Churchgoers of a Feather

These guys just know they belong together.

What kind of church do we attend? Can a church be pictured as a person, with character and personality? One with godly traits, as well as flaws needing correction? I think so, at least from the way Jesus, in Revelation, addressed the seven churches of Asia. As, "to the angel of ..." and, "I know your deeds...." There would seem to be a unified spirit in some sense, at work in each. Of course, it could be argued that his remarks were meant for the churches of each given city, overall. But in our day with the wide range of choices available and many so different from one another, perhaps it would better apply to individual churches.

People gravitate to a place of worship compatible with the Spirit in them, or that they are being drawn towards. Though it may be difficult to find a church we agree with in everything, most of us will not sit for twenty years in a place where we are hearing preaching that consistently goes against what we believe. We do, just humanly speaking, like to have our convictions reinforced by others, especially those we respect, and dislike having them contradicted. As my mother used to lecture us regarding friends, "birds of a feather..." I think we can learn something, not everything, about a person, based upon where he or she regularly attends church. What sort of church is it?

Then there is the whole question of the angels who are being addressed by Jesus. Pastors and elders come and go, however it seems from this as well as similar passages in Daniel that angels are given long term spiritual oversight in countries, cities and churches, battling in the heavenly realm against the enemy who attacks the people of God. That is their job, which we don't have complete understanding of. Our job, which is always a better place to focus, if we discern a fault, in an otherwise sound church, is to pray earnestly and to be salt and light, speaking out where appropriate, volunteering where needed and to pray more.

Making Vinegar

You've heard the expression, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" Well, how about this one: "When life gives you junk wine, make vinegar?" This is my vinegar crock. I keep it in my pantry. You start by pouring in a bottle of apple cider vinegar (raw, unfiltered, with the "mother" - which is what they call the vinegar culture - not an exotic period in history) then dump in any wine you happen to have that doesn't meet your high standards of excellence. Keep a clean cloth over it so that the vinegar can breathe, but not with any bugs. From time to time (maybe once a week or so) add a glassful, or the rest of a bottle of wine. After a few months, lift off the thick layer of culture that will have formed on top, so it won't take over the entire production. By now you can probably open the spigot and fill up a small bottle. Maybe even attach a fancy label, which you've just designed and printed out. What I was doing today. Voila, add oil and you get dressing.

It's also a good parable for life, which often hands us junk. One of my first blog posts was on this very subject, but something we have to keep going back to. I do anyway. Every time there's a set-back, large or small, the temptation is to have a pity party, to whine, grumble, complain and blame. I need lots of reminders to look for the opportunity, the possibility or prayer in the situation. To keep remembering that God is good, and that he is doing a good work in me and,

"will carry it on to completion until the day of Messiah Jesus." Philippians 1:6

God is Not Bipolar

Unbelievers, as well as many Christians, often have trouble with the frequent horrific death, destruction and killing going on in the Bible, even terming some of it genocide. Most of this took place in the Old Testament, though Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) in the New Testament were also judged by God, through the Apostle Peter.

Henry Imler opens up discussion on his post, "An Evil Bipolar God" and presents 3 different options for interpreting Old Testament "genocide." An interesting bunch of comments follows.

The judgments of God for wickedness start with the Flood, which destroyed all of humankind, excepting only one family. That was the hand of God himself. Some of the time he used (uses) people and nations, as when "the iniquity of the Amorites" had reached it's full measure. He commanded Israel to go in and wipe them all out. Later, he had the Babylonians execute his righteous judgment on the Israelites, as he had used various Canaanite tribes to harass the backsliding Israelites during the time of the Judges.

Justifiable homicide by a just and righteous God. The humanists among us cringe at such an outrageous idea. And yet, those same liberal sweetcakes would scream if you denied them the "right" to murder their own babies. A case of calling white black (nothing ethnic intended) and wrong right. In all cases, however, God is the arbiter of righteousness and whatever he does, or causes to be done by his command, is right.

We cannot extrapolate and decide that it would be justifiable to go out and do likewise, taking death into our own hands, on our own initiative, even suicide. That, my friends, is called presumption and is a sin against God. On the order of Jim Jones and Hitler. And, in case some anti-war (aren't we all really?) liberal is reading, that does not include national military service.

So, God is not Bipolar. For,

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

This life is not the end all and be all. It is only an opportunity for us to get to know our loving Creator and to be with him in the life that is eternal.

As a postscript, what I actually had in mind with the photo was a scripture I'd read in Psalms:

"Though my father and mother forsake me,
The Lord will receive me." Psalm 27:10

Remembered when considering the plight of many without parents at all, or who have worthless ones. Perhaps a single mother only, doing her best. But, in spite of the hand we're dealt, and we all have a few dud cards in our decks, God is there - wanting to hear from his children, hoping we'll turn to him for the help we need.

When I Am Weak

Raisin, Kealani and Bindy

Have you ever noticed that as folks get weaker, with age or extreme illness, the spirit in them shows itself more. Defenses are down and the facade is is harder to maintain, so whatever has been in residence becomes apparent - and, more importantly, stronger. That nice smile that was fake all along disappears along with the pleasant disposition, and any pseudo charm. I'll bet plenty of nurses would attest to this. In the case of someone filled with the Holy Spirit, it's not a bad thing, at least in one sense. As the Lord spoke to Paul, after he had asked for healing three times:

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

I remember clearly the death from bone cancer of a friend of ours, Steve Coyle, who was so encouraging to his visitors, when they were obviously depressed at his illness, who was such a vibrant light in spite of what he was going through, that several nurses and his doctor as well, came to a saving relationship with Christ, because of Christ's Spirit shining in him.

On the other hand, those with unclean spirits, in a state of bondage to agents of Satan, full of fear, resentment, hatred, lies, etc., don't display such a noble picture. So, age or debility is not an excuse for giving in to fear or to despair. Or, for wrongly judging God as Job did, and many of us are tempted to do when tragedy strikes. We can be assured that God's loving kindness is unfailing.

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him, for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Psalms 103:14

I'm reading through Job right now. Not my favorite book. But a lot can be learned from it. One lesson is that we can get totally wrong advice from friends, even believers, who judge based on appearances and mistaken assumptions.

Another lesson, that age is not necessarily an ingredient of wisdom. Job and his friends were all old (Job 32:6), but not all wise. Spiritual maturity and wisdom are not chronologically acquired. Though the younger friend's speech is harder to take (Job 32-37) and, only the Lord's interruption stops his 6 chapter rant. I have to confess I skimmed over it. The missing ingredient is "constant use" or continuing application of learned spiritual truths.

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:14

It is one thing to learn and another, as important, to apply habitually.

You've probably figured out some sort of connection with the photo by now. Kealani is weak, but the horse's power can be appropriately shown through her skill in riding. She's learning.

The Book of Miracles

A miracle of creation

The Bible is only a partial list of the miracles of God. But it's the only list we need.

"He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 9:10

And,

"Jesus did many other things as well, if every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." John 21:25

It always amazes me when the over-educated religious begin to question this or that miracle of the Bible, beginning with the six-day creation. How about the Resurrection? Hello??? It is a BOOK OF MIRACLES, from cover to cover. Either you believe God or you don't. Let's not nit pick about his Word to us. And, just how big is your God anyway? And, what is faith all about?

I you don't believe it, go find another book for your Life Manual. There's the Course In Miracles so-called, popular awhile back among some "New Agers" (now old agers), and a great influence on Oprah Winfrey. That book could stand some nit-picking. For instance, the bit claiming everything negative is an illusion (sound like Hinduism?) Tell that to victims of the Holocaust or to a raped 6 year old girl. But I don't want to do your job for you.

There are other manuals around. Go for it. I only mentioned this Course in Miracles because one of my sisters took it upon herself to pass a copy out to all the members of our family. And, I found it interesting in the above review link, that a former student of the course was involved in astral projection, as was my sister. Also, their recommended use of "Spirit Guides". I think one has presently taken over in her life. Some of us unenlightened folk refer to those as demonic spirits. And, yes, Margaret, they do exist.

Of course, the Bible uses poetic symbolism. God can be compared to a rock or a bird with protective wings, etc., but you don't need to be a Bible Scholar to figure out what that's all about. God wasn't intending to confuse, fool or hide his truth from anyone seriously seeking him. And, even without the Scriptures,

"God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made (not evolved by chance), so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 And, his righteousness is "a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" Romans 1:17

So, it seems to me that the beautiful water lily here is saying, "Praise the Lord!"

A Floating Life

Are we going with the flow?

This is a pretty common analogy. Life as a stream. We, like the leaf, going wherever the flow takes us. This morning I was feeling thankful for being saved out of a life of futility and drifting powerlessness, and it occurred to me that most people probably don't realize just how totally out of control their lives are - without Jesus. I never did. There are the vagaries of weather, the stock and financial markets, the quirks of disease and genetics, biased professors and teachers, peer pressure, media propaganda, subliminal advertising, and in your face marketing. Even the planets, and the moon phases may have an influence, all aside from Satanic input and, of course, God's various attempts (and he may use any of the above) to get the attention of straying, disobedient humans.

There is what is called "chaos theory." In the past scientists thought the universe could be explained by various laws. The closer they looked, it began to seem more like chaos. Now, as they look even closer at "chaos" there appears to be a sort of order once again, and not only that, but purpose:

All chaotic systems seem to have an unusual sensitivity to initial conditions. They are systems in which seemingly inconsequential changes turn into major differences in outcome. Scientists have found evidence of ‘chaos’ in astronomy, epidemiology, meteorology, air turbulence, the stock market, and the human body. It is in the study of the human body that some scientists are beginning to realize just how important chaos is. Ary Goldberger of Harvard Medical School believes he has discovered not only that the rhythm of the human heart is chaotic, but that chaos in the heart is necessary. When he compared the variations in the heartbeats of a healthy person to those of one suffering from heart disease, the healthy heartbeat was actually the more chaotic.

This has opened some scientists’ eyes to the possibility that chaotic behavior may not be an abnormality, but a characteristic essential to the design of some systems.

Christopher Lampton, Science of Chaos: Complexity in the Natural World

Surprise is a given. And, aren't we glad that God is in control.

"For he guards the lives of his faithful ones, and delivers them from the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10b

Thank you, Lord, for you lifted me up from

darkness

death

despair

and into your marvelous
light

love and

life everlasting.