The Lost

The experience of being lost

Perhaps you took the wrong exit off of the expressway on which you were traveling and found yourself and your family in an unfamiliar neighborhood of a city with no clear directions as to how to get back on the expressway. There were people and businesses around, but the atmosphere wasn’t exactly friendly, so you didn’t feel like stopping and asking for some help. Or perhaps you failed to get back to your campsite before it got dark and you found yourself on a narrow path in the middle of a forest full of strange noises without a flashlight or a sleeping bag. Or perhaps you were home, but your family had become broken by your divorce, your job was no longer satisfying, none of your friends were helpful, and everything appeared to be somewhat strange and you didn’t know where to go to be comfortable and safe again.
Or this experience may be like that of realizing that the ticket (your plan) to paradise (place where you dreams would be fulfilled) that you had in your pocket (mind) was no longer valid (working) by the carrier jet (means of achieving your dreams) who had promised to take you to a place of great joy and pleasure, and the second carrier bus (your plan B) on which you had been placed to continue your journey had broken down (wasn’t working either) and left you in a strange place (of unfamiliar circumstance), and the family in which you belonged was no longer around you, and the friends with whom you had been traveling had all been seduced away by the pleasures of the different neighborhood (culture and environment) in which you found yourself, and you realized that you were all alone, far from home (where you felt safe), in a dangerous place, confused with no clear idea or plan as to how to get out of your situation, because you were really lost.
Becoming lost can be a frightening experience. You feel alone, confused, anxious, and depressed. You may turn to some familiar addictions like alcohol or drugs or sex to stimulate some good feelings. You may get a new religion or a new lover or a new wardrobe or some new friends or a new communication device or a new job to try to find some sanctuary from your feelings and your strange situation. Eventually you may realize that these efforts are not working, but now you are lost and unsure of what to do or where to go for help.

Jesus comments about some things and a person who was “lost”

At one point during his public ministry in Jerusalem where he was trying to explain to the crowds that followed him and some of the lawyers and Pharisees and scribes of the Jewish people who it was that he was seeking to reach in what he was doing and teaching, some of the Pharisees and scribes were critical of him because he associated with “sinners”. In response to their criticism, Jesus told three parables. The first one was about a “sheep” that became “lost”. (Luke 15:3-7) The second parable was about a silver “coin” that a woman “lost” in her “house”. (vss. 8- 10) And the third parable was about a “son” who left his home and became “lost”. (vss. 11-32) In each case what was “lost” was “found” with much “joy”, and even a big celebration was held for the “son” who returned home. Jesus used these parables as well as other comments to make the point that he came into this world “to seek and to save the lost”. (Luke 19:10) So Jesus recognizes the crisis of a person being “lost” and the importance of being “found or otherwise returning to one’s “home”.

The “lost” whom Jesus is seeking

The individuals that Jesus are seeking to lead back home are not those who have gotten lost in a strange neighborhood or a big forest or even in a house that was no longer a home. He is seeking those who are spiritually separated from God, the Father, who are spiritually living away from the family of God’s Son and God’s children, who are following a seductive leader who is known as “the devil”, and who are living in a confused attitude of personal sinful self indulgences and willing rebellion against God. Such individuals may be religious and accept various religious labels as part of their personal identifications. They may be familiar with Jesus and God, the Father, and even have read parts of the Bible and be active in some church or synagogue or mosque. They may consider themselves to be good, decent, law-abiding citizens of any established civil society anywhere in the world. They may be of any ethic and racial background that is part of humanity. But they are spiritually lost, separated from God, traveling through life on a wide road of self-indulgent pleasure and popular philosophy that will only take them to hell, a place of everlasting separation from God and personal suffering in their souls. Anyone who is not living in a personal spiritual relationship with God through the indwelling presence of Jesus and the transforming power of God’s Spirit is lost, unable to experience God’s grace and providential love and to share in the daily blessings of life in his family.

Today is all the Christian has.

     Plans, plans, and more plans.  The foolishness of mankind thinking that they have tomorrow much less the next hour or more.  But, we plan on this or that like we have all the time in the world.  Because we are busy making plans for every hour, day, week, month and year; we leave little or no room for God to move His plan to the world through us.  Yes, some put their "time" in at church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. But that's something the Bible doesn't ordain or support.  Like our lives, our time should belong to God.  That would mean that we have surrendered living our own lives when we asked Jesus to revive our dead bodies and bring to the forefront His life in us and through us.  The making of plans limits or even eliminates the chance that the prompting of the Holy Spirit can speak with us much less work through us.  I wrote in my journal this morning about the items on my list.  I asked God to work his agenda through me recognizing that my list is and always should be secondary to His list and agenda.  Don't get me wrong, I don't always surrender as I should.  I can only imagine that it's the same with a lot of Christians.
     When we live in the future there is little or limited or even no ability to be available in the present.  What does God want me to do this moment?  Partnered with our plans are the many "I can't..." statements we make each and every day.  We don't have to actually say "I can't.." for the thought or action to be real.  Because I planned to do this, I couldn't possibly do that.  Really?  Where do we get off telling the God of the universe who died and rose from the dead for me that I am to busy for Him and what he wants to do through me?  It's called willful sinning.  James 4:17 says, "If you know what is right to do and don't do it, you sin."  That's Jesus half brother talking.  If you have come to the place where you know you have sinned, have fallen short of the glory of God and are in need of the Savior, you know what is right and what is wrong.  It's not rocket science to determine that saying no to God is not right.  Saying no to God is sin.  I've done it, you've done it and yet the grace of God is there to allow us to return to God's plan.  All it requires is for us to have plans based on what God wants rather than what we want.
     I have a lot of missed moments in my life.  You know, those moments when God has clearly spoken to you to say this or that to someone, asked you to help someone, begged you to stop along the freeway and help that elderly person change a flat tire and then not done it.  It's not like God can't bring along someone else.  It's more that he wants you to be his blessing to others. Being altruistic isn't something that the Christian could consider as obeying what God wants.  It may be Christian but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's God's timing.  The world is full of stories of those who were prayed into the kingdom.  There are many who were loved into the kingdom.  There are many who fought tooth and nail until they finally gave up and accepted the love of God in Jesus.  God is perfectly capable of doing all these things himself.  However, he chooses to use you and I to intercept the lives of the lost and help them see the need of a Savior.  He may just ask you to plant a seed.  He may ask you to just water the seed.  The harvest is gathered in by the Holy Spirit.  However, if you have plans, they may just mean you aren't going to do what God asks.  Being so involved in your life that His life can't possibly live through you.  It's always your choice.

Snow in the Christian's life.

    What!? I know, quite the title.  Bear with me a bit and we will see what God has to tell us about snow in the Christian's life.  Keep in mind that I've lived through many winters where snow was the primary element in my environment.  Blizzards?  I've seen a lot!  A few flakes?  I've seen them as well.  What interests me most is people's reaction to the snow.  This morning there was a forecast of snow for the area where I live.  About 8:30 a few flakes fell.  Hmm...guess that counts.  As people are hyped by the news media (weather people who are paid to be wrong 50% of the time) the hysteria is built until we are immobilized.  Rain doesn't do that.  But a forecast of snow?  Schools will be late, don't drive unless you have to, raid the grocery store in preparation, and of course have a plan.  My plan is to start a fire and drink my coffee.  Cover my self with a blanket later and take a nap.  But then I don't have children off to school, a job to commute to and my pantry, freezer and fridge are stocked as they always are.  How does this apply to the Christian?  Good question.  Glad you asked. 
     We live in a hyped up world where Satan controls the media.  ANYTHING that can distract us from God is hyped until people panic, road rage takes place and other such events.  Snowflakes take over as a primary player and Christian and non alike get caught up in fear.  But the Bible tells us that perfect love casts out ALL fear.  What does the Christian do with that?  They don't believe what the Bible says or what we are instructed to think, say and do.  Take, for example, discipleship and what God commands us to do.  His command is:  "Go into all the world and make disciples of men."  Simple.  But we don't do this with the exception of some who take their Bible and faith seriously.  For those who actually believe the hype of the world is passé.  Why do we spend so much time in church amongst other Christians when the command is for us to go forth and conquer?  Maybe because pastors are more concerned with the doctrine of men (demons) than they are in what the Gospel actually tells us to do.  So, instead of a blizzard the Christian church is more like a few falling snow flakes.  Wrong...
     Panic, fearmongering and delusions from the world (Christian and non) have taken over the church.  But that's now what the Bible says.  Like snow flakes to blizzards the Christian is to be ready to give account of what they believe at moments notice.  So, the Christian needs to be ready at all times.  That means we are in the Word and know what it says.  That means we are full of the Holy Spirit and actually doing what he instructs us to do.  That means we pray without ceasing for those around us and those afar because we believe that the "feverant prayer of the righteous avails much" and comes to fruition sooner or later.  The Christian can be anything from a snow flake or a blizzard with the mind of Christ living in their lives but only if the Holy Spirit is allow to be present in leading us in God's most perfect way.  When we listen to the world and skip school, skip work and skip the Christian mandate to go and make disciples, we have successfully been unsuccessful.  Remember that this is all about choices of listen to God or listening to the world.  It's always your choice.

Just what did you expect?

     We find ourselves in situations that either meet, exceed or fail to meet our expectations practically every day of our lives.  You do it and so do I.  It hasn't changed over the centuries.  We have nothing new to report on.  Yet, we seem to have different emotional and intellectual responses.  There is a difference between the two just as there is a difference from each person's point of view.  Teenagers everywhere talk of their love for this and that ranging from clothing to puppy love.  It's their point of view.  They in turn view the adult world from their particular view and see how out of touch adults are.  We adults watch our children and see ourselves 20 (more like 40) or so years ago and wonder if we will survive their growing up.  Point of view is something taught and learned rather than intuitive or by instinct.  Babies instinctively have the desire to attach to the nipple and expect a reward for that instinctive move.  We know instinctive (and bodily) when to go to the bathroom.  This was a combination of learned and intuition.  We have this innate desire to be loved, accepted and approved by those around us.  Deeper still we have this innate desire to be loved, accepted and approved by God.  What happens when we don't get the love, acceptance and approval?
     Love, acceptance and approval is supposed to be about who we are and not what we do.  Christians get that mixed up thinking that they are love accepted and approved by their works. This is learned and certainly only from fellow Christians.  We've made the simple complex and in the process turned the formula around so that it's not about us but what we do and don't do.  What do you expect from a self centered world?  Jesus comes at us from the opposite direction.  He tells us that we are loved, accepted and approved as his creation.  No other conditions.  He doesn't require anything from us for that love, acceptance and approval he offers from the beginning of time.  He expects us to believe him and to desire the things of God.  We often fail to meet his expectation because we are so busy trying to please everyone but God.  We have all kinds of celebrations and holidays that are full of spoken and unspoken expectations of our fellow mankind.  From businesses to individuals the expectations are piled on this world busying their minds so that they lose focus of what is important.  We expect from the world what they can't give and don't accept what God has offered because of this distraction.  What happens to failed expectations?
     When I buy an item and it fails to perform as promised the expectation level sinks to below sea level.  When I place my expectations on others because of their promises the failure of the unmet promised drops my trust level.  What alters this whole formula are the promises of God.  God cannot fail.  God cannot over promise.  God cannot excuse away mistakes because he has not made any mistakes.  The world has taught us that we can expect to be disappointed.  God has taught us to always trust and hope in him who promises us peace and grace and mercy.  So, when I accept and give away the peace, grace and mercy to others, they are not disappointed.  When I place conditions on peace, grace and mercy on others they know that it's not genuine.  What is there to do?  We can only find love acceptance and approval from God.  Stop looking for them in others or things of the world.  The world and others will never be able to give us what God has given us since time began.  It's your choice...always.

Why we can't say no to commercialism in Christmas

     Christmas is unrecognizable from the ones that I had as a child.  I am 63 but imagine the difference for our parents and others who are older!  Christmas in North Dakota on the family farm wasn't a Christian focused event as we didn't have connections with a church and grew up non-believers.  There were few gifts and many were homemade.  We were poor and didn't know it.  I know that sounds contradictory.  There was one bought gift for each of the 7 of us kids.  The rest were homemade by grandma's and grandpa's along with parents pitching in to help us kids make presents for each other.  We didn't know any differently and never thought of asking for a specific present, brand name, or anything expensive.  The Christmas tree was put up on Christmas Eve sometimes after we went to bed.  The stockings were hung and in the morning we found them filled with nuts and fruit with some hard ribbon candy.  As kids we were excited for the opening of gifts followed by a 70 mile trip to one of the two sets of grandparents for Christmas dinner.  There the kids ate in one room while the adults ate in another.  We opened gifts there as well and then headed home as there were chores to be done.  We travelled to and from in our pickup and later a car.  The pickup would carry 3 or 4 in the cab with the rest under a tarp covered bed of the pickup.  We thought all people had the life we had.  Complaining was out of the question. 
     That was what Christmas was to me.  When I was overseas with the US Army Christmas took on another dimension.  There wasn't one.  My first year of marriage brought me to the home of her parents in Redwood City, California.  To say I was overwhelmed is the biggest overstatement that I've ever made.  Exactly the opposite as when I grew up.  This was a Christian home and I had accepted Christ by then.  To me, Christmas was all about Christ.  To the home of my in-laws Christmas was a commercial competition of who could buy the most and the best for each other.  Little reflected Christ at all.  My kids from my first marriage never had a want.  Whatever happened to Christ?  I tried to reflect Christ in my own home.  They both grew up knowing Jesus.  It's nice to see that now they still love him.  "Down to earth" would describe their take on Christmas with that same simplicity passed on to their children.  It's not really that difficult.  All one needs to do is keep Christ in mind all year long. Thankfulness for all that we enjoy and are blessed with is all we need to do in order to have the proper mindset going into Christmas.
     I'm old now (but not dead!).  My priorities haven't changed and Christmas is about Christ regardless of what others around me do.  I give gifts along with mercy and grace.  The mercy and grace are primary.  We decorate the house but don't take down any power grid!  We still mail out Christmas cards with the message of Christ's birth.  We still remember that without Christ the holiday is just a commercial event.  While retailers are set to make record profits, drain your and my bank, and further distance the world from the message of Christ, we choose to not be swayed by excess.  I don't think we could afford it anyway!  If we say yes to Christ, we can say no to commercial and meaningless Christmas in all avenues.  There is nothing wrong with homemade gifts and homemade food and homemade cookies!  Christ being the center is what really matters.  Just say no to any message other than Christ's birth!  It's always your choice.

Maybe you don't handle Christmas because...

     I'd like to start this blog by letting you know that I have difficulty with major events throughout the year because of my complex PTSD, chronic fatigue and chronic pain.  They are invisible to the average person's eyes but there none the least.  Maybe you too struggle with some or all of these things.  My personality is to not share my "face" to others because I don't want to burden them with all the added stuff that goes on in their lives.  So, I have a number of tactics that I use to help all of us move through Christmas and other times as well.  First, my family and friends (true) know about my conditions and what triggers me.  I don't expect them to make decisions for me or to tiptoe around because they don't want to see me upset.  They too need to have a great Christmas and deserve to not be over burdened.  So, I try to give every day to Christ to run.  That's not easy sometimes.  I don't hate to shop but shopping seems to be part of the package that triggers me.  More succinctly, it's the crowds!  Crowds seem to be selfish centered.  So, I plan on shopping when it's most sane for me.  Late night shopping or shopping during dinner time is a good choice.  The amount of stuff to be done at home, food preparation, gifts to be wrapped, house to be cleaned...the list goes on and on.  So, I began dealing with some of these right after Thanksgiving.  My gifts are mostly wrapped, the shopping is mostly done, and no, he house isn't cleaned!
     The Bible holds so much wisdom for the holidays and yet most Christians don't turn there.  I try to make an extra effort to daily read the Bible, listen to spiritual songs (not necessarily Christmas songs) and to focus my attention on what blessings there are all around me.  I keep a journal where I write about these things.  I also put down my struggles which are not so much different than the Biblical characters that I read about.  Knowing that I am not alone is very important.  Even if those whom I relate to/with are long dead.  The birth of Christ and the "players" during that time all make an important contribution to a positive attitude.  Over the years I have learned that they too all have an individual history and perspective that they bring to the table.  So, knowing I am not alone, I can help others to know that they aren't alone.  It's called Christian love.  Some have it and some don't.  Pray for those who don't.  They are missing the point of the birth in the first place.  It so happens that I've been reading through the Bible for quite some time.  I just happened to be reading Isaiah since just before Thanksgiving.  The prophecies of God about the coming Savior are incredible!  They help me focus on what's important and it's not the world's Christmas.  It's God's Christmas with the birth of Christ.
     Like many Christians I have fractured or strained relationships with some of my family and some of my friends.  Since they haven't been healed over the years I don't bury my head in the sand and pretend that everything is okay.  It's not.  What I do is to live each day with hope that prayer and love can breach the chasm between us.  Then I leave it in God's hands.  Those God wants in my life will be there and those he doesn't won't be there.  I need to be satisfied with those who are in my life and have allowed me to be in their lives.  There are many.  Complaining doesn't help anyone so I try to not complain about my relationships.  Often it's been my actions, attitude and such that has brought the estrangement there in the first place.  I still yearn to have good relationships with all who are around me.  Who wouldn't?  Not pretending that everything is okay is okay.  Be real and be kind and loving.  Your mercy may be the only mercy that others experience.  There are so many unfortunate people all around us.  Jesus said that he came to reach the sinner.  If you admit you are a sinner as I am, then he came to reach you and I equally.  I hope that you and I have a wonderful holiday season and that our central focus is Jesus.  It's always your choice.

Be careful someone's listening

     A recent news article exposed that Chinese made cell phones had a nice package inside that shipped your information to China without your knowledge.  The movement towards socialism has taken the medical area by storm as an information collecting tool for the government.  Nothing you have or are involved in is hack proof.  Let's face it, there's someone listening to you, someone reading what you write (maybe they read this!), and someone reporting what they find to someone.  Nothing is really secret unless you keep it in your heart and head.  Nothing.  Imagine, if you will, a world where all of our thoughts are spoken out loud without your consent.  Would we try to discipline what we think about?  Would we become recluses and hid away from society as well as family?  It's a crazy part of being human in the 21st century.  This is a radical world the Christian is living in.  What goes on in private is used against you as well as that which is displayed in public.  There are groups that "look" for anything to discredit Christians.  If they look into my life they could see all the sins I've committed since becoming Christian.  If someone was listening to your life, what would they hear?  The Bible tells us that what we think, say and do comes from the heart of the Christian.  What's in your heart?
     Guilt by association is a huge weapon for those who want to see your downfall or the failure of your venture.  Take the couple that help people buy houses in Waco, Texas.  They then fix them up to give people their dream home.  The series has been highly successful and they have grown in popularity.  Suddenly they are exposed as Christian!  I knew it a long time ago.  That's part of why I watch the show.  Unable to find something wrong with them personally, the enemy sought to find something, anything to discredit the Christian man and woman.  Their church has a belief that is contrary to what the rest of the world thinks.  So, the guilt by association situation has risen for them.  No one is looking at their relationship with Christ.  They seem to only look for something that shows that as Christian they are at odds with special groups of the world.  When did it become so wrong to be a person who belongs to Christ?  Actually, that happened in the first century and has been going on ever since.  Political correctness has become the guide of the masses and your and my belief had better get in line with the world or else!  To which I tell the world "Give it your best shot." 
     It's my prayer and hope that true Christians are being listened to.  That the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ is being heard by countless men and women who are listening to you and I wherever we live, work or worship.  We can't be found in the situation where we are schizophrenic and live part of our life in the world and the other part in Christ.  Yet, that's exactly what so many Christians do.  Jesus said that if you and I are ashamed of him, that he doesn't know us.  My paraphrase.  How can he and the world see who we are in Christ if we continue to bow to the demands and concerns of the world.  Christianity is offensive to those who are perishing.  It's the nature of the beast.  Crowds around the US can protest the election results and the world rushes to reassure them that they are damaged by the outcome in some way.  There is no Scriptural foundation that says I need to join with those who are acting contrary to what citizens of the US are obligated to act per the constitution.  There is Scriptural foundation for you and I to do what is right in the eyes of God in all areas of our lives.  IF we do that we will be contrary to what a huge portion of the world and some Christians profess.  Be contrary anyway.  Let them listen to Christ through you and I.  It's always your choice.