Perspectives

While attending a leadership course some thirty-years ago, one of the most feared blocks of instruction was, “land navigation.” We would go through hours of lengthy study of maps, identifying varying terrain features, and understanding the nuances of manually measuring distance based on the need to travers from one grid coordinate (point on a map) to another. As lengthy as the classroom block of instruction was, it did not prepare us for the real thing. I considered myself knowledgeable as I spent time helping classmates plot four (4) or five (5) points to receive, what is referred to as a “go”. They were off into the woods. I took my time plotting mine as well being careful on that rainy day to avoid my map getting wet and washing away my detailed efforts. Wala! I had my rope of beads to aid in tracking my pace count, I was as often said “good-to-go” or abbreviated G2G. I leapt into the woods, opened my compass and my heart sunk immediately, it was broken, no matter what direction I turned, north, south, east, or west, the compass remained stuck to the top of the glass. It was a three-hour exercise, I spent the first screaming, yelling, running, and tumbling down a hillside completely covered in wet leaves. I had the equipment (map, compass, destination), but I was still lost. Much like our lives with Christ, we can have everything and still find ourselves off course. For all intents and purposes “lost,” even while helping others.

Today’s podcast is titled.

Broken Compass

Humanity has traversed the globe migrating from one place to another, for thousands of years, and while many were deemed a success, others failed miserably. Differing from the use of modern technology such as global positioning, the tools of choice have always been a map and a compass. Understanding how to use them in unison allows the traveler to safely reach their appointed destination. In the hands of a novice, however; for every mile traveled, even if off by just one degree, you are likely to miss by hundreds, if not thousands of miles. Is your compass broken?

Our journey with Christ is the same, that amid the tumultuous storm, when the seas are tossed and our view is obscured, when we have become lost, our journey requires someone steady at the helm (Jesus), someone that is familiar with us, and where it is we are going. Without such we would always arrive where we are not supposed to be, the darkest of places where we are powerless to hear or see God, upon which our soul would surely be lost, without any hope of redemption.

I have never liked sea food. I used to give my fish sticks (if that can be classified as such) to my sister, secretly wrapped in a napkin. Living in new jersey my father would order the best tasting caecilian pizza. I recall, however to my disgust, he would order it so that half was covered with anchovies. I am not sure, however, if he liked them or if it was his way of preventing us from eating his half of the pizza. I learned as well that everything is not always as it appears, as I once had enjoyed the satisfying flavor of Caesar salad, maturing from the common use of thousand island and despising the taste of blue cheese (yuk). While on a business trip, my coworker and I dined at an upper scale restaurant. As I read the menu the Caesar salad look delicious, but to my surprise and disappointment it came with three tiny fish on top (head and everything). I inquired what is this, as my coworker chuckled at my expense, and the waiter politely responded, “what you ordered sir, Caesar salad, is something wrong?” I have been deceived for years, as my longtime love affair turned to disgust as the fish stared at me. Although I never physically saw them in the past, the secret to the salad’s flavor rests in the saltiness of these tiny fish. That was eight years ago, I have not eaten one since. That is how sin catches us unaware, cloaked in something that is very appealing, only revealing much later the essence of its deceptive and destructive nature. Often far too late, caught in a trap that will not let us go.

Genesis 3:1-6

[1] Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Now if we follow the exactness of the words God spoke to man (Adam), they were thus; And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:16-17). Notice the words "shalt surely die", and what the serpent told the woman (eve), "ye shall not" …; they appear the same, but a simple three letter word, “not,” changes the entirety of its context. "Not"; no matter how insignificant, it is of great consequence as it turned the beauty of what God created upside down and placed the entirety of humanity into chaos. Sin matters, they do not come in differing sizes such as, big, or small, nor are they colored coded such as the oft labeled white lie, as harmless and innocent. I would surmise; however, they are great and small, have lasting and enduring consequences breaking our promised fellowship with God and placing us on a collision course with eternal damnation, without any hope of redemption.

I heard a preacher tell a story once about a certain occurrence that unfolded at a concentration camp during World War II. Beaten, tortured, and starved, the Jewish prisoners (men, women, children) were marched to what would be the firing line, as the pit immediately behind them was filled with lifeless bodies. It was the dead of winter and well below freezing as they were told to strip off their garments and place them in an indiscriminate pile. Seconds turned to minutes, as the only thing that would immediately spare their life of almost certain death was the renunciation of their faith and God. Soon after one individual broke free of the line, to which a soldier, a would be executioner, immediately stripped away his garments and ran to stand in his placed. When asked “what are you doing?”, his response was “did you not see?”, see what they inquired, he said at the moment the individual abandoned their place was the exact moment he witnessed the hand of God delivering the promised “crown of life” to those that while suffering greatly, did not deny him.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

[8] We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; [9] Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Considering what we are witnessing today and for quite some time, we can admit that it we are truly troubled on every side, and it does not appear as if there is any immediate relief in sight. Grocery shelves are empty, gas prices are beyond control, hate and murders persist, the threat of war awaits us at every turn, however, I can offer with the greatest assurance that God remains in control, and has not delegated that authority to another.

Some may dispute, while others question how so?; and my response remains the same, like the rhythmic beat of the heart, his promises aren’t dead, but alive omnipotent and omnipresent in the gift of his word; but line by line, page upon page, verse after verse, each and every chapter is a reflection of God's promise of hope. I would ask, before we go any further, that we place aside, if for a moment, our populous westernized view of Christianity, in which good things happen to good people, and bad and insufferable things only occur to those that are otherwise, and see more plainly based on the most fundamental Biblical principles; our personal relationship with God, and how we fellowship with him, not as a consequence of how we believe he judges good and evil, but from the view that his holiness, his righteousness and enduring love for us, you and me, no matter where we live, no matter who we are, no matter where we choose to dwell, captive or free, remains the unbroken and resolute.

I want to first begin by wishing all of the mothers a Happy Mother’s day, and to my mother a very special thank you for all that you’ve been and everything you are, I love you.

Cambridge dictionary defines deed as a legal document that is an official record of an agreement or official proof that someone owns land or a building: (retrieved from: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/deed)

We are every so often asked for a deed or title as proof of ownership. Owning the deed means no balance due, and the property has been paid in full. However, if a balance remains, the deed belongs to the bank or a third party, and if the borrower becomes delinquent in their payments the property is placed in foreclosure. Similarly, for many families owning a deed when one becomes deceased can either become a point of great contention or a deep source of joy. Owning the deed engenders a sense of pride, as it is used to produce what is commonly referred to as generational wealth. Deeds can be both complex and simple, in that while it is 100% paid, a lapse in tax payments may be cause for seizure and sold behalf of the State or Federal Government.

We all have (or had) ambitions of becoming something great. As children we choose professions that are fun, firefighters, teachers, astronauts, jet pilots, and the like, with little consideration given to what the profession pays. On the other hand, as we grow older, we begin to focus on illustrious colleges and universities, and jobs that appear to offer the greatest reward as far as pay and compensation are concerned. From then until now our quest to achieve or to become, is the instrument that drives us day, after day, after day. We soon realize, however, a life absent of God, is futile. We cannot live a life unto ourselves. He owns the deed.

In the youth of my Christian I was on my way, like a rocket ship, on fire for the a journey to heaven unrestrained. Based on the theoretical checklist of Christian attributes; I read, I prayed, I fasted, I did not drink, cuss, or smoke, I was ready made for my robe and crown. It was not long, however, before I realized I had not even begun to scratch the surface or lived enough adult life to understand that the journey was not a short brisk walk around the corner and back; but a culmination of complex life experiences multiplied by the number of years lived. At the age of twenty-three, I realized I did not know as much as I supposed and was wrong often about my views of faith and perception of life in general.

1 Corinthians 13:11

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

Life is full of triumph (peaks) and tribulation (valleys), but our time spent in the darkness of the valley allows us to flourish in our mountain top experiences. Of course, I was fearless, brave, and smart (I supposed), but I lacked soundly placed wisdom and spiritual maturity. To receive the crown of glory, as revealed in James 1:12; Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him; to have my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I had to go through some things to grow unless I remain a babe in Christ. Scripture tells us, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3).

The Bible refers to a refiner’s fire in which when it is at its hottest temperature, all the impurities and contaminants rise to the top. After being skimmed all that is left is pure. But he knoweth the way that I take: (this is Job speaking) when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10). Is there a difference. Of course, there is. There is a great variance (as I soon learned) between a babe in Christ (gold plating) and being spiritually mature (24K).

In the days of my youth, I recall evenings at the dinner table and each of us (my brother, sister, and I) were given an opportunity to say a verse (or blessing) before the meal. Being the youngest, I was most often last of course, as my hope was that neither sibling would say the one, I was most prepared to say, “Jesus wept” and “God is Love.” While each in their simplicity served as Biblical benchmarks in my life, it was not until I was older and experienced much more of life, that I honestly began to understand the depth and complexity of their worth.

1 John 4:8

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Today’s podcast is simply titled.

God is Love

All through history countless novels, songs, plays, movies, and poems have been scripted about love. As remarkable as some may be, even bringing us to the point of tears, there is  “no” equivalent to God's perfected love towards us.

In fact, in his hymn, “The Love of God,” F.M. Lehman wrote, “were every man a scribe by trade, it would be impossible to write the love of God above.”

Suppose I was able to pour the entirety of world's oceans, an estimated 343 million trillion gallons (that is a whole bunch of zeros), into a single 16-ounce drinking glass. That is an extraordinary visual, but it still pales in comparison to the unrelenting nature of God's love towards us. Therefore, the next time we glance indifferently, over the simplistic nature, for example, of John 3:16, for “God so loved the world”, because we have read, heard, and memorized it repeatedly until it has become common place, take a moment to give it the consideration it deserves.

God will reserve nothing in his ceaseless determination to love us. So much so he abandoned his heavenly home to dwell among "us", his creation, his people, his chosen treasure. The LORD treasures us. We are his jewels formed by years of pressure, trials, and tribulations. He says, “’Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine.” (Exodus 19:5 KJV)

Life altering events. There are things that have occurred in my life, in which they were so significant, I wanted to quit, because I could not see myself moving forward. What’s the use, I would say, if I could no longer share with whom I have grown accustomed to sharing and their absence leaves an irreparable hole in our heart. No one can say "it's going to be ok"; "just go on"; or quote a multitude of scriptures that now do little to ease our immediate suffering.

As a young soldier my first assignment was in a foreign land far from home. At eighteen I was innocent about so many things in life, as I lacked a great deal of exposure growing up. I was not particularly good at my job, so much so I was relieved from my first two and was placed in the only job I could not get into trouble (supposedly) the mail room. I was not easily influenced per say, but deeply trusting. Trouble found me and I was left alone to give an account of the events as I knew them. I was allowed to have someone speak on my behalf, and believed they were going to say great and wonderful things about me, using the vastness of their flowery vocabulary, but the only words they uttered in my favor (if we can say that), was “Private Howard has a bad choice of friends.” I said to myself, that is it. There was no leniency, as I had (in legal terms) the book thrown at me. I received the maximum punishment available: forfeiture of 1/2 month’s pay ($334) for three months; 45-days restriction, 45 days extra duty (sweeping, mopping, buffing, waxing, and painting); and reduction in grade. Sadly, yes, I was a “Private” twice. Indeed, I wanted to quit, as my promising career was off to a shaky start. I inquired within myself, what was the purpose of going on, I may as well find another line of work. But God had other plans, as he continually places people in my life to encourage me. Letting me know I can flourish and move forward despite the circumstances.

Today’s podcast is titled,

I Wanted to Quit

(ep. 58)

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

We all find ourselves in desperate need at some point(s) in our lives. Quite often, no matter the hopelessness of our searching, there is none in that moment who can answer, because God wants us to be completely dependent upon him for everything. I much like the disciples wanted to give up, and if we are honest all of us have been there, and admittedly some are there today. Jeremiah 29:11, however, gives us confidence stating, 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A few days ago, I was visiting with family, as my mother and her siblings gathered as they customarily do. In my aunt’s living room sits an old piano that has been there for as long as I can remember. Ever so often, as I passed by, over the years I would hit the ebony and ivory keys, as I have always dreamed of learning to play. My eldest aunt, who is eighty-six, sat beside me on the bench and began play several songs from an old, tattered hymnal from years past. I was amazed at the dexterity of her fingers as she wonderfully played each note. I proceeded to find a song by the late Reverend James Cleveland, titled "God is", my grandmother's favorite song, as she began to play, I could only stand in awe. But she suddenly paused in that moment, to hear the song in its entirety, the house became still, as we witnessed the presence of God at that moment.

The lyrics read

God is,

My protection,

God is,

My all and all,

God is,

My light in darkness,

God is,

He is my all and all,

God is,

My joy in the time of sorrow,

God, God is,

My all and all,

God is,

My today and tomorrow,

God, my God is,

My all and all,

(Chorus)

God is the joy and the strength of my life,

Removes all pain, misery and strife,

He promised to keep me, never to leave me,

He'll never, never fall short of His word.

I've got to fast and pray,

Stay in that narrow way,

I'll keep my life clean everyday,

I want to go with Him, when He comes back,

I've come too far and I'll never turn back.

God is, God is, God is, God is,

God is my all and all.

God is my all and all.

God is my all and all.

This week during Bible study the topic of discussion was growth. How we as Christians mature and grow in faith. There was, however, one question of the night that captured my attention more than the others; Why do many people believe that Christianity should offer a carefree life? I am reminded often of a time when an associate of mine and I attended an eight-week training course. As everyone was studying and rehearsing in preparation for the next day's test, his response was I don't need to study, God is going to give me the answers.  It did not turn out well, as he was placed on academic probation. His actions did not diminish who God was, nor did it cost him his salvation, but it did taint his testimony, if only slightly. He meant well in theory for scripture tells us in Philippians 4:13; I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.; but in practicality he was very wrong. One’s salvation is neither magical nor mythical, but rather sealed in the battle of hard-fought faith.

Philippians 3:14

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

When we read the remarkable nature of scripture, we often place ourselves right in the thick of every chapter and verse. Among the people we have become most familiar with, in the many lands in which they sojourned and journeyed. Suppose as we often say, knowing what we know, if we could go back we would change a whole lot, and maybe the more we know, the more things stay the same. Consider the complexity of biblical history would our response be any different than Adam and Eve in the garden, or would we as well fall to the same temptation in which the serpent used the word of God but twisted it in such a way that it sounded believable, nearly truthful. Would we likewise, among the mockery that Noah endured for seventy years, have steadfastly continued building the Ark, or would we have wavered under the immense pressure and ceased to do what God had appointed. And yet many use Lot’s wife as a lasting example, turning back, ever so slightly to see all my earthly belongings destroyed. Would we abuse the authority granted to Moses or would we like the rest of the inhabitant’s moan about the wilderness desiring to return to another four hundred years of bondage under the Pharaohs of Egypt? It is safe to assume that while imagination is a worthy tool, it is best for us to remain where we are, right now, in the present as we would most assuredly repeat the same. We often walk away with more questions than definitive answers as we ask in the simplistic nature of children “why” and “how come.”

Romans 5:7-8

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.