Establishing Credibility (John 13:13-17)

Recently, I had a phone interview with a physician recruiter seeking to verify the credentials of one of my former dermatology residents seeking a position within the group for which she was hiring. The interview was cordial and polite, in spite of the fact that I was effusive in my praise of him. Somehow, she did not share my enthusiasm and I suspected the reason. Near the conclusion of the interview, she mentioned, “Thank you for your time. Being in Northern California, I don’t have many connections with physicians in Southern California so none of these names are familiar to me. I have to call three additional names on this list.”

Wishing to allay her concerns, I asked her the names. Not surprisingly, I knew the names of the other references. They were either former colleagues or professors of my former resident. I quickly assured her that these references knew the applicant very well. But I could still sense some hesitation on her part, because of her unfamiliarity with the names. Hoping to bridge a connection, I asked her, “I am familiar with the hospital where you are working. Many of my former pathology and dermatology residents work in your area. Perhaps you could name the pathologists in your hospital?”

“Sure. Let’s see, there is Dr. Mason, Dr. Lucas, and Dr. John Smith, he’s our dermatopathologist.”

I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. “John Smith? I know John very well! We are both from Hawaii. He trained at San Francisco and even covered my practice here in Southern California!”

“Oh my!” she exclaimed. “John is great! He loves to teach and he is an excellent diagnostician! We love him!”

“Very good! Tell John and his wife, Carol, that I said, hello! We met over 20 years ago but we still keep in touch.” We were connecting, but I wanted to address her deeper concerns. “I know you don’t know me but I encourage you to speak to John about me. He knows my personality, my teaching style, and can verify my credentials as a Professor. I want to reassure you that I have overseen every aspect of the dermatology training of your applicant. There are no red flags. You will be very happy if you hire him.”

The ice was broken and she expressed her relief. “Thank you, Dr. Shitabata, for taking the time to find a connection with me. We have only hired dermatologists from our immediate area so we usually know all of the references that they provide. Because you know John Smith so well, it really sets my mind at ease. Thank you!”

This physician recruiter was attempting to verify the credentials of my former resident who was applying to her dermatology practice. Instead, it became as much an interview for myself, establishing my credentials with her. It was only when we made a strong personal connection that her concerns were resolved.

My relationship with Jesus Christ is similar. When I have spoken to strangers about Jesus, I am sometimes received with polite indifference. But when I make a personal connection, the situation may sometimes dramatically change. This has happened when I have shared my background from Hawaii or a physician. Making a personal connection often establishes credibility with a stranger.

You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.s dramatically change.

John 13:13-17 (ESV)

No one made a personal connection with those He met, better than Jesus Christ. In one of the most poignant examples, He washed the feet of His disciples a few hours before He would be tortured and crucified. The Lord of the Universe, their Master who lived and led them for three years, stooped down and took on the role of a humble servant to wash the feet of His disciples. By the doing the most menial of tasks, Jesus established His credibility with His disciples and all believers who place their trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.

Establishing credibility. Jesus does this by making a personal connection with all who confess and repent of their sins and place their trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.

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

"I Can't Wait To Tell You!" (Luke 2:17)

I met my wife on a blind date, May 4th, 1996. We met on a Saturday morning for brunch at 11 AM. The conversation was lively and I was filled with butterflies during the entire meeting. Finally at 3:30 PM, a waiter interrupted us and told us we would have to leave because they needed to set up for dinner. We had been talking for 4 ½ hours but it could have been for 10 minutes.  I was in a completely different world, where time was meaningless and the surroundings a blur.

After parting with her, I was elated! I called my best friend eager to share what had just happened.

“I can’t wait to tell you about it!” I exclaimed.

Good news! Who doesn’t want to share it? I certainly did, with everyone and anyone who would listen!  And after I did, they all said the same thing to me, “We can’t wait to meet her!”

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.

Luke 2:17 (ESV)

The first evangelists to tell the Good News of Jesus Christ were the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. What an experience that must have been! Angels appearing and the Glory of God illuminating their path to Bethlehem to meet their Savior! And after they met Jesus Christ, they told others. The excitement was contagious and others wanted to meet Jesus!

When we are excited over someone we love, we want everyone to share the experience. My relationship with Jesus Christ is no different. I am in love with Him and I am absolutely assured that He is in love with me. What greater confidence can I have when the God of the universe loves me? Everyone I meet should know about my love!

I can’t wait to tell you about Jesus!

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

Our Other Children (Psalms 139:13-16)

My wife and I have been blessed with two beautiful children. But we actually have two other children. Prior to the birth of our first daughter, my wife had two miscarriages. Both children did not make it beyond 16 weeks. We do remind our two children that someday, in Heaven, we will all meet our other family members. What a wonderful reunion that will be! We will see how God has raised them! We will find out if we have sons, daughters, or both! And we will learn the names that God has given them!

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalms 139:13-16 (ESV)

All life begins with God. For reasons only He knows, our first two children were taken to be in Heaven. But we have His promise that we will see them again and learn how God named them and raised them! God takes care of all life and reminds us that every soul, from the moment of conception, is life.

Amen!

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

Master Certification and Beyond (James 1:12)

In the world of auto mechanics, there are various levels of certification. One national organization which certifies mechanics, and is considered one of the standards, is the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). A mechanic that has achieved ASE certification in all eight designated categories can be designated a Master Automotive Technician, a level that all mechanics strive to achieve. But there is an even higher level that very few attain, Advanced Engine Performance Specialist.

My nephew is a Master Automotive Technician, achieving it at the young age of 20 years. But he realizes that he has an opportunity to become the youngest ever, Advanced Engine Performance Specialist! He is excited and eagerly working toward that goal. He is smart, talented, and enthusiastic, and most importantly, disciplined.  I believe he will achieve this!

My nephew’s admirable goal reminds me of my spiritual goals. As a believer in Jesus Christ, my salvation is secure. But once saved, our faith should motivate us to seek an even deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. As John Calvin stated, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.”

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 (ESV)

My nephew will always have his certification of Master Automotive Technician, it will never be taken away. But now he seeks a higher prize. Our salvation in Jesus Christ is eternally secure; nothing will ever separate us from Jesus Christ and His saving grace. But we can also strive to achieve a crown of life. If we stand firm in our faith to Jesus Christ when we face fiery trials, God promises us a crown of life. It is the believer’s master certification and beyond!

Lord Jesus, help me to never become complacent in my faith.

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

"Remember This Moment" (Psalms 94:19)

It was a beautiful sunset on the beach in the Big Island of Hawaii. My wife and I shared a hammock as we watched the spectacular vision. A cool breeze gently rocked us. The sweetness of the ocean spray mixed with scent of jasmine.

“Remember this moment.”

I nodded and smiled. The previous weeks had been brutal. Work was bearing down and unusual circumstances were converging upon me, affecting my sleep and family harmony. This vacation was much needed but even during this time of rest, my soul was unsettled.

“This has been a difficult time for you. I want you to remember this moment. God is taking care of you and this family.”

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psalms 94:19 (ESV)

My wife’s kind words reminded me of God’s promises, promises that are sometimes easily forgotten or overlooked when I wallow in self-pity. During difficult times in my life, I can choose to blame others or circumstances for my plight, or look upward and outward to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The problem is my heart. I want to serve Jesus but my motives are darkened and soiled by my old nature, a nature that existed before I received salvation. And during times of trouble, I fall back and speak to my heart instead of speaking to God. I look to my heart and past failings instead of coming before God and remembering all His answered prayers and victories He has given me in my life.

Remember this moment.

During difficult times, remember the moments when God held you close in His loving arms.

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

How Does This Man Know? (John 7:15)

I have the privilege to work with many talented individuals, both as an employer and colleague. When I am working in the trenches and grinding through the day’s tasks, all that matters to me is the whether the person working with me or for me is devoted to the same goal. Their educational background does not matter. I only need to know whether they are team players, committed to working together with me to complete the task at hand.

I can state, unreservedly, that some of the most talented and industrious people I have worked with, never went to college, and if they are professionals, never attended the most prestigious colleges, medical, or graduate schools. I am not dismissing or denigrating a solid educational background or ignoring outstanding educational achievements from prestigious schools, but in a specialized and precise field such as medicine, one could easily wonder how this could be? What is their common link? The answer lies in their character and attitude. Regardless of their educational background, none of them ever rest upon their laurels or past accolades. They admirably perform their jobs and assimilate into the workplace as team players, rather than grandstand, exerting their will upon others. They are willing to assume responsibilities, even if it is not in their job description. They are willing to complete tasks that an outside observer may view as demeaning or beneath their level of training. Their character is what matters.

And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”’

John 7:15 (NKJV)

The educated Jews, the rabbis, the teachers, questioned the credentials of Jesus. How could someone who did not train in their seminaries could be so knowledgeable? How indeed!

Jesus answered His critics in the next verse.

Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

John 7:16 (NKJV)

Jesus may not have attended a formal seminary like His critics. What attracted others to Him? Why did He speak with authority? He knew God’s Word and teaching. He rebuked Satan, during His temptation in the wilderness, by quoting God’s Word. He silenced His critics by quoting God’s Word. All of His teachings were soundly based upon God’s Word, revealed by the Prophets and Patriarchs. He was directly taught by God, the Father! He didn’t tout His upbringing or His accolades. Wherever He journeyed, with whomever He met, it was always to obey His Father’s will. Jesus character is what drew so many to Him.

May we all seek to have the character of God by confessing and repenting of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

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

A Near Miss (James 4:14)

Nearly every day I drive, I have a near miss with another car. I cling to the importance of defensive driving, assuming that the other driver does not see me. The incidents may be a car barreling around a blind corner in a parking lot, a lane change into the same lane to which I am changing, or a distracted driver attempting to open her dashboard while driving. This latter incident happened two days ago. The driver was literally leaning all the way over onto the passenger’s side seat, fiddling with something in the dash board and not realizing that as she leaned over, she was turning her steering wheel to right. Her car crossed over into my lane, narrowly missing me. The entire episode unfolded in a matter of seconds and I would have been hit had I not honked my horn alerting her to what was happening.

Some people have dangerous jobs like law enforcement or military, when every moment of their lives could be their last. If I worked in such an occupation or was about to embark on a dangerous task, I would definitely be mindful of the imminent possibility of death. There is a 1 in 600 odds of getting killed in a car accident, far higher than the risk of an airline crash or getting struck by lightning. But because driving is an everyday routine activity, I have been lulled into a sense of complacency. These recent near misses have reminded me how, in a brief instant of time, my life could be ended while engaged in a very routine activity.

...whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

James 4:14 (ESV)

Am I prepared for death at any moment? Every morning, my prayers acknowledge that today could be my last day on this earth. I may die or Jesus will return to earth and rapture all believers into heaven. In either scenario,  I will be in the presence of Jesus Christ. Knowing this, I want to make every day, every moment, count for God.

The near misses have reminded me that my time on this earth is brief when compared to eternity. But every blessing, every crown I will receive in Heaven is dependent upon how I live my life on earth.

Lord Jesus, help me to keep my life on target for You. Don’t let me be a near miss.

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

Lost To Follow Up (Philippians 2:12)

An interesting paper was just published in a medical journal, examining the phenomenon of a familiar medical problem, “Lost to follow up.” The study was conducted at a major public teaching hospital and followed a cohort of urology patients who had been treated for prostate cancer. In this group of patients, over 50% were lost to follow up. Prior to this study, there was no good documentation of the actual number of patients who decided, for a wide variety of reasons, they did not need additional follow up care once they had surgery for their cancer. Unfortunately, even after prostate cancer is treated, regular follow-up visits are important. There is always the risk of a recurrence of the prostate cancer or worse, the development of cancers or diseases in other organs. For many of these patients, they assumed that once they were cured of their initial cancer, no further follow up was needed.

This study was a sobering reminder to me about my spiritual walk with God. I have often taken for granted the blessings of my salvation. Many years ago, I received my salvation, the “treatment” for my sins. I was enthusiastic for a while, then gradually drifted away.  I became lost to follow up, content to rest in my salvation, falsely thinking that nothing more needed to be done. Instead of acting out of gratitude for Jesus’ death on the Cross and Resurrection, I adopted a sense of entitlement and complacency.

...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling...

Philippians 2:12 (ESV)

When we confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are saved for eternity. We can never lose our salvation but we can lose the intimacy of our relationship with God. Working out our salvation means to continue to seek opportunities to deepen our relationship with God, through the Holy Spirit. We are being sanctified, set aside to become more Christ-like. Salvation is eternal. Sanctification begins the moment we are saved and continues until we are in the presence of Jesus Christ in Heaven. I am in awe, trembling over the miraculous work that God does in my life and the life of every believer.

I can easily become lost to follow up, content with a superficial relationship with God, if I think I am “cured”. God offers His unlimited riches, power, grace, and mercy. Why would I neglect the endless benefits of salvation and never continue seeking Him?

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, don’t become lost to follow up! Seek to spend as much time and follow up visits with the God of the Universe!

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

"I Am Beyond God's Grace!" (Colossians 2:13-14)

I was watching a movie where the main character was struggling with his past sins. Looking at his friend, he declared, “I am beyond God’s grace.”

The comment resonated with me because I have felt this despair. I have committed many sins. I have suffered the repercussions and bear the shameful scars. There have been times that I thought that what I have done is beyond God’s grace to forgive.

Thanks be to God that He has forgiven me of my sins. And when He saved me, He saved me with the knowledge of all my sins, past, present, and future. I can scarcely comprehend how He can do this, much less, why? If someone had hurt me and I had forgiven him, would I continue to forgive him if I knew that He would do a similar or worse hurt to me in the near future? No, I don’t think I could. But God can and He does.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Colossians 2:13-14 (ESV)

Jesus Christ forgave all my sins by taking the punishment of these sins upon His own Body, broken and nailed upon the Cross. He bore it all and God raised Him from the dead as proof that my record of debt has been canceled. I am ashamed of my past sins and I hate that I continue to sin. But I cling to the promise that God has given me and know that for anyone who confesses and repents of their sins and places their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they will receive eternal salvation.

And once they do, no sin they have ever committed will place them beyond God’s grace.

I believe that and trust God’s Word.

Do you?

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

But God Knows Everything! (Proverbs 16:2)

If God knows everything, why do I have to pray? Why do I have to confess my sins?

Why? Why? Why me?

Yes, it is all about me, isn’t it?

God does know everything. He knows my every secret thought and hidden action I do when I am alone, when I think no one can observe me. He knows the selfish motives behind my most seemingly appearing noble actions. He knows the darkness of my heart when I am attempting to shed a pious light into a conflict.

So, if He does know, why do I have to do anything?

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.

Proverbs 16:2 (ESV)

God knows everything. He knows the sinful motives of my heart. And by His grace and mercy, He is patient with me to learn the truth for myself. I convince myself that my actions are in God’s will. I justify my behavior by seeking the approval of men rather than God. But unless I hold everything, my thoughts, my actions, my life-up to the light of God’s Word, it is rubbish, worthy to be burned and discarded.

God wants me to take my every thought to Him in prayer. Only by doing so, will God show me the true motives of my desires. Do I seek to serve Him or am I substituting another idol in my heart?

God knows everything.

And in spite of this, He still loves me as His child because I have confessed and repented of my sins and placed my trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior.

What a loving and merciful God we serve!

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

My Mission Field (2 Timothy 1:5)

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 has resonated in my ears since I first read it. In halting steps, I have answered this command of my Lord, Jesus Christ. But more often than not, I hesitate, stumble, or simply bypass opportunities to share my faith. It is an area that I struggle and I continue to seek God’s strength and guidance. And amidst these struggles, I often ignore the most important mission field that God has placed me in...my family.

Perhaps this is where each member of a family should also seek God’s grace and mercy. In addition to living a life as an ambassador of Jesus Christ, witnessing to my co-workers, strangers I meet, and participating in missionary outings, I need to witness to my own family members.

I need to serve them, in the same manner I would serve a stranger who is hungry and thirsty. And this setting, this mission field, is probably the most challenging. My family has seen me at my best, and my worst. They can easily remember the times I have failed them or have not lived up to my role as father or husband in the manner that God commands.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

2 Timothy 1: 5 (ESV)

I need to be encouraged by the example of Timothy’s family. Timothy was a third generation Christian believer and the Apostle Paul commended the examples of his grandmother and mother in passing on a tradition of sincere faith to him. It is a sobering reminder to me that I need to persist in seeking God’s guidance and strength, to let my behavior and faith be a reminder of Jesus Christ within me, and not a sinful and fallen father and husband. In turn, each family member should also treat their family as their mission field and seek to extend grace to one another when failure occurs.

The mission field begins in the family.

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

Ponape Journal (Deuteronomy 31:8)

For two months in my senior year of medical school, I did a family practice rotation on the island of Ponape, in the Federated States of Micronesia. It was a unique and enriching experience, personally, professionally, and spiritually. I awoke at 6AM every morning and, after a quick breakfast, read the Bible, prayed, and wrote in my prayer journal until 8AM. It was an important time in my spiritual life and a period when God challenged me to deepen my faith to discern the direction He had for my life. I would pray to God to answer deep spiritual concerns, to help me understand difficult Bible passages, and to give me direction with my nascent spiritual life. God answered my prayers-definitively and comprehensively! In fact, much of my spiritual foundations were developed during  those months in Ponape.

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

The blogs that I now write are a continuation of that prayer journal in Ponape. Whether in Ponape, Hawaii, Los Angeles, or anywhere in the world that I have traveled, God always goes before me and has given me opportunities to seek Him and have my prayers answered. He continues to allow me to write about how He is showing me His truth in everything I see or do.

I am constantly in awe over how God works in my life. He never ceases to show me His glory!

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

The Fox Fairy (Proverbs 7:14-15)

I took a fascinating class when I was in college, “Chinese Literature In Translation.” It examined various motifs in Chinese literature, identifying classic archetypes depicting recurrent characters and themes. One archetype that always stood out to me was the Fox Fairy. This mischievous spirit, in the form of a fox, could assume a human female form to seduce unsuspecting men.

The Bible introduces us to a similar archetype-the adulteress. She is mentioned several times in the Book of Proverbs, perhaps nowhere as graphically as in Proverbs 7. Solomon writes of a naive man who ventures where he should know better not to go. He is willing to invite temptation and the woman, the adulteress, is more than eager to oblige. Of the many descriptions and actions used to describe her, one of the more disturbing is contained in the following verse:

I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; so now I have come out to meet you,  to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

Proverbs 7:14-15 (ESV)

Under the pretext and guise of holiness, the adulteress lures the young man into an illicit relationship. Sadly, her brazenness and audacity to manipulate religion is nothing new. So much sin and evil have been perpetrated in the name of God. Fox fairy...adulteress. The names may change but the behavior is the same. Sin is sin; it has not changed since the Garden of Eden.

We need to cling and meditate upon God’s Word and promises to keep us safe from anyone who would justify their sins in the name of God. We need to seek the Holy Spirit’s protection and guidance to give us the sensitivity to know when we are being lured into a dangerous situation. And we need to keep our hearts free from idols.

Amen!

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

"We're On A First Name Basis Here!' (Romans 8:14-16)

When I began my dermatopathology fellowship, we had a meeting of the entire department. The chief of pathology welcomed us and, after introducing the other faculty, smiled and said, “We’re on a first name basis here! In fact, if I call you by your last name, you’ll know I am upset with you!” This policy carried over to all levels of the department. Even the secretaries were instructed to address all physicians by their first name.

This was quite a different culture for me compared to my medical school and residency. A strict hierarchy was observed during my earlier years of training. All resident physicians, regardless of their level of training, were addressed as Doctor. And all professors were addressed as doctors by residents and fellows.

While I was gradually able to address faculty who were closer in years to myself by their first names, I was definitely uncomfortable addressing older faculty in the same manner. In fact, one senior professor had written the pathology textbooks that I used as a medical student and resident! Never would I refer to him by his first name! I simply had too much respect for him, his stature, and his accomplishments.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Romans 8:14-16 (ESV)

Like some of my pathology professors, I would never presume to speak to God with a familiarity of a colleague or friend, but this is exactly what God offers to me. To address God as Father, because He has adopted me, is a privilege beyond comprehension. And addressing Him as Abba is such an intimate term, one that Jewish children would use to address their own fathers, that I would never have considered it. And yet, this what God offers. The God of the Universe wants to have an intimate relationship with me! He wants me to call out to Him as Abba...Daddy!

He offers this privilege to everyone who confesses and repents of their sins and places their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God places me on a first name basis with Him through faith in Jesus Christ!

Abba! Father!

Praise God for His grace and mercy to me!

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

Same Notes (Matthew 7:9-11)

The first time I played an electric guitar, it was a life changing experience! For two years, prior to that moment, I had only played a classical guitar. The strings on a classical guitar are nylon and soft whereas the strings of an electric guitar are metal and very hard. Not only did I have to alter the way I pressed down upon the strings, the same notes and chords sounded different. It encouraged me to play in a different manner and expanded the way I played the instrument. I began to pick the guitar differently and I was encouraged to learn new styles of music as I explored the possibilities of my new instrument. It was the same notes and chords but from a new perspective!

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:9-11 (ESV)

I love God and know that He is my Heavenly Father. But when I became a father, these same familiar words of the Bible, took on a new perspective. As I raise my son and daughter, not only do I appreciate the new biological relationships,  I understood and viscerally desire to want the best for my children. And I as experience this, my understanding of God’s grace and mercy for me is enlarged as I see my perspective toward Him change. God’s love is even more personal and intimate to me. Like my children who are dependent upon me, I became more dependent upon God.

Abba! Father!

Same words...new perspective.

God’s Word is living and active and continues to transform my soul!

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

"We Finally Meet!" (1 Corinthians 13:12)

I have a professional colleague with whom I have spoken on the phone for years, discussing our mutual patients. We developed a close relationship,transcending our professional association, often conversing through emails and text messages. However, we have never met, until now.

The other day, I was attending a medical educational meeting. As I was being introduced to the people in the room, someone mentioned to me, “Have you met Dr. Smith?”

Turning to face him, we met for the first time. “Paul! So good to finally meet you!” he exclaimed.

I embraced him and laughed, “It is great to finally meet you, too! We’ve known each other for years and now we finally meet!”

It was wonderful to finally meet my colleague! We knew each other very well, all that was missing was seeing each other face to face. And as we reacquainted ourselves, our relationship became deeper and richer with the physical contact, taking on a new dimension that I relished.

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)

My recent encounter with my colleague reminded me of the glorious day when I will meet my Savior, Jesus Christ, face to face. When I confessed and repented of my sins and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, God’s Holy Spirit indwelled within me. He changed my view of Him, myself, and the world. It is a continual process, a metamorphosis. I know much of Jesus through the Bible, through fellowship with the Church, and through my own life experiences and relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit. But as the Apostle Paul reminds us in this passage, it is a partial knowledge. Someday, I will see Him face to face. And when I do, when I behold my Lord face to face, it will be more glorious than I could ever imagine! Like my colleague, it will be deeper and richer. And it will be for eternity!

I can’t wait for that glorious day!

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

Racing To Clean The House (Mark 10:45)

My parents divorced when I was 13 years old and during my high school years, I lived with my father. He was adamant that if I were to live with him, I would learn to cook, clean the house, and do the laundry. At first, it was just another chore. But as the weeks passed and I saw how hard my father was working as a single dad to support me, I wanted to ease the responsibilities and pressures he was enduring. We usually cleaned the house together on Thursday afternoons.  One Wednesday afternoon, I came home early from school and thought it would be nice to clean the house alone and give him a break. When my father came home that night, he was very appreciative and I was beaming over the opportunity to help him. For the next few months, I made sure I came home early on Wednesday afternoons to clean the house alone. Then one week, something odd occurred. I came home at my usual time on a Tuesday afternoon and found the house cleaned. I went upstairs and saw my dad finishing the cleaning. Seeing me, he smiled and said, “Ahh, you caught me!”

I was confused. “What’s going on, Dad?”

“You’ve been coming home early these past few months to clean the house alone and help me out, so I thought I would surprise you and come home one day before you did and clean!”

That did it! The next week, I came home early on a Monday afternoon and cleaned the house before he arrived home. A few weeks later, my dad returned the favor and cleaned the house on a Sunday afternoon, when I was out playing with my friends.

We were both racing to out serve one another!

Finally, he put a stop to this. “This is silly! We’re both trying to clean the house and be nice to each other. Let’s just decide on one day and clean the house together again.”

We both agreed, but I never forgot the kindness and sacrifices my father made for me as I was growing up with him.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45 (ESV)

My experience with my father prepared me for my life as a believer in Jesus Christ. Just as I was racing to clean the house to serve my father out of gratitude for what he did for me, my goal as a Christian should be to outdo others and serve them with gratitude for what Jesus did for me. Jesus died on the Cross, bearing the punishment for my sins. I will never forget this. Jesus served others first. I should do the same.

Amen!

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

Cooking or Baking? (Romans 16:1-4)

I love to cook and my wife loves to bake. This is a very good combination and serves us well since we both love to eat and entertain at our home. I have observed that for those who like to cook, they do not usually like to bake, and visa versa. It does not mean my wife is not a good cook, she definitely is! But she prefers baking. Likewise, I do not like to bake but welcome any opportunity to cook.

One explanation may be found with our personalities. I am a global thinker and like to tweak things along the way to arrive at the final product. Thus, I am often liberal with my ingredient measurements, usually seasoning to taste as I am cooking. While this works well with cooking, it is an absolute disaster with baking. Just being off a few teaspoons of a critical ingredient can result in a failed dish. My wife is extremely precise. She follows the recipe to the letter and her finished baked products reflect this perfection. By focusing upon what we do best, together, we produce a wonderful meal that we are eager to share with our family and friends and to serve our Lord.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.

Romans 16:1-4 (ESV)

Our different approaches remind me of the way the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers in the Church of Jesus Christ. In his last chapter in his letter of the Romans, the Apostle Paul thanked numerous believers for their contributions to his ministry and the Church. Phoebe was financially blessed and supported Paul and others in the ministry. Prisca and Aquila risked their lives for Paul’s and worked alongside him as fellow tentmakers (Acts 18:3). In all, Paul acknowledges and praises thirty-five others and references even more. Rich or poor, slave or nobility, Jews, Greeks, men and women...God used all of their gifts to build His Church. He continues to do the same today!

If you have been saved by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells within you and has given you a special gift or gifts to use for God’s Kingdom. God takes our personality and talents and molds them for His use. Like cooking and baking together, the gifts of the Holy Spirit work to build and establish God’s Church.

And our work for the Church will last for eternity!

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

"A Fu...nny Guy! (1 Corinthians 15:33 )

As a young boy, I had a foul mouth. I hung out with other kids my age who were equally loose with profanity. Of course, I only swore when I was around my friends but this bad habit began to creep into my everyday speech. One day, I was speaking to my mother about another boy who was very crude in his behavior. After a few minutes of discussion, I let my guard down.

“Yeah Mom..he’s such a fu….nny guy!”

Oops.

My mother was wise to what just happened. Narrowing her stare, she said, “I know you are hanging out with lots of boys who swear a lot. I hope you’re not doing that!”

I shifted my glance and lied, “No Mom. That’s the other guys, you know them! That’s not me.”

She nodded. “Yes.....” I didn’t think she believed me. “Well, maybe, hanging around with them is rubbing off on you. Maybe you’re not saying it but if you are around them all the time, it makes it easier to talk like them.”

“Umm, you’re right Mom!” She knew. “Yeah, I have to be more careful. Don’t want to be like them!”

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV)

I lied to my mother. I was the bad company and the instigator and perpetrator of much of the foul language. My friends were probably being more corrupted by my behavior than the reverse. The Apostle Paul wrote this verse to admonish the Corinthian believers, to remind them to remain steadfast and holy with their faith in Jesus Christ. But He could have had me in His mind as I ruined the the morals of my childhood friends with my foul language.

How many times in my life have I read the Bible and thought, “Oh thank God, that’s not me!” And yet, when I am honest with myself, I realize that I am often at the center of the worst sins the Bible displays. Yes, it is true that bad company ruins good morals. I just need to be aware that I may be the source of the bad company that others need to avoid.

There are many painful lessons that God has taught me. I thank God that by His grace and mercy through believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior, He is changing my heart and bringing me into a greater sensitivity of what it means to be a child of God.

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

"You Learn To Love Each Other!" (John 3:16)

Many years ago, I worked with a colleague who grew up in India. As we got to know each other, we each shared our respective stories about how we met our spouses. My colleague had an arranged marriage. The vetting process was performed by their parents and extended families. On paper, the two had much in common and had exchanged photos and spoken on the phone. After several months, all that was needed to do was a face to face meeting.

“But what about love?” I asked. “What if you didn’t love him?”

She smiled and replied, “You learn to love each other! Western society puts too much emphasis on this love at first sight, all emotions, all physical attraction. Our way allows us to get to know each other and then fall in love.”

I nodded. She made an excellent point.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

When I first accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, it was only after many months of getting to know Him. I spent hours reading and studying the Bible. I spent numerous evenings in discussion with a dear brother in the Lord who guided me through my first hesitating steps. Slowly, I learned to love Jesus, and one glorious evening, I called out to Him and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior.

But there is an important difference between my colleague and her future husband. I learned to love Jesus but Jesus already loved me! My sins kept me from seeing the Truth. I am forever thankful for God’s mercy and grace to bring me into salvation and a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. I love Him because He first loved me!

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