Jesus Before His Advent

I recently read an article in Christianity Today describing research in which 80% of Americans said “...they agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father,...” but only 41% believe that the Son of God existed before Mary had her baby in Bethlehem. As expected, this number is being pulled down by the percentage of unaffiliated people who do not believe this fact (only 15% of them believe). What really surprised me was the fact that only 63% of “Active Christians” (defined as going to church at least 4 times per month) believe that the Son of God existed before Jesus was born. That means 37% either don’t believe this or are unsure.

What Does the Bible Say About the Matter?

In John 8, after John’s description of what happened with the woman caught in adultery, we see a long discussion between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day about His testimony. During that discussion Jesus states that Abraham, “rejoiced,” to see Jesus’ day (John 8:56). When asked how He could have seen Abraham, the Bible quotes Jesus as saying:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

John 8:58 (NKJV)

I checked a couple of different sources and the time in between Abraham’s life and Jesus' birth is…well…a long time. Yet Jesus’ statement implies that He was before Abraham. He believed that He existed before He is seen in the flesh, coming down from Heaven (John 3:13). Jesus also spoke of the glory He had with the Father, “before the world was.” (John 17:5) And so we see from Jesus’ own testimony, as recorded in the Bible, that He existed in Heaven before He was born here on earth.

John refers to this in the first chapter of His Gospel, speaking of the Word that became flesh (John 1:14). John tells us that this Word that became flesh is the only begotten of the Father. He also tells us that the Word was, “In the beginning…” The Word was with God and the Word was God. (John 1:1).

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

John 1:2-3 (NKJV)

According to the Bible, the Son was there at creation. He was sent to earth by the Father, born of a virgin, and we call Him Jesus. He testifies to this fact as did the Apostle John. I suspect that a deeper Bible search would likely find other indications that the Son existed before His Advent. This is one aspect of His eternal nature, one that is critical to our understanding of who He is, as well as our understanding of His gospel.

To see the Christianity Today article mentioned in this post go to: Most Americans, and Many Christians, Don’t Believe the Son of God Existed Before the Manger

A Standing Appointment with God

I have a standing appointment each day with God. Actually it’s two appointments, during which the two of us meet in prayer and in Bible reading. He has never missed these appointments. I wish I could say the same but...well...nobody’s perfect...except for God. Don’t get me wrong, I try my best to pray without ceasing and to acknowledge Him in all my ways. But those two times each day are special, a few minutes where I can quiet my mind and my spirit, and focus on Him one on one. What a blessing it is to know that He will be there waiting to keep these very important appointments each day.

I didn’t always look forward to reading the Bible or spending time with God. Early in my walk I only had my devotionals because my friends in Campus Crusade said it was a good idea. I was trying to prove something to God (and to my friends) and over time I became exhausted by the burden of having devotionals for the wrong reasons. The Bible became, for a time, nothing more than words. It felt dry and meaningless. In fact, reading the Bible felt like I was doing something wrong. It was a case of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.

Fortunately, the power of God’s written word is such that it can change a heart even when that heart is a bit self centered. In my case He used Psalm 1, and its description of a tree planted by the rivers of water, to ignite a big change in me.

The tree in Psalm 1 is alive and anything but dry. It is fruitful and productive. It was everything that was lacking in my own spiritual journey. I found myself asking God why I was so different from this tree. Why is it that the person whose life is like this tree gets to enjoy such a blessing? Fortunately the Psalm gives the answer. This person is blessed because they have chosen to meditate on the law instead of filling their mind with the thinking of this world. This is what we call a conditional blessing, one I believe is still available today to those who meditate on scripture.

But if that is the case, why were my devotional times so dry? Why was it that when I read the Bible I came away feeling like it was time wasted? I believe it was because, unlike the tree, I was trying to prove something instead of trying to receive something.

The tree does not try to prove itself to its creator. It stands in its soil and draws in the available nutrients and water. In the case of the Psalm 1 tree, having the nearby rivers made a big difference because the rivers would bring more for the tree to draw from. Those who meditate on the Law in the Psalmist’s day and the Bible in our day should be like this tree planted near the rivers.

And so I asked God to make me like this tree, knowing the promise made by Jesus when He said, “Ask and you shall receive.” I asked God why my devotional times were dry. I asked Him to make me like this tree and to plant me by these rivers. What was His response? He pointed me to John 15:1:

“I am the true vine…” (NKJV)

I was trying to prove myself to God but that’s not how it works. He is the true vine and I must draw from Him. My devotionals had to change from being about proving myself, becoming a time of drawing from the true vine. When I (with a lot of help from the Holy Spirit) made this change, my devotional times changed significantly.

Now I look forward to these standing appointments. They are no longer a burden and they are no longer about proving something. They are about receiving from God and about the blessing of being able to spend time in His presence. They are about being in the tent, talking with God. Now my devotionals and my time reading the Bible are about being alive.

I have a daily standing appointment with God and I thank God that He wants it to be that way.

Who Shall Stand In the Gap?

The list was very long. God spoke to Ezekiel, listing all of the wrongs committed by the people of Israel and their leaders. It quickly becomes clear that they were a nation that was in rebellion and God had decided to do something about it. But first, as He had so many times before, God would give them one more opportunity. He would search for that one man: the one who could stand in the gap before God. The LORD searched for that one person who, like Moses in the wilderness, was devoted to God and to the people and who was qualified to intercede on behalf of the nation. Finding none, God poured His anger out on the people (Ezekiel 22:30-31).

On both an individual and on a national level, I suspect our lists today are just as long as what was described to Ezekiel. If God were to look for one person to stand in the gap today, would he find such a person? Fortunately the answer is yes. In fact we benefit from having that Man standing before God, interceding on behalf of the believer right at this moment. Jesus of Nazareth, God’s only begotten Son, stands at the right hand of God. There He speaks on the behalf of all who believe in His name, talking us up in prayer before the One Who created all things (Romans 8:34).

Those who have received the gift of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ need not worry about what will happen when we stand before the Father. Jesus has already put in a good word for us. We need not worry about God’s wrath. That was poured out on Jesus on our behalf. Jesus died on the cross, paying for our salvation with His life and redeeming us unto the Father so that in Him we might have life. He is already standing in the gap on your behalf. Remember this as you seek in prayer.

All Things Work for the Good: Even Diabetes

It was not one of my best posts. I wrote it tongue in cheek but it just seemed to fall flat. In the post I gave myself (and my readers) a challenge. What was that challenge? I challenged everyone to stick to the serving sizes listed on bags of things like potato chips, mentioning how a 3.5oz bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos was supposed to be 3.5 servings. I spoke of developing the self discipline to only eat the listed serving size, instead of eating the entire bag in one sitting. Well, as it turns out, I’ve had to develop that self discipline almost overnight after a recent blood test showed that I have diabetes. That was not the diagnosis I wanted to hear but, as in all situations, God is keeping His promise:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

For the record, no I do not believe God gave me diabetes. That would just be weird. I am entirely at fault, having developed a love for Mega Stuffed Oreos: great taste but they can quickly put you over your daily limit of sugar. Chips Ahoy cookies were my second go to but only after they got soaked in a tall glass of almond milk. I won’t go into how many I would eat in one sitting. Let’s just say that some of that lack of self discipline I mentioned in the serving size article has been on full display. I take full responsibility and admit that I alone (perhaps with a little help from my genetics) am the problem.

But, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining or as we Christians say: Romans 8:28! Actually I guess God said it when He inspired the writer of Romans to put pen to paper but we Christians get the blessing of knowing that Romans 8:28 is true. All things do work together for good for those who love God. Why? Well because God has ordained it to be so and it is true even with my diabetes.

I needed a kick in the behind to get me thinking about my health and about a goal I set for myself years ago. I promised myself that I will do everything I can to get into and stay in good physical shape, in order to be able to serve God for many years to come without any physical hindrance. I also want to be able to do things with friends and family, without being short of breath or limited in any other physical way. Unfortunately I have not been doing a good job of keeping that promise to myself. There’s always that distraction keeping me from exercising or the fact that I am too lazy to bother checking the serving size of what I eat. With diabetes, I received the kick in the bottom that I needed to get me to exercise and, yes, to check and stick to the right serving size. (I haven’t had Flamin’ Hot Cheetos since the diagnosis. If I do. I will count out my 21 pieces.)

Here’s the biggest blessing that will come from this. You see, I believe that God still heals. One day I will get to testify of how my LORD healed me and of how He gives me the wisdom to live in His healing. I’ll always carry the diagnosis but I will do so in the light of Romans 8:28, looking forward to telling others of how He fulfilled what is said in His Bible. All things work together for good. This is true in my situation and, if you love God and are called according to His purpose, it will also be true in whatever situation you find yourself dealing with.

See also “One, Two or Three Servings?”

Are You Abiding in Jesus’ Love?

Have you ever stopped to think about what it means to abide in Jesus’ love? If you haven’t, I suggest you make it a regular part of your schedule. Jesus tells us in John 15:9-10 that we should abide in His love just as He abides in His Father’s love. The Bible tells us that nothing can separate us from His love and yet, we must learn how to abide in His unconditional, never ending love. How do we reach that point of abiding in His love? Jesus gave us a parable that I believe shows us our first step in abiding.

It might surprise you that this lesson in abiding in God’s love comes from the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). But before we see how to abide in God’s love, we first get a lesson in how to miss out on His love. This lesson comes in the form of the decision made by the younger son, when he chose his inheritance over the love of his father.

In choosing to take the money and run, the younger son chose to chase after all that the world had to offer. I suspect his father’s house, with all its rules and daily chores, had become too restrictive for the young man. He looked at all that the world had to offer and felt that he would be better off doing things his own way. Think about it, this wasn’t just about having the money. It was about using the money to live life on his own terms and for a while I bet it was a lot of fun.

Meanwhile back at home, the father waited. The fact that he saw the son when he returned seems to imply that he was on the lookout hoping one day to see his son on the road. He never stopped loving his son and our Heavenly Father never stops loving us. But his son was not experiencing that love. What was he experiencing? Initially he had a lot of fun. He may have even called it the experience of a lifetime. Eventually, though, he began to experience hunger. He learned what it’s like to be in want. What he was not experiencing was his father’s love and this is where we find ourselves when we choose the ways of the world over the way of our Lord.

So what did the prodigal son have to do in order to get back to where he could abide in his father’s love? He simply had to make the choice to accept the truth. What was the truth? The truth was that his father’s servants were living better lives than he was. The truth was that his life had become empty and meaningless, amounting to nothing more than ministering to the needs of pigs. In truth he had sinned against his father and was no longer worthy of being called his father’s son. Still, he understood that being home was better than anything the world had to offer. He chose to believe the truth and in response he went home.

So, what happens when he gets home? Before the son can turn off of the road his father is running to meet him. The father does not even stop to see what the son wants. For all he knew, the boy could have been back to ask for more money. But the father did not care. He loved his son and wanted nothing more than a hug. At that point, even before he had fully confessed his sins, the prodigal son was once again abiding in his father’s love. That love was always there but until the son returned home his father could not pour that love out on him.

Of course this parable is not about a real human father and son. Jesus uses this parable to reveal how He feels about us. Jesus loves us all. However, when we turn away from Him, seeking to live according to what we think best apart from God, we are no longer in position to receive His love. We cannot embrace the teachings and the allures of this world, and expect to experience His gift of abundant life or of His love. It’s not that He cuts us off. We walk away, rejecting all that God has to offer us through His Son. How do we return to where we can abide in His love? Choose to seek the truth and to believe the truth. And in response to the truth, humble yourself before the Lord. Then you too will feel His warm embrace as He pours His love out in your life.

How God Blessed Us Since September 2020

Well...let’s see...A lot has happened since the last time I wrote about how God is blessing me and my family. Last year around this time we were dealing with the fact that my wife had just been furloughed and then offered another job at a significant pay cut. It was an unpleasant turn of events but God promised to provide for all of our needs and He continued to do so. Our bills were paid. We were still blessed and were able to be a blessing to others during Christmas. With God’s peace to sustain us we were able to move forward according to His perfect will.

I also mentioned in last September’s post that there were opportunities presenting themselves (thank you to those who answered my call for prayer). A friend reached out to my wife to tell her about a job opening at another company. We prayed but felt that this just was not God’s will, even though the salary would have been close to what she made before the furlough. Passing up a salary increase is never easy and this one came with the promise that we could go back to a way of life to which we had grown accustomed. But the more we prayed and listened for God’s guidance, the more we felt that this easy path was not the right path.

If you are a believer you’ve likely heard some variation of how God’s “No” means He has something better in store. I can’t explain how but God said this very thing to me, not audibly but in a way that I had no doubt that it was His voice. He was saying no to this job opportunity, with the promise of something better. He even gave me a glimpse of the future by naming a salary, one that would be a significant increase over what my wife used to make. I admit, at the time I was not sure if the number was from God or if it was just me wanting an increase in our household income but by faith I wrote the number in my journal and we moved forward waiting for God’s plan to unfold.

Early this year a recruiter reached out to my wife with another job opportunity. Her name had been suggested by a former coworker (and family friend)  who knew that my wife was qualified for the position and over qualified for the job she was working during the furlough. At about the same time, my wife’s old job was phased out, turning the furlough into something permanent. The interview process went smoothly and she was offered the job. We believed this was an open door but there was just one problem. The salary did not match the number I heard in my spirit. It was close but not the same. At this point I had not told my wife the exact number. I had only told her that I thought God had promised an increase.

Well, during the final salary negotiations this new company came back with a different salary proposal. Guess what! This number was what God said it would be, down to the exact cent. Had we jumped at the first opportunity, we would have missed out on what God had already promised. By waiting we got to see Him keep His promises: both His promise to provide during the furlough and His promise of something better at the end of the furlough.

As I wrote a year ago, Christians suffer loss just like everyone else but we are blessed with God’s peace to help us  endure. We also live knowing that God has it all under control. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Last year’s post can be found here: How God Blessed Us in September

No Matter How Irritating...

It was not the answer I expected. In fact, I was praying about something else and for someone else. Initially I tried to ignore what I was hearing in my heart. I wanted to focus on that thing I thought was a priority but God had other matters that He wanted to deal with. In fact, He would not let me move on in prayer until I responded to the instruction He had so clearly impressed upon my spirit. What was it that was so important? God was calling me to love someone whom in the past I had spent time complaining about.

Come on, be honest. You know the type of person I’m talking about. It’s that person that, if you could, you would turn and run in another direction when you see them coming but for one reason or another you can’t avoid them. I won’t get into why I wish I could avoid this person (that would be gossiping) but I’m guessing many of you have THAT person in your life. So, when God told me that I had to love THAT person, His words knocked me back on my heels for a bit. I know that what He  asks is the right thing to do but...I mean...really?

Unconditional love: It’s a concept that is easy to talk about but not always easy to implement. In this case there are two hurdles: the abrasiveness of the other person and the need to keep from falling into the pit of becoming an enabler. God does not want us to join in something that is wrong (or in some cases a relationship that is dangerous) but He does want us to reflect His love in every situation. The bottom line is that Jesus loves even the most irritating among us, doing so without getting sucked into that person’s sin. If we are to do the same we must ask God to equip and guide us. In Him we can answer the call to love unconditionally, even when we would rather run.

Is Your Commitment For Real or For Show?

It sounded good at the time. A small group of people, left behind after Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, came to the prophet and pledged to do whatever God said even if He said something they did not like (Jeremiah 42:5-6). There was only one problem. That small group of people were big time liars, saying what they thought God wanted to hear. Yet, while their lips said one thing, their hearts were set on doing their own thing no matter what.

They had already planned to go to Egypt and nothing Jeremiah said was going to change their minds. Their hearts were not surrendered to God and they were not willing to obey the LORD unless He said what they wanted to hear. It seems they only wanted to put on a good religious show before they followed their own path. Their proud boast about obedience was nothing more than an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the prophet and over the eyes of his God.

Ten days after the remnant made their great boast, God sends Jeremiah back with an answer to their prayers (Jeremiah 42:7-12). His decision? They should remain in Jerusalem where God promises to take care of them even as they live under Nebuchadnezzar's rule. He then warns them of what will happen if they go to Egypt (verses 13-17). Why did God specifically single out a trip to Egypt as part of His warning? Well, He knew they were being hypocritical (verse 20) and He called them out about their lies. Their fake attempt at showing how devoted they were fell flat as God sees the heart with all its wicked intentions. (This is what God said in 1 Samuel 16:7 as He shot down Samuel’s standard for picking someone worthy to be king.) In the end the remnant did go to Egypt, defying God and bringing a curse upon themselves.

I believe that when we accept Jesus as savior we also accept Him as LORD. We receive salvation as a free gift, one that cannot be earned. At the same time we recognize the authority held by our Creator: authority that demands obedience to His perfect will. As a result our lips should declare Him LORD and so should our actions!

It’s easy to talk a big game, to do the church thing and even to do a few good works. But how far does your (and my) commitment go? Are we ready to follow our LORD no matter what?

Is your commitment to obeying God for real or is it for show?

How Deep is Your Commitment?

Jerusalem has fallen! Nebuchadnezzar and his armies have won and the king has been carried off to be tortured. Jeremiah is left behind along with the poor to whom the captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s army gave vineyards and fields (Jeremiah 39:1-10). Those who were left behind came to Jeremiah, asking him to petition the LORD his God on their behalf (Jeremiah 42:1-3). In doing so, they make a commitment to obey God even if they do not like what He says (Jeremiah 42:5-6). Does your commitment to obedience go as deep as those who found themselves in captivity?

Be honest. It’s easy to obey God when He tells us to do something we want. How easy is it to obey when God says something we don’t like or don’t want to hear? I wish I could say that I like everything God says and most of the time that is true. However, there are those times when God says something I don’t want to hear. There are those times when He asks too much or He asks me to give up something I want to hold on to. There are those times when the Christian walk is just too difficult and yet God calls on us to move forward by faith. It’s when God says something we do not like that you and I find out if our commitment to God runs deep or if it is just a surface thing, just a convenient show so that I can convince myself that all is well.

What are some of the things He asks that I find displeasing? He asks me to forgive when it’s the last thing I want to do, including when someone has truly and honestly hurt me. He asks me not to do things that I know are wrong even as I see others doing the same thing and seemingly getting away with it. He asks me to trust when I can see with my own eyes that the path leads to the base of an insurmountable obstacle. He asks me to help others carry their burdens and to joyfully give to others those things I value the most. He even asks me to suffer ridicule and to experience being trolled simply because I believe in Him. Sometimes it seems like He asks too much. Does it ever seem that way to you?

Even so, I want to join with that small group of people who, after being left behind in Israel, come to Jeremiah with a pledge to obey what God says, “Whether it is pleasing or displeasing…” (Jeremiah 42:6 NKJV). The reality of their situation and the difficulties they faced drove them to decide to take their dedication to God beyond the surface. Following their example, we should also pledge to obey everything that God asks of us. After all, Jesus is not just our Savior. He is our LORD. Knowing this to be a fact, how deep is your commitment to obey our LORD?

How Christ Responded Part 3: The Follow Through

Peter bragged about how he would never deny his Lord. His actions on the night of Jesus’ arrest turned that brag into a lie. Just as Jesus said he would, Peter denied Jesus three times within the span of an hour, thinking more about saving his own hide than about his devotion to his Lord. In response Jesus looked directly at Peter just as the rooster crowed, bringing Peter under personal conviction concerning what he had just done. Fortunately, Jesus’ goal all along was to restore Peter as He described even before Peter sinned. And after His resurrection, Jesus took action, making sure that Peter understood that he was still an integral part of Jesus’ ministry plan.

John 21:15-19 describes a conversation between Jesus and Peter that took place after the resurrection. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him. Three times Peter says yes. Whereas Peter once denied Jesus three times within the span of an hour, now he gets the opportunity to declare his love three times presumably in a much shorter time span. In response to each one of Peter’s declarations of love, Jesus instructs Peter to move forward in His ministry. With this conversation we see that Peter has been restored both in his relationship with the Lord and in his position as an Apostle, serving our Lord and Savior.

The Bible brings us God’s message of deliverance and of restoration but our Lord does not stop at just words. He is a God of action, working in our lives to bring us to the point where we live out what He is doing in our hearts. We see this in the fact that Jesus did not leave Peter wondering where he stood after his sin. Instead Jesus actively sought Peter out, pointing him in the right direction for his ministry. Likewise I believe Jesus seeks us out even after we stumble. His Spirit speaks to our hearts, telling us that we are still His and working to restore us that we might receive His love.

Nothing can separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). No matter how bad you think your sin might be nor how bad you think you are as a person, God loves you. He gave His Son that you might have life. If you have not received His gift of salvation, trust in Him and receive His gift today. If you are already a believer, remember that He will restore you even after you sin. Receive His forgiveness and let Him restore you in His love. He’ll do exactly as He has time and again: exactly as He did with Peter. He will follow through on His promise to restore you.

How Christ Responded Part 2: Personal Conviction

Jesus’ goal is restoration and as we saw in Part 1, He plans this even before we fail. He warned Peter that he would deny his Lord three times. While giving this warning, Jesus explained what would happen when Peter returned. Today Jesus, through His Spirit, continues to warn us before we stumble and continues to restore us after we fall. This is part of His response to us but it is not the entire picture.

The Gospel of Luke tells us that Peter denied being with or even knowing Christ three times over the course of an hour. As the words were leaving his mouth for the third time, he heard the rooster crow. At that moment Jesus turned and looked at Peter. It’s not clear from the text if Peter knew that Jesus was looking at him or if he met Jesus’ gaze. What is clear is that Peter comes under conviction, remembering the warning Jesus had given him before the soldiers came to arrest our Lord. Under this conviction Peter goes out and cries.

God sees all and our sins are not hidden from Him. Fortunately our sins were transferred to Jesus, Who carried them to the cross. But while our sin debt is paid, I believe that under the gaze of the living God we come under conviction about our sins. Here we must recognize the difference between conviction and condemnation. Conviction is a very strong internal belief about what is right and what is wrong. When we sin we come under conviction where we realize that we have done something wrong and we respond according to the strength of that conviction, like Peter weeping bitterly. Condemnation, on the other hand, has to do with someone else pointing out our wrong and setting a burden or punishment upon us because of our sin. Self condemnation is when we beat ourselves up over that sin, trying to increase our burden in order to pay for failure.

All too often the god of today’s Christianity seems as if he prefers condemnation. He’s angry and wants nothing more than to make us pay for our sins. If this were true of Jesus that look would have been something totally different. His look would have struck Peter down with leprosy or lightning, ending Peter’s story without any chance of reconciliation. Keep in mind that Jesus had the power to do a great number of things to Peter in order to punish him for his sins. Instead He chose a look that brought simple conviction, nothing more.

The Bible tells us that, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.” (Romans 8:1) Peter was not condemned for his denial of Christ because if he were, Jesus could not have spoken of his return. I believe Peter felt conviction about his denial and about the fact that he did not keep his promise to never deny his Lord. From there his convictions would help him become the Peter we know in the Book of Acts, one who boldly proclaimed the name of Jesus even under threat of condemnation at human hands.

As followers of Christ we must understand that God does not condemn us when we stumble. Instead His Spirit works to help us understand what we have done and to bring us to a point where we feel a strong conviction when it comes to our sins. His goal is to restore us and to bring us to a point where our behavior, guided by our personal convictions, reveals a heart of obedience growing within us. This is the work of God’s Spirit within the believer. Are you willing to let Him work in your heart?

How Christ Responded Part 1

Have you ever thought about Jesus’ response to Peter’s denial? Jesus was inside the high priest’s house facing the charges leveled against Him. Meanwhile, Peter stood outside in the courtyard. There he was confronted by those who recognized that he was one of Jesus’ followers. In response he broke his promise to Jesus, denying that he even knew the man from Galilee. Three times he vehemently denied knowing Jesus or being one of his disciples. Immediately Peter hears a rooster crow and he is reminded of how Jesus warned him that he would deny Him three times. How did Jesus respond to Peter’s betrayal and what does it reveal about our Lord?

In order to understand our Lord’s response I think we need to start at the point where Jesus warns Peter about his pending denial. In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus warns Peter about a plot being hatched by the enemy. Fortunately for Peter, Jesus had already prayed for him. Jesus had prayed that Peter’s faith should not fail. Yet, Jesus then follows this by speaking of when Peter returns to Him. Jesus knew that Peter would turn away from Him for a moment. He spoke of Peter’s denial and yet it would seem that Jesus did not see this moment of weakness as a failure of Peter’s faith. He clearly knew that Peter would stumble but He also knew that Peter would return.

Peter’s denial did not surprise Jesus nor do our stumbles surprise Him today. He sees your heart and knows your thoughts. Our Lord sees your missteps before you are even tempted and I believe His Spirit (through your conscience) works to try to warn you just as Jesus warned Peter. When we do stumble, Jesus’ goal is the same as it was with Peter.

Jesus spoke of Peter returning to him. He then spoke of Peter strengthening his brothers. It would seem from this comment that Jesus’ goal was restoration. He planned to restore Peter, moving him back into a position of ministry. This was Jesus’ long term mission and a major stumble would not deter our Lord. When we stumble I believe Jesus’ goal is the same for us: restoration. The one thing He asks is that we return to Him: that when we realize our wrong we ask for forgiveness, acknowledging Him as our righteous Lord. He asks us to get up and walk again, trusting in His grace.

Yes, we all stumble from time to time. When we do we should remember that our sins are forgiven, the price paid through Jesus our Lord. We should see ourselves as forgiven and then remember that Jesus’ goal after we stumble is for us to be restored. Jesus told Peter this very thing before Peter’s failure. Jesus told Peter that His ministry would continue. His plan was to restore Peter and this is how Jesus responds to us when we stumble today.

Remember to Pray for OUR President

 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

I Timothy 2:1-4

For almost two decades I have felt a burden to pray for the President of the United States. I pray for his emotional and mental health, his relationship with his family and for his physical health as he faces the stress that comes with the office. I then pray for him to receive wisdom as he carries out his duties. Above all I pray that he will become more aware of the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he will know Jesus if he doesn’t and that he will grow in his knowledge of God if he already has a relationship with the Lord. I’ve prayed for presidents from both parties, even when I did not agree with them politically. My main concern has been for their spiritual well being and their destiny, not where they stand on the political spectrum.

There are times when I wonder if my brothers and sisters in Christ have forgotten that our politicians are still human beings. Like us, they need God’s grace. The ones who don’t know Jesus need an introduction. The ones who do, need discipleship. They need to be covered in prayer, even if they do not realize it and I Timothy 2 is a call to all believers to make sure that this very thing is what happens. Our prayers should be earnest as we lift our presidents and their families up before the Lord. We are to intercede on their behalf. We are supposed to give thanks for them, even if they are from the other political party. The very fact that this is written in the Bible means that it is not an option. It is what we are called to do. In fact, it is what we are designed to do.

I can already tell that President Joseph R. Biden will do some things that I disagree with. A good number of those who voted for him did so with the expectation that he will push a certain agenda. And while I disagree with some parts of that agenda, I will not let those issues blind me to the fact that he needs our prayers. I write this to encourage you to join me in praying for Joe Biden the man as well as for President Joe Biden, leader of the United States of America. Do so because our Father wants us to. As you do, remember to extend the same grace and love that our Father extends to us.

Lines That Should Not Be Crossed

I used to post to a blog with a different name. Back then I spent way too much time focusing on my stats, riding a rollercoaster that climbed and dropped with my daily reader count. With each post I learned a bit more about my core audience, my stats telling me what they would read and what they would recommend to their followers. Armed with this knowledge I would dive into my next posts both on my blogs and on my other social media channels. Over time I found that I could, with the right set of words, draw attention from many people including some who were much more famous than I. But as my stats improved, I noticed something I didn’t like. I noticed that I was bending over backwards, compromising what I truly believed in order to make my audience happy.

One event in particular served as an eye opener that forced me to change course. My audience was abuzz about a teenager who ran away from home out of fear for her life. This young woman received Jesus as her Lord and Savior, a decision that put her at odds with her family. Forced to leave home for her own safety, she found a group of Christians in a different state who received her with open arms. But eventually, the authorities caught up with her and the courts ordered that she be returned to her family. With help from her new found brothers and sisters in Christ she was able to appeal this decision and I learned about her while she was waiting for her appeal to be heard.

Many in my online group spoke out against the court decision, encouraging the family hiding the young woman to defy the court order. I found myself wondering if in fact this was the right way to proceed. Yes, I understood why the young woman felt that her home was no longer safe but at the same time I feared the possibility of setting a precedent where children could be hidden from their families simply because of a difference in opinion over religious belief. I was torn between my belief that we all should do our best to follow the law and those online voices telling me that the law was wrong.

And so I started asking questions, hoping my audience would enlighten me. Instead I was treated as if I had lost my mind. My audience wondered how I could even begin to question other Christians who were simply trying to protect the life of a child. I pointed out that God could protect her whether or not she went home. To this I was challenged to read the pages of another religion’s book in order to understand the real danger this young woman was in. Back then, and still today, I wondered why I needed to read a book from another religion when my Bible told me all I needed to know.

There, on the pages of the Bible, I find God. The Bible tells me that God is more than up to the task of protecting His children. With no compromise, my Bible told me not to give into fear but instead to trust in God. This seemed to contradict my audience who seemed to fear the power of another religion and its followers. I knew at that point that I had to make a choice. Either I stood in confidence in what God could do, even if I lost my audience, or I could stand in fear with my audience knowing that my stats would continue to grow even if my relationship with the Almighty did not.

For the record, the young woman had a birthday while waiting for her appeal to be heard. At that point she was able to legally choose for herself where she wanted to live, disappearing from the headlines as she went on with her life. Wherever she is, I pray she continues with the Lord, standing as a witness of how He can and does protect His children. As for my old blog, well it became harder and harder to write knowing what I would have to do to hold onto my audience. Eventually I took a break from blogging. Then I decided to let that old blog disappear, starting fresh here with these posts.

I thought about that old blog following the events of January 6, 2021. I thought about the mob and the riot, wondering how many were pulled along in the river of emotion that welled up at that moment. I suspect the large majority are normally law abiding citizens but on that day they got caught up in all of the excitement. In the heat of the moment they committed crimes against the very nation they claim to love. They crossed a line that just should not be crossed as they tried to win favor with those around them and with the world leader they came to support.

I recognized when it was time to draw a line: time to walk away from my old blog and the audience that followed. It was time to stop bending over backwards at the expense of what I truly believed and so I moved on. I hope that those who took part in the riots on January 6 recognize that they crossed a line they shouldn’t while bending over backwards for their audience of one. I also hope that our former president learned that there are lines that should not be crossed, especially when doing so means attacking that which you are called to defend.

Applying A Lesson From Football to the Capital Incident

It was third down and we needed our defense to make a stop. Both teams lined up, ready for the play of the game. But just before the snap, one of their linemen moved. Then their quarterback handed the ball off to their tailback who took the ball sixty yards for a touchdown. And while they celebrated in the end zone, we looked around expecting a yellow flag. It never came. After the game one of the referees came over to admit his mistake. He saw the false start but he didn’t call it. We all wished he had kept that to himself. Still, as coaches of a youth football team, we had to set the right example.

We were cheated because a ref decided to keep his flag in his pocket. It would have been easy to lose my temper. It would have been easy for any of us to launch into a tirade or to do something stupid, using the fact that we were cheated as a reason to do wrong. Instead we decided to act like adults. We thanked the refs for doing a (mostly) good job and then we pulled our team together to talk about what we could do better. As a team we took responsibility for our loss. As coaches we acted like adults. I wish that was what happened on January 6th down at our nation’s capital.

I understand that our president and his supporters feel cheated. I don’t agree with them but I do understand that this is what they are feeling. But we needed the crowd to handle these feelings correctly. The nation needed adults who understand that in life you will not always like the outcome. In fact, you may even get cheated out of something. However, that is not an excuse to incite an unruly mob. It is not an excuse to commit crimes. It is not an excuse to attack the government of this country or any other country. It is the time to act like adults.

Why Are Cable Connectors Different in the Burbs?

I’ve lived in the Philadelphia suburbs for just over 21 years, adding to the variety of places I have lived in during my lifetime. I grew up in the city, taking a short detour into a midwestern college town. We once even lived in what was at the time a relatively new development of townhouses, surrounded on one side by farmland and on the other by the construction site of a new interstate highway. I’ve lived in majority black communities and have also been in areas where I could count all of the black families on one hand. As a result I’ve had the opportunity to see how things are handled in different types of living areas. One of those lessons came when we first bought our current house, as we tried to sign up to get cable.

The previous owner was an elderly widower who moved in with his son out of concerns about his health. He had never had cable. So when I called the cable company, they said they needed to send a surveyor out to see if cable was even available in my neighborhood. I mentioned that both of my neighbors had cable, but I guess my word wasn’t good enough. Eventually, the surveyor came out and verified that cable was indeed available and soon the installation was under way.

Back then my neighborhood (in fact the entire region) was served by only one cable company, a company with which I had dealt with for years while living in Philly. To their credit, the installer was on time and did a very good job with the installation. He answered all of my questions and explained what I needed to know about my new cable boxes. He was careful not to damage my house and cleaned up near areas where he had to drill in order to pull the cables from one room to the next.

As he was hooking everything up I noticed that the cables he was using seemed to have heavy duty connectors on their ends. The metal on these connectors seemed thicker, made of heavy duty materials as opposed to the connectors I had grown accustomed to seeing in my apartment in the city. In fact, those city connectors always reminded me of tinfoil, whereas these suburban connectors looked like some sort of thick alloy. They were so different that I just had to ask why.

I’m not sure if the installer was supposed to give an honest answer to my question but he did. His answer, though simple, caught me completely off guard. It seemed that suburban customers got thicker metal connectors on their cables for one very simple reason: they complain more often. So it is true. The squeaky wheel does get the oil. It also gets better materials and better quality cable connectors. Up until that point I had expected a number of things to be different in the burbs vs how they were in the city. How cable is installed in a home was not one of the areas where I expected to see a difference.

So the next time you hear someone complain about how people in the city are often treated differently from those in the suburbs and how rural areas are also treated differently, remember not all cable installations are the same.