Stop the Pain ...

It is nearly impossible to appreciate truth when suffering excruciating pain. Our lives are full of it. And sadly, most of the pain we endure is primarily due to the decisions we make ourselves. The irony of self interest, is that the more we try to serve only ourselves, the more we make ourselves miserable. But to stop this downward cyclone of horror we must first recognize the truth about evil, and our relationship with it.

God is love. He is omnipotent and pure. He is only comprised of everything that is good. He is life, love, and joy. So it stands to reason that anything that is not God is also not good. Any deviation away from the source of life, leads to death. Any deviation from the source of joy, leads to misery. This was the knowledge of good and of evil that Lucifer discovered when he stopped looking to serve others and began to serve only himself. It was not murder that comprised the first sin in our universe. It was not sexual immorality, or theft. It was something far more insidious, it was internal, it was pride. It was a deviation away from God’s perfect order of service into the horribly destructive world of self interest. Serving self is at the center of everything we have to come know about evil.

Because of the history of our world according to our Bible, man gave up his dominion over himself and planet earth to Satan. In breaking trust with God, we gave up our ability to have control even over ourselves. In short, we were bound by sin and evil. Our nature is to act in the perseverance of self, and further in our own self interest. Evolutionist’s call this survival of the fittest, yet these are the acts behind every horror history has to offer. It is not acts of love and sacrifices for others that mark the hallmarks of atrocity in our world; it is rather acts of naked aggression, of insatiable lust, of quests for more and more power over our fellow man. All these traits share self-interest in the core of their motivation.

Each act of self interest however carries with it a degree of consequence and pain. The consequences and pain may not be felt immediately, however the longer they are delayed, the more severe they usually are when they inevitably are realized. Getting lung cancer from smoking cigarettes is not a punishment from God, it is simply cause and effect, fill your lungs up with enough tar, and you get cancer. Cancer hurts. Cancer spreads. Cancer kills. And the pain of cancer is not restricted, whether we are talking physically inside the body of its carrier, or emotionally to the entire circle of friends and family who share the pain of the afflicted, and his/her loss. Evil is much like cancer. It seems inconsequential at first. It might come wrapped in a pretty package and even feel good in the short term. But underneath is death incarnate, underneath is pain on a stick, underneath is cancer just waiting to spread and make life a living torture factory for you and everyone you know or care about.

So why on earth would any logical thinking human being choose to participate in evil, knowing the outcome is what it is? Are we clinically deranged, do we all have a death wish, are we at heart masochists - perhaps. More likely, we are all just a bunch of junkies. We are literally addicted to our self destructive behaviors. Those that believe they can stop when they want to, never seem to find the time to actually make that decision. We are as we have always been, bound to our evil, slave to it, addicted in every way that matters. It is the only logical explanation to an illogical set of facts. We know we should not choose to do it again, but we do anyway, over and over and over again. Christians take their sins to the cross and ask forgiveness, but even though forgiven, they seldom cease from the behavior that requires them to go back to the cross again and again.

And thus pain runs rampant in our lives. We hurt ourselves. We hurt our victims. We hurt those who care about our victims. We hurt those who care about us. We make a ripple of pain in the pond of our world, and the ripples carry with intensity for a long way. So what hope does a slave have in light of the overwhelming evidence of our slavery? What hope does the addict have, when at rock bottom they finally realize their own condition of helplessness? We need outside help. We need a savior. And fortunately for our desperate need, God has provided just what was needed to break this horrific cycle of doom.

We will discuss later the process of how being saved from evil works, but for purposes of this discussion the fact that there is a way to end the pain is the significant point. Most of the pain we feel in our lives is due to the decisions we make. Sometimes it is due to the decisions others make but this is far less the case. The reason why we are the major supplier of pain to ourselves, is that our very nature and very addiction cause us to make poor decisions, repeatedly, and often. This condition must end, if our minds are ever to see truth. This condition must end for us to be able to rest. This condition must end, if the world around us is ever going to be changed for the better. This is the final battle. It is the battle for our souls, for our selves, and for our very nature. It will be fought in the mirror. And it will be won or lost depending on who we choose to align with in the coming fray.

First Things First ...

How much junk mail do you get in your mailbox? How about spam in your email? How much of it do you pay attention to? If you’re like me the most attention you pay to junk mail in either location is just to make sure it is sorted properly to be discarded. I don’t want to lose “real” mail amidst all the coupon flyers and pseudo newspapers in my mailbox. Nor do I want to delete any “real” messages that may get put in my junk folder by mistake. But no-one I know has the time, let alone the interest, to actually read or pay any real attention to something they have no interest in, like junk mail.

To begin, we need to have something to say. Not just idle prattle, not just words that have been repeated for hundreds of years but have lost all real meaning or relevance, we need something worthwhile to talk about. In short, we need truth. We need the kind of truth that makes a difference in today’s world, and therefore in our own lives. If our lives have not been changed or improved by truth, then we have nothing further to discuss. Our reality must match our language or the gospel becomes nothing more than well packaged junk mail.

Take for instance the topic of romantic relationships and marriage. The traditional Christian viewpoint has much to say on the topic. An entire list of do’s, don’ts, and how to’s – but reality shows us that the divorce rates are as high within the church as outside of it. Obviously what we think we know about marriage is not changing our lives, or improving our ability to stick together. It is plain we are simply doing it wrong. This does not mean the Bible is mistaken, or that we have no knowledge of truth of any kind. It does mean we are missing something substantial in our teachings that would make our marriages the success they should be. Unbelievers have no compelling reason to seek guidance from the church when our failure rates are as high as theirs. It is simple math. We are missing something. Time to fix it.

What we say must be relevant. Nobody cares about a ninety percent off sale that ended two weeks ago. The message must meet the needs of today. It must make a real difference to those who hear it, when they hear it. So often Biblical truth has been taught like a history 101 class. Facts, figures, and morality lessons based on characters that do not face what we face, and do not live in our world. But this need not be the case. It is possible to look at historical truths and extrapolate the values into the world in which we live. It is possible when we see scripture for something more than simple history. Truth must be applied to be relevant.

What we say must be personal. You cannot share what you do not know, what you have not personally experienced. So often Biblical truths have been presented merely as “other people’s” stories, with no real personal application, no real personal insight. No-one seeks advice from the friend of a counselor, they go directly to the counselor for advice. Knowing the relationship that someone else has with God does not give you one of your own. If you have not lived it, then you have no idea what I am talking about. God gets personal with each of us if we let Him. Personal means personal, unique to a great degree, when God interacts with us He meets our individual needs, in the way in which we need Him the most. If we cannot relay our personal results, we are simply repackaging the junk mail again.

What we say must be important. What if I told you that this BLOG will change your life forever for the better? What if I were willing to guarantee it? You might be skeptical, in fact I would expect nothing less. In a world of half-truths and constant disappointments, it is easy to become hardened against any claims of real change, real meaning. Many charlatans make their living from selling dreams that will never be delivered, to people who can barely hang on to hope. But what if the dream were real, and what if it really did not cost you a cent. What if profit were not the motive here? If I am not looking to get rich from helping you then what is my angle you ask?

It turns out, I am already rich, beyond all measure, in everything that is truly important. And it was all a gift, I never deserved or could have earned. I want to share it, because I find joy in the sharing. It is important because it is real. Life altering real. The kind of real that will change the very core of who you are. It changed me, and I have no complaints (well none that matter anyway ). When you discover truth that has meaning, you simply cannot bury it, you cannot hide it – when it is real, you want to shout it from rooftops and hope the whole world can hear you. This is why I am writing. And the more you interact with me, the richer will be the experience for us both. For like you, I remain in the process of learning, even of the truths in which I believe.

Foreword & Introduction ...

There is an inherent tension in a believer in Christ between spreading the gospel of truth and respecting the choices and beliefs of others.  Once there is a belief in truth, there is a desire to share it.  But so often our approach comes off with condescension at best, or worse as pure condemnation.  Learning how to share truth in love while realizing we remain in the learning process is a topic that deserves further study.  In this book, we will discuss the delicate balance of witnessing effectively while respecting the views of those we are trying to reach.

 

Our world today presents many new opportunities for sharing information.  However with the increase in capabilities has come an increase in competing philosophies for what has meaning and value.  So many people believe in so many different ideas about God.  How do we have an intelligent respectful conversation about who God is?  How can we effectively communicate truth through the barrage of half-lies, traditions, and personal bias of those who so desperately need to hear real truth?

Traditional approaches to sharing the gospel have become dated, predictable, and largely ignored.  It is time for a new voice, a new approach, and perhaps new truth that is relevant to what we face today.  There is far less need of history lessons, and biblical theory, than there is for applied religion.  In short we must present a message that is worth hearing, and that can be used in how we live today.  But having worthy content is only the start. 

How we share the new ideas we discuss becomes the focus of our endeavors.  Reaching those in need in a virtual sea of information is our quandary.  There is room for debate on this topic.  There is room for discussion.  Hopefully this BLOG will serve as a beginning vehicle to serve this purpose.

High All The Time ...

Bill Maher is an idiot.  And I say that with the kindest affection.  Bill espouses the joy of smoking pot while refusing another drug that is SO much more effective, longer lasting, and has absolutely no ill side effects.  I understand you can make an argument for the legalization of marijuana.  I get how a state like California might consider that the tax benefits from legalization might offset the budget deficit at least in the short run (or at least until the adverse health effects start weighing in on the budget).  But I do not get the hypocrisy of standing behind one natural substance with known medical complications while ignoring another with none.

The essential problem with Marijuana, or for that matter alcohol, is the mechanism by which the feeling of Euphoria is produced – killing brain cells.  In essence you have to dumb down, in order to get “happy”.  I guess Solomon’s old adage that “with wisdom comes sorrow” proves to be true.  Perhaps it is because Bill appears to be so smart, and thinks of himself in this way, that his brain requires stupification in order to achieve any measure of relief.  Bill is smart enough to discern the problems, but unable to find the solutions perhaps.  Whatever the motive, maybe just due to the chemically addictive nature of any drug, Bill continues to choose to espouse the virtues of this mind numbing process to the exclusion of a much better one.

I see this as a case of simple ignorance.  If I could show you a method for getting high that worked in an entirely different manner would you be game?  What’s the matter, think that is just not possible?  Consider for a minute the euphoria that accompanies sexual orgasm.  Granted there may a lessening of blood in the brain at that moment in time, which would reduce oxygen content a bit, but no brain cells die in the process.  It can be an earth shattering event in terms of the magnitude of the feeling at the moment, but the longevity, at least for men, is highly reduced.  Several seconds later, life as we know it resumes.  Anticipation can be pleasurable, and can even help heighten the actual experience, but can do little to lengthen the state of intense euphoria.  But my point here is that there does exist at least one method of “getting high” that is less damaging to the brain than marijuana.

And there is another way.  Athletes can attest to the exhilaration the body experiences when massive amounts of endorphins are released.  Again there is less blood in the brain during this process, which again means less oxygen, but again like sex, brain cells are not destroyed to achieve it.  In fact muscles feel renewed, the energy level of the body goes up, senses are heightened.  This would appear to be the opposite of dumbing-down, it is more sensory overload.  Increasing the oxygen content in the blood can have similar effects but is also a fairly risky proposition, too much and permanent damage can result.  The endorphin release process albeit lasts longer than sexual orgasm, and is far better for the body than any form of chemical drug like marijuana.

But there is yet another way.  This one requires using you head for more than a hat rack.  It is said that humans only use somewhere between 6 and 10% of their brains (depending on which study you adhere to).  The point is that most of our brain power has been left largely untapped.  Despite this limitation there are those among us who have perfect photographic memories with long term recall.  How is this possible?  It is because your brain records every stimuli that enters it on these brain cells we seem so bent on destroying to achieve euphoria.  Those of us who can remember everything have only figured out HOW to recall the information on demand, we all record it using the same methods. 

Then there are the autistics among us who are able to focus brain power in specific areas like “Rainman” who is able to count cards or perform complex math in seconds.  There are the musically inclined able to hear a complex piano piece of music only once and then sit down and replay it perfectly without the benefit of written music.  How are these folks able to perform these complex tasks but unable to carry on normal conversations?  The truth is we don’t know right now.  Scientists are studying the chemical compositions that facilitate and deter autism, as well as brain functions of many kinds.  But the pursuit of this knowledge has already taken years, and may take years to come.

But back to being high all the time, think it is still a myth of future lore.  I submit it need not be.  Let’s face it the reasons we seek escape in the first place, is often to defer the pain in our lives.  Truth be told, most of that pain is self inflicted.  Ironically our self interest motivates us to act selfishly, ultimately leading us to even more isolation, and more sadness in a never ending cycle.  Religion up till now, seems to have provided little if any relief to this process.  Yes, there may be a mild benefit of forgiveness and the feelings that accompany it, but you would have to balance these feelings against the guilt that leads to forgiveness in the first place.  And let’s face it again, there is nothing like Religion to point out our guilt right? 

Therefore a purely logical comparison of the “religious” individual and the “non-religious” individual shows little emotional differences, little lifestyle differences, and therefore no compelling reason to be either one.  But what if there was?  Forget religion for a minute and just think purely in your own long-term true self interest.  If Christ designed the entire plan of salvation to save you from evil, then what would your life be like without evil in it?  The process is simple (but largely ignored by “religious” people, even supposed “Christians”).  You accept the gift Christ offers.  You allow Him to change who you are, change what you want, change how you think as He sees fit.  You give up the “control” you never really had, and you gain a life with less and less self inflicted pain in it. 

This is what REAL Christians are supposed to be doing, but they are not.  I can say that because it is self evident.  In general there still appears to be no differences in the lives of Christians and the lives of others, short forgiveness.  This is NOT the essence or goals Christ intended for any of us.  The goal was a NEW life.  The goal was the removal of evil from us, i.e. saving us from evil.  The only one who could ever accomplish this goal was Christ, we could not, and so He offered it to us as a gift.  Christians who still refuse to allow Christ to run their lives are truly no different than those who still have not heard the name of Christ.  The illusion of control blinds them both.

But for those who have experienced what being saved from evil really means, it is an entirely different story.  It is getting high and staying that way, all the time.  Forget being mesmerized by worship music, or flailing around speaking in gibberish nobody understands, I am talking about having your brain operate in a way you could not have dreamed of.  It is a heightening of every sensory organ.  It is like massive endorphin rush focused on your brain.  You are able to see things you COULD NOT see before.  No, I am not talking about seeing dead people, or details on Jupiter with the naked eye.  I am talking about seeing truth.  I am talking about discerning the error in the argument.  I am talking about a complete reset of your perceptions on life as a whole.

You do not know, what you do not know.  Only a mind activated and liberated by the process of salvation can begin to know what it is like to feel this feeling.  And like sexual orgasm, the feeling is heightened when not dulled by chemicals dumbing-down our brain cells, killing enough to achieve artificial euphoria.  It is heightened more like having higher levels of oxygen in the blood, endorphins in the system, and adrenaline in the heart.  Unlike the effects of chemicals, sex, or even extreme exercise – these feelings can last for hours at a time.  It feels like your brain has additional electricity powering areas you just have not used before.  It is a sense of liberation and indescribable joy.

There is no financial cost for any of it.  There is no risk of impaired judgment compounding the misery of your existence.  There are no adverse medical effects.  There is no danger you will put another at risk to feel this way.  There is no danger your life will suffer in order to achieve this feeling.  There is nothing but upside.  There is nothing but the liberation of the soul as evil is finally vanquished by the only being capable of killing it.  There is nothing but the death of self-interest and the rebirth of love, and selfless service to others.  There are no limits to it.  There are no restrictions on acquiring it, save those you put on yourself.  How can marijuana or any other chemical ever compete with this?  I say it is a simple case of ignorance, I can’t imagine Bill Maher is really that dedicated an idiot …

Robes of Victory ...

How about if you put on the white Robes of Righteousness for me?  What’s that, you don’t have them readily available in your closet yet?  No worries, I know exactly what the problem is.  Simply speaking they don’t belong to you yet; you can’t make them, you can’t buy them, you have to have them given to you by the singular maker of these Robes.  The only Being worthy of creating the Robes of Righteousness, is the only one who can make you ready to wear them.

Just like everything else in the entire plan of Salvation God enacted, even our final set of clothing will be a gift from Him.  The last set of clothes we will ever wear will be literal Robes made of light (Yes, I’m sure most people think “white” robes, but light includes a great many more colors than just that.  I may prefer polka dots for example).  I am certain these final coverings will be functional as well as practical.  And best of all, like any other clothing we wear, they represent something.  They represent VICTORY.  Not ours, but His.

This is the reason why you can’t explain HOW the sin leaves you when it does.  It is because you are NOT doing the work of removal, Christ is.  He knows, because He does it.  He does it FOR you.  He does not need your help in this process, He needs your permission.  And likewise with the Robes He intends to give you that symbolize victory, the victories will all be His, though you may well be the main benefactor of each one.  As each sin is removed from your life, you experience an ever rising sensation of freedom, liberation, and joy.  It is Christ doing the work of removal, but you enjoying what He has done FOR you.  His victory - For you.

Notice scripture never asks you to make the Robes.  Scripture never puts a price on them that you can pay.  Christ paid it in blood.  You can’t steal them, or fake wearing them.  No counterfeit knockoffs here, only original designer models made as uniquely as snowflakes, retinal scans, DNA, or fingerprints.  No two are alike, and yet each one has meaning.  Just like the rest of His creations – no two are alike and each one has a special and unique purpose.  Our final Robes will come with a few accessories, like a new unique name, a ring, a crown, and even a harp we will somehow know how to play.  Sorry no mention of halo’s I can find anywhere, nor of clouds from what I can see.

The city itself is described as being about 360 miles square, or should I say cubed, as it is as high as it is wide.  I imagine, God the Father sits on His throne at the city’s pinnacle, though I wonder how often He sits there and how often He is personally engaged elsewhere.  The 12 pearl gates to the city bare 12 different names, and the foundation is layered on 12 different gemstones.  The streets are made of Gold, and perhaps as U2 puts it, have no names.  As we walk these streets of gold, we realize that Heaven sees our most sought after jewelry, as mere concrete.  Worth no more than the gravel that accompanies our earthly streets of today, or the mud along the trails of yesteryear.  But Heaven sure puts a premium on its citizens.

In addition to our clothing and accessories, we are each to have a mansion.  Given our 21^st century understanding of architecture in large cities, I would aptly rename this … a penthouse apartment.  More than enough for any single individual while taking advantage of the height dimensions of the city as well.  My guess is that we will store whatever belongings we acquire or build in Heaven in our homes there.  But I would also guess the number of those belongings will be sparse, as the real interest in eternity will be in the people who surround us.  Each one will have a unique story about how Jesus saved them from the evil in their lives.  While unfallen angels have the advantage of never having had the cancer of evil, they also cannot understand the feeling of having been cured of it either.  In this scripture states even the angels will bend their wings in awe of the love of our Creator.

It is poignant that while we wear Robes of His Righteousness the wounds in His hands, side, and feet will remain with Him for eternity.  It is why we so often cast down our crowns at His feet as He alone is worthy.  We know we wear only His gifts – nothing have we earned.  We reap the benefits of His love, not of our efforts.  Love alone redeemed us.  Love alone saved us.  And it is Love we will study throughout eternity ever mindful of the scars He carries that mark our freedom. 

There will be no competition in Heaven regarding the style, originality, fabric, rareness, or uniqueness of our clothing.  Each one will have what is perfectly suited to them, perfectly created by our Lord, for each individual.  And I imagine like all human beings share certain characteristics with no two exactly alike, our clothing will be much the same.  It will share commonality and practicality but still allow for the uniqueness of each person, each individual.  And yet once there, I doubt we ever give it a second thought.

How often here on earth we put value in things that have no real value.  How often do women lament over having just the right thing to wear to that special occasion.  They want to look just right, and they are hoping their clothing will help them accomplish this goal.  Net result: an entire fashion industry that fosters pride, and competition, and a hunger that simply cannot be satisfied on this earth.  How much time, money, and expense have gone into trying to make women look their best here on planet earth.  While in heaven our bodies are regenerated into the perfection God intended, removing the effects that evil left us scarred with.  Perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect nails, perfect weight, perfect health, and perfect clothing.  I suppose having achieved perfection it will be quite easy not to ever give it a second thought again, though I recon the death of pride may have more to do with that, than simply achieving the goals of perfection.

It is funny that Love is also much like humanity.  It shares broad characteristics, but is uniquely applied.  I believe that while we will all love everyone we encounter in the new world, there will still be a place for unique applications of love.  I believe we will still honor the relationships we have with our parents, our siblings, our children, our spouses (post adjustments made by God), and our friends.  Having a special love does not negate other types of love.  Nor is it impossible to have more than one kind of special love.  For instance, we love all of our children equally (in terms of volume), but differently because of the personalities of each one.  I do not believe that relationships and models we have here will simply become null and void in heaven.  Love is universal, yet love is unique, just like each of us.

I hope to one day wear the Robes my Lord has prepared for me.  It will be my honor, to take on clothing that marks His victories on my behalf.  I pray only that He conquers ALL the carnal nature in me, perfectly submits my will to His own, and in so doing, saves me completely both from evil and from me.  I know there is no other way I can ever wear those Robes …

Living Beyond The Rules ...

When self interest can be killed, the necessity of the entire justice system can perish along with it.  It is not the ability of greed to hold each other in check that is required to maintain society, rather a society based on self-less service with no thought of compensation will one-day define the world to come.  Greed, pride, self-reliance and promotion will someday be replaced by contentment, benevolent service, and a complete understanding of our entire dependence upon our God.

There are those who argue without law society would decay or crumble.  In our world, and our reality, this is true.  But the reason for it is our innate self-interest.  We seek fairness in a world that is not fair.  We seek justice and equality from people who are not inclined to share these with us.  And in truth we are not inclined to share it ourselves.  Naked self-interest lies behind every evil action taken or perpetrated in our world today.  Someone decides to enrich themselves at the expense of another.  Whether it is the degenerate criminal who decides to take his momentary ‘pleasure’ in the abuse over a weaker victim; or simply the co-worker who maneuvers behind the scenes to steal the promotion that might have gone another way; self-interest defines the motives and the nature of both and the reason why we need laws and a formal punitive justice system.

Though it may be hard to envision, imagine for a moment what a world would be like where no-one was motivated by self-interest even in the least of ways.  Utopia or Nirvana to some, Heaven to others; there are many names for it, but only one defining characteristic – the entire lack of self.  There would exist no theft in a place where you could build anything you wanted, or more often receive it as a gift from anyone you encountered.  In this environment the “things” that have value today because they are “rare”, “exclusive”, or “ornate” become commonplace and too easy to access, revealing their real value to be what it truly was all along - of no effect.  When “things” lose their perceived value, there is no reason to steal anymore.

Imagine again what the complete lack of self-interest would do to romantic relationships.  If your entire purpose in life was to make your partner happy, to bring them joy, peace, contentment, and fulfillment – could you not achieve this goal.  And what if the process of pleasing your partner became the very thing that brings you your own joy, contentment, fulfillment, and peace?  What if you discovered that is was only in “the giving” where the source of joy was found?  How strong would marriages be?  It makes arguing about things that have no real value, a historical footnote, not a current distraction.  In fact conflict disappears entirely when first and foremost and to the exclusion of all other concerns is the making of your spouse happy.  Devotion becomes automatic.  And if both were similarly engaged, perhaps only a contest of service might be the thing that emerges between them.  Happiness unlimited and eternal in nature becomes the day to day lifestyle.

You do not need to be told “not to steal” when there is no reason to steal.  You do not need to be told “to be faithful to your spouse” when your spouse is the singular love of your life who you could not imagine living without for even a second.  When you derive your own joy from the effort to please another, self-interest can be placed in its coffin for good.  It does not mean the rules cease to exist, it means the reason for the rules ceases to be relevant.  We will all one day live beyond the rules, when it is our hearts and motives that conform to the government of heaven itself, and align again with the character and nature of our Creator God.

Evil brought with it the structure of rules, punishment, and even death.  These characteristics are the hallmarks of evil and effects it leaves on anything it encounters.  Our current justice system is our feeble attempt at arriving at equality when every motive in the game wars against it.  The concept that “greed is good” because the conflicts between your greed and my greed may somehow achieve balance – ignores the reality that whoever has more greed between us may find alternative ways of overcoming the balance and achieving the self-minded goals no matter what the cost to the other party.  Survival of the fittest perhaps – yes – until only one remains for where self-interest is king – there can be only one.

So what will it take to achieve the ability to live beyond the rules?  I believe it begins with recognizing the truth about the nature of evil.  We too often buy into the concept that evil needs to be preserved, maintained and protected in our lives and characters.  We act as if losing something of evil origins would be a severe detriment to our ability to conduct day to day living.  So we cling to evil.  We cling to momentary pleasures.  Even when we sense that it is leading us nowhere, leaving us unfulfilled or empty, we cling to the lies that evil must still be maintained.  Maybe it will get better if we get enough right?  No.  Evil is the source of our pain, not a symptom of it.  Evil is the genesis of our demise, the author of death and pain, not a result of it.  It is evil that must be extinguished within us if we are to really achieve living.

And after we see evil for what it is we begin to recognize our absolute inability to self-cleanse from it.  Despite our best efforts to remove it from us, we fail and falter over and over and over again.  The simple truth is that humanity has not the capacity to remove evil from itself.  This is why the plan of Redemption or Salvation was first created by our God before we even came into existence.  Once our original free-will choice in the Garden of Eden went badly, our species was doomed to slavery and subservience to evil forevermore unless our God did something to change it for us.  We would no longer be able to alter our condition for ourselves.  But God could still do it for us, if we chose to let Him.

And so His plan to answer the Satanic demands for justice and redeem the hearts of man from the evil he was enslaved to was enacted.  Christ while perfectly innocent of any wrong doing, having lived His life in complete submission to the will of His Father, took on our punishment, our burdens, and our death and separation from God.  Then He rose again, and enabled hope within us to end the condition of evil in our lives.  Still not in our own strength as our capacity to end evil in our lives remains dysfunctional; but by submitting our will, our decisions, our wants and needs to Christ – He would remove the evil from us.  In our submission, and our reliance on Him, we find His strength removing from us what we could not do.  And in Him alone we can find peace.

The rules that define evil and measure equality are not required when all that remains of self-interest lies in a tomb.  Look for a minute at the example of Christ teaching his followers about their responses to theft.  A disciple complains about someone stealing his coat.  Christ says to offer the thief his shirt as well, in effect to give even more to the thief than he stole from you.  Christ does not condone theft in this; He never says it was “OK” to steal.  Instead He focuses on the reaction and thoughts of the victim, steering the victim to the work of redeeming the thief.

By offering a gift of even more things to the thief, Christ is encouraging love for your enemies in practical terms.  Christ knows the thief will be amazed by this gesture.  Instead of demands for justice and equality, He is given a reward his actions do not warrant.  The victim of theft, is reminded by giving even more of his own belongings, that NOTHING he owns is really his.  The victim of theft is taught that ALL things are of NO real value, and asked to trust in God for his current and future needs.  The victim of theft, is given a lesson that the relationship he will establish with the thief is MORE important that any of his own things.  And the victim of the theft, in offering love to the thief, may just melt the heart of thief and result in leading the thief to the redemption offered by Christ.  Christ in His mercy can then begin the work of removing the desire to steal from the heart of the thief.  And in this BOTH are saved, without thoughts of justice or equality – only mercy and forgiveness and love.  In this process enemies are restored to brothers in Christ, a family made whole again, despite the attempts of evil to separate them.

It is NOT natural to return love to someone who offers us only hate.  It is not natural in this world, and will not be required in the next one.  But in the next world to come, offering love unconditionally is natural, it is only the audience that will change, not the offering of love to each other.  In this world when we offer love unconditionally it falls on the mean, nasty, and self-interested as well as those who return love to us.  In the next world, the power of love will have converted the hearts of all who submitted their lives to Christ, and we will find only love returned there.  To live beyond the rules required by evil, this is the goal, this is the hope, and one day this will be our reality …

Really Good Days ...

Facts remain the same, but perception colors the soul.  The same weakness that can tune out selective truths about ourselves that we would rather ignore; can be employed as a strength to turn dark days into golden ones.  But before we enter the nether-world of mental fuzziness, it helps to know you are facing in the right direction, and moving along on the right path.  To accomplish this, it always begins the same, with the surrender of your will to His divine purposes.  Once this is set in motion everything changes.

In our world we are surrounded by a series of negative facts, and doomsday truths that could easily consume the mind of one trying too hard to control their own fate.  Luckily for believers, we need not concern ourselves with these trivialities as our Lord is ultimately in control of our fates anyway.  Part of the freedom to love, is the freedom that comes from trusting the One we put in charge of our will, and our desires.  The surrounding facts do not change, but somehow in the new ways of rebirth, we do not see them as so all-important anymore.  The former matters of life and death importance now seem pale, and of far less concern, even if no less true.  The difference is the freedom brought by serving a loving God.

But it is not just the ability to downplay the world around us that this freedom brings.  It is far more than that.  When our desires begin to be molded by His hands, we begin to want what He wants, and find joy in what He finds joy in.  This transformation is not trivial at all, but breathtaking and profound.  How does one describe the breath of fresh air for the soul?  Just the relief to know that what you are beginning to take joy in is no longer the very thing designed to kill you would be good enough.  But it does not stop there.  You realize you are free to invest in the happiness that comes from wanting the right things.

Amazingly, the simple things, the most mundane routines, become precious moments committed to memory because they are spent with another you love.  There can be great joy found in the most simple activities, because of the focus on companionship, friendship, and romantic loves.  Time spent with the best of friends becomes more memorable.  Time spent with a spouse, child, or parent becomes golden seconds you would be unwilling to trade for all the money the world could muster.  That is after all the normal competition for our time; it is our need of, or perhaps more accurately our desire for, money. 

Pursuit of wealth is the number one competitor for time with loved ones.  Most succumb to its lure of far away leisure time and close up needs for survival.  Both are myths.  We survive now like we do when we are old, because of His grace and blessings to us (including our jobs).  Leisure time expected after a long career is somehow always just around the corner, never here, never now.  But the present remains devoid of time for family, instead focused on career preservation and upward mobility.  And thus life and golden moments are squandered.

Service is thought of as hard work.  But how hard is it to simply begin to think of ways to please someone other than yourself?  Pouring someone a drink when you see they are thirsty, or running low at the dinner table.  Doing the dishes for the family without being asked or thanked, just because it was needed.  Driving someone to work, or the mall, or wherever they need.  There are many small acts of random kindness you can perform that can radically improve the day of those that take notice.  But while improving the lives of others may be the intrinsic goal, there is a greater metamorphosis taking place inside of you.  These repeated benevolent small acts of kindness change your focus from self to service.

This is the goal of Salvation itself, to free you from yourself, and your self-interests.  Taking your eyes away from the mirror and on to the very real needs of others is the beginning of emulating the behavior of God.  There are those who ask, can’t a non-believer be a charitable, giving, person?  And if so, isn’t this enough to win the favor or approval of God?  The answer is yes, and no.  A person who claims no belief in God can do nice things for others, but without exception these acts are only a part of their curriculum of life, not the entirety of it.  Non-believers tend to put stock in balance in their lives, and equating not hurting anyone else, as a limited way of doing good to others.  The moral standards they employ to examine themselves are subjective, and therefore heavily biased.  It is easy to be judged as doing good, when you sit in the judge’s seat.

The secondary part of this query is more difficult.  Can a person by doing good for others win the approval of God, even if they are a non believer?  The answer is no.  But it is deeper than that.  Believers cannot win approval by their actions either.  It is faith and surrender that win approval, not the deeds one does, or even the motives one carries.  Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, back in the garden used his considerable skills as a farmer to prepare a bountiful sacrifice for his God.  He offered the best of his harvest prepared with love, sweat, and hard work.  And his sacrifice was rejected.  He did not follow God’s instructions, and more importantly, he did not humble himself to serve, instead his pride reasoned there was an alternative to doing things God way.  His way might be just as good.  But it was not.  Then pride seeded to jealousy, jealousy to hatred, hatred to murder, and murder to the first “cover up”.

This has long been the problem with disobedient sentient beings, their pride.  We, just like Lucifer before his fall, reason that our wisdom is just as good as God’s.  We put our faith in the facts of science (itself an experimental process), or in the facts of history (which is distorted completely by the perceptions of the teller), or in the purity of math (though no scholar can prove or deny the existence of God through mathematics alone).  We trust institutions of higher learning, when they pronounce religion as mere superstition, or only moral guidelines.  We flatter ourselves into believing that eons of evolution have produced the best of us, instead of recognizing that rather than evolving towards perfection, we as a species are declining towards extinction.  But pride, and the focus on self, are effective ways of denying one the larger more meaningful life they could live, if surrendered to the Lord of all Love.

The times can be hard.  The money can be little, or largely insufficient.  These facts remain.  But despite them, the freedom that comes from a life built on intimacy with God, can bring joy to the mind and body when facts dictate a different response.  Giving it all to God, giving up on doing the work of reform, and taking assurance that He will do it for you, perhaps in spite of you, brings freedom.  An entire series of really good days can begin this way.  When the fog of sin, evil, and self interest is swept away; the eyes are finally able to see the clarity of happiness found in the service of all you come into contact with.  You trade insatiable quests for pleasing self with miserable results, for complete fulfillment and peace and joy that can be found alone in the surrender to Christ.

No matter the times, no matter the struggles you face; peace is at your doorstep.  A way through your trials and travails has already been established, it was completed long before your need presented itself.  This is the care your Father takes in your life.  Surrender your obstinate will, let go your stubborn pride, and become the little child who trusts implicitly, plays incessantly, and lives fulfilled and contented beyond the understanding of the world.  This life is beyond the science of our day, and above the IQ’s of any genius who dared to reason with it, it is the life of peace that surrender alone can bring and sustain.  It is the beginning of the Kingdom of heaven, and it is here today for you …