Don't Wait!

When we put off forgiving others it is never a good thing. The regrets just mount up like piles of mud on our heart. A verse of Scripture crossed my path this morning and a wonderful little story to signify the purpose not to let your forgiveness be filed away for some other day.

Jesus reminded the people, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:25 (TEV)

It was a cold winters evening when an older man in his seventies suffered a serious heart attack while shoveling snow from his sidewalk. He was immediately admitted to the local hospital. He was then treated at once in the emergency room to stabilize him and placed in the ICU room for observation.

Once the man gained his "where-abouts" he motioned for the nurse to come to his side. The nurse quietly asked, "Is there anything I can get for you?"

The man replied, "Can you call my daughter to simply let her know what has happened? She is the only family I have left in this world"

The nurse said she would and went to her desk to make the call.

As the nurse made the call the daughter answered the phone. Once hearing the news the daughter, Donna, became very upset at the news. The daughter nearly shouting into the phone while crying told the nurse, "You must not let him die. Dad and I had an argument over a year ago and I have not spoken to him since. My last words to him were "I hate you!" and I stormed out of his life. For nearly 15 months I have wanted to go back to him and beg his forgiveness, but just put it off. Please, don't let him die until I can get there to see him. I'll be there in about thirty minutes."

As the nurse hung up the phone and walked towards the patients room she notice the alarm going off in his room and staff from everywhere running into the man's room. He had gone into a full cardiac arrest. For nearly twenty minutes solid they tried everything from jump starting his heart to adrenaline in his veins, but nothing would revive him. The old man died just minutes before his daughter could arrive to see him.

As the nurse was cleaning up the area around the man's bed, she noticed the daughter outside talking to the doctor. She was visibly upset. The nurse went to speak with her to help console her. She could see the pain and anguish on the daughters face. A since of failure and hopelessness was welling up inside the daughter, Donna.

Donna began to explain how she never hated her daddy, but always wanted to be approved by him. She did not want to go another day without his forgiveness for their argument months before, but just never got around to going to see him. Now, it was too late. But she insisted on going in to him one last time.

The nurse thinking why put yourself through more anguish lead the daughter into the room. Donna walked on over to his side and buried her face into the sheets of the bed sobbing and crying loudly as she convulsed on the bedside.

The nurse trying not to watch this exhibition of anguish and sorrow noticed a piece of paper and pencil on the night table next to the bed. She made her way around to where it was and picked up the paper to read it. As she read it, tears began to roll down her own face and she handed it to the daughter to read. It was a quick and scribbled little note that read:

"My Dearest Donna, I do forgive you. I pray you will forgive me. I know that you love me. I love you too. -Daddy"

The story for these two ends here. The tragedy of guilt and shame of what could have been comes to mind here as we ponder the thought of forgiveness earlier in this father and daughter relationship. The simple answer to this story is "Don't wait!".

"Forgiveness is man's deepest need..." -Horace Bushnell

The ability to forgive is a gift from God and He intends we use our gifts everyday.

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Who is God?

The question of who God is comes up often. I was asked to write an article about the subject for a writers site I am a member of which caused me to think how I could describe who God is within such a brief span of time. Fact is, I can't do that. However, people cannot see Him and most do not really know Him and any visual I can bring out on paper to help someone experience the slightest glimpse of our God is worth the attempt. Over the past several years I have developed a personal and in-depth relationship with my heavenly Father. It is from this thirty two year relationship I draw this small amount of commentary on who I believe God to be.

First, let's look at the visible signs of who God is. We can see in His creation through nature God is the master painter and poet. The colors, the landscape, the variations of plants, animals, clouds, sky, and water are all a testimony to who God is. He is the creator of all things large and small. God is the sustainer of all things large and small. The Bible tells us God feeds the birds of the air, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” So, we can see just in one tiny aspect of nature a Creator who cares for His creation and sustains His creation.

Have you stood at a distance looking up at majestic mountains before? Some with snow caps, rocky ledges, and trees scattered about their slopes. Other mountains seem to be covered by low flying clouds or the image of smoke veiling their majestic peaks. Only a God who creates all things could possibly make something so beautiful. From a prayer of Moses we find this, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.” Here according to Moses, God has been God since before the formations of the earth. God created the heavens and the earth as Scripture tells us.

I remember picking up a very small rock one time to find on the bottom settled into the rock a tiny creature fossilized into the rock. The creature that made up this fossil was once alive, breathing, moving about the earth. Humanly speaking, I could only visualize what my finite mind could imagine this creature looked like and how it moved about only a few thousand years ago. I have no real way of knowing if what my mind would let me see was actually fact or not. However, God was the Creator of this tiny being and He saw it as it was moving about and breathing brand new on the earth. The fact is God gave that tiny creature its very breath and heartbeat to live by. God also, knew the very last breath it took and how it died. God in His vastness observed every living creature on this earth and knows were all of them from thousands of years ago are buried. Our God who reigns supreme over all the earth is also in the tiniest details of our life.

Since we have established Him as creator let’s look at something He created in His own image. This should, also, help us to understand who God is. In Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; both male and female He created them.” We find two interesting documentations of truth here. First, God is speaking in terms of “Us” making man in “our” image. Wow! The implications are huge in this fact of Scripture. This is not saying more than one God existed. What it is stating clearly is God comes in more than one part. We find the first concept of the Holy Trinity in these verses as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In plain English, the Father is speaking to His Son about the creation. Secondly, we find humanity is not an animal or a plant. God here has given man dominion over all the animals and mammals. God, our supreme authority, has endowed us humans with authority as well. We are to view God's likeness through the example of the Son, Jesus Christ, as He walked and lived here on the earth.

This brings me to a main point of who God is. However, let me make something clear at this point. No human being can contain the depths or the heights as to who God really is within any volume of papers. God is beyond huge and there is no end to His depths. So, this is a small attempt to give the reader a mere glimpse at who God is. Now, Jesus taught His disciples if you have seen Him then you have seen the Father and vice versa. Many teach today a distorted view of Jesus. The portrayal of Jesus in most people's eyes is a man without deity, without authority from God, and just one of us on a spiritual journey while leading others to do the same. I want to assure you Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was not merely just one of us. Sure He came to earth through the birth canal of His mother Mary. She conceived Jesus by a miraculous conception only to be understood by God Himself. However, Jesus was still full deity, fully God with our human skin wrapped around Him.

Jesus walked on this earth teaching grace, love for our neighbors, taking care of the poor and hungry, but most importantly He taught first we must repent of our sins and follow Him. Jesus spoke often about repentance, sin, hell, and the kingdom of God. We find here God is serious about sin. He wants sin out of our lives as far as having control over us. As part of our Christian life, God wants us to exemplify in our life the love of God for His people. We do this by feeding the poor, clothing them, and loving on them while sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ at the same time. Food, clothing, and shelter is not the gospel nor will it get these people to heaven, however, it is a doorway by which you have the opportunity to share the gospel with them and glorify God by your testimony to them. The gospel is we are a sinfully depraved humanity in need of a Savior otherwise we are doomed to an eternity in hell. God is a righteous judge, but He loves His people so much He provided His Son as a sacrifice for our sins in order for us to be reunited in relationship to Him in a way He no longer would have to turn His back on our sinfulness. Jesus became for us the mediator between humanity and God the Father. By placing our trust in Jesus Christ as our perfect Savior and mighty Lord, and believing that Jesus Christ did come back to life on the third day as Scripture tells us, we are then saved from eternal damnation in hell and have the full power to be obedient to God. We are at that moment a son of the living God. God adopts us at the moment we place a total loyal trust in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Do you still wonder who God is? Well, without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you will never have a good understanding of who God is. By knowing Jesus, the Son of God, over time you will start to understand just how vast God is. You will understand that for a Believer suffering is a part of life yet God directs every aspect of the suffering. Nothing in all His creation is out of His reach. God is a loving God, true! God is, also, a just, holy, and righteous God too. He hates sin and hates sin in His people’s life. God hates sin so much, He was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son in order for those who believe His Son can have eternal life. In John 3:16 we observe both the wrath and judgment of God while at the same time we discover the grace, mercy and love of God.

In a one sentence statement to help someone begin to think about who God is: “God is loving, our creator, gracious, Almighty judge, perfectly righteous, completely holy, Sovereign over all things and events, full of mercy, our protector, supreme healer, omnipresent, Infinite, Immense, good, Immanent, and so much more”. As I said before, I cannot within the pages of any book explain who God really is. This is a very brief glance at who God is. The understanding of our finite glimpse at God comes only when our Infinite God has accepted us in a relationship with Him.

Colossians 3:1-4 "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

To know God is to know the Son, Jesus Christ. Trust in the Son today and begin a tremendous relation with the Father you will never regret in all eternity.

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What child is this?

Christmas is a great time of the year to bring the central focus of our spiritual lives back in focus towards the One we owe every single breath we take. Jesus Christ was gloriously and majestically seated in heaven before this span of time came into existence. However, His creation was fallen, sinful, drastically depraved to the core. Murder, adultery, paganism, atheistic, idolatry, cursing, drunkenness, vileness, cruelty, wickedness, and more was the astonishing, but Sovereign result of such a perfect beginning.

God the Son, knew He must enter into the world He created someday, step into our corrupt skin and decaying bodies in order to live out a life of perfection, making war on sin, die a horrific brutal vile death on two splintered wooden planks called a cross, willingly accept the rusty bone crushing spikes into His hands and feet, and in the end defeat the cold dark musty smell of death in a deep cold dark rocky grave in order to save His lost family from a rapidly disastrous world.

Some two thousand years ago a Jewish baby was born in Bethlehem on a dark night in the late summer or early fall. His mother only a young lady of about 13 years old having never been with a man gave birth to this child. To her amazement in later years her baby boy named Jesus would actually be the Christ, the long awaited and predicted Messiah.

You have to wonder if in Mary's mind throughout her life with Jesus if she ever really understood the magnitude this baby boy would play in the coming history of the world. Yes, an angel of the Lord did tell her what was coming, but at 13 could Mary realy grasp Who this Messiah would be or what His life would really be like. She had never known a Messiah. Most likely her closest encounter with the Messiah was read to her by her mother or father. However, she had a simple faith in her God enabling her to trust the fact her pregnancy was everything miraculous and was nothing of her own will or doing. She did not ask to be the one to bare the Christ child. However, she handled the situation with much grace and trust while dealing with some fear and trembling along the way.

Today, just a little over two thousand years since the birth of our Savior into this world, we celebrate His birth each year. Every year seems a bit more commercial from the year before. I am ashamed to say, but the church does not do much to fight this commercial battle only perpetuating it further by in some form or fashion instituting a mythical character called Santa into the Christmas story. It is all about the stuff, people, getting and giving, good health, great parties, elegant decorations, seeing lights, and more. Nothing wrong in any of those when kept in the proper perspective, however, the world has chosen these things to be the focus of the Christmas holiday season rather the entrance of our Savior into the world.

I do think far too many of us both in the church and outside the church keep Jesus lying in the hay packed manger with aHis swaddling clothes on, cooing at His mother. Something to bring attention to is the fact Jesus was a baby for only a short while like any of us. He grew up into a strong vital young man with a purpose only He and His heavenly Father knew. For three and half years He had a strong following of twelve close associates and crowds of people only a few evangelist today could dream of. But once Jesus started delivering His real messages, the twelve close followers and associates began to get nervous, with one figuring out he was not following the future ruler he signed up for, and the large crowds started diminishing. The message He began to deliver was the fact the kingdom of God was near and they must repent of their sinfulness, asking God for forgiveness of their sins, and committing their total and complete trust in Him as their Savior, the Messiah, God the Son. This message tore these people into a restless bunch which many in the crowd being Jewish leaders began to plot His death after these messages.

Today, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, keep the focus on the fact He is at the right hand of His Father in heaven, robed in glorious splendor, taking His rightful place on His throne. He is not in a manger surrounded by sheep anymore nor was the focus, in my humble opinion, suppose to be on the manger scene. He is not riding on a donkey with his mother Mary anymore. Jesus is not wrapped in swaddling clothes, He is not walking the countryside anymore...He is preparing a place for each of His "beloved" to live with Him for all eternity. Jesus Christ is the victor of a life which started in a manger, but ended up on His throne.

As the day draws to an end think of Christmas as the beginning of our eternal blessing found in the Savior we celebrate on this day. For the most part all the world stops in celebration of Christmas. Whether they acknowledge Jesus or not, they still uphold the holiday in some form or fashion. No other so called 'savior' can boast of this in all of history. Jesus Christ is the long awaited Messiah, the Son of the living God, God in the flesh. Celebrate Him today in spirit and awe...remember He is the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS!

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A Buzz About Nothing!

The house is buzzing with the sound of 10 children stir crazy from being inside too much. Christmas music is playing somewhere in the background over one kids cries for mercy as his big brothers wrestle with him mercilessly. I can smell the wonderful delightful spicy chicken soup on the stove while siren's sound down the street as a neighbor tried to kill himself today.

What a crazy life we all live these days. Christmas is coming on like a freight train as we try to slow it down, but nothing works anymore. The noise, the hustle, the bustle, the commercials, the toy magazines, the attitude of society...this all plays havoc on my family and the nerves in my body.

I am growing older with less energy to fight it all now. The old lion is much more tame, but not necessarily by choice. My patience wears thin much faster and yet my kids continue to grow older. Many times I wish I could turn back the years it seems I have wasted. Most would say I didn't waste them, but I know better. Too many worries over the years when I could have better spent them enjoying life, my family, and my friends.

It is cold this winter which is unusual for us. My bones ache from the cold, my joints creak from movement, my teeth hurt sometimes when my sinuses are sick, but each evening I lay my bald greying head down in a nice warm bed and can think of nothing better than to reflect on my Lord who keeps me going each day.

You know, I enjoy listening to what many would call silly songs. Waylon, Cash, old jazz, and blues. These beats sometimes strike a cord with me, I don't understand why. The words of the songs tell a story I sometimes can identify with. I am not into drinking, dancing or going with women who do, but at times a rebel thought can emerge from deep within. Thankfully the Lord pulls me back in, shows me the right direction, the glory of His Son, and teaches me to follow hard after Him.

As another year slips quickly by, I can only reflect on what has been the toughest year of my life to date. The life of Job I don't live and don't wish to live. My life by comparison is not even close. But many times I can too closely relate having to pinch myself to make sure I am really awake. All I can think of is how nice it would be too receive twice what has been taken away. I don't expect a return of even what has been taken. I don't feel as I deserve any of it. To use money, fame, or fortune for worldly good seems so trivial to me now. Why I could not have used it for God's greater glory earlier on I don't understand? Selfishness irritates me to the core these days as it permeates the roads, the shops, the schools and yes, even the church. Some of us or should I say most of us learn the hard way and suffer the rest of our lives for it. A fortunate few learn a lesson, receive another chance, and live out dream years into eternity.

People, if you have taken the time to even read this far, I want you to understand one final thing. I am not complaining my life away. My utmost satisfaction is in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. No matter the pain I endure each day, the suffering a fallible man can create the suffering has such a sweet aroma in comparison to my Lord's violent death on the cross. Ah, yes, that cross Jesus had to bare...so many of us forget about that for most of the year. The cross so rugged and raw, splintering into the back of my Lord. Yes, the one those soldiers hammered nails deep into my Lord's hands and feet on...the blood drenched plank of wood called a cross. That old cross which has now become a symbol of both salvation to the chosen and mere trendiness to the world, leaves all my suffering in the dust. What is this cross we are to bare? Well, not the same one as Jesus, but the cross we bare is not having just a bit less than someone else. It is not living with joint pains for the rest of your life. It is not cancer, blindness, or hearing loss. Oh, no...the cross we must bare is far greater than any of that. The greatest ills brought on man cannot compare and is over no noble affair.

The cross we are too bare is completely and totally based upon the testimony of our faith before the world. It is the suffering brought on by the bold claims of a Lord coming to this earth to suffer and die and be raised to life. It is the bold and offensive message that one must repent of sins then place complete and total trust in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior.

The cross is for the aliens of this world...those who call themselves "followers of the way". How does one carry his cross like an alien you might ask? Well, an alien certainly doesn't look much like a citizen of this world for one thing. We talk of a cross which by many opinions never existed. We live for a God who many say doesn't exist. We serve a Savior who most laugh at because they ask why do we need someone to save us. An alien is scorned by the masses as dregs on this world, the cause of what pains the world, and blind followers of a dead faith. This cross cuts to the quick, pierces the deepest darkest areas of our soul. This cross is not under a Christmas tree, not at a job, not around our necks, not in a hospital, not on a ring, doesn't hang from our car mirrors, but this cross sometimes can push us into a depressed state of mind by the pain it draws our way, injure us to the point we cannot walk much longer, take us places we never thought we would have to go, or merely bring about our ultimate death, but immediate entrance before our heavenly King. The cross we must bare is not pretty to look at or hang on a wall. It is not shiny, sparkly or desirable to the human eye. It is ugly, it raw, and it is ours to bare.

So, pondering another cold restless day, one with out much money, sparse food supplies, only one car to get a family around in, loudness, depression sometimes, and simply unrest in a persons bones...I can still raise a brow to reflect on one important thing. Something that cannot be lost or taken away. A most prized and cherished relationship unlike any on earth. Jesus Christ is my Lord and He is my Savior once and for all!

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