Circumstantial Faith

Recently, I heard a devotional on the subject of faith.  The fundamental point was how quickly we can allow life's circumstances to influence/affect our faith.  Faith is defined as hope/belief in the unknown/unseen.  In John 20:24-29, tells how the doubting disciple Thomas allowed the fact he had not seen Jesus after he had risen to affect his faith.  It was not until he encountered Jesus in person that he believed Christ had resurrected.  His belief/faith was circumstantial based on sight.  Jesus then says,  "because you have seen me, you believe.  Blessed are they that have not seen, yet have believed." 
When our circumstances find themselves in our favor or we have seen/experienced something, we more easily trust.  However, when the trials arise and alter our situation to the unpleasant challenges or the 'unknowns' of life......oh how quickly that can change our faith/trust.  It is then, I must respond to the question, is my faith embedded in God.......or in my circumstances?  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Just Drop The Blanket

This post is inspired by an article on Christianity.com. I never looked at this pivotal scene as brought out by Mr. Soroski.  Enjoy!
Just Drop the Blanket: The Moment You Never Noticed in A Charlie Brown Christmas,                   by Jason Soroski
This week A Charlie Brown Christmas aired on national prime time television for the 50th time. In a world where the latest greatest technology is outdated in a matter of months, and social media trends come and go in a matter of days, 50 years of anything becomes quite meaningful.
I am a fan of all things nostalgic and all things Christmas, and so when the two are combined I am hooked, and the Charlie Brown Christmas special falls squarely into that category. 
I was in the first grade back when they still performed Christmas pageants in schools (less than 50 years, but still a very long time ago), and our class performed a version of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Since I was kind of a bookworm and already had a blue blanket, I was chosen to play the part of Linus. As Linus, I memorized Luke 2:8-14, and that Scripture has been hidden in my heart ever since.  But while working so diligently to learn those lines, there is one important thing I didn’t notice then, and didn’t notice until now.  Right in the middle of speaking, Linus drops the blanket.......

Charlie Brown is best known for his uniquely striped shirt, and Linus is most associated with his ever-present security blanket. Throughout the story of Peanuts, Lucy, Snoopy, Sally and others all work to no avail to separate Linus from his blanket. And even though his security blanket remains a major source of ridicule for the otherwise mature and thoughtful Linus, he simply refuses to give it up. Until this moment.  When he simply drops it.  In that climactic scene when Linus shares "what Christmas is all about," he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, "fear not".

Looking at it now, it is pretty clear what Charles Schultz was saying, and it's so simple it's brilliant.

The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears. The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.
The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead.

The world of today can be a scary place, and most of us find ourselves grasping to something temporal for security, whatever that thing may be. Essentially, today is a world in which it is very difficult for us to "fear not."  But in the midst of fear and insecurity, this simple cartoon image from 1965 continues to live on as an inspiration for us to seek true peace and true security in the one place it has always been and can always still be found--Our Creator.
Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Righteousness-the gift that keeps on giving

Righteousness took place at the Cross.  The saving blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This act of love and obedience to God was the just payment for our sinfulness, allowing us the freedom in Christ to escape what we deserve.

I recently read an article that described three viewpoints of righteousness:
Perfect Righteousness-discourages us especially when we fall short of God's glory.
Comparative Righteousness- deceives us.  Jesus is our example, no one else!
Imputed Righteousness- is given/credited to us.  This approach will define you, declare our innocence through the blood of Jesus, and provide freedom.

Righteousness dos not simply take something away (sin), it provides/gives us Hope; Eternal Life; Salvation. Righteousness is a unending/perpetual gift to all obedient believers.  I should always have a spirit of continuous gratitude.  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Clay and Hearts (Soft or Hard)

Just as a potter can only work with soft clay, God also desires soft hearts to create beautiful results.  The world in which we live measures us by education, abilities, social class, materialism, appearance, and other worldly comparisons.  God determines our value by the condition of the heart.  1 Samuel 16:7 says,  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  A hardened heart is not receptive to instruction, discipline, humbleness, submission, etc. (see Hebrews 3:15).  A forty year lesson was experienced by God's people in the desert due to disobedience and hardened hearts.  God will still work on us in this condition because of His great love.....but ultimately, it is our choice-He wants a genuine relationship, a soft receptive heart......not one out of force/compulsion. Only with a soft heart can we be molded into the person He desires.  Just as clay is hardened by many factors-content or lack of water, our hearts can be hardened by sin, deception, gossip, negativity, pride, rebellion and others.  Looking to God and Jesus is the remedy.  Protect your heart/thoughts with prayer, study of the Word, worship, meditation.  Look at what the following passages tell us: Proverbs 4:23 -guard our hearts; Ephesians 5:21 -submit; Romans 12:3 -lose the pride; many others tell us to flee sin, repent and run to Jesus.  This can result in a more purer, Christ-like  soft heart that he wants to work with.....just like a potter and soft clay.  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO

Moral Character/Integrity

Integrity has been defined as a steadfast or firm adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. Also, the state of being unimpaired/ soundness. Thus, are my actions and words consistent with the way I live-especially when others are not around? Do I live/act according to the situation/setting, or am I firm/constant? We can fool humans, but will not dupe God. What do our children/family/friends see in us (when we think they are not or did not hear/see something)?  Trust and positive influences are hard to re-establish once lost. Jesus had both authority and influence because His character and actions completely matched His words-unflawed and perfect. Twelve disciples watched His every move. Because they found no inconsistencies, they quickly trusted Jesus. This gave Jesus a moral authority that superseded the authority of any other religious leader of the time. What an awesome example! I once heard a minister say that there are a lot of characters in this world, we should strive to be ‘of character’. We live in times of moral decay-qualitied such as: trust, honor, respect, compassion, kindness , are lacking.  I challenge myself and all to live consistent, godly lives so that others will notice the reliability of our character that portrays our Savior, Jesus Christ.   Isaiah 7:9, If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.   Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Blessings in your pursuit…….TO

Love & Mercy

Watched Love & Mercy a while back. It's about the complex, yet musically genius life of Beach Boy Brian Wilson. I got into their music in college and saw them in concert well past their peak. Also, big fan of John Cusack's work. An endearing story. Yet, it's sad to know there are those who are suppose to help someone, that you trust (his doctor) that look to their own interests and takes advantage/manipulates. What I did not know is that a special lady enters his life (I do not believe by coincidence) that challenges this doctor and the Wilson family to see this and get him the real help he needs. Flash forward, the two have been married since 1995 and Mr. Wilson continues to write music. I may have to crank up one of my favorite, 'God Only Knows', on my IPod today. Love & Mercy to all, blessings in your pursuits.......TO

'Living Room'

This post was inspired by a sermon from Randy Patterson-Antioch ,TN.  (2 Tim 3:14-17, 1 Tim 4:15-16)……..when we show someone our home for the first time, where do start-the living areas.  Perhaps, we do not even show anyone our attic and/or basement if we have one because that is typically where we put things that we don’t need/want/use any longer-a place to hide things.  The ‘Living Room’ is usually the heart and soul of a home(except maybe the kitchen for me!).  Our hearts are the spiritual 'living rooms' for us.  What do our daily actions proclaim.  What do our attitudes suggest?  Are we different or conforming? Am I growing, maturing and living a life reflecting Jesus-is it daily on my heart/life-my spiritual ‘living room’?  Or has the zeal of Christ been cast aside into my spiritual attic/basement-being hidden, seldomly used/shared?  When was the last time you opened your home and shared your 'living room' with others? Blessings in your pursuit…….TO