THE PROVERBIAL FROG

 The Frog's Story

I suspect you. remember the frog's story. It is placed in a pan of cool water over a stove burner. It is quite calm since water is its environment. When the burner is lit, there is no immediate change in the temperature. As time passes, the water temperature gradually increases. At first, the frog ignores the change in temperature, in fact, it does so right up to the boiling point. Then comes the awakening, or it's end in other words!

Along the way, the frog's thinking is on itself. "I wonder where the insects have gone. I haven't eaten for a while. This pan isn't very comfortable; I can't find a comfortable lily pad or leaves to settle on. The bottom of this pond is slippery and I can't hop around. For some reason, I'm not able croak and send the alarm; something is wrong." And so, it goes for the rest of the story up to the boiling point and awakening! Not to life, but to death!

The Parallel with the Human Story

Wherever and whenever our story began, we were placed in a pan of water not of our choosing. The environment, initially at least, was generally pleasing. We were helpless but we were in charge! We usually got whatever we wanted, after appropriate crying and screaming of course. But as time passed, life became more difficult and it was much harder to get what we wanted. That devil, CONTROL, took over! First parents, then teachers, then religion and always the government! Rules brought rebellion, at least in our hearts, as we tried to get out of the pan of hot water. Although it appeared many people were escaping, when the water reached the boiling point, many found out they were still in hot water!

Our Choices

Really, there is only one choice: to live or to die. And the choice is ours. To stay in the pan or jump out as soon as we can. The reason many don't jump out is that it is comfortable in the pan, at least at first. We have a place, friends and our self-life. This self-life is a known thing; the afterlife may not be, at least as far as we are concerned. We know the CONTROL that exists as the water gets hotter, but since others seem to be tolerating it, we think we can too. In fact, if we just ignore it, we can maintain our comfortable place with our friends and self-centered life, right? This may be true.... until the water boils! Choice number one.

The second choice is to die now! Hold on. I'm not talking about physical death. Seeking to end the self-life is choosing death to self.  I remember a movie series called the Band of Brothers, about the second world war. The story focused on the military in Europe, and the sacrifices many people made to protect the freedoms of our nation. Several episodes portrayed the actions of one military unit as it fought to destroy the enemy, one battle at a time. There was gain, but at the cost of many lives. One lieutenant led most of the attacks on the enemy and lived, while he witnessed the deaths of many of his men. Eventually, one of his men asked how he could lead the assaults on the enemy and not get killed or injured. His answer was simple: "I was dead before I got here!"

The lieutenant died, and he lived! God has given us that choice in Jesus Christ. In fact, God has instructed us to choose life. He even has made the WAY.  Matthew 16.25: For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." To get out of the pan, we must die to ourselves before the water boils! Giving up what we want and trusting Jesus to keep us are our only choices! We have to die to live!

THE TIME IS NOW

I'm sure you've heard this before, "Jesus is coming!" He IS coming, likely very soon! The parable of the ten virgins is about to become prophetic reality (Matthew 25:1). If we are ready, if we are seeking to die to self, we will hear the midnight crier before the water boils!  WAKE UP! JESUS IS COMING!

WHY ARE WE ON EARTH?

WHY ARE WE ON EARTH?

Here's how I see it. Chapter 8 of the Book of Romans has good news for born-again Christians. Among other things, it says we are children of God, joint heirs with Jesus. I was taught in church this is how we get all the things we want. Further, the Scripture says God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Great! More good stuff!

Spoiler alert! This is man's interpretation; it is not God's. God's purpose is for all people to receive eternal life and for all born-again Christians to be conformed to the image of Christ. This is living and walking in the Holy Spirit as Christ did on the earth! I don't know about you, but after 84 years of life I am still seeking to know God more and achieve His purpose on the earth.

We don't like to talk about this, but Romans 8:17 tells us that becoming joint heirs with Christ requires we share in His sufferings, i.e., suffering for righteousness's sake! This isn't just suffering for the trouble we have encountered in our lives that we have caused through unbelief and other sins, or the problem issues we have had in relationships with others. This is suffering for righteousness' sake, standing for the truth of God's Word in all circumstances, which the Bible tells us produces perseverance and character in us.

We receive the imputation of righteousness when we demonstrate faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This becomes how God sees us! Suffering can result in the Holy Spirit's impartation of righteousness, which is the rest of the story. This is the process of sanctification we undergo as we cooperate with the leading of the Holy Spirit.

We like to remember and often quote Romans 8:28, which says God always works for our good in all things. He "works" for our good. Common understanding is that this means God is always going to give us good things. The "good" he works for, however, is His purpose.

Earlier verses in Romans 8 tell us God has subjected all of creation to frustration awaiting the coming of the sons of God. What? I thought I became a child of God when I accepted Jesus. But if all creation (this includes humans!) awaits the coming of the sons of God, I must be missing something to become a "son" of God.

The truth is God's purpose is for my character to be like Jesus' character, to walk the earth as He did. To enable my walking in the righteousness given to me in Christ, God has ordained suffering and frustration to facilitate both the imputation and impartation of righteousness! Believe it or not! The Bible says the truth will set us free. When we have revelation of the truth of who God is in our hearts, we can receive His purpose and plans for us. God is love, and He is just! I saw a poster once that said the truth will set us free, but first it will make us miserable! There is no free ride!

This is my understanding of why we are on earth. What's yours? Make a comment here or on any of the articles on my blog at larryperrycpa.blogspot.com.

IS IT TIME FOR OUR ACCOUNTING?

 What Accounting?

I know we've heard this before, maybe from a few preachers. Not likely recently, however. I'm referring to our walk with God. Many think our price has been paid; Jesus died for sinners, right? We were told that all we have to do is pray asking for forgiveness, call Jesus our Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead. Home free, right? There is more to the story. We are accountable for what we have done or not done, on earth and finally at the White Throne judgement. All mankind is accountable! Rewards or punishment?

Why Now?

The clock is approaching midnight! The time of the midnight cry, when Jesus returns as in the parable of the ten virgins. Will we participate in the coming final move of God before Christ returns? Some have called this the great awakening, and it will be that. We religious like to think it will be a time of millions of people accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. This it will likely be, but much more than we expect is planned. Pastor Kris Langham in the Through the Word app describes the Book of Romans as the final court room. Not only are the wicked and ungodly judged by Jesus there, but the religious are also judged as well. This will be the place of our final accounting to God!

What Are God's Criteria For Our Accounting?

Let's recount our responsibilities in the New Testament of the Bible. How do we know we will go to heaven when we die? Will it be for our good works? No! It will be only by faith in and trusting Jesus Christ as our Savior, and by following Him as our Lord. Obeying His commandments, in other words.  We must believe in our hearts that Father God raised Him from the dead after He paid the price for our sins, and that we were raised with Him.

Our faith in Jesus is not the faith we may have been taught to apply for people or things. It is faith that trusts Jesus as Lord over our lives, and by His example we follow God's ways and directions. It is a faith that only works through our unconditional love (Gal. 5:6) as we live our lives as Jesus lived His on earth. Our human love doesn't meet the test. We have to walk out our lives with God's love (agape) in our hearts. It must be our motive. It must be the root and purpose for what we do. It is loving God, loving people and loving ourselves in light of the forgiveness God gives us and others that call on His Name. This is unconditional love in all we do, think, say and demonstrate each day. The question is, "do we measure up"?

Aren't We Already Righteous?

Some may reason that through faith in Jesus we have been made righteous by God, as if we had no sin and therefore are automatically saved. Whether we pass the love test doesn't really matter; the price for out salvation has been paid in other words. God understands humans so I just do my best and all will be good in the end. Not necessarily true! God is the final judge, and this reasoning may be a big risk with severe consequences.

Many of us, me included, have struggled for years to feel righteous. The truth is, the righteous of God we receive through faith in Jesus is not a feeling our emotion. Instead, God-given righteousness is how God sees us, how He will judge us in other words. As God counted Abraham's faith as His righteousness, He has imputed or counted us righteous as a result of our faith and trust in Christ. We have to decide to be all in! He then imparts righteousness to us through the Holy Spirit's life-long process of sanctification as we yield ourselves to Him. This is not just me expressing my opinion; it is the Word of God in the Book of Romans!

God's love for mankind is unconditional. So is Jesus's love. So should ours be, beginning with how we love ourselves. It is not pretending we don't sin or that our sin doesn't matter because we have been made righteous through believing in Christ. It begins by seeking and receiving God's forgiveness for our sins IN OUR HEARTS to be able to receive His unconditional love. We have to know we have been forgiven. That means we must be willing to literally stake our eternal lives on what we believe! 

The pre-condition for being able to love others unconditionally, our neighbor as ourselves, is to be able to love ourselves unconditionally! The final accounting will not be of what we have done or not done. It will be of how we have loved unconditionally!

So, back to the beginning: our faith only works through love. Faith in the Gospel of Jesus can only work through unconditional love of God, ourselves and others. You may have heard it said, "hate the sin, love the sinner." Our salvation depends on how we love! THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL ACCOUNTING!

OUTSIDE THE CAMP

Where am I?

I've asked myself this question many times in the last decade. Questions like:

• Is the traditional church real?
• Are religious leaders in churches and ministries living the true Gospel of Jesus?
• What is the true Gospel of Jesus?
• Why do people with different beliefs get angry when I share mine?
• Why has a political spirit been allowed to take over most churches and religious organizations?
• How can people support leaders that don't demonstrate godly values?
• How did I get here and am I outside the camp?

Right off, I hope I'm not being self-righteous in my writings. For many years after I became a born-again Christian, I think I was. You know, better than all the others I judged for their faults. Through pride, ignorance and zeal, I suppose I still am still self-righteous in some ways. But I really don't want to be self-righteous, just righteous in the Way of Jesus Christ. So, if you read this blog to answer some of your questions about where you are, please give me the benefit of the doubt. Just chew up the grass and spit out the sticks!

Are you in a camp?

What is the camp, you might ask? I guess it could be anywhere in life. Professions, trade skills, jobs, family, generations, religious organizations, political parties, even hobbies and other arenas of living are a few examples. These represent groups of people that have similar interests, both natural and inherited, that join together for mutual benefit and that tend to shape the life direction of their members. It is likely we will be members of several camps, either at the same time or throughout our lives.

So, how do we find the right or the most important camp? I don't know about you, but I still have to begin with what I don't want or like. Maybe some of these would be on your list:

• I don't want to be in a relationship with people that are:
•           Disingenuous, that say one thing and live another.
• Always trying to change me to their way of thinking.
• Untrustworthy or dishonest.
• Mean spirited and unfriendly.
• Narcissistic.
• Users and takers seeking gain at my expense.

I could go on, but you are probably asking where we find people that are not like this! Truth is, we all probably have some degree of these attributes. When I look deep in my heart, I know I do!

Where is the right camp?

I think the starting place is within each of us. R.T Kendall has a sermon on YouTube entitled "Outside the Camp." This sermon started me thinking again of life issues I started considering almost four decades ago. I don't fit in most camps. I'm a CPA but I don't make legalistic standards the only way to do my job. I am old: I look and sometimes act the part, but age doesn't define who I am. I have a strong, daily relationship with God, but after 30 years in churches I no longer attend. I like and need relationships with people, yet all but those with a few people have failed. I am still working presenting webinar training, but I still look for the rest of my purpose on earth. So where am I? Where is my camp?  Where is yours?

Outside the camp may be the right camp!

In these blogs, I have called myself a contrarian Christian. This doesn't mean I am stubborn and unbending. It doesn't mean I intend to be argumentative and judgmental. It means that, for whatever reason, I have different viewpoints on a lot of subjects and on religion. This may also be true of you. Many of us are likely outside of the religious camp. We may still be inside but are really outside in our hearts. I believe God's words to Jeremiah (vs.29:11) applies to each of us as well: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jesus is the Blessed Hope! We may find Him inside the camp, but for me and perhaps you, I believe He is waiting for us to meet outside the camp!

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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 includes 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. We 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!