Always In Tune (2 Corinthians 13:5)

I have several guitars proudly displayed on the walls of my home office and bedroom. All of the guitars are properly strung and tuned, ready to play whenever I desire. But there are also practical reasons why each guitar is always kept in such a ready state. The continual tension of the strings keeps each instrument in tune and maintains the playability of each instrument. If the strings are too tight or loose, the bridge and/or neck may warp, causing intonation problems and a decrease in playability.

It is reminder to myself that, like my guitars, I need keep myself in tune with God. When I allow myself to become out of tune, being either lax or legalistic in my relationship with Him, I quickly become resistant to His leading. My ability to be played and used by God is diminished.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)

Am I in tune with God? Am I ready to be used by God any time He calls upon me? I need to continually examine myself and hold my life up the light of God’s Word. Only then will I be tuned to God’s perfect pitch.

Amen!

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

A Transitional Courier (1 Corinthians 13:12)

My company relies upon many couriers to deliver my cases to me. Seeing them at least once a day affords me the opportunity to get to know their life stories and dreams. Some work two jobs and many are full or part-time students at the local colleges or universities. One courier is studying to become an aerospace engineer This is admirable and I respect and compliment them on their drive and willingness to sacrifice for their futures. These couriers view their job as a transition and stepping stone to advance their careers.

I have been a physician for over 20 years. I am thankful for my career and have been blessed to serve God in this occupation. But like the couriers, my current position may be a transition or stepping stone to another career. What form this potential new career may take is uncertain. Perhaps I will be an administrator for a medical school or be the director of a residency training program. Perhaps I will enter the missions field in this country or another. Nothing is certain. But as a Christian believer, there is a one certainty about my career. It is part of how God wants me to serve Him in His Kingdom. My life on this earth is a stepping stone to a life in eternity and continual fellowship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And with that perspective, I do not cling to my career for I know it is only a transition to the greater purpose of serving God.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

What the future holds, only God knows. In this life, I am privileged to dimly see God’s plan for my life. I live with the expectation of seeing the complete plan that God has for me. And someday, when I appear before my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I will know the complete Truth and understand how my career on this earth was used by God in His Kingdom.

Amen!

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

Cleaning the Blender (Titus 3:5)

A few weeks ago, I attempted to make a gourmet hamburger. I ground up equal parts of short rib, brisket, and chuck and combined it into a single burger patty. The proper method of preparation was to utilize a meat grinder, which I have and successfully used in the past. However, I was impatient and also wanted to experiment with a blender, thinking it would be faster. Even though I read articles stating that I shouldn’t do it, I ignored the years of experience and advice of other far more talented chefs. Yup! Bad idea! The meat was ground too finely and it tenaciously stuck to the metal blades. Although I was able to scoop out most of it, the remainder was difficult to remove. I soaked it overnight and did several rinses but it took nearly two days of continuous soaking and washing before I was able to restore the original cleanness of the blades.

As I reflected upon this mess, I saw a similar pattern of sin in my life. When I am impatient and chose to do things my way, without heeding God’s guidance, disaster results. Sin clings to me and is difficult to remove by my own efforts. It is only by the continual washing of the Holy Spirit that am I able to be cleansed and forgiven.

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)

My impatience frequently gets me into many difficult and embarrassing situations. In spite of advice from others more mature and wiser than I am, I still think I know better. Thanks be to God, that by accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior, He has forgiven me of my sins and continues to instruct me through His Bible.

My sins will never cling to me when I seek the living water of Jesus Christ!

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

Happy Days (Isaiah 55:8)

When my daughter was very young, my wife and I were attempting to teach her the days of the week. We decided to use the television theme song from the memorable 70’s sitcom, Happy Days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6zl5x8r9Bs

And it worked! Our daughter could soon rattle off the days of the week by singing the opening lines of the song. Pleased with her progress, we decided to quiz her on the days of the week but without singing the now familiar song. She began slowly,...”Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.”

My wife and I joyfully praised her and then asked her, “What’s the next day?”

My daughter looked at us thoughtfully then smiled and said, “What a day?” (Hint-listen to the theme song again if you don’t get it!) We both laughed as we realized our teaching aid worked well and still led to the wrong answer!

This delightful memory reminds me of the many times I have jumped to my own conclusions about how to answer life’s questions simply because this is how I learned it from the world. I think about the actions I have taken about career choices, money management, conflict resolution, even forgiveness. I followed advice that I learned from my parents, teachers, and friends...and just my gut instincts. It was only after God saved me and directed me to learn about Him from the Bible, that I understood the Truth.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8 (ESV)

Many of my earlier decisions in life were rooted in common sense and a groupthink mentality. Like using the television theme song as a guide, it may lead to a partial truth and ultimately the wrong answer. It has not been easy to rethink years of conditioning by the world, but God, by His mercy and grace, has placed me on a pathway to learn the complete Truth.

His thoughts and ways are not mine nor the world’s!

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

“I Didn’t Have Chains Until I Met My Wife!” (Ephesians 5:25-28)

A few weeks ago, I was having an animated discussion with several of our friends who enjoy skiing. We were debating the merits of a car with an all-wheel or four-wheel drive and its traction in deep snow. I pointed out that I used to  have such a car in both Denver and St. Louis, and it was of little avail. I certainly should have used chains when I lived in those snowy environments. However, I was unfamiliar with the use of chains and naively thought it was only for the mountains and steep inclines, thus I never availed of chains until I began skiing with my wife. I proudly exclaimed to my friends, as I pointed to my wife,

“I didn’t have chains until I met my wife!”

Oops! Did I really say that???

Everyone laughed...I think. :)

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, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:25-28 (ESV)

God saved me in 1982. But it was not until 1996, when God brought my wife into my life, that I truly began to understand the depth of what love means, both for myself and for others. I am still very selfish and prideful. God, through His grace and mercy, has provided a wife who is helping me to mature and love unselfishly, a process that I am still learning. She is my help mate and my heart is chained to hers. And together, we are chained to Jesus Christ.

I didn’t have chains until I met my wife. Thanks be to God for my chains!

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

Properly Prepared (Luke 12:16-21)

A veteran dying from cancer requested a last wish for one last fishing trip. The hospice obliged and arranged to have him transported in his hospital bed onto a bridge overlying a pond. With fishing pole in hand, the veteran cast his line and ended up catching four fish. As one observer remarked, “All of a sudden, the cancer and everything else went away, and what you see is that precious few moments of someone really enjoying life.”  This wish was also coupled with another. He wanted to be baptized so “he would be properly prepared to crossover.” Three days later, the veteran peacefully passed away, content that his two last wishes were fulfilled.

Properly prepared to crossover.

We hear this sentiment expressed in a variety of ways-putting one’s affairs in order; putting one’s house in order; it is all about bringing a positive closure to one’s life. This veteran understood that the most important preparation at the end of his was life was to commit his life to Jesus Christ so that he could spend eternity with Him. He properly prepared.

And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:16-21 (ESV)

The foolish rich man, in this parable that Jesus taught, focused upon material and physical comforts, when he should have been making himself rich in faith and devotion to God. How does one do this? Confess and repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. A last fishing trip for this veteran gave him happiness that the cancer had temporarily stolen from him. Placing his faith in Jesus Christ gave him the happiness that will never be taken away from him.

Are you properly prepared?

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

"Shoes, A Bed, And A Vacuum Cleaner" (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

On this one year anniversary of my father's passing, I dedicate this to him. Thank you for everything you did for me, Dad. I miss you and love you.

-----

My father was a very practical man and his sage words of wisdom still resonate within me. When I was preparing to leave home for my medical internship, he gave me a peculiar suggestion.

“Son, when you are on your own, you need to spend money on these three things-a good pair of shoes, a good bed, and…a vacuum cleaner!”

“Seriously, Dad? A vacuum cleaner?” I laughed out loud, expecting that he would laugh at what I presumed was a joke. But he was quite serious.

“Why are you laughing?”

“You’re serious?” my smile quickly melted into confusion. “I can understand the shoes and bed since you need to be comfortable during the day and when sleeping. Why a vacuum cleaner?”

My father looked at me as if I was completely clueless.

“How else are you going to clean your place?”

Made sense. A few months later, when I was on my own, I took his advice. I made sure I bought a very good pair of shoes, a top quality mattress, and I diligently shopped until I found a top rated vacuum cleaner. And like so much of his earlier advice, he was correct. When my living quarters were clean, I had a better attitude about myself and my life. But it took the actual experience of purchasing the vacuum cleaner for the idea to resonate within me as truth.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

Like my father’s advice, sometimes the advice and directions God gives me seems unrelated or unnecessary to satisfy my needs. I look back over so many times in my life when God placed me in a certain situation that seemed to have no relevance to my career or what I needed to accomplish or learn at that moment in my life. Only with the passage of time did His divine guidance and providence become manifest and certain.  God has my best interests at heart to give me a future and a hope. But there is something more that I must do.

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord...

Jeremiah 29:12-14 (ESV)

As the next verses declare, God asks me to call upon Him in prayer and honestly seek Him and His will in my life. When I do, God’s wisdom and choices for my life will become clearer.

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

Praying For A Friend (James 4:13-15)

When I lived in Denver, Colorado, I attended a wonderful church. Founded a year earlier, I was excited to be involved with such a young and vibrant congregation.The assistant pastor was the same age as myself and we shared a similar passion for music as he was also the worship leader. As I got to know him, I desired to become his friend. I began to pray to God that he would allow a friendship to develop between us. Although we were always cordial and friendly, a deeper friendship never developed. After one year, I left Denver and this pastor and moved to Los Angeles.

Nearly 30 years have passed since I attended this church. Both he and the senior pastor are still there and the church has grown to include a school and numerous ministries. God has blessed the church and pastors’  faithfulness to the ministry and obedience to God’s Word. Recently, have reconnected with him through emails and social media. We have shared prayers and updated each other with our lives. But distance still separates us and we have not seen other in person.

This was the first time I ever prayed to God to develop a deeper relationship with another brother in Christ. On the surface, there appeared to be no reason why we shouldn’t be fast friends. But God had other plans for us. We are brothers in Jesus Christ and, someday, will be together in eternity. And who knows what the future on this earth will bring for both of us?

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15 (ESV)

In 1988, I was a young believer in Jesus Christ, needing of spiritual growth and guidance. My perspective was limited and immature, focused upon my immediate gratification that I thought a friendship with this pastor would yield, instead of asking God to develop and transform me into the man and friend He wanted me to be to the pastor and others in the church. I am grateful for the friendship that I maintain with this dear brother in the Lord. Someday, God willing, I will be able to experience sweet fellowship with him in person...in this life or in eternity!

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

Transparency (John 8:46)

A disturbing new article was recently published investigating the claims of a landmark medical article published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in 1967. This article was a review of earlier studies and was the first major article to link heart disease to saturated fats. This revelation became the basis for many of our current dietary recommendations seeking to reduce heart disease by minimizing the intake of saturated fats.

This new article, written by Dr. Cristin E. Kearns and her colleagues from the University of California, San Francisco, investigated the sources of the funding for the original study. To the authors surprise and dismay, they discovered the sugar industry funded the studies and did not include articles that linked sugar intake and heart disease.  Thus, for many years, only saturated fats, not sugar, was cited as a dietary risk factor. Dr. James J DiNicolantonio of Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute stated that the findings were "appalling...If you actually look at the studies that restrict sugar, so they limit sugar to only 5% of calories, then you'll see a reduction in prediabetes and diabetes by 50%. We've known this since the early 1980s, but the dietary guidelines during that time specifically said sugar does not cause diabetes, despite evidence to the contrary...Basically, the dietary guidelines were lying to us."

The original authors should have revealed their potential bias as paid investigators for the sugar industry. The result was years of misguided dietary guidelines for the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

Transparency is important. In medicine, in business, or life-a full disclosure of any potential biases is necessary if the truth is to be declared and any hidden agendas revealed.

Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?

John 8:46 (ESV)

Jesus Christ always spoke the truth. From the beginning, He declared His mission-to obey God the Father and be the sacrifice for mankind’s sins. His detractors could not understand this and thought He had a different agenda. They even accused Him of being in league with Satan. But Jesus asked his accusers, “Which of you convicts me of sin?”

Although many charges were leveled against Jesus, not one of his accusers or enemies could ever find an example that He sinned. He declared that the Scriptures, John the Baptist, God the Father, and the mighty works and miracles He performed all testified that He was the Christ, the Messiah. His agenda and motives were always clear. Jesus was transparent.

I pray that my life will be as transparent to others. I pray that all who see me will see Jesus Christ living within me.

O Lord, let me be transparent so that You would be visible.

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

The Right Guitar (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

The other week, a sister in Christ asked me to help her select an electric guitar for her to purchase. I happily obliged! I love to match a person’s musical interests with a guitar that will not only be a great fit for them at their current skill level, but will be a worthy instrument that will match their anticipated prowess.

I presented several guitars to her, each with distinctive shapes and sound characteristics, and asked her to play each of them, instructing her to listen for the tonal shapes and paying attention to the feel of the guitar as she held it. After a few minutes, she made her decision and, within a few hours, ordered the guitar of her dreams, matched to her unique musical tastes and abilities.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (ESV)

The joy I received as I assisted my sister in Christ to select her first guitar reminded me of God’s pleasure He takes in giving and matching us with His gifts for service. The Holy Spirit matches each of us with a unique set of gifts and talents with an infinitely greater skill than I could ever match someone with a guitar. Unlike a guitar, these gifts are custom-made for each believer in Jesus Christ and given so that the Kingdom of God may be established and flourish. God doesn’t present His gifts to us asking us to select the best one. He has already blessed us with the best and expects us to use them for His glory.

Amen!

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

Explaining Sin (Acts 16:30-31)

How do I explain sin to my child?

Sin can be defined in so many terms-missing the mark, doing something bad, following our desires instead of God’s. A theological definition may be any transgression of the law of God or lawlessness. The Bible makes this very clear.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4 (ESV)

But do any of these ideas truly resonate with a young child? As I prepare my son for baptism, I want to make sure that he understands the concept of sin and that he, and everyone in this world, is a sinner and needs a Savior, Jesus Christ, to reconcile and restore the broken relationship between himself and God. This is the Gospel and the Truth. But the Holy Spirit may present the truth to a seeker through many different ways.

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Acts 16:30-31 (ESV)

The Philippian jailer had a dramatic conversion because he saw the difference in the lives of Paul and Silas. Beaten and chained, they responded to their torture by praying and singing hymns to God. When an earthquake rattled the prison, opening the doors, the jailer was about to kill  himself since he assumed all of the prisoners had escaped. But they didn’t! Paul cried out to the jailer to not harm himself for all the prisoners were still there. Trembling, the jailer understood that he was a sinner and desperately needed Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. He did not recite the steps to salvation but it absolutely clear that He understood the message of the Gospel and because of this, he was saved and baptized.

My son has Down syndrome. My son loves God. He may not be able to articulate this love with scholarly quotations or deep theological insight, but he doesn’t need to do this. God looks at his heart and knows the sincerity of his belief. He knows God created him and this world. He knows Jesus Christ is His Lord and Savior. He knows the Bible is God’s Word. My son loves to pray to God, for himself and for others. He reads His Bible and memorizes verses. He is unabashedly elated to share with others what God has done for him. And when he has done something to disobey God, he knows it is wrong. He understands this is sin. He understands the Gospel.

I wish I had as pure and selfless understanding of God as my son.

For every believer, the path the Holy Spirit leads them to Jesus Christ is different, but the end result of salvation is the same. Praise God for His grace and mercy to all of us!

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

Square Peg, Round Hole (Matthew 16:18)

One of the skills of a good leader or manager is identifying and matching an employee with the correct job and skill sets. When an employee appears to be a square peg in a round hole, a manager should carefully evaluate the situation and not simply dismiss an employee because they were unable to perform their job. Sometimes this may be a premature dismissal if another job is a better match for their skill set. Identifying and recognizing the potential in all employees is challenging but if done correctly, with patience and proper coaching and mentoring, the results may  be impressive and well worth the effort.

In another company that I worked, I recalled one employee who was a social misfit and several co-workers complained that she was annoying, always seeking to insert herself into everyone’s business.  Her strength was her good work ethic and she always completed any task assigned to her.  The manager was torn between keeping this person and attempting to smooth the fractured relationships in the office, or fire her.  Instead, the manager recognized that she possessed above average computer skills and made her the lead contact for a special middleware software integration. Although this added to her existing responsibilities, she thrived in this new position, which allowed her to interact with everyone in the department, as she always desired. As her confidence grew, even her social skills improved! The results justified the vision and confidence her manager had in her.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

Jesus Christ  is an excellent example of a leader and manager of others. When He chose his disciple Simon, He renamed Him Peter, after the Greek word petros, or rock. He recognized the potential in Peter to become one of the future leaders of the Church. But he was not ready, yet. He would fail, many times, even deny he ever knew Jesus. But when the time was right and the Holy Spirit came upon Peter and empowered him, he became one of the most important leaders of the early church. His first sermon on the day of Pentecost led to 3000 people being saved! And it was all because God did not give up on him.

A leader or manager needs to know when to trust their instincts and support an employee. But there is always the possibility that an employee will not flourish, decide to quit, or the manager gives up on them. Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ never quits on us!

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

"Use The Hand Sanitizer!" (1 Corinthians 10:13)

I am very paranoid about getting sick. My preventive medicine is to place large bottles of hand sanitizers, throughout the office. Most bacteria and viruses are easily transmitted between persons by touching and handling contaminated objects-door handles, light switches, tables and chairs, that have been touched by the infected person. Using these preventive measures, I have greatly reduced the risk of getting sick if a fellow co-worker is afflicted. “Use the hand sanitizer!” is the plaintive cry that goes out to anyone who is sick in the office.

And yet, I still get sick. There are always other portals for the germs to enter. The couriers who deliver our cases, the postal workers, the delivery person with packages...all of these are potential sources of germs. I attempt to control and eliminate the germs within my immediate surroundings, but I cannot control what enters from the outside.

Sin is like this. I seek to control my immediate environment, making a convent with my eyes, as Job declared (Job 31:1), and checking my thoughts and speech.  I can be careful about the internet sites I visit, the television programs I watch, and the literature I read. But sin still creeps in unexpectedly and insidiously into my life. It may be through a casual encounter with a rude cashier at a market, a furtive glance at a sexy billboard, or an internet banner ad flashing an exciting bargain, taking my attention from my work.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

What hope is there for me? Like the cold germs, I cannot control all the possible avenues of exposure. I cannot avoid it. All I can do is turn to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was tempted in all ways but never succumbed to sin. If I place my trust in Him, He is faithful to protect me. And if I do fail, His mercy and grace allow me to come before Him and confess my sins and receive forgiveness.

Using the hand sanitizer does not always protect me. Thanks be to God that He always does!

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

"We Don't Have That Program Any Longer!" (Isaiah 64:6)

The other morning, I stopped into a neighborhood bagel bakery to purchase a dozen bagels. As I was purchasing the bagels, I handed the cashier my frequent buyer card which rewards 10 purchases of a dozen bagels with a free dozen, happy that I needed only one more purchase to receive the reward.  To my dismay, the cashier handed the card back to me and exclaimed, “We don’t have that program any longer!”

My protest to the cashier to honor this program was of no avail. I was so eager to keep buying bagels at this bakery in anticipation of the future reward, but ultimately, I was disappointed. All of my time, effort, and money was wiped away by this false promise of a reward.

Before Jesus Christ saved me, I viewed my life from a similar perspective. The more good works I did, the more “bagel points” I would be adding to my cosmic ledger of life. Eventually, I would do enough good works, and I would be rewarded with an even greater reward, to go to Heaven. But that is not what God says.

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Isaiah 64:6 (ESV)

Like the defunct bagel rewards program, God tells me that all of my good works and efforts are worthless. I can’t get to heaven by doing acts of kindness, following rules, or donating money. The only answer is coming before Jesus Christ and confessing and repenting of our sins and asking Him to be my Lord and Savior. And when I did this, my reward is an imperishable and eternal salvation. And unlike the bagel rewards, this program will always exist in my lifetime.

This promise is available to everyone. But you have to participate. Don’t waste the opportunity. Come to the Cross and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior by confessing and repenting of your sins.

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

Losing Your Fingerprints (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Since the 1800’s, fingerprints have been used for personal identification. In this digital age, the role of fingerprints have expanded with many of our smart phones and devices activated by our fingerprints, providing a unique and secure identifier. Thus, it was with some alarm when the medical community was notified that a relatively common chemotherapy agent, Capecitabine, may cause the temporary loss of fingerprints in patients receiving this treatment for their cancers. Fortunately the fingerprints returned within 2-4 weeks after ending treatment. Oncologists were cautioned to warn their patients receiving this treatment of this potential side effect.

I completely empathize with the consternation these patients experienced when this side effect occurred. Fingerprints have become a vital connection to many of our activities of daily living. Just this morning, I accessed three different devices with my thumbprint. Even purchases are now secured with a thumbprint. Losing my fingerprints would be like losing my identity!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul welcomed the opportunity to lose his identity, to gain a new identity...in Jesus Christ. In fact, he would later boast that all of his schooling, his titles, his prestige and social status were rubbish compared to being a new creation in Jesus Christ. It was not a temporary loss of identity, but a permanent change.

Are you ready to lose your identity? If the change is to become more like Jesus Christ, your answer will have eternal consequences. Take the steps at this moment to confess and repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you do, you will be a new creation and new identity with Jesus Christ.

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

"I Emailed You, Why Didn't You Answer?" (Romans 8:26-27)

When the internet and email arrived in the mid-1990’s, communication dramatically changed. No longer did one have to wait for days or weeks for a written letter to arrive to its recipient. The message wa immediately delivered. In spite of this remarkable advance in technology, it could sometimes become a problem.

Some email users did not understand that although emails are instantaneously delivered, it does not always require an immediate response. It allows the recipient the luxury to review the message at their convenience. But some senders were impatient.

In one hospital I worked, the secretaries and other physicians bemoaned their experience with their former chief of pathology. He would send an email and if the recipient did not answer within five minutes, he would stand at the door of their office and exclaim, “I emailed you. Why didn’t you answer?”

Of course, none of the staff were brave enough to ask him, “If the message was so urgent, why didn’t you simply speak directly to me?”

God speaks to me in a variety of ways. Most times, He speaks to me through His Word and through the fellowship of other believers. He is patient with me until His complete plan and purpose are revealed. But sometimes, God does require a quick answer. And it is during those times, His Holy Spirit immediately convicts me. This happened when I first accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I immediately experienced a change in my life. When I sin, the Holy Spirit immediately convicts me of my transgression. And when I am distracted in my prayers, God, again, immediately answers me.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

God doesn’t email me but like an email, He sometimes gives me the luxury of time to respond. But if He desires a quick answer, I can be assured He will get my attention through His Holy Spirit!

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

"I Grew Up On A Farm" (Philippians 2:3)

I recently attended a seminar entitled, “LAMB-Learning About My Body.” The series, hosted by a local regional center, focused upon how parents and children with special needs can work together to discuss and explain the physical and emotional changes that children encounter as they become adults. In an introductory session, the parents and children were separated into two different rooms. The parents were handed a questionnaire and asked to give the reasons why we were attending the seminar and the challenges we face with our children. One question elicited a few uncomfortable responses and giggles from the parents, “How did you learn about your body, puberty, and sexuality?”

The vast majority of the parents answered with remembrances of parents, schools, and friends. But two of the parents gave nearly identical and intriguing answers.  “I grew up on a farm so I was exposed to all of this at a very early age. It was very natural to see and talk about it.”

I smiled and nodded in agreement. There are many topics that bring discomfort to the listener or are inappropriate to publicly discuss. Sex is definitely high on that list. But for the two adults who grew up on the farm, there was never any awkwardness; it was an integral part of their upbringing.

As a physician, I have been privileged to experience many things that most people can only imagine or may make many uncomfortable and squeamish. I have held living organs like a liver and heart in my hands. I have resuscitated a person from the brink of death. I have examined life at the microscopic and molecular level. Sometimes I take it for granted and unknowingly allow my recollection of these experiences to slip into my everyday conversations, eliciting a few surprised expressions from the listeners. But there is a greater purpose for my experiences.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Philippians 2:3 (ESV)

God has used my background as a physician to allow me to enter into very private and intimate conversations which most people would find awkward and chose to avoid. He has allowed me to speak to the parents of an infant just diagnosed with Down syndrome. He has brought me to families with loved ones afflicted with a rare cancer to explain the disease. He has directed me to coordinate the care of families needing multiple physician specialists dispersed over several hospitals. God has taught me that my experiences are a vital link for these families.

Whether one grows up on a farm or is a physician, God gives us life experiences for a much greater purpose than our own development. I am grateful for what God has allowed me to experience so that I may better serve Him in His kingdom.

Amen!

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

Gosh! (James 4:17)

I am very careful with the choice of words I use when I write or speak. Thus, it was with much chagrin that I recently learned that a word I liberally use in my speech is actually taking God’s name in vain.

Gosh!

Yes, Gosh!

My pastor pointed out to me that “gosh” is actually a euphemism for God. Sure enough, we did a quick internet search and found two sources verifying this truth.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/gosh

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gosh

Obviously what I did was in complete ignorance. But since I now know the origin of the word, for me to continue using it is to take God’s name in vain, and I will cease and desist. Am I preaching to anyone? No. Everyone must come to their own conclusion about their usage of “gosh” and other words.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:1 7 (ESV)

There are many situations in life where the choices are not obvious. What is acceptable for a person or group of people may be highly offensive to another. As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, I must hold my life to His perfect standards. When I am confronted with gray areas, with seemingly no right or wrong answer, I must allow the Holy Spirit to convict me and guide me. I am convinced that it is wrong to use this word; thus, for me to use it is a sin. When I choose to honor God, it means honoring Him with every aspect of my life.

I am not doing this because I am attempting to preach or impress others with my choices. I do this because I seek to honor God because I love and respect Him, grateful for what He has done in my life.

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

"How Do I Taunt Thee? (Psalms 118:6)

How do I taunt thee? Let me count the ways!

This 2016 presidential election is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Harsh accusations, charges of crimes, and the taunting! It never stops! As outrageous the claims from both candidates, it seems that elections have not changed very much over the previous centuries.  As I reflected upon the history of previous presidential elections, there have been vicious charges of adultery, children born out of wedlock, even murder.

Flip back several thousand years. The Bible records many harsh taunts. One memorable taunt was delivered by the Rabshakeh, the title of one of the officers of the Assyria, ruled by King Sennacherib. As the Rabshakeh stood outside the walled city of Jerusalem, demanding their surrender, he declared that neither God nor Egypt or any other country would be able to rescue them. He then issued this crude taunt.

But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine?"

2 Kings 18:27 (ESV)

Lovely.

How do I taunt thee?

The Bible holds nothing back, exposing mankind at the darkest and foulest of depths. When taunts come our way, we need to cling to God’s Word and promises.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Psalms 118:6 (ESV)

The presidential candidates need to learn one important truth. Taunts from man will never hurt you when God is on your side!

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

"They Have A Problem With That." (2 Timothy 3:16)

Louisiana has once again been devastated by flooding. Relief workers from many faith-based organizations have rushed to the scene to assist. Many private individuals have also contributed their time and resources to help in any way possible.

One such individual is a police officer, Captain Clay Higgins, who recently visited a Red Cross relief shelter. He was in uniform and brought his Bible and prayed for several of the victims. This caught the attention of some officials at the Red Cross who pulled him aside and informed him they had an issue with him being there. Pointing at his Bible, they bluntly declared, “They have a problem with that.”

He was then asked to leave. He later described the incident to a reporter stating, “I was told that the Red Cross does not allow spiritual counseling in their shelters. The supervisor told me the Red Cross is not a religious-based organization and they don’t allow religious interaction with the residents.”

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

We all have a problem with the Bible. As the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once stated, “He that reads his Bible to find fault with it will soon discover that the Bible finds fault with him.” God’s Word cuts through to our very soul and addresses our deepest and most profound needs. The Bible explains how our sins have damaged the relationship that God created us to have with Him. And this is the problem. No one wants to hear they are a sinner. The Good News is God knows we cannot repair this relationship by our own efforts. We need a Savior. We need Jesus Christ. And if we confess and repent of our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and allow us to enter into a loving relationship with Him.

Do you have a problem with that? Take the time to read God’s Word. The Bible is not the problem, our sins are.

Let’s continue to pray for the families and victims of the recent flooding in Louisiana. Pray that God will continue to work in the lives of both the victims and workers coming to their aid.

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