Hitting the Right Note

June 7th, 2007

Hitting the Right Note

Please know that my family’s thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to let us know.

I appreciate you trying to work through it bro. I will be praying for you.

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother. I know you will endure and come out of this a stronger man. God loves you.

Hello Jonathon. I am so sorry about the loss of your grandmother. I was very close to my great grandmother who passed in 1997. I remember how devastated and angry I was, too. I pray God will give you the peace He gave me in my grief. I hope to talk with you soon.

Johnny, I always appreciate how you express your true feelings, you remind me of David. David wrestles with God and always came out with God (Psalm 13).

I'm really sorry about your grandmother. I pray for God to give you comfort and strength. I'll be praying for you and your family.

Thanks for sharing your heart about your grandmother's death. It is never easy to lose a loved one. When our daughter died, it was on a Sunday morning, early. We went to church and the minister began the service stating that all of us, despite our grief, would worship God, because that was what Christians do. He quoted from Job: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..." KJV That little phrase from Job set my heart up to decide to trust God no matter what. God is on your side Johnny. And God loves your Grandma more than you do! (Hard to believe isn't it?!) You can trust your grandma's soul with God! He loves her...He will do what is just and right.

For me, when someone I love dies, I realized that the most difficult thing is that they will not be here physically to share with me in the major events of life. For example, I really missed my dad this weekend. I dearly wish he could have attended my son’s and daughter-in-law’s wedding...it is making me cry now. A friend suggested to me (nine years ago when dad died) that I could go to God in prayer and ask God to allow my dad to experience things like the wedding and know our joy. It is not the same as him being there but it gives me comfort to think that he is aware of wedding.

Our loved ones will die some day and leave us behind in our grief and loneliness. What comforts me is that God will never leave me or die! I will always have my relationship with God and the hope of eternal life and the joy of seeing loved ones in eternity!

God did not cause your grandma's death, sin and Satan are at the root of death, but Christians have the hope of eternal life with God. Please take comfort in these thoughts and know that God loves you and He loves your Grandma very, very much.

I pray that your grandma's death will bring you closer to God. I know that is what God wants and that is what your grandma, who has now seen God face to face, would want for you!

It is a spiritual journey, you will feel many conflicting emotions, you will grow a ton in your faith! You will become more like Jesus because of your suffering and learning to make sense of death...

I love you and will be praying for you and your family.

Normally I don’t post responses in a quiet time. I just felt I should on this one, because this has had an impact on me.

Psalm 13:1-6 (NIV)
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

And I can relate so much to this scripture. I most certainly can.

Job 13:13-22 (NIV)
“Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands? Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face. Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before him! Listen carefully to my words; let your ears take in what I say. Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated. Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die. Only grant me these two things, O God, and then I will not hide from you: Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors. Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and you reply.

Job 13:13-22 (NCV)
"Be quiet and let me speak. Let things happen to me as they will. Why should I put myself in danger and take my life in my own hands? Even if God kills me, I have hope in him; I will still defend my ways to his face. This is my salvation. The wicked cannot come before him. Listen carefully to my words; let your ears hear what I say. See, I have prepared my case, and I know I will be proved right. No one can accuse me of doing wrong. If someone can, I will be quiet and die. God, please just give me these two things, and then I will not hide from you: Take your punishment away from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors. Then call me, and I will answer, or let me speak, and you answer.

It’s brilliant stuff. I can’t really elaborate on what is already said. It’s like my pathetic heart stops in awe… I guess that is all I can say. Thanks so much from everyone with all the encouragement. I am more than grateful to have friends and family who care so much.

Painful Gratitude

May 19th, 2007

Painful Gratitude

I guess I should simply say that I am in pain. I’ve had this pain for close to three years now. It’s been almost constant since it has started, but it hasn’t stopped for what I would say to be the last two years. And when I have my right hip replaced with an hour and a half surgery, my problems should diminish quite quickly. If I am to be blessed with no pain what-so-ever, then it will be a first in a LONG time. This thing started before I had my last surgery, which was to stop my acid reflux. So, it has been years since I have been pain free. YEARS. What is my response to being pain free? Gratitude – gratitude that should never be forgotten. In the NIV, there are two scriptures that use the very word gratitude. I’ll share one of the two, and also check out some other scriptures…

Gratitude (noun):

• A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
• The state of being grateful; thankfulness
• The quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful

Grateful (adj.):

• Warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful
• Pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable or welcome; refreshing
• Appreciative of benefits received; thankful
• Affording pleasure or comfort; agreeable
• Feeling or showing gratitude

Grateful Dead, the San Francisco rock band, took its name, according to Jerry Garcia, from a dictionary entry he saw about the folk tale motif of a wanderer who gives his last penny to pay for a corpse's burial, then is magically aided by the spirit of the dead person. A different version of the concept is found in the Hebrew Kaddish and the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

I was interested in checking out this story of the Grateful Dead and the dictionary from which it came… and then I realized it was taking too much time to find. So I moved on, it’s not really important.

Gratitude is thankfulness. In the story above, the guy pays for the burial or the debts of the man, and then the spirit of the fellow is grateful, or thankful, and helps the guy out in a later situation. The spirit may have even saved his life, although I am not completely sure since I have only read bits and pieces. The thing is, the ghost appreciated the kindness and expressed thankfulness.

Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV)
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:15-17 (NCV)
Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have peace. Always be thankful. Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and instruct each other by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

Colossians 3:15-17 (TMB)
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him.

OK, whatever I do, I have to give thanks to God. When I sing, there should be gratitude and thankfulness and grace in my heart to God. And this is whether I have pain or not. But there is more to the pain of gratitude. Remember that thanks and gratitude are pretty much the same…

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NIV)
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NCV)
Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus. Do not hold back the work of the Holy Spirit. Do not treat prophecy as if it were unimportant. But test everything. Keep what is good, and stay away from everything that is evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (TMB)
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Test all things; hold fast to that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

OK, here’s the kick that I’ve had (and really the whole passage given is a struggle at times) is give thanks in all circumstances, in any and all situations. And that goes for kidney stones, nasty acid reflux, a garden hoe through the foot, and a painful joint rubbing up against the hip socket. And praying without ceasing; that would mean to pray when the leg hurts, praying when the leg feels better. It means to pray when times are good and bad, and everything in between. Plus, the end all be all, to be joyful always. I have to rejoice evermore. But it is not rejoicing on how I am feeling, but rejoicing that I simply know that this is temporary and the afterlife in heaven is eternal. And that is what hope is all about. There is always someone who has it a little worse than me. There are places in this world like Cambodia and Africa where there is limited healthcare at best. And I am sure someone may have what I have and simply have to “suck it up” for most likely the rest of their lives. With that thought, it is easy to be grateful for my situation. Johnny Out.

Painting a Picture

November 16th, 2006 to November 28th


Painting a Picture

I have this CD that has a song by William Shatner on it and the song is pretty harsh in the end. It’s a love story gone bad, mainly about how he manipulates the woman who is in love with him. There is a particular line in the song that made me think about things. He said, “You painted me into what you wanted to see.” That made me think about how I paint Christ and God in my mind. How do I picture them? How do I work in my relationship? Do I think of them as angry all the time, thus I have to be submissive or I’ll be treated badly? Do I more or less look at them as rough around the edges? I mean, Christ DID come to serve, so shouldn’t he serve me? Do I look at Christ as a super-Holy person and I walk around in shame all the time because I fall short? Do I look at Christ as though he has some melancholy, calm attitude and should treat everything as though it were not a big deal? All of these questions have good and not so good aspects to them, so this quiet time is going to explore them. And the great thing is there will be some cool pictures to go with them.

The Angry Christ

People think it is a sin to be angry. Especially when they read a scripture like this:

Ephesians 4:25-32
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

But note, it says "IN YOUR anger DO NOT SIN..." and you can just throw the emphasis all over the place except on the anger part and the meaning comes alive in all sorts of places. Now, we know Christ got angry and threw the tables at the temple... but check out this other scripture.

Mark 3:1-6
Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus was angry at them, but he didn't withhold any opportunities from them. He wasn't a fiery inferno of laughter looking forward toward their demise. He was deeply distressed.

A Lackadaisical Christ

Is God a "Coke Machine," as my wife has put it, to crank out blessings? Punch in prayer and out comes whatever you ask for, whether you need it or not. Is God the "WHATEVER-MAN" that you envision? God is one of action. How is my faith supposed to be?

James 2:14-19
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that… and shudder.

Now, what if instead of praying, I could just walk up to this vending machine and insert a prayer and it spit out the answer of when, where, etc. of how it would be answered to suit my little brain? Wouldn't that be GREAT?! But what's even better is that it doesn't work that way. If it did, it would take away the faith aspect. There are things out there that already exist that work just like this machine... but I won't say.

Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!’”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

The Unrelatable Christ

"No one can understand how I feel..."

"Christ was tempted in every way, but HE didn't have to deal with the internet (or insert any other modern technology available)..."

"Why is it that I have to go this alone?"

Is God a God who can not relate to these situations? I think not. Think about this... from the very first verse of the Bible, God's been at work.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

So, is it possible that over time, God hasn't seen someone else go through the same experience, trial, or struggle? God created all the stars, planets, comets, gasses, plants, clouds, fruits, birds, cats, dogs, metals, liquids, different types of soils, meteors, and he also knows all the hairs on your head. We lose 100 to 125 hairs a day (normal hair loss for a person), so God is constantly checking in on MY HAIR!

Mark 4:1-12
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”

Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

Do I sometimes feel I see but don't get it? Do I hear it and not understand? YES. And so many times in the past I would simple just shake my head with a big fat Yes, I do understand or I do get it or I do agree, when in fact that I don't. I've changed that recently and it has helped me a GREAT deal. And the most amazing thing is that it hasn't caused the problems that I was so desperately afraid of getting into... which makes things so much easier to continue with saying I don't get it when I don't get it.

Acts 3:13-20

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”

"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.”

Christ knows pain. He knows abandonment. He understands the feeling of grief, loneliness, tiredness, weakness, and having to do things you simply don't want to do, but have to do. Is Christ unrelatable? No.

The Roughed Up Christ

Actually, this picture was the hardest one to play with, simply due to the fact that I was "messing-up" Christ's look. But then as I thought about it, Christ spent a ton of time in the sun, probably had moles, not sure about the teeth, but a lost tooth isn't impossible... I messed up his hair and beard a little and darkened the areas under his eyes (the guy got up before the sun rose to pray...). It really is impossible to say that Christ looked like this or that, but my favorite picture is always the laughing Jesus, thus I used that for this QT (which has now gone over a week - but I've had others during this, so this one hasn't been straight through).

Jesus came to serve. He fed 5,000 men plus their families. And then he fed another 4,000 men and their families. He healed the sick, the bleeding woman, raised a couple of people from the dead, healed someone without even seeing the person, wept with a woman before raising her dead son, spit on dirt and gave someone their vision back, healed a lame guy by a pool so he could walk again, spit out demons from a guy into some pigs... and that's just off the top of my head.

People like being served. Over the last several weeks I have picked up two people and given them rides to places and neither one told me they were ungrateful, but quite the opposite, they were very thankful. All it did was take a little of my time to do it. Christ spent ALL his time serving. Even on the cross, he served his mother and he served one of the other dudes on the cross. Not bad for a guy bleeding to death in insurmountable pain. How do I know that Christ was serving at every opportunity he had?

Philippians 2:1-11
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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.

Maybe the problem in trying to be like Christ trying to be like God and not a servant. I guess I should serve more and more and more and not look for opportunities to be served to... Christ didn't look for opportunities to show how equal he was to God, but looked for opportunities to serve. That's what I should be doing. YATZEE!!!

I wonder if there was a picture, a paint by numbers picture, of Jesus, without any directions on how to paint him, how would he turn out? Would he look anything like those up above or would he be any different? The scary fact of the matter is that somewhere along the lines, my garbage is going to skew the image of what Christ really looks like. But one thing I did check out is this: The word paint (including painted) is used three times, all OT. And all are in reference to a woman putting on makeup. The first usage was when Jezebel was killed (2 Kings 9:30), the second time was used in Jeremiah 4, and here's the third usage:

Ezekiel 23:36-41, 46-49
The LORD said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices, for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.”

"They even sent messengers for men who came from far away, and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, painted your eyes and put on your jewelry. You sat on an elegant couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed the incense and oil that belonged to me.”

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Bring a mob against them and give them over to terror and plunder. The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.”

“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”

Of course, what is abortion? It is sacrificing a child for a better lifestyle. "I can't afford a child right now," is generally what is said or the excuse... and thus it is a sacrifice to the "Money God." That's just what I see there. I can paint myself wrong and pay the consequence. I can paint Christ wrong and pay the consequence. But the only way that this thing can be painted correctly is the right tools. But that's a separate QT all together. Johnny Out.

Starting Over

1st Corinthians 13 says:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

And then, in 1st John 4 is says that God is love. So then it can be said:
God is patient, God is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. God never fails.

Now the real struggle begins with this. I’m supposed to imitate God in every way, right? Christ is my example, Christ is God, therefore I am to imitate God.

Johnny is patient, Johnny is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. Johnny does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Johnny always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Johnny never fails.

There are many things wrong with that paragraph, but I’m working on it. How much did I trust today? Was I self-seeking? Did I rejoice in someone’s misfortune? Did I bring up old issues from the past? Have I given up on hope? Have I stopped trying? Did I allow myself to FAIL? If I answer yes to any these, then I’m saying a big no to imitating God in that area. As my Dad has once said, “you don’t have to wait till January 1st to start things over, you can just start now.” I think that’s a pretty good statement.

Hope Study - Edition #4: Eyes with a Vision

August 17th, 2006

Hope Study – Edition #4: Eyes with a Vision

2nd Kings 6:8-17
Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

“None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

“Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

This is the scripture we talked about last night at midweek. The phrase “what shall we do” is used six times in the bible. Twice in 1st Samuel in regards to the Ark, once in Song of Solomon in reference to a woman being ready for her husband, once in the scripture above, and then twice in the book of Acts.

Acts 2:36-41
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 21:17-26
When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

In all three of these verses, the question is asked “What Shall We Do?” And in each place, the answer is sound. Acts 21, the answer is quite amazing. You have to look for it in depth (at least I did, maybe others it just pops right out) but I had to dig to get this one. Paul had to purify himself according to their customs. This is important because he became “like them” to save them. His vision is to do the will of God, and to do that, he would not let anything stand in his way, whether it be harmless customs and lifestyles that don’t conflict in God’s way, doing something that may please a group of people so that he can reach that people, or whatever petty barrier, Paul changed his dynamic to help others. That was the vision of Paul.

1st Corinthians 9:19-23
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

1st Corinthians 9:20 became:
ghin'-om-ahee
A prolonged and middle form of a primary verb; to cause to be (“gen” -erate), that is, (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literally, figuratively, intensively, etc.): - arise be assembled, be (come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, be done, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.

1st Corinthians 9:22 some:
tis
An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object: - a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, -thing, -what), (+ that no-) thing, what (-soever), X wherewith, whom [-soever], whose ([-soever]).

Paul did this… he performed, he required himself to be like others so that he MIGHT save one. That was his vision. What is my vision?

Peter was asked the question, “What shall we do?” His vision is to help others fulfill the promise of God. Not just in baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit, but not living a life full of corruption. His vision was not just the talk, but the WALK. What does it mean to save myself from a corrupt generation?

Acts 2:40 corrupt:
skol-ee-os'
Warped, that is, winding; figuratively perverse: - crooked, froward, untoward.

Corrupt (adj.):

1. Marked by immorality and perversion; depraved.


2. Venal; dishonest.


3. Tainted; putrid.

Froward (adj.):

1. Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate.

Acts 2:40 save:
sode'-zo
To save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

I felt that to understand what corrupt was in the Greek, I needed to also get a better understanding of the word “save”. If I am saved from corruption, I am delivered from it. In other words, I am not doing dishonest things. And that can go from stealing a pack of 25 cent gum from the local corner store to speeding on the highway to cheating on taxes. It is all dishonest. Am I a froward person? Am I stubbornly disobedient? Do I plead with people who are like this, who are froward and stubborn? Is that my vision, the vision of Peter?

And then there is Elisha. He was asked “What shall we do?” Elisha prayed to have his eyes opened. What shall we do… it’s a question of vision. In a time of despair, it can be a reflection about lack of faith.

Esther 4:12-14
When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

What shall I do? Am I asking the question deep enough? And who knows but God that I have come about my situation for such a time as this?

Isaiah 6:6-8
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Mike said that he thought he needed a new vision. And what if we all get a new vision… God opens my eyes. God opens your eyes. And then what? The is a time, the time is now. God has prepared me and you to do great things. He is asking, “Whom shall I send?” The question then remains, am I bold enough; do I have the zeal, to say “Send me”?

Johnny Out.

Hope Study - Edition #3: The Anti-Pessimist

August 10th, 2006

Hope Study – Edition #3: The Anti-Pessimist

Did you know that the book of Job uses the word “hope” nineteen times within seventeen scriptures? I didn’t either until I searched out the word. I couldn’t help but ponder as to why the excessive use (excessive for lack of a better word). That’s what I am focusing on today, is the hope within this book.

First off, the shortest Prophet may be Nehemiah (knee-high-miah), but did you know that Job had a friend that was only a shoe-height? That’s a pretty short guy. But did you know that the guards as Jesus’ tomb were so short, they fell asleep on a watch. Either that’s a big watch or short people… I don’t know of a watch that’s bigger that just a few inches. Now, on to some serious stuff…

Job 4:2-6
“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking? Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?”

This is Eliphaz the Temanite speaking, and I think this is really encouraging. The guy reminds Job that he’s a good guy. He points out that Job is pious or a devout Jew. He doesn’t toe the line, he’s nowhere near the line. Job has encouraged others and he has strengthened others. And Eliphaz, at least here, has said that if he is doing everything right, then the hardship he is under is not a result of sin. And that is true. Good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people, with sometimes no rhyme or reason.

Job 5:8-19
“But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside. The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth. Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you.”

Oops. Eliphaz the Temanite stepped back on what he originally said. But there is still some good stuff here. Now he’s saying Job is being disciplined. But outside of that, the poor have hope. God does protect the poor. Eliphaz isn’t wrong there. Let’s give Job’s friends some credit, they were considered wise men in their day. Eliphaz is a smart guy. And so it should be noted that just because he’s wrong in one area, doesn’t mean he’s wrong everywhere else. And it should also be noted that Satan is the one who wounds, but God heals. Anyway, the poor have hope, the hope that God provides. And that is a great thing.

Job 6:2-20
“If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas - no wonder my words have been impetuous. The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God's terrors are marshaled against me. Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass, or an ox bellow when it has fodder? Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill. Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off! Then I would still have this consolation - my joy in unrelenting pain - that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient? Do I have the strength of stone? Is my flesh bronze? Do I have any power to help myself, now that success has been driven from me? A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels. Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go up into the wasteland and perish. The caravans of Tema look for water, the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope. They are distressed, because they had been confident; they arrive there, only to be disappointed.”

And before I dig into all this, I have to consider one other thing…

James 5:7-12
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Above all, my brothers, do not swear - not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

I have heard that Job went through a lot before the guys showed up. And so in Job 6, it is good old Job talking away. And so, Job has probably gone for a good few days with his pain and ailments. And keep in mind, there wasn’t a pharmacy to run to. He couldn’t get a prescription filled for Valium or Lortab. So he had to “suck-it-up”, per se. I have pain medications to take the edge off, Job didn’t have that luxury. I say this because some may think that Job started complaining right away. James is talking about how Job was patient and he persevered. Job 6 isn’t the most encouraging and it isn’t Job’s brightest moment. But again, think about what the guy’s going through. How many times have I said these same things? Maybe not exactly the same verbage, but the same context. It’s not uncommon for someone to be in despair and sad and feeling abandoned by the greatness of life to get into a really deep funk and be bottomed out in depression.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. It’s good to have dreams. It’s good to have a belief in God. It is good to have hope. Johnny Out.

Hope Study - Edition #2: A Different One

June 15th, 2006

Hope Study – Edition #2: A Different One

Ephesians 4:1-16
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

I’ve been sitting on this one (pun intended). This is an interesting one, though (I can’t stop it). Seriously, though, when I stumbled on this and discovered how the word “one” meant different things within this scripture, it really changed the whole scripture for me… and I really set this aside for future study, which is for now.

Ephesians 4:4,5,6 one (body, Spirit, Lord, baptism, God):
heis
hice
(Including the neuter); a primary numeral; one: - a (-n, -ny, certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some.

Ephesians 4:4,5 one (hope, faith):
mia
mee'-ah
One or first: - a (certain), + agree, first, one, X other.

This makes things quite interesting, because, now I can go back to this scripture and look things with a unique perspective. I consider it this way:

There is only one body and only one Spirit - just as you were called to the first hope when you were called – there is only one Lord, with the first faith, and there is only one baptism; there is only one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that there is seven ones in these three verses, both perfect numbers.

Since this is a “hope study” and the scripture is says I am called to “the first hope”

Ephesians 4:4 hope:
elpis
el-pece'
A primary word (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.

If faith and hope are basically interchangeable here, then I thing I need to look at faith in the next verse (it would make sense).

Ephesians 4:5 faith:
pistis
pis'-tis
Persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

So, this adds even MORE light to this scripture. And, to be honest, with everything has been going on in my little corner of the world, it encourages me and gives me hope.

There is only one body and only one Spirit - just as you were called to the first confidence of faith when you were called – there is only one Lord, with the first reliance upon Christ for salvation, and there is only one baptism; there is only one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Just a different way of looking at the same thing. It’s still good stuff. I mean, when I read that aloud, with UMPH, it just fires me up. Glad to be posting again.

The notice for those who receive emails is strictly a legal thing, nothing more, should you wish not to receive emails in the future, I would not be hurt or offended in any way. If you wish to continue, let me know all the same. Otherwise, the last day to without letting me know would be June 30th. Thanks and Take Care. Johnny Out.

Hope Study - Edition #1: Believing in Hope

June 1st, 2006

Hope Study – Edition #1: Believing in Hope

This was just an encouraging day overall.

“If you ever feel neglected, if you ever think all is lost, I’ll be counting up my demons, yeah, hoping everything’s not lost, everything’s not lost. When I’m counting up my demons, there’s always one for everyday, with the good ones on my shoulder, I drive the other ones away. If you ever feel neglected, If you think all is lost, Ill be counting up my demons, yeah, Hoping everything’s not lost. When you thought it was over, you could feel it all around, Everybody’s out to get you, don’t you let it drag you down. Because if you eve feel neglected, If you think that all is lost, Ill be counting all the demons, yeah. Singing out oh yeah Singing out oh yeah Singing out oh yeah Everything’s not lost, Come on yeah, oh yeah, come on yeah, Everything’s not lost, Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah Everything’s not lost, Come on yeah, oh yeah, Come on yeah Oh yeah, come on yeah, Everything’s not lost Sing out yeah Come on yeah Everything’s not lost Come on yeah, oh yeah Sing out yeah Everything’s not lost.”

A little song by Coldplay, just the idea of everything that we work for, the purpose behind it, not being wasted… I don’t know, I’ve been praying diligently for hope lately.

Romans 4:1-25
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about - but not before God. What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed - the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness - for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Against all hope, it is written.