen outwardly is not necessarily what's underneath. It pays to investigate and test things first, before investing in something that mesmerizes the sight but is hollowed out of its substance. The things of this world have an uncanny ability to create an impression to satisfy and deliver, and are powerful enough to persuade people of something they cannot perform.  

Biblical examples are abundant. The prodigal son believed that dishonoring his father was worth the achievement of receiving one third of the inheritance before the appropriate time. His view of success was getting the money and doing what he wanted to do with it. Later, he realized he got what he wanted but didn’t want what he got. 

Judas would be a prime example of this. He plotted, schemed, and risked it all, to fulfill his getting of the 30 pieces of silver. Judas thought personal success was in personal wealth only to fatefully realize that after he got what he wanted, he didn’t want what he got. 

The drug addict was not always addicted. The person may have been introduced to a narcotic at a party and the desire to "fit in" and be a part of the crowd overwhelmed their judgment. Or, the pressures of life was stealing hope of a better tomorrow and decided the drug would alleviate the stress of adversity. However, the end result of this indulgence was less than glamorous. The suicidal tendencies, family break-ups, isolation, and the never ending enslavement to the drug has left them with one foot in a grave and one foot slipping down the slope of life. They got what they wanted, but they didn't want what they got. 

We must be careful in what we want. This is why it is so important for the Word of God to absorb into our hearts. We will then desire what he desires, want what he wants, do what he says to do. Happiness will become the perfume and fragrance of our obedience according to Jesus when he announced the Beatitudes. Obedience achieves the goals God has for us – that my friend is true success!  



Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Does the World Know Your Name?



Ambassador Dr. Clyde Rivers shared a conversation that he and Tim Story had some time ago. Tim Story had an amazing ministry and was known throughout the church in America and many parts of Christendom throughout the world. Mr. Story made a statement that I will never forget, he said "Inside the church I was well known but when I got out into the world, no one knew my name."

That statement shook my world! The force of it hit me that we can be well known in the church and be a superstar in Christendom while no one in the world knows our name. Yet, Jesus said "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." That implies the world should know our name!

The Lord put in my heart the following list.

If the world doesn't know your name you might be:

  1. A religious person who confines their Christianity to the insides of the four walls of a church building. 
  2. Only motivated to serve Christ out of fear of Hell instead of being in love with Him and developing a relationship with Jesus.
  3. Serving Jesus for what I can get from him but sacrifice nothing in return. 
  4. Seeing the lost as enemies instead of potential Christ followers.
  5. Self consumed that the effort required to win the lost is too much of an inconvenience. 
For the world to know our name we must interact with them, be friendly, show concern, and be available to them in their time of trouble. Alienation of people who are not of faith never influences anyone. Jesus Christ was known as a friend to sinners. They liked him for several reasons and knew his name well. The Lord took time with them, ate with them, listened to them, and invoked the power of the Holy Spirit into their situations. Interestingly enough, the religious hated him and couldn't believe he would eat with sinners and interact with the lowest of society. The Pharisees of the day did what they did best - found fault. All the while, the sinners were flocking to him and experiencing change in their lives.

It's not so much the world knows our name, but that they know the name of the one who lives inside of us. Our name and his name should become synonymous because we reflect his personage in every capacity. In other words, when they see us - they see the Lord!

Go out today and seek the lost of this world and spend time with them. Don't be afraid - greater is he that lives in you than he that lives in the world! Create a thirst in them for the fountain of salvation through Christ. I don't have to force anyone to serve the Lord anymore than a potato chip forces me to drink water. I eat a potato chip and the salt naturally creates a desire in me to go get a drink.

Remember what Jesus said about us believers

You are the salt of the earth