Breath it in...

When the road of life is clear and smooth,
too often we miss the beauty within our easy grasp.

We gaze ahead with intensity
through the portal which beckons us,
"...move quickly along the way!
Life waits, just ahead." 

Indeed it is the journey, not the destination
that unravels the mystery.

Breath it in, let it out.

Liveitwell!

Leveling up?

June has come and gone, again.  Fall is just weeks away.

Three years ago, June 28, we lost our beloved grandson (on this side of the veil)  to a dragon called cancer. Wednesday we gathered to remember Braden on what would have been his 18th birthday; he is a constant companion in my heart. He battled the disease and in the end, he lost his life, but he never lost his hope; the certain confidence that he, as a believer in Jesus Messiah, would finally be transported into the presence of His Lord and Savior, there to enjoy life as HE designed it to be.

Life is hard, then we die. We will all lose our lives in one final breath; but we need not lose our hope.

Praise God for the hope we have in Messiah and the healing death brings for those who have embraced Him through effective, saving faith. For these, death is not something to be feared; it is a gracious provision that carries us back into a face-to-face real-time relationship with God.

Without death, we become eternal beings, like Lucifer and the legion of angels which were cast out of heaven because of their rebellion, eternally separated from God.  Without death we would be chained to a relationship of enmity with God; no reverse, no repair--no redemption. NO hope.

Death became the modality that God uses to foil Satan's attempt to co-opt God's crowning creative act, the human race. So then, death is the definitive check-mate, demonstrating God's mastery; always steps ahead of evil and the chaos of sin. Genesis 3 describes the event that initiated the rebellion of Adam and Eve to sin and it's necessary result, death; it's also here that we learn that death is part of God's bigger plan for hope and the redemption of human-kind.

The rest, is history, 1 John 4.9,10...

"God showed how much he loved us

by sending his one and only Son 

into the world so that we might have 

eternal life through him. 

10 This is real love—not that we loved God, 

but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice 

to take away our sins."

We know that love is a four letter word, spelled H-O-P-E; more importantly, we know that death simply marks the first day of the rest of our lives, 2 Corinthians 4.16-18...

"Therefore we do not lose heart. 

Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet 

inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

17 For our light and momentary 

troubles are achieving for us an eternal 

glory that far outweighs them all. 

18 So we fix our eyes 

not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, 

since what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal."

We will rise--Braden declared "I'm leveling UP."  Thanks be to God. It's a GRACE day.

We don't get to be here long. What will you do with Jesus?


Life is fast.

Liveitwell!

Grace wins.

June 23, 2019

I need to periodically remind myself about my mission in life, perhaps you need that too. So, I repost this, written 6 years ago.  The sun came up again today...

"'Huffington Post...'WASHINGTON -- The Defense of Marriage Act, the law barring the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages legalized by the states, is unconstitutional, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday by a 5-4 vote.'

'The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and to injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity,' Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion. 'By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment.'

An urgent reminder to my friends who identify themselves as followers of Jesus...

'Yesterday (June 26, 2013) The Supreme Court published its opinion on United States v. Windsor. 

The sun came up this morning, as it always has. A new day. Here's the reality: nothing has changed. As believers we are called to love the world as Christ loved the world, unconditionally, and be instruments of grace and healing.

If history teaches us anything, it's that culture, people, tend to go the way they're going. The Court's opinion simply affirms what history so clearly demonstrates. 

As a follower of Jesus, my mission has not changed one bit. This ruling serves to underscore the urgency (NOT to fall back and counterattack) of what God has called me to do personally, within my spheres of influence, and corporately, through my community of faith; seek to demonstrate the love of God in tangible ways that will move people closer to personal faith in Christ. This means I must do everything I can to make hard lives easier--regardless of the spiritual outcome.

My church (the community Christ-followers who have embraced effective faith--Romans 10.9-10) must understand that it is not about us; about making the world bend to what makes us comfortable and secure. 

It's about the world. We should expect that people who have not embraced the reality of God's love, will choose to live in ways that do not reflect that reality. 

This fact should not repel us, it should compel us to resolve to love those not like us, in the same way that God loves them--generously, redemptively, graciously.  This is faithfulness to God's vision for His church, and our mission in His world: that all might come to know Christ, the reality of His power, and the freedom, finally, to say `yes` to God.'"

GRACE WINS.

Liveitwell!

Sleep well noble prince.

“Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of 
angels sing thee to thy rest."
― William Shakespeare, Hamlet

It`s been a year since we lost Charles Karuthammer.  His passing has diminished us all.  Not many people have that kind of impact on a Nation.

He was a good man.  An overcomer. A great thinker. A remarkable wordsmith. He called it the way he saw it, and the way he saw it, was usually the way it was. We desparately need people like CK today; more than at any time since WW2. 

A voice of reason.

CK was a man directed by values and ideas, but not a driven ideologue. He was pragmatic enough to realize that when politics becomes a zero-sum-game, there aren't winners and losers--because everyone loses.  

It feels like `overtime` in America.

That said, our hope remains the most high God...I choose to trust in Him.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth." 

PSALM 121.1,2 ESV

Liveitwell!

Keep Your Eye on the Ball.

The cardinal rule of good hitting--baseball, golf, billiards--is of course, "keep your eye on the ball.

That said, my mission as a follower of Christ--to proclaim the truth about God, His love for humankind, His provision for our redemption--does not require me to fear a culture filled with souls who "are like sheep without a shepherd."  It does NOT require me to win the so-called "culture war."

Jesus saw the crowds of distressed people and was "moved with compassion" all the way to the Cross where He crushed the power of sin, once-and-for-all. God's Word makes it clear who the enemy is..."For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6.12

God's Word tells me what it is I must do to engage these evil adversaries and prevail...

"10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."  Ephesians 6.10-24

Note that this passage does not instruct Christ-followers to revile the sinner, legislate a solution that protects my family, leave the Union, or disengage from "life in the world--not of the world."  This is not a political war, not a culture war--it is a Spiritual battle that calls for weapons fashioned by God for taking down, taking back, strongholds.  Our weapons?  See...truth, righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, faith, salvation, God's Word, intercessory prayer, wisdom from God to speak the truth in love with boldness behaving as an Ambassador/Doulos (bond-servant) for the King.

When we allow ourselves to be drawn into a "culture-war" mentality, we lose; people yet to trust Christ and experience spiritual re-birth lose.  We allow the "the rulers, the powers, the world forces of darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness" to pick the time and place of the struggle; we lay the Armor of God aside--and we are impotent in the face of such evil. It's high time believers figure out "who and where" the enemy is and the rules-of-engagement; then take the fight to the enemy as per Paul's instruction in Ephesians 6.10-24.  Only then will we see the tide of evil begin to recede.  Does the devolution of my Nation trouble me?  Yes, profoundly.  Yet, I do not consider turning culture around to be my primary mission, or the primary mission of Christ`s Church.   It`s a spiritual not a political fix.

The Church is described by Jesus as a City set on a hill; the light of the City illuminates the darkness. We will not prevail in the long-term by building higher walls, serving only to dim the light, around the spiritual reservations we have fashioned our churches into; or by asking Focus of the Family to lobby our politicians, by finding conservative-too often shrill--politicians to write laws and pack the courts.  Cursing-the-darkness won't win the battle.  God has committed to change culture from the inside out, not the top down.  It's about God doing the heavy lifting, changing human hearts; it is Vertical.

Surrender to God.  
   Love people.  
      Know who the enemy is and...
"10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  Ephesians 6.10   

Our battle is NOT against flesh and blood.  The stakes are infinitely higher than a culture-war; eternity hangs in the balance for those yet to embrace Christ with effective faith.  

For the sake of the Kingdom, for those who have yet to claim their stake--through effective faith--in the Kingdom, keep your eye on the ball.

Liveitwell!

Whisper Their Names

Taps begin.
Time adds little perspective.
Death in a hostile place, a time not chosen.
Cities hard to pronounce; countries hard to find.
Cause, clarity clouded, confused; hard to recall.
Whisper their names.

Taps begin
Time dulls memory.
Pace pushes people on.
Space vacated, empty, gone.
Place dissolves, no trace; so it seems.
Whisper their names.

Taps begin.
Time stands still; this I remember.
  Their laughter, their scent.
  First smile, first step, first word, first love.
  A Friday night; life was simple.
  The future, a certain dream, bulletproof, not.
Whisper their names.

Taps begin.
Time release; tears flow freely.
Pride in lives well lived.
Grieving for lives given, invested and gone.
The loss, the pain; broken plans, broken hearts--shattered.
Whisper their names.

Taps begin.
Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coastguardsmen, Airmen.
Duty, honor, country.
Last full measure, their devotion.
No greater love, their sacrifice.
In peace, now rest.
Whisper their names...and remember.



Liveitwell!

Above the Law.

Anger and hate are easy because they are intuitive to our human nature.

Empowered by God, we can do better "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."  Galatians 5.22, 23

No law; Statutory, Constitutional or Sharia can stand against these compelling virtues. They are a starting place, pointing us to the truth about the Universe we can see, but not fully experience; the world we can experience, but not fully understand and ourselves--with hearts so desperately sick, who can know them.

Need help with that desperately sick heart?  Message me.


Liveitwell!

Soon. Very soon.

This is the hardest part of the weather calendar in Northern Indiana.  The calendar says it's spring, reality says "it's ugly."

Things are ready to go; mowers have been serviced, the hedge has been trimmed.  The irrigation system is functional again.  Bud's are on the trees and bushes...the evergreens aren't just green now, they are awake!  Robin's are busy being the "dirty birds" of the neighborhood.  Lily and Chance track fresh scent everywhere we go.  We are ready, where is spring?

It feels like Thanksgiving Day when I was a little boy.  Would our guests and extended family ever arrive...

"Mom, how soon will they be here?"  

"Pretty soon BJ."  

"Mom, do you think they're still coming?" 

"BJ, they will all be here, just like last year." 

"But mom, we are ready, where is everyone?" 

"They are on the way."  

"Then where are they?"  

"BJ, why don't you wait outside for them, 

greet them when they arrive."  

"I think they changed their mind, 

they aren't coming this year." 

That's the way our conversation advanced every year.  A little boy, anticipating a favorite event, thinking it would never happen, but it always did.

I'm ready but spring just hasn't arrived...yet.  When it does come and the days slip quickly into summer...the memory of this misery becomes dim, almost dreamlike.  Every day a new color explodes someplace along my route to the office.  It's warm, balmy...with life-sustaining showers from time to time.

There are many "seasons" in our lives...they come, they go--some are better than others; they make life interesting and always produce something my memory clings to, which delivers a lifetime of pleasure and expands my perspective.

Yes, spring hasn't arrived but summer's comin.'  It will be OK, sooner than later.  I can wait; in the interim, the memories from "seasons past," the good, the bad, the painful...they sustain me.  It's a wonderful life.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.


Liveitwell!

Two Camps.

The confessing church has aligned itself into two camps.  This division has created a wall that impacts Christ's church in a profoundly negative way.  The challenge Believers face is to embrace both the justice and eschatological mandates of the Gospel; it isn't either/or, it's both/and.

The irony is that the same end, passion for people who have become as Jesus described “sheep without a shepherd,” drives both camps; yet we (all of us) proclaim a different gospel when we fail to apply the whole counsel of God to our praxis.  

It has stripped the church of its relevance on one hand, and spiritual power on the other--leaving only a shell for those "asking, seeking, and knocking" to behold. 

The good news is that God isn't marginalized by our failure to embrace the whole Gospel. His love continues to find a way. If only we who have confessed Christ and embraced effective faith could come together, face the harsh reality that WE are the problem.  

Would that we might seek God's face, confess our sin; then healing would come.  That's the promise of 2 Chronicles 7.14... 

"...If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." 

May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Liveitwell!

Trying Times.

"These are the times that try men's souls," wrote Thomas Paine in his pamphlet The American Crisis published December 23, 1776.  The Colonies faced the almost certain prospect of defeat in their war for independence--for liberty.  Paine implored Americans "don't give up the fight!"

As the curtain drops on this First Quarter of 2019: we are racked by recriminations, accusations and at times violent "resistance" fueled by an angry election for the 45th President, between two very flawed candidates and now...chapter two of the Mueller Report. 

Our economy remains fragile, the world is a more dangerous place than ever, we face the prospect of a nuclear Iran--still, a rapidly ascending China, the rouge (as ever) state North Korea, and the ongoing challenge of Health Care and the crisis (yes, it is) on our southern border; all made more ominous because of poor leadership--on both sides of the aisle--from those we've elected to provide courageous direction and make good decisions.

That said, the fact remains that every generation of Americans has been forced to face down a crisis; yet they survived, thrived and grew strong on an IDEA called America.

We must remember to "keep the main thing," the main thing. The "idea of America" has been the fuel driving our resolve to be one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all; an idea those who traveled this way before us thought to be worth sacrificing, fighting and dying for. 

Indifference to this "big idea" is the real, the urgent threat to our liberty.

Resolve to do your part; work hard, make informed decisions, be a person of strong character, celebrate interdependence and respect people who disagree with you--but press them to think outside their "box" and you, think outside yours. Don't give in to tyranny, fear or indifference--be strong and of good courage. Don't tolerate incivility; choose kindness.

Invest in a legacy that will inspire a new generation.


Liveitwell!