Mazegohan (Philippians 1:6)

My paternal grandmother was an amazing cook. Amongst her many memorable dishes, the favorite which she presented at every family gathering, was mazegohan. This dish, a savory combination of chicken, vegetables, and rice, took several hours to prepare and cook. My father inherited her prodigious cooking skills and carried on the tradition of making mazegohan, after she passed away. But he went one step further, continually tweaking the recipe, ever perfecting the flavor. Indeed, the dish became even more delicious in his capable hands.  Before my father passed away, he shared with me the most current incarnation of this fabled recipe, hopeful that I would continue his work.

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

Like my father who faithfully tweaked the mazegohan recipe, God continues to tweak the recipe for my life. He prunes me of unnecessary vices and habits to sweeten my life and allow me to grow. He adds trials to strengthen my resolve and faith in Him. He provides additional skills to allow me to accomplish His work in this life. Sometimes I think the tweaking God has done is not correct but the outcome is always the same. His recipe is perfect, transforming me to become an ever sweeter aroma to this world. He is bringing me to completion for the moment I stand before my Savior, Jesus Christ.

My father was hopeful that I will continue to prepare, tweak, and improve the recipe for mazegohan. My culinary skills may not be as adept as my grandmother and father but I will give it my best effort. But I can be confident that God will continue to tweak my life and bring it to perfection, because God is faithful and always keeps His promises.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"We Want To Worship God" (Proverbs 19:21)

Nearly twenty years ago, my wife and I purchased our first home together. It was and still is a lovely home. The realtor was anxious to make the sale and wanted us to commit to the down payment by 10 AM the next morning because there were two other buyers who had a similar level of interest. However, that next morning was a Sunday morning and we did not want to miss church. My wife and I knew what we had to do. We both sat down and prayed about the matter.

“Father God, thank you for allowing us the opportunity to purchase this house. We know there are pressures for us to meet with the real estate agent, but we want to worship you. We know what is the right thing to do. Please bless our decision.”

We called the agent and told her that we we are Christians and church is where we needed to be. We want to worship God, we informed her, and we would not be able to meet by 10AM the next morning. We also told her that we understood if this meant we could lose the home but we will honor God first.

“Oh my,” replied the agent. “You know, I should be attending church as well. Listen, don’t worry, the other buyers just notified me that they were not able to come tomorrow morning. So if you are able to come here by noon, I will make sure the paperwork is ready for both of you.”

It has been 17 years since we purchased the house and God has blessed it and made it a home. We began the process correctly, the way all decisions should be made, by dedicating it to God and honoring Him first.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)

It is easy to get caught up in the world’s pace and make decisions based upon the time schedules and demands of others. Every decision we make should be dedicated to God and made on God’s schedule, not our own. In the end, His purpose will stand and He promises to bless us if we are faithful to Him and trust in His leading.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Fear of Death (John 11:25-26)

My wife and I had an opportunity to enjoy a rare date night and we watched the movie, Star Trek Beyond, the latest release in the Star Trek series. In the movie, Commander Spock (played by Zachary Quinto) is seriously wounded. Dr. McCoy (played by Karl Urban) is attending to him and as they reflect upon the gravity of the situation, the following exchange occurs.

Spock: Fear of death is illogical.

Dr. McCoy: Fear of death is what keeps us alive.

I pondered those quotations. I realized that both statements hold some truth. The fear of death is illogical if one does not know what will happen at death. Do we simply cease to exist? Does heaven or hell await? Are we reincarnated as another person or animal? How one answers this question will determine whether one fears death.

But the fear of death is logical if we are convinced that we simply cease to exist or a horrible fate awaits us once we die, then we would undoubtedly do everything within our power to avoid death. Fear of death would keep us alive, but we would live a hopeless existence, laboring to prevent the inevitable.

What possible hope is there in this life if we do not know have the assurance that there is something beyond this existence on earth?

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26 (ESV)

God has answered this question for everyone. If we confess and repent of our sins to Jesus Christ and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, then we will have eternal life with Him once we die. He has assured us that this life is a preparation for the next life in eternity. Everything we do in this life has eternal significance.

Fear of death. For anyone who has placed their trust and salvation in Jesus Christ, there is no longer any fear for He has conquered death and we can be assured that we will live forever with Him in Heaven.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Your Will Be Done (Luke 22:42)

Reading the medical literature can sometimes be a bewildering exercise in discerning the truth. Take the topic of caffeine. One article may tout the benefits of caffeine while another warns against the health hazards. There is an article that warns that caffeine may have detrimental effects on some organs but beneficial effects in others. Still another article states that it is the way the coffee is prepared that determines whether the caffeine has an effect upon one’s health. And this debate has been raging for decades!

If I were to make a decision about caffeine, I would be lost in this din of scholarly work. There is simply too much noise and competing opinions.

In my prayer life, I often feel a similar level of frustration and confusion. I may pray for one outcome knowing that another prayer that I or another is praying may be in direct opposition to mine. There may be shades of gray when I pray with no clear direction for what I should be praying, only that I need to pray about it.  And there are many times I pray when my emotions and sinful nature intercedes and misdirects my prayers to selfish gains and motives.

Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done.

Luke 22:42 (ESV)

When our Lord Jesus Christ uttered these words, He was facing one of the most critical moments of His life. He could have turned His back to God the Father and not gone to the Cross. He could have remained in this world, teaching and healing. He knew what lay ahead-torture and separation from God. He was in anguish as He prayed to His Father God to take this time of suffering away from Him, but in triumph He concluded with this prayer, “Not my will, but Yours, be done.”

This is what I must do when I pray. The clutter of life, the noise of competing interests, my sinful nature-all of these compete for my attention when I pray. I must focus only upon God and allow the Holy Spirit to intercede in my life so that I may declare, “Not my will, but Yours, be done.”

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"Come Into My Bathroom!" (Hebrews 4:13)

When visitors come to my office, I usually give them a quick tour of the reception area, break room, and offices. The last room I insist they tour is the bathroom. Not surprisingly, they are amused by this request and ask for clarification.

“Yes. Come into my bathroom!” I proudly exclaim.

In the bathroom, plastered upon all the walls, are numerous medical journal articles that my dermatology residents have recently published. Next to these are clinical photographs of unusual dermatologic diseases which I use as a teaching props for visiting residents and medical students. And on nearly every free space on the wall, are my favorite Bible verses. It is not possible to spend time in that bathroom and not be exposed to an eyeful of dermatology and God’s Word!

Many a visitor and employee have spent a much longer time in the bathroom than expected. In fact, word has gotten around to colleagues who have asked to see the bathroom! Even for those who are not believers, they have remarked that it was refreshing to read the Bible verses. I inform them that these verses are placed there not to make myself appear “holier than thou” but to continually remind myself how weak my faith is and how I need to be cling to God’s Word every moment of the day.

And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:13 (ESV)

We do not usually speak so freely about private rooms in everyday conversation because it may be perceived as an inappropriate topic. We prefer to keep it hidden. Like the bathroom, there are many areas of my life that I would prefer not to discuss. I am ashamed of many things I have done in my life. Occasionally, these episodes from the past return and I want to avoid it. But I am only trying to hide it from man and myself.

My life is completely exposed to God. All of my sins and thoughts are known to Him. I cannot hide it or pretend it did not happen. I can only come before God and know that because I have confessed and repented of my sins to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He has forgiven me.

In a private bathroom and in the secret recesses of my soul, God’s Word stands as a testimony of His faithfulness to me.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"Virus Hand Grenades" (Isaiah 1:18)

If you enter a public restroom, instead of a paper towel dispenser, one may find an air-powered hand drier. These devices come in a variety of shapes made by different manufacturers. Some are simple warm air dryers while others are termed “jet-air dryers” which blow a highly concentrated stream of air. All tout the idea that drying one’s hands by air is more hygienic than using paper or cloth towels.

Scientists, specifically microbiologists, have now determined that some of these air-powered hand driers may have the potential to spread disease. Placing a harmless virus MS2 on their gloved hands, scientists proceeded to dry their hands using paper towels, a warm air dryer, and jet-air dryer. Cultures were taken from around the devices at different heights and distances and also from the air around the devices. The results were surprising. The jet-air dryers could disperse the virus up to nine feet away while the paper towels dispersed viruses to a mere ten inches. One researcher concluded that the jet-air hand dryers were becoming a potential “virus hand grenade”!

The bottom line, in spite of ever improving technology and inventions, we can never truly get rid of these harmful micro-organisms, and in fact, may be making our condition worse.

Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)

Like these micro-organisms, there is an analogy with our sins. Try as we may, we can never truly eradicate our sins by our own efforts. Oh, we try. We read self-help books that “explain” to us that our sins are not wrong, simply genetically programmed behaviors. We may go to therapists or check ourselves into rehab centers, there is one for every possible vice imaginable. By availing of all these man-made solutions, thinking we are eradicating the problem, we are not dealing with the core problem of sin. We delude ourselves with a false sense of hope and security that we are successfully dealing with our sins. In reality, we may be creating our own “sin hand grenade”.

There is only one solution. We must come before God and confess and repent of our sins and turn to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Only He can remove our sins so that we can be as white as snow. No rehab centers, self-help books, or therapists can do it. Only He can eradicate our sin hand grenade!

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

No Excuses (Psalms 51:4)

And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'

Acts 13:22 (ESV)

A man after God’s own heart.

I have struggled with this description of King David for many years. King David, the warrior who slayed Goliath, the commander who lead Israel’s forces to its greatest territorial conquests, the man who showed kindness and mercy to King Saul and his family. It is the same King David who committed adultery with Bathsheba, arranged the murder of her husband, and pridefully sought a census of his people, leading to three days of pestilence and the death of 70,000 Israelites.

How do the wicked actions of David demonstrate God’s heart? The answer is found in David’s own words. Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, David wrote these following verses after he repented of his sin of adultery and murder involving Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Psalms 51:4 (ESV)

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalms 51:12 (ESV)

It is not about living a sinless life. It is not about thinking pure thoughts. It is not about always doing the right thing. No one can. To live a perfect life is impossible. God knows this. David knew this as well. David’s heart was like God’s because He continually sought God’s guidance through prayer and reading the Scriptures. He confessed his sin and repented to God. He made no excuses. It wasn’t because of Bathsheba’s behavior or the pride of his generals. It was because of his sin alone.

A heart like God means there are no excuses. We are responsible for our actions and sins. We must come before God, confess our sins, and repent. And we can only do this if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And once we do, God can restore us with the joy of His salvation.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"Everyone is Smart!" (1 Corinthians 12:2)

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

This quotation is widely attributed to Albert Einstein, but regardless of who said it, the sentiment it expresses is worth consideration. God has created us with different preferences to learn and with varying abilities to accomplish certain tasks.

I have seen this in my own life. As a physician, I had to decide by my third year of medical school, what specialty I would pursue. I am a very visual learner. Thus, specialities like surgery, requiring precise manual dexterity, or psychiatry, requiring prolonged introspective reflection, did not appeal to my abilities. But pathology and dermatology did! And it is fitting that I now practice the medical specialty of dermatopathology-a combination of the two most visually exacting specialties in medicine.

Had I pursued a career in surgery, it is unlikely I would have completed a surgery residency program, much less get accepted. It would not be because of poor grades or preparation, just lack of ability. It is not my gift. Believers in the Church are no different.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:2 (ESV)

In the Church, the Holy Spirit has bestowed, upon all believers, different gifts and abilities. It is sometimes easy and dangerous to slip into casual judgment of other’s abilities. Like the admonition of the quotation, we need to be more circumspect in our observations. We need to take a much broader view of everyone’s abilities, not judging or comparing each other’s talents and abilities but understanding that God is growing and nourishing His Church through these gifts. Everyone is precious in God’s eyes and everyone is being used to grow and establish God’s Kingdom.

Only God can rightfully judge us because He created us for His purpose. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, give thanks to Him for your gifts and abilities. Ask Him to show you how to best use your gifts to serve Him and others.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"Don't You Fear God?" (Jonah 1:9)

“Don’t you fear God?”

I was taken aback by this forward statement. I was in 7th grade and the school day had just ended.  A casual acquaintance was sitting next to me and we were discussing what we might do in life. It began with a seemingly innocent inquiry.

“Are you going to be a dentist like your dad?”

I wasn’t sure. I respected what my father did but did not have a desire to pursue this occupation.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Will you get married?” He persisted. Why was he asking these questions, I wondered.

“Probably. I don’t know.” I had never had a girlfriend up till that time in my life. Frankly, I didn’t give girls much thought.

“What do you mean ‘probably’?”

I didn’t know what I meant so I carelessly blurted out, “I mean, yeah sure. Or maybe I would just live with a girl and then if it works out, we can get married.”

That did it.

“You would live with a girl first before you get married?”

“I don’t know!” I stammered. “It seems like a good idea.” I really didn’t know what I was talking about.

“That’s not what the Bible says!”

I looked at him with incredulity then realized he was dead serious. “The Bible?”

“Yes. The Bible is God’s Word.”

“Ok….” I didn’t want to tell him that I didn’t believe in God.

“Don’t you fear God?”

I was being sucked into a conversation that I had no reference point or experience to answer.

“You mean, like if I disobey Him, He will send thunder and lightning down on me?”

“He could!”

“I don’t hear of that happening to anyone.”

“But He has done it and He can do anything. You have to fear God and obey Him!”

I needed to exit this awkward conversation.
 

“Sure thing. I gotta go.” I quickly got up and left.

I never gave that conversation much thought for the rest of middle and high school. My heart was hardened and in spite of attending an Episcopalian private school with weekly chapel services, I turned my back on God. But that one phrase, “Don’t you fear God?” did resonate in my soul.

A few years later in college, through God’s grace and mercy, He changed my heart and I realized that He did exist and had a definite plan for my life. And as I learned about Him by reading the Bible, I did understand, believed, and...feared God.

And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

Jonah 1:9 (ESV)

Like Jonah, my heart was far from obeying God’s Will. While I was not swallowed by a great fish, it took a series of humiliating life changing experiences for me to realize my utter depravity and need for God. And when I did, I understood I must love and fear God and not ignore His Word or deny His existence.  God is love and God is holy. Therefore only He is worthy to judge and act upon us if we reject Him.

Don’t you fear God? It was that question that this well-meaning friend posed to me so many years ago. And thanks be to Him that I can now answer and say, “Yes, I fear God and love Him.”

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

It Is Placed There for a Reason! (Proverbs 18:21-22)

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

Proverbs 18:22 (ESV)

This familiar verse reminds me of God’s favor in my life by blessing me with my wife. This morning, the Holy Spirit riveted my attention to this verse right before it.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)

It is placed there for a reason! So much of my relationship with my wife hinges upon how we verbally communicate. At times, I do not do this very well in spite of my best intentions, and it grieves me. It grieves God as well. He knew when He created me that my tongue will both bless and curse my wife. This is why these two verses are placed together.

Rightly did James remind us of this truth.

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

James 3:5-8 (ESV)

No human being can tame the tongue! So much marital strife is caused by a harsh or misplaced word or phase. I want to chose life, to encourage and support my wife in her walk with God and in our marriage. This is how I obtain favor from God. Only God can tame my tongue and I need to continually seek His control over all of my communication with my wife.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Car Wash (Titus 3:5)

Recently, a discount superstore in our neighborhood unveiled an automated self-serve car wash. Having used many self-serve car washes, I was skeptical of the likelihood the car would be sufficiently cleaned, particularly the wheel rims. But this car wash made me a believer. It is more than twice as long as any other self-serve car wash I had previously used and the cleaning and drying were impressive, including the wheel rims! But what makes this experience so inviting is riding through the car wash while sitting in the enclosed car. The complexity of the washing system and the length of the ride takes the experience to another level, far greater than any other car wash.

I remember with great fondness the rare times I was allowed to sit in a car going through a car wash when I was a child. I am unsure why I am so fascinated by sitting in a car going through a carwash.  One reason, for sure, is I enjoy seeing the layers of dirt and grime vigorously scrubbed away from an insider’s perspective.

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:5 (ESV)

Everytime I come before God and confess my sins and repent, He is faithful and just to forgive me. The cleansing, the regeneration and renewal is immediate and ongoing. The layers of sin, the layers of dirt, are washed away and the finished product is sanctification. Like sitting through a carwash, I can witness for myself how God cleanses me. But unlike the carwash, it is a mystery how He does it. I only know that it is done because of the sacrifice of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of His mercy and grace, I can stand before my Lord, my sins wiped clean and I am as white as snow.

And I am eternally grateful for His sacrifice for me as He has washed and continues to wash me clean of my sins.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"Twenty Minutes On, Twenty Minutes Off" (James 1:2-5)

My daughter recently underwent oral surgery to remove several impacted molars. After the successful surgery, she was instructed to place an ice pack on her cheeks for twenty minutes on then twenty minutes off throughout the first day. Although this treatment may seem counterintuitive, it is based upon the pathophysiology of basic wound repair. The body is attempting to repair the damaged tissue which is inflamed. Cold reduces the inflammation by limiting blood flow to the area, thereby reducing the pain and swelling, and allowing the repair to commence. This makes sense. But removing the cold for twenty minutes would increase blood flow and allow the pain to reappear. Why will creating more pain help with the healing? While stopping the cold ice pack will temporarily increase the pain and inflammation, it is also facilitating the clearance of toxins and damaged tissue, repaired during the time of cold treatment, by increasing blood flow to the area.  For healing to efficiently take place, it requires a treatment, alternating between pain and comfort.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God,who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:2-5 (ESV)

When God heals me, His methods may also seem counterintuitive. I expect peace and comfort, a spiritual cooling treatment to reduce the pain. While He has certainly done this in my life, some times the pain is accompanied with more trials, temporarily increasing the pain and suffering I experience. Can I take joy in this? I should because He is using this temporary increase in pain and trials to create a permanent healing.

When trials come your way, take comfort that God is using them to bring you to completion and perfection, in the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"You're a Dentist, You're Good With Your Hands!" (Ephesians 5:25-26)

I am very proud of my wife. She is my best friend, a caring mother, and an excellent professional. She is a pediatric dentist and very adept with the fine motor movements of her hands. This comes as no surprise to me since my father was also a dentist. I always marveled at the steadiness of his hands when he needed to create or repair something. Mechanical repairs were never a problem as he deftly tinkered with most intricate of devices with the skill of a master craftsman.

These indelible memories of my father have colored my expectations about dentists. Whenever something breaks down and is need of repair in our home, I casually exclaim to my wife, “Babe, can you fix this? You’re a dentist, you’re good with your hands!” To no surprise, she is often able to repair things with the same skill that my father possessed. Rarely, however, there are some devices that she cannot repair, and I invariably become frustrated.

And this is the problem, I place unrealistic expectations upon my wife. Instead of a thankful attitude for her willingness to assist me, I focus open her inability to fix the problem.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word...

Ephesians 5:25-26 (ESV)

My expectations need to be grounded in Jesus Christ. I should love and support my wife with the same love and affection that Jesus Christ has for me and His church.

My wife is a dentist and she is very good with her hands. I need to continue to praise and support her for the things she is able to do, focusing upon her strengths. I must sacrifice my all for her rather than expecting her to make a sacrifice for me.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

No Fear of Dentists (Ephesians 5:28-30)

Within a few months after I met my wife, I knew I was madly in love with her. I implicitly trusted her with so many intimate thoughts and secrets of my life. But the time had come in our relationship when I had to trust her with something far more personal. She needed to examine my teeth!

My father was a dentist and up to that point in time, no other dentists had ever examined my teeth. The fear of dentists is a lament of many people. I have no concept of this. My father had steady hands and a gentle touch. He had tender way of injecting Novocaine so that I barely flinched. So, with great trepidation, I allowed my wife to examine my teeth. A myriad of thoughts raced through my mind as I reclined in her examination room. What if her hand is heavy? What if she hurts me? What kind of pediatric dentist would she be if she can’t even be gentle with an adult?

To my relief, the examination went very smoothly. In fact, it was even pleasurable! To this day, she continues to examine my teeth, evermore endearing her to me.

In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.

Ephesians 5:28-30 (ESV)

My expectations about my wife prejudiced my feelings about her. God reminds me that my expectations are not His. He expects me to nourish and cherish my wife as I would my own body. And when I do this, Jesus Christ is honored. False expectations lead to fear and anxiety. God’s expectations lead to peace and comfort.

And it is very pleasurable!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"Have You Found Jesus Yet...?" (Luke 19:10)

In the movie, Forrest Gump, Lt. Dan, played by Gary Sinise, cynically asks Forrest, played by Tom Hanks, “Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?”

Startled by the question, Forrest replies, “I didn’t know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFxNhrPyyhI

Forrest’s reply was honest, but his is the response of many people in this world, but for different reasons. He thought that everyone knew where Jesus was. The irony, of course, is most people don’t or worse, think they do, and don’t care.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

God understands this, after all, He created all of us. He knows there is nothing in us that would compel  us to seek Him. Thus, He took the initiative to find us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. What kind of God would do this? He is a God who loves us with such a perfect love that He would forsake His very life to save ours. All we need to do is confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Did you know that Jesus is seeking you? Have you found Jesus yet?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Forest and the Trees (Ephesians 5:28)

I have known my wife for twenty years and married for nineteen of those years. She has blessed me in countless ways. Yet, we still have our disagreements. Conflict is inevitable in any relationship and ours is no different. God has created us with differences, but for an important purpose. As I reflect upon our differences, I have realized that many of our disagreements derive from our differences in approaches and outlook. I like to think of myself as a forest, big picture person. She is a tree, detailed person.

Recently, she and I both attended a meeting with a business partner of our family. We were able to preview the proposal the evening before.  Our differences in outlook were never better displayed. While I thought the overall proposal was good, my wife teased out critical details that sweetened the deal for us. Her acumen and astute powers of observation were obvious to everyone in attendance. As I declared at the meeting, “I see the forest but my wife picks out the individual trees that are diseased and not doing well. She makes the forest better!”

In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:28 (ESV)

When I stop to reflect and meditate upon God’s design for husband and wife, His reason for marriage stands firm. God has created us with differences to complement and complete one another, not to divide and isolate. So often when conflict arises in our relationship, I lapse into my old habits of trying to change her to match my outlook rather than take the time to rejoice in the differences and accept God’s leading. My wife and I are one body as we are both part of the body of Jesus Christ.

My wife makes the forest better and she makes me a better person to serve and honor God and care for our marriage.

Praise God for His love and mercy for blessing me with my wife!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Doctor's Doctor (Romans 5:19)

It was 1998, the internet was all the buzz, and I wanted in. I had been toying with the idea of creating a website that would enable patients to understand their pathology report. Thus, The Doctor’s Doctor website was born. (www.thedoctorsdoctor.com)

It became very popular, garnering over 60 million page views and 6 million unique viewers a year at its peak. I received emails from patients and physicians from all over the world. I was interviewed by several pathology trade publications and had articles and citations in the local newspaper and the Wall Street Journal.  I witnessed, firsthand, the immense power and reach of the internet.

Creating that website changed me. I used to think that the actions of one person would only rarely make a difference to this world. It was only reserved for very special people, those who come around once in a lifetime. But given the right tools, everyone now has the potential to reach the world.

For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:19 (ESV)

Over two thousand years ago, before social media or even the printing press, the words and life of one Man, forever changed the world. Jesus Christ came into this world, born to poor parents, growing up in a region viewed with contempt, and training as a carpenter. He did not attend any prestigious school or center of learning. But He did have the right tools. He studied, lived, and obeyed God’s Word. He lived a perfect life of submission to God the Father and paid the penalty for our sins by dying on the Cross and being resurrected.

Can one person make a difference in this world? Jesus Christ did and continues to do so, if we accept His invitation to confess and repent of our sins and acknowledge Him as our Lord and Savior.

Creating the website changed me. The Doctor’s Doctor did reach many people. But Jesus Christ is the Great Physician who takes away the sins of the world! And He can change you!

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord, seek His will in your life.

Love Is A Gift (1 Corinthians 14:1)

I have taken many personality surveys, intended to help me understand my abilities and interests. In the secular world, these abilities might be dubbed aptitudes. In the Christian world, the term gifts has often been used. For many years, I have viewed these abilities as gifts from God, the Holy Spirit, who uses these gifts to empower His Church. And this is correct. But what I failed to realize is that even love is a gift.

Perhaps this not as startling a revelation to some as it is to me. Most of us believe we all have an inherent ability to love. It is easy to love a great performance, a splendidly prepared meal, or an act of kindness from a friend or family member. But is it as easy to love someone whom you have loved, but now has hurt you? It is easy to love someone who hates you and wants to kill you because of your race, gender, or religion? Jesus commanded us to love our enemies. The only way we can truly do this is by God changing our hearts.

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts…

1 Corinthians 14:1 (ESV)

I cannot take love for granted. I must pursue love with the same fervor that I use the gifts that God has given me. Love needs to be continually sought, rekindled, and refreshed. It must be pursued because love is a gift.

The only way I can do this is by confessing and repenting of my sins and accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. True love is a gift from God. Only when we acknowledge this can we truly begin to love the way God intended us to love one another.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"You Don't Choose This Job, It Chooses You!" (Ephesians 1:4-5)

These last few months have witnessed the horrific murders of police officers in several different cities of the United States. Understandably, the police officers have expressed their concerns to their superiors and to each other. While some have brought up the subject of quitting, the vast majority are committed to remaining within the police force. As one officer stated to a news reporter, “You don’t choose this job, it chooses you!”

This poignant statement underscores the commitment and dedication of the brave men and women who daily place their lives on the line for our protection. It also reminds me that many view their job as a calling. My relationship with Jesus Christ is no different.

...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will...

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV)

Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior was chosen by God before this world even existed. The corollary to this is that there will be some who have not nor will not ever accept Jesus as their Savior. But God did not prevent them from accepting Him, for God does not want any to perish but for all to come to repentance and eternal life through Jesus Christ. God loves us but also leaves the decision to us to accept His gift of salvation.

Like our police officers who view their jobs as a calling, our life in Jesus Christ is a calling from God. God has chosen us so that we may share the Good News with others.

Our police officers need our prayers and support. But what is truly needed in this world is for our hearts to change, to turn and repent of our sins and place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The madness and horrors of these last few months are because of the darkness of sin in our hearts. And only Jesus can bring light and peace to fill the gap that separates us from God.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

He Had It All (Proverbs 22:20-21)

He had it all. The wealthiest kingdom in the world. A nation at peace with its neighbors. A magnificent temple and palace. And if that was not enough, his father was considered one of the wisest men who ever lived.

This was Rehoboam, son of King Solomon.

In the book of Proverbs which is usually attributed to Solomon, he wrote to his son...

Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge, to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

Proverbs 22:20-21 (ESV)

Yes indeed. All this sage advice from the man whom the Holy Spirit directed to write this very important book of the Bible! And he needed it because in the first days of his reign, after his father passed away, Rehoboam was faced with a decision that needed his immediate attention. But Rehoboam had nothing to fear! Solomon had prepared him, right?

Rehoboam spurned the advice of his father. He ignored the advice of his father’s advisors. And he followed the “sage” advice of the young men that grew up with him. The result? Civil war and the Kingdom of Israel was torn in two, never to be reunited.

It is easy for me to look back over thousands of years of history and shake my head at the incredible ignorance of Rehoboam. But am I any different? The entire Bible is before me, not just the thirty one proverbs that Solomon wrote. Do I read it, absorb it, and meditate upon the Words, or is it simply a daily exercise, as routine as putting on my shoes?

My salvation is secure in Jesus Christ because He is my Lord and Savior. Do I acknowledge my blessings by seeking to read God’s Word in thanksgiving? Do I read the Bible seeking the true answers to life that are the opposite of the world’s?

With Jesus Christ, I have it all! Do you?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.