THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH

What is the truth?

Who knows these days? Corporate management? Advertisers? Politicians? Popular social media icons? Church leaders? So-called religious prophetic voices? I think NO, NOT ONE!

I saw a political sign this morning that said, "Lower prices. More money to spend." Last week at the grocery store, the submarine sandwich I purchased two months ago for $6.99 was $9.99!

A Christian prophetic leader that promoted prayer for the current governmental administration to be elected has reverted to teaching basic scriptural truths, forgetting such preconditions as love being necessary for faith,  Further, he is calling for prayer against the generic "evil" being led by political candidates his camp previously supported.

Corporate management receiving huge compensation, while fighting against worker's wages. Advertiser's blatantly lying about benefits of products. Entire churches praying for governments that lie, cheat and steal to destroy all opposition. Supposedly religious individuals criticizing starving and homeless people while they offer no or little support for the charities that feed and house the poor. If you are reading this blog, like me, I'm sure you could add many more examples.

How did this happen?

King Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes wrote, "There is nothing new under the sun." Much of what we see in our time described above, has been at work for millenniums. In fact, if you read the book, The Fall of the Roman Empire, you will find almost exact parallels with what we observe in the United States today!

It was Hitler's propaganda minister, I believe, that said, "If you tell a lie long enough, the people will believe it as truth!" Think about that today.

What some might refer to as the "gospel of politics or business," refines the actions of its supporters further when encountering opposition with these instructions:

1. Attack, attack, attack! (Or other fight words!)
2. Never admit you are wrong! Blame your opposition.
3. Never admit defeat. Continue as if you were cheated and have won!

What do we do about all this?

If it's not clear, all of the above is the opposite of Biblical truth! This begs the question, "How can we avoid falling prey to false doctrine?" At the risk of oversimplification, I like to begin with a New Testament Scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:23: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here is some TRUTH! The things we do in our bodies guide the actions of our soul man. The soul include the operation of our minds, our wills and our emotions.  Our spirit man is our connection to God and, for people that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, opens the door for God to hear our prayers, and for us to hear God's answers.

So, here is the practical side. Scripture does not have creative power on its own, as many Christian leaders have led us to believe. It only has creativity and power when the one praying the Word has revelation of it. Revelation is "hearing by the Word of God" described in Romans 10:17. So, first we must get revelation of the Word, and then believe it as the truth for our situation. Our next step is to pray having faith that God hears our prayer. When can have that faith when we have taken steps to purify hearts so they can be filled with God's love, or so our spirit man controls our thoughts and actions. The whole Book of First John is about that.

There is one final step in Galatians 5:6, which tells us that faith only works through love (God's love, not human love). God's love is shed into our hearts by the Holy Spirit when we believe in Christ and accept Him as Lord and Savior, and allow Him to do the work in us by His Holy Spirit. This means we are willing to open our hearts to receive Him, both His correction and His love. While this may sound complicated. It's really not. It is simply accepting Him as Lord and Savior, and seeking to become like Him! In Him, following His way and not man's, we can learn to walk as Jesus walked on the earth. 1 John 3:2 tells us that when we see Him, we will be like Him. We can only "see" Him, perceive, know and understand Him, when we believe in Jesus in our hearts, our spirit man not our soul man (John 6:28-29)! The bottom line: Only believe in the one God sent! (John 6;28-29)

WAIT, WATCH AND SEE

Introduction

In David Brook's book, The Second Mountain, he identifies two mountains in the lives of most people: 1) the climb to the top of a career and 2) accomplishing the true meaning of life (my words). Some book authors have stated life is simply learning, earning and retirement. Others have simplified our life journey simply as "we live and then we die!"

I believe many of us have planned and sought our purpose in life diligently. Others have sought simply to keep learning, professionally and personally. Still more have adopted the old song's chorus, "whatever will be, will be." 

Our Journey

I'm sure we all have friends that have found their destiny relatively early in their lives. Some found their destiny later, and some not at all. Some of us are still waiting! Our prayer may have been, "But God, I've waited nearly 40 years to see my purpose in life fulfilled." "You said......." Whether we are Christian, another religion or no religion, the answer to this question is likely to be the same: Wait, Watch and See!

Like a road trip, the effectiveness of our planning will give us "reasonable assurance" (not absolute) of achieving out destination. Our vehicle can break down or there can be accidents. Driving over a mountain pass in southern Colorado late one night, a flurry of miller moths hit my windshield and I didn't see that deer jump in front of me. I had a great car, I was wide awake and enjoying the drive, but I didn't reach my destination as planned. Roadblocks such as nature, other people, events, failures and successes occur along the way!

Making Our Way

This is not a promotion for Christianity or any other religion. This is a focus on the things we carry in our hearts. To illustrate, I'll tell you a story of my friend Steve. What Steve wanted most was to help other people. He was the "give you the shirt off his back" kind of person. In managing some rental properties, he'd help some of the tenants with critical needs. A single mom needed a washing machine; Steve would buy it out of his own pocket. When someone experienced a burst water pipe, furnace failure or electrical outage at 2 AM, Steve would be there to help. Go to any restaurant in our community for lunch with Steve and he'd stop four or five times on the way to a table to pat someone on the back or say a kind word. Most everyone knew Steve!

Steve wasn't a religious man, but he is a good man. He truly considered himself less than other people. He is a humble man. If he had some money and you had a need, Steve would give you what he had; he is a generous man. If you needed physical assistance, Steve would try to help you; he is a compassionate man.

The End of the Journey

Recently, some 30 years later actually, I met Steve for lunch for lunch in our favorite restaurant. He spoke to several people on the way to our table and, when we were seated, the owner of the restaurant came to greet him by name. Steve was still laughing and smiling, loving people! He shared that while he was not a wealthy man, he had more than adequate provision for his retirement years. Not only monetary provision became his, but he was experiencing great peace and joy in life! I don't know for sure, but Steve probably met Jesus Christ somewhere along his journey! Steve is likely is at the top of his "second mountain!" 

What we receive in life is measured by what we give! It's not what we do, but who we are that counts in the end! Wait for God's timing as you love and serve others. Watch patiently for what God will do to use your life experiences to bless others. Then you will see your destiny taking shape, the top of your second mountain!

ARE WE TO BE AUTOMATONS?

Definition of an Automaton

From the Oxford Languages Dictionary:

• A moving mechanical device made in imitation of a human being.
• A machine that performs a function according to a predetermined set of coded instructions, especially one capable of a range of programmed responses to different circumstances.
• Used in similes and comparisons to refer to a person who seems to act in a mechanical or unemotional way.

The "Seven Mountains" Theory

In some Christian circles, these mountains represent key sectors of society where people believe Christians should have influence. My purpose in this post is NOT to support the desire of some leaders to see Christian dominance of these sectors in the world. My purpose is the opposite. It is to show how each of these sectors attempt to make you and I "automatons," and to focus instead on God's plan for unity with diversity in all areas of our lives.

The Sectors of the World

Obviously, some regulation and uniformity are necessary for a society, a group, a community or a culture to function harmoniously and productively. As we consider these different sectors, our success in living in them has to be based on our ability to uniquely contribute to the well-being of others. This could be in many ways, such as financially, educationally, emotionally or spiritually. Probably among many others, these sectors include:

1. Family
2. Religion
3. Education
4. Government (and politics)
5. Media
6. Arts and entertainment
7. Business

Being an old accountant, I like to go to the "bottom line.". Here, based on the seven-mountain theory and our lives in each of these sectors, the objective of leaders in each sector is often to homogenate the behavior of sector participants, to make us "automatons!" Here are a few timely examples of where we may be expected to be the same.

Religion

The sellers of religion promote unity as uniformity. While the Bible emphasizes unity it does not require uniformity in the beliefs and behaviors of constituents. Christian nationalism, as I understand it, wants everyone to be the same, following the biblical interpretations of its promoters, becoming "clones" actually. From the beginning, God's will is expressed in Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." A footnote in the Spirit Filled Life Bible states: "In the way he should go is to do the training according to the unique personality, gifts, and aspirations of the child." Not uniformity! Diversity!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the New Covenant, calls believers to unity, oneness (John 17:21), in their believing in Jesus. The Holy Spirit has, however, given all believers different functions, or gifts (Romans 12:4). Unity with diversity!

Religious organizations apply scripture in their "body" and shirk unity with any others that have different beliefs, or statements of faith. This is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Government and Politics

Unfortunately, in recent years we have seen political influence become the approach to government. The attempt by leaders to conform the population to political beliefs of a party, faction or individual has been the way of government for decades. We have even seen the "church" operate increasingly in the "world's" way. The gospel of politics and government has become that "the end is justified by the means." Sadly, those "means" have become nepharious. Hating, judging, lying, threatening, bullying at the expense of everyone different than us has become tolerated, even accepted, as a way of life. This is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Foundation of Unity with Diversity

Two questions are before us. Who is Jesus? Who are we? Simple answers: Jesus is The Son of the Living God. Jesus was sent by Father God to pay the price for the sins of mankind. We are the workmanship of God as we are born again in Jesus. We are called to be like Him, loving God and people. We can be transformed by believing in Him and seeking to live like Him through the help of the Holy Spirit. 

We can only become one with others by revelation of who Jesus is, and in committing to God's purpose for Him. Loving, accepting and supporting our "neighbors," no matter who they are, what they have done or what they believe is the beginning of our becoming like Jesus Christ. Joining with other believers in a community of believers with like hearts centered on Jesus Christ, accepting our differences, and helping one another to grow into Christ's likeness can be the only foundation for experiencing unity with diversity! The answer to the question in this blog's title is no, God's plan in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for us to be automatons!

THE GREAT MASQUERADE OF LIFE

 What is a Masquerade?

There are a number of definitions:

1. A false show or pretense.
2. The wearing of a disguise.
3. Pretend to be someone one is not.
4. Be disguised or passed off as something else.

Where do we see Masquerades?

This post is not about Halloween! An AI search on the internet will easily provide information about its origins. This post is about our personal masquerades. Mainly, the masquerades some of us feel necessary for success. It is about our masquerades in the world around us, in business or in the church or group we may attend, but mostly about those masquerades covering the shame we have buried in our hearts. I'll try to express what I have to say in one post, so I'll use myself as an example and start with my "true confession."

My Masquerade

True confessions are dangerous you know. They are dangerous because we have to admit the truth about ourselves. Some people will turn them back against us. As long as the truth about who we think we are is buried in our hearts, we can go about our lives masquerading, that is, pretending to be someone we are not. 

Me? Throughout my life, I have judged everything and everyone. I realize now that my judgment was mainly in defense of myself. It was rooted in fear. You know the story. The little guy wins over the big guy by throwing the first "sucker" punch. My punches weren't physical. They were my words, but they still defended me!

Where did this way of life come from? Well, I was abused as a child. Kenny Huffman beat me up on the playground in fifth grade. I was a fat kid and ridiculed for it. My Dad died when I was 14 and didn't teach me how to be a man. My mother was controlling and abusive. I learned to hate injustice, particularly when it pertained to me. I could go on but I'm sure you can see the excuses. These reasons really are excuses! Yes, maybe there was some validity in my responses to my life experiences, but mostly they were excuses that caused me to masquerade and hide from the shame in my heart. They formed the shame that became my identity! Not who I really am, but who I thought I was.

Today, I know there are some things I fear, but I'm I don't like to tell anyone. Why? Because some people will respond like Job's friends in the first book written in the Bible. All but one of his friends came to him during his suffering to point out the popular religious opinion that sin caused the suffering in his life. This may have been true, but the environment in which he lived created a lot of shame for not being perfect! The last person that came, however, rightly told him that he needed to follow God's will to be restored, loving and praying for others in other words. He did and He was!

Why Stay in the Masquerade?

For myself, it has been a life-long story. I hated the person I was. There was only human love in my heart for others, but very little of that for myself. Success was always distant, even though I worked and schemed to achieve it. It was all about me! So, I judged everyone and everything to make me feel better. My demeanor was always disguised as I pretended to be like the ones I thought were the good guys. In my business, I had to be the best. In my personal life, I had to be the life of the party. Like some of the world around me, family and children were second place to me. I was on the throne to protect me from others knowing who I thought I really was.

When I became a Christian, I worked to be the best Christian. To serve at a church more than others. To be more spiritual than others. To read my Bible more than others. To win more people to Jesus than others. To memorize more scripture, to have more spiritual gifts and on and on. Still, even with shame and all of its manifestations hidden in my heart, I thought my masquerade would make me a success. 

I remember an old song by The Platters in 1955 titled, "The Great Pretender."  This is who I was! Here are a few lyrics:

Oh-oh, yes, I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such, I pretend too much
I'm lonely, but no one can tell

Oh-oh, yes, I'm the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I played the game but to my real shame
You've left me to grieve all alone

Too real is this feeling of make-believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

I know this was written as a lament for a lost love partner. The truth be known, these lyrics typify the masquerade some of us live in! I know I did!

Will the Real Person Please Stand Up!

I was not created by God to be a pretender! Neither were you! The Bible tells us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10). Jesus became my Savior when I accepted Him in my heart. Learning to make Him my Lord has been a long process however. In fact, I'm still seeking Him to help me be free of what life made me to be.

Jesus Christ created the way for us to be like Him when He died on the cross and cried out "It is finished." The problem we all face is that the devil has worked overtime in our lives to try to make Jesus a liar. So we masquerade, hoping somehow we will be supernaturally conformed to His image. It doesn't work that way!

We have to build a foundation, and that is being willing to love others as Christ loves us, no matter what. Faith doesn't work unless there is a foundation of love (Gal. 5:6). We can't get past the wounds the devil and the shame in our hearts have inflicted without learning to love others with God's love, even our enemies. Not human love which so easily turns to hate, but God's love (1 Cor. 13). This is who we were created to be! I'm still seeking God to help me finish the course!

So, should we have regret for all the ungodly things we have done or experienced in our lives? Protect your chin from dropping to the floor. No! The Apostle Paul said to count our trials and tribulations all joy! They should be opportunities to learn and grow in Christ. I am learning to be grateful for the good times, and even some of the bad! I'm still processing who I am, but all my trials and tribulations have helped me to know who God created me to be, and to begin to get free of shame. The fine tuning, so to speak, is focusing on Jesus, receiving revelation of what God has said, and putting what we learn into practice. 

Am I am free of the masquerades in my life? Yes and no! God has given me freedom in Christ Jesus. Am I trying to appropriate and practice it every day? I'm asking Jesus for daily revelation of His Word by the Holy Spirit. But the road to Calvary is long and difficult. Will we ever be totally free? Yes, either here on earth or in heaven by the Grace of Jesus Christ! While we are alive, we get to choose our way and exercise free will like God intended. I'm choosing eternal life now, and hereafter, in Jesus Christ. Actually, I'm choosing freedom from the great masquerade! What is your choice?

(For more information on how shame influences our lives, Tim Fletcher has a great series on YouTube.)

EYES WIDE SHUT?

The State of Things

In previous posts I've mentioned guidance I received from my participation in Dale Carnegie Courses some five decades ago: "Don't criticize, condemn or complain." Failing often, I have still tried to live by this rule. 

When I met Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1987, it became clear to me that His walk on earth was guided by the principles He brought to the New Testament of the Holy Bible. I finally realized, however, that sometimes He did criticize, condemn and complain. He did not accept or tolerate lawlessness, whether it was manifested in His presence as sin in mankind or it was presented directly to Him from the devil! He did what He saw Father God doing and said what the Father said. His purpose was to draw people away from darkness into His light (understanding and ways). When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, He is the example for our lives, every aspect of our lives. There is no acceptable "half way!"

As my eyes were opened to this reality,, mainly what I began to see in the world is the increasing manifestation of lawlessness, in politics, government, business and religion, even in the church. David Wilkerson, former senior pastor of Times Square Church, spoke warnings about the coming lawlessness in America, and the deception the devil has brought with it, as early as the 1970s. Watching a few of his videos on YouTube, considering the state of our world today, we can quickly get revelation of The Truth.

So, this begs a question I pose for each of us, myself included. What is our responsibility for the lawlessness being perpetrated around us? Do we simply tolerate it, or do as the Bible says, "overcome evil with good?" Read on please.

What is Your Definition of Lawlessness?

I'm and old accountant/auditor. Professionally, this has led me to be very objective in decision-making. What do the rules say, in other words. Circumstances matter, but there is a bottom line, it is our personal ethics. Our ethics should consist primarily of our integrity and objectivity. Whether our personal ethics are guided by laws, workplace standards, a profession, acceptable cultural behavior, or personal judgment, the bottom line is the same. We are expected to meet basic standards of right and wrong, even when no one is watching!

However we demonstrate our ethics, people in our circles of influence will choose to accept or reject our influence. The choices are either choosing right or choosing wrong in each circumstance. No "half way."  You've probably heard the story. A person walks into a convenience store to buy a bottle of pure drinking water. He picks up a bottle and reads the ingredients that say, "99.44%t pure spring water; .56% sewage." Would he buy it/ Obviously not! Neither will God! 

In short, there isn't a common definition of good or evil. For some, it is the behaviors of a group or individual that we don't like. It may be one's opinion based on experience, upbringing, cultural or societal norms or status, spiritual background or lifestyle. Search the internet for definitions and you'll see as many as there are so-called authorities. 

We cannot afford to be deceived. Our eyes must be wide open. There is only one authority, it is God in the person of Jesus Christ. The truth is I fail every day! My body wants to sin and my mind and will want to help it. My only hope for any success is help from the Holy Spirit of God, when I let Him! I'm not berating myself, only recognizing the condition of human beings and recognizing that only the power and authority of the infinite God can direct us away from lawlessness. So, what is my definition of lawlessness? Simply, it is all things outside of God's will!

Criticism of Lawlessness

Remember, the Garden of Eden?  Lawlessness began there. From that beginning, the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 28, and the Book of Galatians, Chapter 5, present a frightening summary of mankind's lawless behaviors.  So, let me take a different approach and try to point out what isn't lawlessness.

Here are some definitions from Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828 Edition:

Ø  Ethics:  1. The doctrines of morality or social manners; the science of moral philosophy, which teaches men their duty and reasons for it.  2.  A system of moral principles; a system of rules for regulating the actions and manners of men in society.

Ø  Integrity:  The entire unimpaired state of anything, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty.  Integrity comprehends the whole moral character but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property, and agencies for others.

Following guidance from these definitions would not be considered lawless thinking or behavior, in 1828 or today! Behaviors, practices or rules outside these definitions would likely be considered lawlessness by most of us. How do we apply these behaviors in today's world? 

Our Challenge

Here is a simple starting place. It is not to criticize, condemn or complain. I have no right to speak against the behavior of others, no matter how evil, unless I have brought my own behavior to the universal judge, the only triune God. Even when we meet God's terms for our behavior, we can only judge another's sin, not the sinner! 

Often, the things I see as lawlessness in other people is God's mirror reflecting some of the things that are in my own heart. My inclination, of course, is to reason such thought away by thinking the evil things in my heart are very small in relation to all the good I do or am! Ugh! No pride or arrogance here! One sin is not greater than another! The Bible says in the Book of Romans, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." We all will be accountable!

So, what are we to do? Nothing? Judge as hypocrites? No! We've got to try to learn to live like Jesus and forsake the lawless ways of the world around us! If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in our hearts, we must trust God to complete the work He began in us! That old hymn was right! "Trust and obey for there is no other way!" Not even a half way! Help us God!

WHAT'S IN YOUR WALLET, ER, I MEAN YOUR HEART

 Some Facts and Definitions

THE HEARTMATH SOLUTION, CHILDRE AND MARTIN, HARPERSANFRANCISCO, PAGE 10: “In recent years, neuroscientists have made an exciting discovery. They’ve found that the heart has its own independent nervous system--a complex system referred to as “the brain in the heart.” There are at least forty-thousand neurons (nerve cells) in the heart--as many as are found in various subcortical centers in the brain. The heart’s intrinsic brain and nervous system relay information back to the brain in the cranium, creating a two-way communication system between heart and brain.)”

Detailed research and studies of the heart are included in this book and many others as well. Researchers have studied heart transplant recipients and found they often have dreams, nightmares and memories of their donors. One recipient even knew the name of the person that killed his heart donor!

Next, here are some spiritual definitions:

HEART (Nelson’s Bible Dictionary)

“The inner self that thinks, feels, and decides. In the Bible the word heart has a much broader meaning than it does to the modern mind. The heart is that which is central to man. Nearly all the references to the heart in the Bible refer to some aspect of human personality.

In the Bible all emotions are experienced by the heart: love and hate (Psalms 105:25; 1 Peter 1:22); joy and sorrow (Ecclesiastes 2:10; John 16:6); peace and bitterness (Ezekiel 27:31; Colossians 3:15); courage and fear (Genesis 42:28; Amos 2:16).

The thinking processes of man are said to be carried out by the heart. This intellectual activity corresponds to what would be called mind in English. Thus, the heart may think (Esther 6:6), understand (Job 38:36), imagine (Jeremiah 9:14), remember (Deuteronomy 4:9), be wise (Proverbs 2:10), and speak to itself (Deuteronomy 7:17). Decision-making is also carried out by the heart. Purpose (Acts 11:23), intention (Hebrews 4:12), and will (Ephesians 6:6) are all activities of the heart.

Finally, heart often means someone's true character or personality. Purity or evil (Jeremiah 3:17; Matthew 5:8), sincerity or hardness (Exodus 4:21; Colossians 3:22); and maturity or rebelliousness (Psalms 101:2; Jeremiah 5:23) - all these describe the heart or true character of individuals. God knows the heart of each person (1 Samuel 16:7). Since a person speaks and acts from his heart, he is to guard it well (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18-19). The most important duty of man is to love God with the whole heart (Matthew 22:37). With the heart man believes in Christ and so experiences both love from God and the presence of Christ in his heart (Romans 5:5; 10:9-10; Ephesians 3:17).”

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Applications to Life

Back in the 1920s, Dale Carnegie wrote several books and launched a series of seminars at the New York City YMCA. Interestingly, the original books and seminars were based on Scripture from the Holy Bible. Later, Scripture references were deleted but the principles remained the reasons for the success of his books and seminars.

In one of those books, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, some of the key principles were summed up with the phrase, "don't criticize, condemn or complain." These principles and the rest of the book focused mainly on what is in one's heart, one's motives in other words. Applications of these principles were suggested as ways we can begin to redirect the inappropriate behavior of our soul man, i.e., change our mind, our will and our emotions.

Reality

Some of you reading this post have walked this road, myself included. If you are anything like me, you likely discovered that the harder we tried, the worse the inappropriate behavior became, at first. A pastor of a church I attended years ago taught a Bible study course called Becoming Who You Are, it's a book now I think. In the course and related sermons, he often posed the question, "If I am, why aren't I"?

The answer is simple. No amount of self-discipline, study of Scripture, following the suggestions in self-help books or the instructions of political or religious leaders can change the heart of men! Only God can!

I tried to get free of inappropriate things in my heart (sin, to be real), for over 30 years. Pastors and other religious leaders I consulted had similar answers like these: " Don't think about those things", "Don't go back there", "Pray these Scriptures" or "Just stop it." One counselor gave be a book to modify my behavior that contained a long list of every bad behavior in my life that I had to change. As some of us may have learned, positive results may have be achieved by performance in the short-term, but the old behaviors and habits of the soul man usually win out over the long haul.

Is There Any Hope?

I believe so! Our minds can be renewed by meditation on God's written word, illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27) ! A short time after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, an elderly pastor told me all I had to do as a Christian was "trust and obey." Like many so-called solutions to our problems and issues, we have to receive revelation of the truths before we can have faith to apply them to our lives. Even then, once we receive revelation, the problems often seem to worsen for at time!

I remember a poster we had on our wall years ago. It was a picture of a Raggedy-Andy doll being forced through the wringer on an old washer tub. It said this: "The Truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable!" Here is a truth. The devil doesn't want us to be free from the bondage he has helped us create through sin. The harder we work, so does he. Only believing the truth in our hearts will set us free. John 6:28-29: "Then they (the people following Jesus) said to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.'" This is how we receive Christ in our hearts. This is how we purify our hearts!

Only by believing in our hearts can we we receive God's revelation and salvation, from the past, in the present and in the future. You've likely heard the saying, "Time heals all wounds." Like the patriarchs of Christianity, believing the promises of God will set us free, either in the Kingdom of God on the earth or in heaven! This is the only WAY! 

IF I'M A GOOD DOG, I GET A TREAT

 Our Good Dogs

Sarahdoodles is a black lab in her 14th year. Magnus is an 8 year old rat terrier. Sarahdoodles is passive aggressive. Magnus is a feral dog, but he gets away with it because he is cute!. Both are smart and run their "cons" all day long. Sarahdoodles is cautious, obedient and somewhat timid. Magnus will open drawers, doors and cages to get what he wants. Sarahdoodles would never bite a person or another dog unless attacked. Magnus will attack your feet if you accidentally step on him, your hand if you try to take back trash he has procured at midnight from the locked trash can. Both are, however, treat motivated, Sarahdoodles all the time and Magnus when he wants to be.

Our Dogs' Upbringing

No matter what our dogs do or don't do, the credit or the blame belongs to us humans. When they were puppies we gave them treats, for everything actually. Going outside to potty, responding to our commands, learning tricks and other good behaviors got rewards, usually food as treats. No wonder they are con artists! More treats!

My Upbringing

I don't know why I should be surprised when Sarahdoodles finds the upstairs door open and she comes to the downstairs door near my office for a treat. After all, going outside is grounds for a treat, right? The same with Magnus when at midnight he opens my office door, pulls the dog-proof trash can to the living room and opens it for any crumbs that he may find on the trash inside. They are they way they are trained to be. So are we by the way!

Many of us were raised with some combination of love, discipline, intimidation and fear from our parents. We were either good boys and girls or we were bad, depending on how we behaved. This became our identity. So, naturally, we often use our learned behavior traits with our dogs, our family members, our peers and others in our circle of influence.

Our Worldview is Shaped by Our Life Experiences

From our childhood, to our teenage years, to adulthood, we bring forward learning from life events, both good and bad. We use or mind and will to seek and get what we want, mostly guided by these life experiences. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and book author says it this way: "Our worldview is not of the world as it is, but as we are in it." The question is, should we look beyond our personal worldview?

From our life experiences and circumstances, our perceived identity, our opinions and our behaviors we mold the world we live in. Most of us don't change our core beliefs and behaviors unless some catastrophic event motivates us to change. Whether we admit it or not, many of us operate by the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule. We attack rather than change! We do what we've learned to do because it usually works, that is, until it doesn't!

We sometimes masquerade as nice, even religious, all the while scheming to get ahead. We appear as a team player until others block what we want the team to do. We judge others by their behaviors and expect others to judge us by our good intentions. We speak half-truths professing not to lie, or we just lie. Deep inside we hate other people that are different from who we believe we are. We love others only based on what we get from them! We believe that the end can be justified by the means, however horrible the means may be. Forgive me, but we all  have a little of these types of behavior hidden somewhere in our hearts, some of us more than others!

Are We All Supposed to be the Same?

Of course not! Our dogs are all different and so are we. We are all individuals, each with the potential to add something to the world. The Bible, in fact, documents God's plan for each of us to contribute to the well-being of others. But, instead of building others up, we often seek their destruction in defense of our fragile egos, whether justified or not. We plot against them, we criticize them, condemn them or complain about them using both our actions and our words. For some, we even have hatred in our hearts for them just because they don't agree with us.

What is Our Place in the World?

Our dogs' behaviors can be modified through love and training, but their breed and upbringing will always weigh heavily on their behavior and what they are. For us humans, thousands of books, pundits, business, religious and government leaders purport to show us the way. The Truth is, when we've tried it all, there is only one Way. That is God's Way, as directed by the Holy Spirit from Scripture in the Holy Bible. Sure, short-term success can come from nefarious or worldly ways. We often forget, however, that the life we are living now is but a microcosm of time that establishes our place for eternity. Either God's Way or the devil's way will get us to eternity! All or none! It's our choice, right now! 

Jesus was sent as our example of the way, the truth and the life God expects of us here on earth. We will be judged by His Way! Breaking news: God can't be conned!