ADOPT... not adapt

When it comes to spiritual and eternal truths - we need to ADOPT and not adapt them. But do we? Do we attempt to 'hedge our bets' by trying to adapt these truths rather than adopting them. Can we ever adapt truth? Absolutely not! Truth is truth and universally applied not changed, or weakened, or applied randomly.

I would argue that this has become the Trojan horse for the church. Somehow it bought into the mindset of relativity and becoming pleasing to the world. In this we have abandoned what scripture says and reworked it to the world's values by using the mindset of 'politically correct'. It has misused Paul's words of being all things ... so that by some means all are touched. (1Corinthians 9: 19-23)

The world turned around and called the church hypocritical. A just judgment? Or is this more of an attempt to not offend, to not be controversial, to be 'acceptable' to all? Regardless, it is difficult to understand what the 'church' stands for. I would also argue that this underscores why people stop attending church and why young people often repudiate the church. I remember, when I was a youth, asking the minister of the church I was attending what it was that the church believed. His response, after a long pause, was that for the most part, people could believe whatever they wanted as long as they believed who Jesus was and in God. My thought was that this was no standard, no foundation on which to build.

We are called Christians, therefore we should model what Christ was and is. He knew precisely who He was and what He stood for. None of that was the easy path nor unequivocal. Christians had a different message and it was a strong one. What has happened? My belief is that the church adapted and did not stand on a standard. Yes, everyone is welcomed. But also Yes, there is a standard that has to be adopted, that is the same for all. Is it? Do we all follow the manual given us - Bible? You can't accept part and ignore or deny another part.

   "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
    book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues
    that are written in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words
    of this book of the prophecy, God shall take his part from the Book of
    Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
    book." (Revelation 22:18)

This should be sufficient warning that we have a strong foundation on which we stand and we don't need to water down the message. We can give people a reason. 

A work in progress

I am. Thankfully. It is my goal, my purpose to continue on my journey to become the best me I can be. But it never happens overnight - no 'magic wand'. However, it won't happen apart from a commitment to the mindset that we are always in a position to grow, to learn, to practice what we know. We can always start right where we are and begin to build on this. But apart from application, knowledge is merely intellectual exercise. 

We have been created to be so much more. Our journey will have mountain top highs, desert times, questions, seeking, wondering, and this only scratches the surface. Fortunately we have the Holy Spirit with us to impart His wisdom and all He is - teacher, friend, standby, intercessor, etc. And we have a manual - The Bible. Along our path will be other Christians who will be able to share their learning, their support and help us to continue our quest to be our best.

Early in my Christian walk I heard this phrase, a work in progress, used to describe our journey. To me it resonated and assured me that it would take time, energy, effort, commitment, and other character producing qualities to be in evidence in this journey. I've been right. This does happen along with stubbed toes, tears, doubts, and sleepless nights. But also insight, discernment, excitement, joy, confidence. It has been a continual, albeit sometimes bumpy, path.

Life is full of obstacles but it is also full of challenges and accomplishments. It is rich and fulfilling. It is relationship. It is renewal. It is rewarding. What more could one want from life. Remember - it's what you put into your life that produces a harvest. The harvest is always according to the seed so... look to your seed. Water it. Cultivate it. Pull out the weeds. And as you tend your seed, know that your harvest will be worth your effort.

I choose

happiness... joy...'a good day'...irritation....revenge... Bottom line - I choose! Your day, Your life is a reflection of Your Attitude. When you wake in the morning, what's your first thought? What brings a spring to your step and a smile to your face? Or do you groggily get up and figure - same story, different day? Why repeat yesterday? You have already experienced that - can't you aim higher and expect or create your day in a new way?

New doesn't always need to be dramatic, though it can be at times. It doesn't need to have excitement constantly to be a good day... or does it for you? So, if your choice is excitement - do you pursue it? Recognize it when it is with you? Prepare for it? Engage in it? What IS your choice in the day? I believe that our day is truly all we make of it. It can be full of learning and growing, of discovery and maybe even adventure, of anything that you want or need. It all starts with you - your attitude.

I've written a number of times about 'attitude' because it does underscore how we approach and act in our day. Actually attitude goes further than just what we see... among other information, it tells us what it is, how important it is - the priority, and our why. Our attitude goes further in determining our emotion than anything else. And yet, I would suggest that we don't check our attitude to determine its 'rightness'... we just blindly follow, typically subconsciously. 

Back to the focus - what, in your day, will you choose? You don't just let the day dictate to you, do you? You do engage your day and attempt to find all the positives you can? Do you find the positives even in the hard or difficult times? I firmly believe that it's these times and our attitude that can bring us into a place far better than just enduring what is. Choose the best for yourself. If you don't attain 'best' at first, don't stop. Keep looking for what you can see and determine what it is you will choose. 

If you follow Jesus, you will discover that your choices will lead you to your best you. He constantly is with us and wants our very best. Why should we choose less for ourselves? Who we are becoming is always our choice. We are not in the hands of 'fate'. 

NO Time

Do you ever feel like screaming out loud - "I have no time!!!" What you are referencing really means is that there is no time for yourself or the activities that are important, bring meaning and purpose to your life - now. So what do you do? Bite the bullet and simply soldier on? Whine? After the temper tantrum is over, what options do you really have? And what are you willing and able to do to develop a space for you?

Bottom line really is that whatever is truly important for us, we somehow make time for. How? Any way we can. But there also seems to be a huge list of those 'activities' that are important but we really seem to have no time for and we reallllly don't know how to change this. Using a different context for a moment... the same 'cry' can be made for not having sufficient funds. Look at your 'check book' and see how you do spend your money, because that IS what is important to you. Need more funds? What can or will you do to secure them? AND, what cost is there to you to do this? 

Whether it be time or money or (fill in the blank) - we all do what we want with what we have. Is there another way? Of course. But it depends on the priority you place on... Do you really want/need (fill in the blank) or do you only want to whine about your lack? And when you look at your time or your money or your fill in the blank - how are you actually managing them? If you want a different result, what will YOU do to create this? OR... if it is truly out of your control, will you choose to stop wistfully looking at/for or loudly complaining? 

Sometimes it really is an issue of accepting what is the current reality. There is little opportunity for change apart from acknowledging 'what is', first. If you have no time - what, from what currently is occurring, can you change so that you do have some time for...? I suspect that we all complain first and analyze 54th (analyzing very rarely is in the top 10). The other consideration is that IF we did have the time... would we use it the way we want? 

I am so sorry...

Sometimes those are hard words to say. This isn't the glib, unthinking phrase that trips off the tongue, but the heartfelt statement based on the realization of what the ramifications were/are created for/on others from your words or actions. Never forget that your words are powerful and have even greater impact than you may imagine. Granted that I tend to believe that our actions do speak the loudest, but we can never underestimate the affect of our words.

In those cases where you really do need to apologize, sometimes just saying the words - I'm sorry - seem to stick in our throats. Why? Because we do see that our words did hurt or injure another? Did we say them intentionally? Doesn't matter, unthinking words have the same affect as those deliberately said. Now we need to look at our motives. Why did we say (fill in the blank)? Did we want to hurt the other person? Do we delude ourselves into excusing the effect because that wasn't really want we intended? 

Remember when you were the 'target' of those kinds of words. Justified or not, how did you feel? If the 'accusation' was accurate, were you able to move beyond your feelings to address whatever needed to be examined? How did you feel toward the other person who said (fill in the blank)? Did they intend to help or hurt you? Regardless of what you believe was their motive, how did you respond to them?

If our message is what we want to be heard, then we really need to know 'how' what we say is heard. Right or wrong, if the other person took offense, will they hear? If there is a need to say, 'I'm sorry...' will you say it? Will you take the time to help the other person to focus on the message rather than their feelings? And... if you are wrong, you didn't have the understanding, the other person didn't... Now what?

'I am so sorry...' has a place in our behavior when it is what we truly need and will do. It may not be whatever reason is assumed, and you were not understood... what will you do? How important to your decision is you? And, what about the other person? What about the message? Finally - are you really sorry???

Can't

Now that I give it more thought... can't, can have a seat at the table. But its role has to be specifically defined. You can't unsay, you can't undo, you can't unknow, and you can't use these can'ts to cripple yourself - they aren't an excuse. Just like knowing what is the problem is not sufficient, you must do and/or say what does need to be accomplished to correct, amend, change.

So often 'can't' is only an attempt to not do something you don't want to do. It really is OK to say 'no' rather than simply saying, 'I can't.' This type of can't is more of a 'won't'. In many respects can't has gotten a bad rep simply because it is misused. The irony is that most people hearing can't from you realize that it basically is a situation that you don't want to, not that you can't. 

Where or in what situations does 'can't' have a viable place? Can't can exist when it isn't an excuse... when it is based in concrete, thought out reasonings... when it is truly beyond the resources, giftings, talents of the person... when it is a situation that even angels wouldn't enter. Can't is proper in it's use.  

I do realize that all of this discussion appears to be a tongue-in-cheek and of little to no significance. Au contrare (or however you spell it). Tongue-in-cheek - true. But if can't is part of your conversation then you really do need to rethink why you use the word and how 'truthful' it is. Are you really in a can't situation or not? If not, then simply say you don't want to. Can't means you are unable and probably never will be able - that it is beyond who you are. Is it....

The Battle

Many will say that the mind is the battleground. No argument, but the battle really IS considerably more. The battle is for all of us: our souls - our minds, our wills, our emotions! And the battle occurs simultaneously in all three. It may start in one but it will always progress to include all 3. I think that this is why when John (1John 1:2) prayed for our health he phrased it ... just as your soul prospers. So from this we can see that our soul can prosper and can become the foundation for success in other important issues in our lives.

So what do we do? There is more than one scriptural reference that we are to renew our minds, to put off the old man (Ephesians 4:22-24) - because that's where we are the weakest. Again, this is something that WE do, it won't be done for us. Actually, in the last analysis this is the best way to think about and for ourselves. When all we do is think about us - what we don't have, what we want, etc. - we have the wrong focus. A critical component in renewal is what we think, why else would Paul tell us to think on these things: whatsoever is true, honest, pure, etc. (Philippians 4:8)?

Part of the battle for renewal is that we have to pull out those sins we know continue to control and mislead us. 1John 2:16
  
   "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the 
    eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world." 

I believe that everything that is not good for us can be found in one of these 3 thinkings. Our pride, arrogance, insolence, wants can mislead us. We need to pull out by the roots those misleading sins. And we can!

   "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God
    for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every
    high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing
    every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..."
    (iCorinthians 10:4-6)  

 However, it is never sufficient to only pull our - we must replace. Remember the scripture that tells us to put off the old man... and to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:22-24). When we have put off we are given the opportunity to put on - Galatians 5:22

   "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
    goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against which there is no law."

Replacement is absolutely critical. If we don't replace then we leave ourselves open to have those sins attempt to return and once again control. Never forget what happened when this didn't occur - Luke 11:25. Replacement is never an afterthought, it has to be intentional. The unmitigated joy is that we are provided with the methods to continue on our journey confidently and successfully.
  

Soul

Ever think about your soul? Ever wonder why scripture talks about your soul as often as it does? Or do you couple spirit and soul together into one? They aren't the same, you know. When you read 'spirit' in scripture - it isn't talking about your soul... and vice versa. So what is 'soul'? Your mind, will, and emotions. Remember 3John 1:2?

   "Beloved, I pray that all may go well wit you and that you may be in
    good health, as it goes well with your soul." (ESV)

I think the point is that our soul is what's under attack. Scripture spends considerable time telling us to renew our minds. Does this mean that the mind is the most important? Or is it our greatest weakness? Perhaps, it is our emotions that tend to dictate to our mind and will. Whatever we allow to control is visibly demonstrated in our actions and words.    

Obviously, our soul is incredibly important but I wonder if we give sufficient thought to protecting, growing the various components? Take a look at 'will' for a moment. Are you the willful type? willing? What is the condition of your will? When you look at children, you see willfulness in abundance. Our will has to be grown into a positive and not negative force. The word 'restraint' typically is used. The will is like the foundation to a building - very important to the whole building.

Emotions - another strong component. Some people seem to be governed by only emotions, 'logic' has no place. It is also the excuse by those who adopt this as their foundation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with emotions, our feelings can give us the esoteric understandings that always accompany will and mind. The only problem is when we use this as our main MO, the way we typically react to the world. Emotions, like will, have to be 'tamed'. They have a place it just can't be the main method.

Mind. Scripture's (ESV) definitions/applications:

   Romans 8:6-8 "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set
    the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set
    on the flesh is hostile to God... Those who are in the flesh cannot
    please God." 

   Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
    by the renewal of your mind..."

   Luke 10:27 "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
    and with all your soul and will all your strength and with all your
    mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

   Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which surpasses all 
    understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Those are only a few of the scriptures related to the importance of our mind. Nowhere in scripture does it tell us to leave our minds at the church door as we enter or not to continue studying the scriptures about renewing our mind. It does tell us that renewal is OUR responsibility. We are to renew so that we are led by this. Romans tells us why:
   
   "by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and 
    acceptable and perfect." (v.2)

Soul: will, emotions, mind. These are all critical to who we are, how we express ourselves, and who we become. They are all within OUR control. This is what we do - we grow them. It is always our free will to become our best.

Candy store window...

Have you ever felt like a kid peering through the window of the candy store looking at all the things available... but not for you? Sadly, there's absolutely no way that you can conceive of that would allow you entrance. What do you do? Sadly walk away? Pout? Bang your head against the door? Try to sneak in? Those are only some of the ways we try to respond to these types of situations. But... if you feel this way in terms of your life and relationship with the Lord, I have terrific news. You DO have entrance.

3 scriptures need to be considered when seeking entrance into relationship with the Lord.

   "...For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what
    communion has light with darkness?" (2Corinthians 6:13)

   "For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that
    we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2Corinthians 5:21)

   "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to
    cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 4:9)

The first scripture really reinforces our belief in the distance between God and His creation. Obviously, there is no way we can attain righteousness from our own efforts. But when we read 2Corinthians 5 we see that God in His infinite mercy provided a way into righteousness - He made us the righteousness in Jesus! Thus we have a (His) way into relationship! Realizing that we do mess up, sin, do or say things that we wish we hadn't (Paul's lament in Romans 7:15) the Lord provided a way back into relationship, to be cleansed from our sins and return to righteousness. Now we have a foundation for relationship. 

To me, the most incredible realization is that we have never been meant to stand outside but to enter into relationship with the Lord. And, that He really does understand us and our weaknesses, our dreams and hopes, our wants and needs - He truly is our High Priest (Hebrew 4:15). The Father has prepared beforehand everything we need to live a life that is full of fruitfulness and fulfillment - an abundant life. We can enter into this... it's not necessary to look through the window from the outside.

Joy

As you enter my apartment I have a plaque that reads - 'find joy in the journey'. That phrase brings to my mind a number of thoughts: we talk a great deal about happiness but not so much about joy, we are the subject of the phrase though not spoken - it is our opportunity/responsibility/'duty' to discover the joy, and life is a journey.

Joy should be the focus in all 3 - (we) finding, seeking joy, life as a journey. Do we even know what joy is? One of Webster's definitions says, :"...the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires." Fairly shallow and limiting. Another definitions: "... to experience great pleasure or delight." Another one reads: "...something that gives pleasure or happiness." Does anyone else see what I'm seeing?

These definitions are all 'feeling' based and external. There's absolutely nothing wrong with feeling, but when we speak of 'joy' it should be something internal, something of eternal significance as well. The more I read and study the more I think that 'joy' is an eternal concept and so we should look to scripture to find definitions. I found:

   "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the
     morning." Psalms 30:5

Actually the Psalms are full of examples of joy and what joy brings such as Psalm 16:11, 28:7 and 34:8.But it is Psalm 119 that tells us: "...joyful are people of integrity who follow the instructions of the Lord." 

Couple these examples in Psalms and in other places in the Old Testament with Galatians 5:22 in which Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit. This is incredibly more profound than the superficiality of self only. Joy is a force that strengthens us as we go about growing in the things of the Lord and living in this world. We can go far beyond mere happiness and bask in the glow of joy. We can become a hand extended to others that the joy of the Lord IS our strength  (Nehemiah 8:10).