"Your Breath Smells Like a Sewer!" (Proverbs 27:5-6)

In my bathrooms, at home and in my office, I keep a bottle of mouthwash. Several times a day, I will rinse my mouth and savor the clean refreshing taste and hopefully prevent any embarrassing episodes with anyone I encounter.

 

But it was not always that way.

 

When I was a teenager, my father and I were having a discussion. He suddenly interrupted the dialogue and declared, “Son, your breath smells like a sewer!”

 

“What?” I exclaimed.

 

“You really need to watch it! People are going to be disgusted!”

 

Wow! Thanks a lot, Dad! My father was a dentist so I reluctantly concluded that he knew bad breath when he smelled it. I took his advice and began to brush my teeth after every meal. I also went one step further and used mouthwash as often as I could. After a few months, I asked my father, “Dad, is my breath better?”

 

He just grunted and said, “Yeah. Keep it up.”

 

I did. Thanks Dad!

 

Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 27:5-6 (NKJV)

 

My father expressed his love to me in a blunt and sometimes hurtful manner. But I knew he loved me and meant it for my own good. Years later, I can look back in grateful reflection for his chastisement.

 

When a close friend or family member points out one of my many faults, in a loving manner, my first inclination is to bristle and pull back. But sometimes, this is how God speaks to me. After careful and prayerful reflection, more often than not, I find the chastisement is merited and I endeavour to remedy the situation. It is embarrassing and usually painful, but I am always grateful for the opportunity given to me.

 

Today, my breath doesn’t smell like a sewer..at least I hope it doesn’t! But if I lapse in my oral hygiene and am reminded again, I will be sure to gladly accept the admonition!

 

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

 

Protect and Defend Her (Genesis 3:11-12)

….”Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:12 (ESV)

Eve gets a bum rap.

Men sometimes point out that it is a woman’s fault that sin entered into mankind. After all, it was Eve who succumbed to the temptation of Satan and first ate the forbidden fruit. She then shared it with Adam who also ate it, sharing in the guilty action. When God questions Adam, he ducks and gives an excuse that throws both God and Eve under the bus. For years, I bought into the notion that Eve was to blame for our fall. But this is not fair nor is it that simple.

Adam’s actions demonstrate the virulence of sin, rupturing a beautiful and perfect marriage, and degenerating into naming and blaming. God created Eve to be Adam’s help mate. Adam and Eve were married; they were of one flesh. His role was to protect and defend her, not blame her and abandon her. This is a sobering reminder to myself.

It is easy for me to slip into old habits, pointing the finger at my wife if things go awry. But all I am doing is pointing the finger at myself. My wife is reflection of me and how well I love and protect her. Like Adam and Eve, If she falls, I fall. If she fails, I fail. The burden is upon me as the head of the household and marriage to uplift, encourage, and strengthen her faith in Jesus Christ.

Protect and defend my wife. I must continue to look to Jesus Christ, the author and perfector of my faith for my guide.

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

Life Imitates Art (Romans 1:20)

The recent rains in Southern California are a welcome relief for our drought-stricken land. Many people, including myself, have been praying for rain. But I am also keenly aware that while some rain is welcome, too much rain can also be a disaster.

Back in 2006, the islands of Hawaii experienced an unprecedented 40 days of rain, evoking ominous Biblical comparisons. Numerous businesses were affected. One popular shopping mall, located near my childhood home, had to shut down because of flooding. My sister related an eye-witness account of a friend who was sitting in the movie theater viewing a film when water started rushing in. Thankfully no one was injured but the experience was certainly unnerving. I can only imagine the horror that the movie patrons experienced if they were watching a movie like The Titanic and water began accumulating around their seats!

Life imitates art-sometimes the reality of life breaks into our times of mental escape. Movies, plays, and amusement parks all serve to enable us to experience events that we would probably never wish to truly encounter. Thus, when something occurs, that is reminiscent of a fictional event, it captures and arrests our attention.

When Jesus was resurrected and raised from the dead by God, the Father, it was the single most arresting event in the history of the universe. It was not a fantastic story written by an imaginative playwright. It was not a wishful thinking of dejected disciples. It was not art. It was life. It was a riveting reality, more true than the most incredible story anyone could ever believe.

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20 (ESV)

Life sometimes imitates art. But when we are faced with the true reality of Jesus Christ, our lives should imitate Him. God has created us so that our very being knows this reality. For in Him and through Him we have salvation.

Amen!

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

"Pay Whatever You Want!" (1 Corinthians 7:23)

In an interesting advertising move, a restaurant in China attempted to draw in customers by offering a “Pay What You Want” policy. It was an abject failure. Customers paid the equivalent of a few cents for their meals. By the end of the week, the restaurant lost an equivalent of $15,000. Even more disheartening was the fact that after the restaurant ended the promotion, no one returned. Apparently, no one thought the food was even good enough to return. In the opinion of the customers who initially came, the food was only worth the paltry sum that each of them paid.

For food or services, setting a price is not a burdensome task. It is a subjective pricing that most people would be able to agree. But what about naming a price to relieve ourselves of our sins and guilt, what would we pay? For a rude remark to store clerk, five dollars? For a small lie to cover up a mistake, twenty five dollars? What about a major crime like a murder? A thousand dollars? A million? The more one thinks about it, the more ridiculous it becomes.

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (ESV)

There is no amount of money that can resolve our sins or relieve our guilt. Only God can pay that price and He did, by dying on the Cross for all of our sins-past, present and future.

Pay whatever you want? For our sins, only Jesus could pay that price. Thanks be to God that He did it for us.

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

"Nice Guys Finish Last" (Matthew 20:16)

An employee had to resign his position from the company he had just joined. His mother had serious health issues and she was unable to watch his daughter who had special needs and needed constant supervision. Although he had siblings, they were unwilling to help their own mother. Thus, the responsibility to care for his mother fell upon his shoulders, even though it meant he would not be able to work. He needed the job and he needed help for his daughter but no family member was willing to step up.  As he related to me in exasperation, “Nice guys finish last.”

This sentiment is rooted in the idea that the world is not fair. If one puts the need of others first, the rest of the world will walk all over them, taking advantage of their generosity. The only way to get ahead in this world is to look out for your own needs first. Don’t be a nice guy, be the best guy.

So the last will be first, and the first last.

Matthew 20:16 (ESV)

In God’s Kingdom, Jesus turns these worldly expectations upside down. He came to serve others first. Did people take advantage of Him? No doubt many who came to Him to be healed did not understand His mission but gladly accepted His kindness. Did people attempt to use Him? The pharisees wanted to make him a martyr to appease the Roman government. Did people betray Him? Twelve disciples spent every moment of over three years living and learning from Him. And in the end, He was betrayed by one of them and nearly all of His disciples abandoned Him when He was arrested, tortured, and crucified.

Nice guys finish last. Did Jesus finish last? After being spit upon, scourged and beaten, stripped naked and humiliated before thousands at the Cross, God raised Him from the dead and restored Him to His position in the universe-King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Jesus finished the race for us so that we could gain everlasting life and victory over death.

This does not guarantee that others will never take advantage of us, nor does it mean that we will always be successful in all of our endeavours. But it does guarantee that the moment we die, we will see Him first, the author and finisher of our faith! In this life, we will have tribulation and trials but we can take comfort and encouragement that if we confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He will forgive us of our sins and allow us to enter into an eternal relationship with Him.

Thank you Jesus, for finishing the task set before You for our salvation!

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

"Something Is Wrong With the Audio!" (Psalms 90:12)

The other evening, my wife called me into the family room and excitedly asked me to sit on the sofa to view a video. It was a recording made when our children were much younger, about 6 and 9 years old. One clip showed my son counting the candles on his birthday cake in anticipation of lighting it and then singing happy birthday. As we listened to him counting the candles, “One...two...three….”, his voice sounded strange.

“Is there something wrong with the audio? His voice sounds so high!”

My wife laughed and nodded. As we continued to watch, we both realized the obvious truth. There was nothing wrong with the audio! This was how our son sounded at that age, over 7 years ago. Since then, his voice had gradually changed and deepened, as all young boys do when they become teenagers. We had not noticed this change until confronted with this delightful reminder!

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalms 90:12 (ESV)

God reminds us of the passing of time in beautiful and, sometimes, humorous ways. Our children are growing older as we all are. The video is a precious reminder of their fleeting youth and our ephemeral life. We must linger over these days and savor the love that God has allowed us to capture and experience.

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

"It's An Antique!" (Psalms 90:4)

I have a guitar amplifier that my mother purchased for me in 1985. It was my first truly professional amplifier and I used it on many gigs and concerts during that period in my life. Since then, I have purchased other amps but this one still occupies a special place in my heart.

Recently I was reading a music publication devoted to guitar players and a particular section caught my eye, antique finds. As I read the article, the accompanying photo brought a smile to my face. It was my amplifier! Apparently, my amp was so old that it was now considered an antique! As I read, with interest, the familiar description of the amp, I realized something, I am becoming an antique! I am not ready for a senior living home but time is slipping by.

For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

Psalms 90:4 (ESV)

The passage of time is marked by many events, places, and people. In the United States, the average lifespan is about eighty years of age. I am more than halfway to this. If I chose to focus on my limited lifespan, I cannot help but be discouraged. But if I choose to focus upon the life in Heaven and an eternity with God, I cannot help but be excited! In Heaven, eighty years, two hundred years, or even a thousand years has no meaning. In God’s presence, all time is but an instant in eternity.

My guitar amp. It’s an antique! I’m becoming an antique! Thanks be to God that nothing is old in His sight! He renews me daily for a life in eternity!

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

Pops! (Amos 7:14-15)

I am a proud alumnus of Pomona College, part of the five Claremont Colleges in Southern California. I received a wonderful education which more than adequately prepared me for medical school and my career. The college has maintained its excellent academic reputation since I matriculated. But as renowned as its academic prowess, the school’s athletic program have never quite achieved the same level of excellence. Yet for a brief moment in its history, that changed for the basketball program.

Pomona college competes in the Division III, as a combined team with a fellow Claremont college, Pitzer. Unlike the familiar names of Division I basketball like UCLA, Duke, and Michigan State, the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens compete against such well known athletic dynasties like Cal-Tech! In 1979, Gregg Popovich arrived to Pomona College and became the head coach of the combined Pomona-Pitzer men’s basketball team. From a dismal starting season record of 2 wins and 22 losses, he led the team to its first  Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in 1986, ending a 68 year drought.

Coach Popovich or “Pops”, as he is affectionately known by his colleagues and students, is familiar to anyone with a passing interest in professional basketball. It was his achievement at Pomona college that caught the attention of then Spurs head coach, Larry Brown, who recruited Pops. Since 1988, he has been with the San Antonio Spurs, first as an assistant coach, and since 1992, the head coach. He led the Spurs to five NBA titles and has been voted NBA coach of the year three times. He is one of the most successful NBA coaches in the history of the game. In spite of his many NBA championships and awards, the only trophy he keeps in his office is the Pomona-Pitzer trophy from 1986. His heart is still with Pomona College. He will always be a Division III coach.

In the Bible, we read of the prophet Amos, who was a shepherd and fig farmer when God called Him to be His prophet. He obeyed God’s calling and preached to the northern kingdom of Israel about social injustice. Amaziah, one of the corrupt priests of Israel, was angered by the message and commanded Amos to leave. Amos clung to his humble origins.

Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ “

Amos 7:14-15 (ESV)

Amos never forgot his roots. He proudly proclaimed to Amaziah that he was not an intellectual, formally trained like he was. He was and would always be a herdsman and farmer. But God used his knowledge and background to be a prophet to His people.

Like Amos, Pops never forgot his roots. We should always remember our roots. God brought us into this world for a purpose. The lessons that He shows us as we grow in knowledge with Him,  are our very identity, given to us by God for His glory!

Amen!

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

"We'll Grow Old Together!" (Psalms 71:17-18)

My wife enjoys a warm hug from me. During our embraces, she often looks me in the eye and says, “Promise me we’ll grow old together?”

I nod and chuckle, “We are!”

Our passage of time can easily be followed by our Christmas photo cards, sent to family and friends since 2000. In our bedroom, there are wedding portrait photos of a young couple always watching over us. That young couple never imagined the day when we would be an older couple. We were young, no children, our careers were beginning. Now we are a family and, in a few years, empty nesters!

O God, from my youth you have taught me,  and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 71:17-18 (ESV)

I am thankful to be growing old with my help-mate and my best friend. But I am even more thankful that we are growing older, together in love, with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for His mercy and grace to both us for changing our hearts and allowing us to come to Him.

We are growing old together, this is inevitable. Thankfully, we are growing closer to God, and that is our choice!

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

State Select Stage Band (Proverbs 16:3 and Proverbs 16:9)

In my senior year in high school, I was thrilled and honored to be selected as the guitar player for the state select jazz stage band. It was a dream fulfilled to play with the top jazz musicians in the state. Rehearsals were scheduled every evening for one month culminating in a public concert. On the eve of the first rehearsal, my calculus teacher informed me of a potential conflict. In preparation for the AP exam, this teacher strongly recommended that all of his students meet every evening for one month prior to the exam, and take previous AP exams as practice exams. Although it was not mandatory, in the vernacular of this teacher, it was definitely understood as such.

I had a dilemma. Both events were not mandatory but both were related to my assigned classes in school. After several hours of deliberation and much angst, I informed the state select stage band committee that I would withdraw from the event. I reasoned that in my long view of life, doing well on an AP exam would benefit me more than the jazz band. Was I right? I don’t know. As a physician, calculus was an essential prerequisite for medical school. As a guitar player, I have played professionally, taught students, and lead worship in my church.

I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to participate in both events. At that time, I spoke to family and friends for advice. But ultimately, I had to decide. There was no right or wrong answer. This life decision was made along shades of gray, not black and white. But either decision would lead to pain and regret.

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

A few years later, through God’s grace and mercy, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Gradually, I learned to trust and depend upon God for my decision making. These two verses help me to navigate the many decisions and choices I make everyday. These decisions are often made along shades of gray and the choices may lead to some pain. Like my decision in high school, I am grateful for wise counsel from family and friends. But I am most grateful for the guidance from God. I commit and plan, but He establishes my plans and steps. And He give me His peace once the decision is made.

Praise God for His faithfulness to me!

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

Being Kind Is More Important Than Being Right (John 8:7)

Company refrigerators are a sore point for companies of every size. Issues such as theft of employee’s food, rotting food, and regular cleaning of the refrigerator all need to be addressed. This issue was slightly different. One employee is a stickler for observing expiration dates on food containers. He disposed of containers of coffee cream, salad dressing, and other condiments. While noteworthy, in his zeal, he disposed of food items that belonged to other employees, without first notifying them. To their annoyance, they found their bottles of salad dressings in the rubbish can, questioning who did this.

I called a meeting to establish a refrigerator policy. I acknowledged that perishable food products do display an expiration date and regardless of how any of us consider whether such dates need to be strictly followed, they are placed there for a purpose. Therefore, if anyone observed that a food item was beyond the expiration date, they should inquire to whom the item belonged and respectfully ask that they remove it. Under no circumstance will an employee discard another employee’s food product without first informing them. The staff all agreed with this policy.

After the meeting, I privately told the employee. “Sometimes being kind is more important than being right.”

Kindness.

Jesus Christ illustrated this principle in the beautiful and touching story of a woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees brought this woman to Jesus and proclaimed that Moses commanded that they stone a woman for such a crime. What did He say? They were correct and Jesus would be legally correct to command that she be stoned. Instead, He bent down and began to write with His finger on the ground. They persisted on asking Him until Jesus replied with the following...

And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:7 (ESV)

Jesus’ answer stunned the zealous scribes and Pharisees. He did not deny that the woman had committed a crime. He did not deny that she should be punished. Instead, He showed mercy and kindness to the woman.

And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

John 8:8-11 (ESV)

Being kind. Being right. Being merciful.

Only God is able to perfectly do all.

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

Life 101 (Matthew 18:3)

Reading and meditating upon the Bible always enlightens and humbles me. For nearly every situation I face in life, I find an answer and example in the Bible. What always amazes me is that familiar Bible verses and stories, that I have read many times over, leap out and grab me with new meaning when the Holy Spirit uses them to instruct me. One example occurred this morning. The following verse is on my wall in my office. I read it nearly every morning as I pass it by, but today was different.

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3 (ESV)

As I read the verse, I pondered what it truly meant to become like a child? I thought back to my own childhood. I remembered the trust and innocence I had for my parents. I remembered the love and respect and the desire to do things to please them because I loved them, not from obligation. Yes, these were all good reasons why Jesus commanded us to become like children when we enter into a relationship with God.

And then it struck me. I can recite the correct answers but I am still learning these lessons. I am still so far from giving my uninhibited trust and love to God. My desire is not always to please Him but often just to please myself and meet my needs first. I am an adult yet I still struggle to become the child Jesus wants me to be.

These are the elementary principles of living a life with God and I still have not mastered them.  I know I will always be learning in the classroom of God, but I have not even progressed beyond Life 101!

Life 101.

As long as I remain on this earth, I will not graduate from this class. But I will not be discouraged! Thanks be to God for allowing me to even enter His classroom! I presently see things dimly but someday, when I am in Heaven with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I will behold the complete glory and truth of the lessons He is teaching me.

Amen!

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

Blackout! (Luke 4:1)

The other morning as I sat in my office, at 545 AM, a blackout occurred. I always arrive early to my office to get a quick start on my day, uninterrupted by phone calls and visitors, but now, I sat in total darkness, completely unproductive. My thoughts raced through various contingency plans I would have to implement for my business if the power remained off. Nearly everything I do in my work requires electricity. Without power, I am helpless.

I opened my Bible app on my cell phone and read my daily devotional Proverbs and Psalms. Then, I prayed...for power, but not electrical. I prayed the Holy Spirit would fill me and empower me to be content in the circumstances that I faced.

Within 30 minutes, the electrical power was restored and my faith was strengthened.

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.

Luke 4:1 (ESV)

When Jesus began His ministry, He was filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit and led into the wilderness to face temptation by Satan for forty days. Jesus faced hunger, fatigue, and Satan’s beguiling, but did not succumb to temptation. He could have been distracted, focused upon His difficult circumstances, and not obeying God, the Father. But the Holy Spirit empowered Him to remain steadfast in His mission and calling. His power rested upon knowing God’s Word and using it to silence the enemy.

When faced with a difficult situation that appears dark and hopeless, I need to continue to quiet my thoughts and use the time to focus upon Him and not the circumstances. I need to always ask the Holy Spirit into my life to empower and restore me.

Without electrical power, I am helpless. Without God’s power, I am hopeless.

Praise Almighty God for His promise of the power of Holy Spirit for all who place their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Amen!

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

"It Was A Good Week!" (1 Corinthians 12:12)

A young man I am mentoring had a wonderful week. He graduated from college this past June and, like many of his peers, was taking a few gap years to work and enhance his application to medical school.

The week began with news that a research paper, on which he is a co-author, was accepted for publication in a major peer-reviewed medical journal. It is an important addition to his already impressive resume. A few days later, he was invited to an interview at medical start up company that has developed a proprietary platform to empower patients to enroll into clinical trials. At the end of the interview, he was offered a position as a clinical investigator. This job will place him in direct contact with many physicians and key players in the medical industry encompassing business, law, and finance. This networking will be an invaluable resource to learn about medicine in a way few medical school applicants will ever see.

It was a good week!

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 12:12 (ESV)

I rejoiced with my mentee. He is a fellow brother in Jesus Christ. It was not his happiness that I celebrated, it was the happiness of a family member. We are forever joined together through our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. His joy is our joy.

When it is a good week for a child of God, it is a good week for the family of God, the Church!

Amen!

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

"You're A Christian, Aren't You?" (Acts 28:14-15)

I recently purchased two new tires for my car. The shop is conveniently located next to my office so I left the car at the shop and returned a few hours later when the job was completed. As I was paying for the services, the manager smiled and asked me, “You’re a Christian, aren’t you?”

I was surprised and cautiously replied, “Yes. How did you…”

Before I could finish, he answered my question. “Your radio was on the Christian station. Very nice.”

Returning his smile, I asked him, “Are you a Christian?”

“Yes I am!” He beamed.

“Praise God!” I exclaimed. “Always happy to meet another Christian brother! We’ve known each other for several years now, but now I am happy I know you in a much deeper and important way!”

“Yes!” He nodded. “So important to let others know about God.”

We were definitely bonding. “Well brother, so glad to see you again. Until the next time, whether in this life or the next before our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!”

“Amen!” We both declared.

That put a big smile on my face. It was an unexpected and welcome surprise. I was comforted to meet another Christian brother in a location that I had visited in the past. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are His Church on this earth. We should seek out other believers to encourage and fellowship with them.

There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

Acts 28:14-15 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul found similar comfort after being shipwrecked enroute to Rome. After setting forth from Malta, he sailed along the Italian coast visiting several cities before landing in Puteoli. He stayed there when he found other Christian brothers who opened their homes to him. Finally arriving in Rome, other Christian brothers came to see him and support him.

Like Paul, I am thankful to meet other Christian brothers and sisters wherever God leads me. They encourage me and broaden my vision of God’s Kingdom on this earth.

Amen!

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

"If You're Smart, You'll Say What I Think You Should Say!" (Philippians 2:9-11)

When I was in high school, I was paired with an obnoxious classmate who delighted in belittling me. We had been paired once before, in the same class, when he was appointed the group leader. He relished the opportunity to be a dictator, barking out orders and assigning the most unpleasant tasks to me. His personality made me reticent to express my opinion, a trait that he eagerly pounced upon to his delight.

The teacher asked both of us if we were able to take orders from the other. He was concerned since the project may lead to sensitive and uncomfortable situations and he wanted reassurance that both of us were able to stomach the experience. My classmate glanced at me and smugly said, “If you’re smart, you’ll say what I think you should say.”

“Oh really?” I flashed him an annoyed scowl.  “I have no idea what I am supposed to say.”

He sighed and shook his head dismissively and trumpeted, “You should have said, ‘Yeah, I’m a masochist, I served under you!’ “

This self-deprecating remark was his half-hearted attempt at humor but it was too late for that. I declined the project and asked the professor to pair me with another classmate. Serving under him was simply not an option.

Through the years, I have worked with similar individuals who lead by being a dictator. They demanded my answers only met their expectations, instead of allowing me to express my opinion. They were more interested in hearing themselves talk, expecting that everyone else agree with their opinion, rather than having a productive discussion about reasonable options.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)

The irony is that as much as I dislike working with individuals who channel dictators, when Jesus Christ returns to rule this world in the Millennium, He will rule as an absolute dictator! He will rule with an iron rod. Every decision will be perfect. Everyone will be blessed! I can gladly and willingly submit to Him because He is God!

There will always be leaders who are motivated by ego or selfish desires. I can chose to not follow them. But I chose Jesus Christ to be my leader. I serve Jesus Christ now. And I am smart enough to know what I should say when Jesus speaks to my heart…

I want Jesus Christ to reign over me forever!

Amen!

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

Played Once A Day (Song of Solomon 2:6)

The Stradivarius violin, created by Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), is one of the most coveted and revered musical instruments in the world. Played by some of the top violinists, the violin has fetched auction prices of nearly 4 million dollars. But all of the musicians who have had the privilege to play it unanimously state it is priceless.

There are some Stradivarius violins that are only on display in museums. One such museum is located in Cremona, Italy. The curator is musician, Andrea Mosconi. His daily duty is to play each violin and instruments. He says that if the violins “aren't carefully looked after, including being played every day, the wood becomes stiff and unresponsive and the instruments will lose their rich sound.”

What a wonderful job!

Embedded within this story is a wonderful life lesson for all of us. Like the priceless violins, we, too, need to be played daily by our Master and Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, every moment of the day, we should be yielded to His loving embrace and allow Him to take control and comfort us.

His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!

Song of Solomon 2:6 (ESV)

God’s Hands are continually supporting our head and embracing us. If we don’t allow Him to support us, we, like the Stradivarius, will become stiff and unresponsive to His presence. We, too, will lose the richness of our praise and worship and disintegrate into whining and plaintive cries of complaints.

Allow God to lay His hands upon you every moment of the day. Let Him play you!

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

"He Likes It!" (1 John 3:1)

“He likes it! Hey Mikey!”

Anyone growing up in the 70’s remembers this tagline from a television commercial for Life cereal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLQ0LZSnJFE

The commercial was an instant hit and the phrase was attached to any situation when someone did not want to try something that was “supposed to be good for you.” The idea, of course, was that if something is healthy and good for you, it will not taste good nor will it be a good experience.

For many years, I viewed Christianity with a similar degree of disdain. To my narrow understanding, being a Christian was a litany of don'ts! Don’t do this or that! If you do this, you will be punished by God. It was all rules and no grace, no love. People told me that I would be a better person if I followed God’s instructions. It was supposed to be good for me. I wasn’t buying it. I was done with God before I ever started.

But God, in His mercy and grace, was not done with me. He changed my heart and once I confessed and repented from my sins, and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I saw God in an entirely different light. It isn’t about rules and admonitions. It isn’t about do’s and dont’s.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

1 John 3:1 (ESV)

It is about being in a relationship with God who created and sustains the universe. It is a willingness to do everything possible to please Him, not out of obligation but out of love. It is all about love. Jesus laid His life down for us, to bear the punishment that I rightfully deserved for my sins. He did it because He loves me!

I serve Jesus Christ because of what He did for me.

Guess what? I like it! Hey Mikey, I actually love it!

Praise God!

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

Ripples In A Pond ( Psalms 135:5-6)

If I toss a stone into a still pond, the ripples will immediately emanate from the point of entry. It is a simple task to follow the ripples until it dissipates. If I toss multiple stones, multiple ripples will emanate and soon cross, forming yet other ripples. Adding just a few stones, makes it increasingly difficult to trace the path of each ripple and intersecting ripples. Now suppose that each stone represented a person and each ripple represented their actions and effect upon another. Would you be able to follow 1 or 2 stones? Probably. But what about 20, 50 or 7.5 billion-the number of people in your immediate neighborhood, friends, and inhabiting the world? I certainly cannot, but God is able.

As I reflect upon this example, I am in awe over how God oversees everything in His Creation. Sometimes it is easy to see the immediate effects of our actions upon another. If we are cruel or kind to someone, the effects upon the recipient are usually obvious. But what about actions that may appear neutral in outcome and behavior? How do these actions impact others? And what if the actions and effects are not manifest for weeks or even years to follow?

For I know that the Lord is great,  and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth,  in the seas and all deeps.

Psalms 135:5-6 (ESV)

Like the stones forming ripples, the actions of everyone in this world are overseen and connected to God. If I cannot immediately see the results of my actions, it does not mean the connections are not there. It means my finite mind cannot begin to comprehend the intricate and complex connections that God is orchestrating.

If everyone’s actions create a ripple, it is incomprehensible to follow and trace the interactions for each of these ripples. Understanding God’s complete purpose is no different. It is only because of my arrogance and pride that I think I can understand how God works in everyone's lives and within His creation. In reality, God does whatever He pleases, in Heaven and earth, for His pleasure, to establish His Kingdom.

Instead of questioning how, we should be praising God. For God inhabits the praises of His people.

Amen!

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

You Are Invited to My Pity Party! (Galatians 6:3)

Did you receive your invitation to my pity party?

You couldn’t miss it! It was adorned with a plethora of complaints explaining why everyone else is wrong and I am right. When you arrive, you will be expected to acknowledge me first and agree that my viewpoint is correct and yours is wrong. You will be expected to sit with me and listen attentively as I recount all the reasons you should feel sorry for me.  And you may only speak to voice your support to me.

I always invite God to my pity parties. I am always thanking Him for not making me as selfish and narrow minded as everyone else I know. And God never says anything to me at my parties. Why should He? He knows I am right!

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Galatians 6:3 (ESV)

What? You are not coming? You are thanking God for your many blessings and praying that I will realize mine as well? How arrogant and inconsiderate you are, wrapping your answer in God’s Word! Too busy for me but not for God?

How about you? Will you come to my pity party? Why would you want to miss it?

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