It's all About the Perspective

 

         Can we agree that perspectives change per viewer. For instance, one viewer may see a cloud in the sky and see a dragon, where another may see a giraffe. Each person sees things differently and it's all because each viewer has different life experiences. You can take a person who has lived a hard life of constant abuse, being abused and abusing self and others, then they come to Faith in Jesus and make a huge 180 degree change in their life. They have a story now and those around them see the change and follow suit. Then you have a person who grew up in the church, falls away and runs to a life of self. Perspectives of each person dictated a result. One grew up in need and the other knew no need and each had a different attitude towards faith. One saw it as freedom and the other saw it as prison. Because the one grew up knowing what true pain and hardship was, they ran towards salvation. The other became indifferent and callous from being surrounded by hypocrisy. 

Results varied between the two because of perspectives. Take a teenager versus a toddler as another example. A toddler sees their parents as a source of everything. They see the world around them as scary, intimidating and huge. To them, parents are givers of food, comfort, pleasure, love and more. However, when a teenager starts to have a taste of freedom and independence, they start to turn towards the world as a source of their needs instead of their parents. They see parents as a road block to that freedom and bitterness sets in. Like the person who grew up in church, the child now sees flaws in their parents and they run to the world for their needs. Of course each child's perspectives makes them the adult they become. One could come from a supportive family, one could come from a broken one. Each child's perspective molds their hearts, changes their minds, locks them into patterns of phycological issues.

When it comes to each person on the planet, their are literally as many perspectives as there are people. Even in the same household, each child becomes a different adult than their siblings. One instance in all their lives, say a divorce of their parents, could create bitterness in one child's heart and empathy in another. Age differences, things they've heard, outside opinions and emotional ties are all variables, in an infinite amount, that changes a person's perspectives within their hearts.               

That is why we have division and struggles amongst each other. It's the difference of opinion, which is built on difference of perspective, that creates tension between all of us. If I see one way because of my upbringing and another person sees it the opposite way because of theirs, division is created. A difference of opinions is the only cause for all the worlds problems. One person has an opinion that is completely opposite another person's opinion. They look at each other as potential enemies because of it. They don't talk to each other, they whisper gossip about one another, they sway other's opinions about them and all in the name of having different perspectives.

With the differences among all of us, comes those varying opinions and the need to reinforce our opinions. We love to be right and we love to prove ourselves to everyone else. Hence the social media issues. Everyone wants to promote their opinion 24/7/365 and instead of the lounge at work, we now have the internet as our sounding board. Opinions between coworkers was one thing but now we have the world to argue or agree with. That's why it's my opinion that social media is a bad thing. We just aren't mature enough to handle it.

Speaking of mature, what can we do about all these perspectives creating individual opinions? Nothing really. In an ideal world, we would all have the ideal childhood, the ideal parents and the ideal adulthood. However, because of the cascade of individual perspectives through the centuries, we are left with a complete train wreck of attitudes towards one another. The fragility of our world emotionally is so scary it isn't funny. 

Solution = Work

When you come across someone with a difference of opinion than yours, what's your first reaction. Repulsion and the need to defend your own opinion. Right? To term a Star Trek phrase, your shields go up and you get your phasers and torpedoes ready to fire. You immediately show signs of defense. Why is that? Why are we so entrenched in our opinions that we cannot invite the perspective of others into our hearts. We've seen it through organized religion throughout history and into today. A person of ill reputation come into the church to see for their selves what it is all about and they are met with retribution, anger and hate. Why is it so hard to drop our defenses and learn of others. 

We call it empathy, which the dictionary defines as "the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another." Empathy takes something from us. It takes time, it takes change from what we know to what someone else knows. Often times empathy is a one way road. One person can empathize with another but it is rarely reciprocated. To empathize with someone, you learn and explore that persons perspectives without judgement. You just listen and hear. You're never fulfilled but are often burdened with that persons life experiences. True empathy makes one person bare the other person's tragedies and pain. They take on all of their fears and doubts. They see the other person through these things and suddenly, instead of an enemy, they bond as friends. Those that share loss, share bonds. 

This is why we see so many people in defense of their opinions instead of  listening for opportunities of empathy. It takes effort, time, emotion and love. Division is easy, union is hard. Personally, that's why I think God came to Earth in Jesus, to empathize with us, to experience what it's like to be human. He went through life, tragedy, poverty, judgment, pain, loss, grief and death. He immersed Himself in His creation. He loved us enough to change His perspective from a judging Father to a loving Father. 

As God has done, so should we. However, as most of these writings I've done are directed towards me, this one is especially. It is hard to look at someone with empathy and not judgement. What's the old saying, they made their bed now let them lye in it. However, we don't know the whole story and often times their stories are hard to hear. Judgement is so much easier. It takes two seconds to judge, wrongly I might add, and walk away. To stop, show interest and listen is truly a talent I have not achieved yet. 

So in a perfect world, our looks of judgement would be replaced by emphatic love and it would change us one heart at a time and eventually the world. Borders would cease to exist, money would disappear, the opportunity for us to live for each other and not ourselves would take over. Hate, crime, grief and fear would be changed into love. Sound familiar, it's what the Holy Spirit does within us daily. 

Our perspectives changed the moment we said, Jesus I believe in you and they are still changing if we let Him do His work in us. As we have judged others, do we judge God too. Do we throw our opinions and our perspectives in His face and ask that He honor them without us having the slightest empathy for Him. The road goes both ways. I mentioned, empathy rarely flows on a two-way street. One person shares, the other hears yet the sharer is so wrapped up in sharing they usually never hear. In our case with God, we share all our pain when we come to Him in the beginning, we usually never become good listeners though. We continue to share our pain, disappointments and problems but we never sit down and ask God to share Himself with us. 

Jesus wept, He was alone, He needed support in His moments before His trial and death, yet all of His followers fled. Scattered to the wind. See, even they wanted empathy from Jesus but when it was their turn to empathize, they fled in fear. It's often the case but it doesn't have to be. Instead of coming to God in prayer for you, go to Him for Him. Change the script and truly seek Him for Him and not for yourself. If your a parent and your child does something spontaneous for you without provocation, doesn't it melt your heart. Doesn't it fill you with love. So, be spontaneous, go to God in prayer to hear, not to receive but to hear and be surprised.  Again, I'm guilty of not doing this but as these words flowed out of my fingers, I can hear God wanting time with me, without me needing from Him all the time. I just need to listen and change my perspective.

To God be the Glory!   

      

Laying it on the Altar

You may be wondering, photography or God, which is it. You're oscillating back and forth. Well, your right. As my relationship with God oscillates, unfortunately this blog did as well. 

Have you ever had a wilderness experience? I've had several over my years as a Christian and trust me they are no fun. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, it becomes a time of wandering, suffering, disobedience, trials and ultimately, redemption. Some call it a trial of faith or a trial of fire but the process is the same. It's meant to purge the unwanted parts of us out. Like the Israelites, no one over 40 was allowed to enter the promised land. So those that left Egypt, never made it due to their rebellious nature.

This principle is still at work in us today. As we are being changed, called out of Egyptian slavery, which is a type of people not saved, we go through stages of purging. 

The slavery in Egypt is like our slavery to sin before coming to Jesus. Then, like Moses, the Holy Spirit becons us to flee from our sins and slavery and go to the promised land, which is the kingdom of God. Like the Israelites we are required to be full of faith. We no longer get our food or water to feed our desires from Egypt/the world but we are supposed to feed and drink upon Jesus. He said eat and drink of me, this is a reference to the rock bringing forth water or manna appearing on the ground each morning. Jesus is the rock that brings forth a spring of water in us so we thirst no more and He is our food that nourishes us.

However, like the Israelites, we tend to be disobedient and lose sight of the promise. They became dissatisfied and complained. So too did I. I lost sight, became complacent and for it, I've been wandering. 

The distinct difference however between them and us is Jesus. They screwed up, they died, we screw up and the blood is there to cover us. Although, God still wants us to purge out the old life and claim the new so a type of death still takes place. The apostle Paul put it, I die daily. If we are covered, then why do we need or what needs to die? Good question, we have two parts in us. One part is our human nature. Desires of the flesh work in that nature. Lust, greed, and all the bad stuff work in that nature. Then there's God's nature which we receive at the time of our conversion, when we accept Jesus. 

Once we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters us and begins cleaning house. Things we once found desirable, we find repulsive. However, in some cases, God wants us to lay something down of our own volition. Like the offerings of sacrifice, we are to repent or turn away from something that is in our human nature. Which shows our commitment to Him. It's like when Jesus was taken to the wilderness to be tempted. He just received the Holy Spirit and would now be tempted to see if the human nature in Him would respond or if He'd laid it on the altar to be burned.

It's no different with us, trials and temptations are a part of the purging process. We must have our faith tried or it isn't faith. If we go through and come out on the other side, then we have been transformed into a person that has more of the kingdom of God in them. The wilderness is an effective place for reflection and purging. It won't let you go back to Egypt or to the promised land, it is meant for death. The death of the old life so we can walk into the new life.

So, I've been wandering and am now dying to the old. Once the dying is done, I'll walk into the promise. Until then, I die daily.

Photography or God?

Photography was my distraction from death. All Christians must die, spiritually speaking. We all must have the Holy Spirit identify in us, what needs to die. Whether it's a problem with not forgiving or an issue with drinking or any possible issue God finds offensive, it must die.

For me photography was a distraction from what I needed to do. It was my denial. Instead of facing the issue head on, I found a distraction. Mind you, I've not given up photography, it's just not my crutch anymore.

Dieing daily is about denying self, denying that human nature in us all. In the end of self, is God. He's waiting, watching and rooting for us and like Jesus at the end of His temptations, we will be ministered too, uplifted and have a greater relationship with Them.

To God be the Glory! 

Clean Hands, Dirty Feet?

Photo taken in the Smoky Mountains National Park 

 

    This one is going to hit hard so be prepared. 

I have an analogy for you, a story if you will. A man or woman is found on the street, just as nasty as can be. Muddy, gross, stinky and diseased. This represents all peoples before coming to Jesus. We can all agree that our lives before Christ was like that description. So, Jesus comes along, convicts our heart through the Holy Spirit, we accept Him and He washes us of our Sins (nastiness) and we are made new. However, most churches teach of a rinse and repeat theology. 

Say our person is a homeless man. A church member walks up to him and teaches him about Jesus. Upon hearing the good news, the man wants to come to faith in Jesus. The church member takes the man to the river, baptizes him, washing him clean. The member takes him to a clothing store and buys him all new clothes, gets him a hair cut, a shave and plugs him into his church. The man has been been renewed. Just like our hearts are when we come to faith. However, our homeless man is taught that he will always have that homeless nature in him and he needs to try and avoid it at all costs.

The man eventually falls back to the streets, not fully but his feet stay dirty. Everywhere he walks, he leaves a trail of mud. He becomes set in the fact that his feet will never be fully clean and he becomes complacent in it. Everywhere he walks, he leaves dirt. Those living on the street that he talks to, recognize the dirt on his feet and say, your just like us in clean clothes.

The fact of the matter is this. This man represents all who get washed initially but deny the fact that Christ cleaned us and we stay clean because of Him. Teachings out there contradict what the Bible says about this. They say, your washed, going to heaven but you'll always be a sinner saved by grace. Get used to failure. The Bible doesn't state that though. Christ came to make us free, not to open our prison door so we can come in and out of prison. It would be like a prison opening the cell doors and telling everyone they are free but they must come back to sleep there every day. So every day you wake up in the same cell. You go outside and try to be a productive member of society yet your bed is still in the prison. How does that help, it doesn't.

Jesus or the apostles never taught this idea of a somewhat clean philosophy. They taught that Jesus came to rid the world of sin through His sacrifice. He atoned for our sins once and for all. For our homeless man, instead of being told he's just a cleaned up homeless man, he is now told, your the  richest man alive. How would his perspective change? If he was told, you are rich because the man that picked you up on the street, clothed you, washed you and made you new is now sharing His inheritance with you, wouldn't his actions change. Instead of walking around in defeat, he now walks around in pure joy. He's even told to share his new found wealth with others. So he goes out to tell people, love on people and show them how to be clean and free. 

It's our self defeating attitude that plagues our churches. It's the once a sinner, always a sinner message that cuts us off from our inheritance. We have been given a great gift, handed to us by God. It's not earned or deserved but given none the less. He loves us so much that He handed us the keys to the kingdom. Yet we stand at the edge of the property, unwilling to step into His house because we are afraid of getting his rugs dirty with our unclean feet. We see dirt, He sees clean. Who is correct? Of course He is. 

If you went to a persons house and said, my feet are dirty, I can't come in. They then wash your feet, yet you still refused because you perceived them as still dirty, who is then offended. The owner of the house is. Here they took their time, effort and love to wash your nasty feet and afterwards you basically deny their gift. They say thank you, they appreciate it, they may even show praise but they won't enter fully into the house. They may stay on the porch or deck or just outside but never fully enter, because they still believe there feet are dirty. 

Back to the homeless man, if he goes from homeless to limitlessly rich, what would he do to test his new wealth. Buy a car perhaps, go to a fancy restaurant, buy a huge home. For those believing they still are homeless, his spending of the wealth seems disrespectful. However, his new benefactor tells Him, spend as much as you want.

The point to this is nothing new to my writings, yet I need to be reminded constantly that I am rich beyond my wildest dreams. It's because the world says I am not. Every system in place here on Earth is to do one thing, keep us from reaching our true potential. Systems are in place to keep us reliant on them. It's so pervasive and engrained in how we see ourselves, when we are given a new choice of how to be, we reject it. Same as when the religious leaders had Jesus crucified. They rejected His teachings because they couldn't see beyond their current belief system. They justified His death through God's law which was directly violated by killing Him. 

We do the same thing today. I couldn't possibly be completely clean, no shame, no dirt, no nothing. Surely there's residue on the bottom of my feet you missed? How can we boldly deny the truth and call it true? Seems like someone is wrong in this equation and it's not God.

Identity in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Colossians 3:3

“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

Galatians 2:20

You Are a New Creation, Not a "Saved Sinner"

Colossians 3:9-10

“...you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Righteousness and Holiness

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me...”

2 Corinthians 5:21

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Hebrews 10:10

“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

You Are the Righteousness of God

Romans 5:17

“...those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Live Free from Condemnation

Romans 8:1

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus...”

Hebrews 10:14

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Be Transformed by Renewing Your Mind

Romans 12:2

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”

Living Free from Sin and Condemnation

Romans 6:6-7

“We know that our old self was crucified with Him... so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

Romans 8:1-2

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

1 John 3:5-6

“But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.”

Become Love (Not Just Know About Love)

1 John 4:7-8

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us...”

John 13:35

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Relationship and Intimacy with God

John 17:3

“Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”

Hebrews 4:16

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence...”

James 4:8

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Don’t Live for Yourself

2 Corinthians 5:15

“And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

To God be the Glory

  

Easter 2025

The week of Easter. A reflection time? A celebration time? A dedication time? All the above and more. I just walked out of the theater from watching the last three episodes of The Chosen Season 5 and if that doesn't make you reflect, celebrate and dedicate, I don't know what will. 

It's been a three week release of three parts. Part one, episodes 1-2, part two 3-5 and the third part 6-8. If you missed it, look for it on Amazon prime "soon" (inside joke for fans). Anyway, you can't just watch Holy Week unfold in front of you without having some reflective moments. For me, I've been doing some major reflection of my own life. It's been a stressful year, culminating in my joblessness currently. However, I've understood trials to be a firey flame that burns away the unwanted parts, if you let it. It says faith without trials is not faith, it must be tested. If faith isn't tested, then is it faith at all. I get that implicitly, I'm living it currently. However it doesn't make it less stressful. 

Coincidentally, the last episode of season five is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. His trials led Him into a great faith that the Father would raise Him despite the massive amounts of abuse and pain that He was going to suffer. Obviously my trials seem trivial comparatively but everyone goes through something that tests them. 

So I've been reflecting on my life, my trials and my faith which leads me to a rededication of sorts. I've been drifting for a few years through the waters waiting for some puff of wind to push me in the right direction yet I came to the conclusion, I cannot stay directionless and expect Him to honor that. So, I've brought out the oars and I'm rowing each day in faith. 

Not sure where to go but isn't that what faith is about? Releasing control of everything, no worrying, just walking in faith. So, I have no clue of my next job or direction but I'm trusting in Him to lead me.

We can't get hung up on the crucified alone, we must focus even more on the resurrection. Because, without it, we have no evidence for our faith. So we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our collective resurrection with Him. Because it says if we are in Him we have died with Him and are raised new, spotless, white as snow.

To me that's an incredible celebration. It's like being released from prison, where I'm rotting away to an everlasting separation and wallowing in my insecurities, hate, pride and all things evil forever. I was locked up, hopeless and without parole until one day my door swung open wide and light poured in. My choice to step out into that light that was extended to me was the best thing that's ever happened. To celebrate is an understatement. 

It's day 2 of this writing as I fell asleep writing it on good Friday. Today, Saturday I spent an hour or more talking about Christ to my in-laws which has me pumped up. I'm celebrating in my heart. Tomorrow, on Easter I'm attending my daughter-in-laws church to support her while our son is at basic training. 

She's had it rough emotionally and I want her to feel loved. So, tomorrow, I'll celebrate with her, her family, my wife and it will be good. Because Easter Passover is about more than a historical moment in time, it was a revelation in thought and existence. Let's say one thing, to God be the Glory for His masterfully executed plan to bring us back to Him through the selfless acts of Jesus. More later on this......

Zeal

John 2:13When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. 15So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”

Let's talk about that compared to the modern church. 

I'll give you my take on what I feel needs to happen. The church of today is not the church Jesus had plans for. The church is the followers of Christ, in full faith of who He is, what He did and what He does through us daily. We cannot say on Sunday morning, I'm going to church because it would be like me saying I'm going to be me today. As you are you everyday, as a believer, you are also the church everyday. You don't do church, you are the church. If we are the church then, the buildings we visit for worship are just buildings. They aren't even holy, consecrated or set aside for God because He isn't interested in things made by our hands. What He is interested in, is our heart. By faith, that's where He resides. Not a place or location but in every believer that has the faith. 

So what is the dilemma? Corruption, consumerism, worship of money, worship of status, self, pride and more, which festers and grows inside the walls of those buildings we call the modern church. Can we admit, without reservation that a building consumes resources that could be used to further the kingdom. Does it not require money to upkeep and maintain? Does it not promote ranks and hierarchy within? Does it not pay persons to stand between you and God to deliver their version of truth, which creates chaos and false teachings and blasphemous actions within. 

The great lie that has been taught, is that we need to be taught, inspired and shepherded by a preacher or leader. Our great shepherd is Jesus alone. We lack nothing if we believe we have all through Him. All knowledge, all understanding, all revelation and all things pertaining to His kingdom are at our disposal, we just need to ask and it shall be given.

 However,  the church has been dragged into the pre-Christ era of law and rules and hierarchical ideas. The leaders of the Temple in Israel killed the Man who brought forth truth and forgiveness in a manner that bypassed them. Yet, today we have set the same system forth. Condemnation, judgement, and lowering of our value, to the point where we beg for leaders to show us the way. We've become so addicted to someone standing in the gap between us and God that we refuse to enter the King's court for fear of failure. 

We read, we have all righteousness given to us through Jesus, washed clean, spotless and whole. So why do we proclaim our lives as anything else other than clean? Why do we feel dirty and unworthy? Isn't that contradictory? Of course, it's taught in all the churches that you're still a sinner in need of constant forgiveness. That's how the teachers of the law condemned the masses and it's still going on today. Through condemnation, control can be implemented. Through unworthiness, one can be dragged through the system that gives you a promise of weekly relief.

Before Christ, animals were sacrificed for the sins of the people. They took the animals to the priests for sacrifice, to atone for their sins. Today, the same system is at work. Come to church to worship, to cleanse yourself of your sins this week. It may not be advertised as such but it is inflected in sermons and teachings.

Come to the altar to confess, bring your tithe, serve. A guilt hovers around the non-participants in silent judgements and well placed sermons on the subjects. 

We must shake off the guilt, for Christ has already paid for it to be removed, once and done. If we can grasp that concept of complete forgiveness,  cleanliness, wholeness and Godliness, then we can free ourselves from a system that has trapped us into believing us as wrong. 

A system of guilt and shame is poured over the church. It's time we release ourselves into the truth of what Jesus did for us. Stop relying on someone else's message to get you through the week. Drop your guilt and shame and know you are a Son of God.

Believer in faith, go out and be Christ. Don't hold back. Be the change we need to transform this world into the kingdom of God. Believe you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Believe you guiltless, clean, white as snow. Believe you and the Father are one through Christ. Believe in the truth and look to the old no longer. 

Let's change the church from being attendance driven to being the hands and feet of Christ. Let His love reign, advance through us and take over the world. Tear down the walls of institutions and traditions and let Christ break forth into the world through you.

To God be the Glory! 

Another Loss

Valentines day is when we celebrate love and loved ones but what happens when the one you love passes. February 15th, 2025 my step sister walked into the arms of the Lord. Her nearly year long battle with cancer came to an abrupt end, leaving her husband and daughter behind.

The tragedy of the whole thing is that every year, on Valentines, we will all be reminded of our loss. I'm sure there a hundreds, if not thousands of people facing that same situation where they lost someone on the day of love. It's a continual reminder in neon every year, hey the one you loved on the day of love is gone. It's a true slap in the face. 

For me, my stepsis and I weren't extremely close. We enjoyed each other and got along very well but my grief comes through her family. Thinking of that cruel day every year crushing their spirit inside. Being a husband myself, I can't help but reflect on what he is going through. What if it was me? Of course millions of people go through loss of this kind and I've experienced my fair share of death in my family but a spouse. I don't want to even think about it let alone come to terms with it.

As Christians too, we aren’t supposed to think of death as the final act of the play, instead it's just intermission. Because we'll see them again but the separation now is the pain and for those that have no hope, excruciating pain. Yet if we believe we always say their suffering is over, and they are in a better place. Yet the heart cannot be consoled at the departure of It's other half.

Because, if we become one, then at separation you become half. Which to me, would be horrible. 

So, here I am, stuck in another emotionally traumatic situation with no hope of it just being a dream I can wake up from. No, this is real. Sad thing was, we were on our way to visit her, and she passed with us two hours away from her home. 

So, no goodbyes or thank yous or a final I love you. However, if you believe, a great reunion awaits on the other side one day. 

Let me diverge a moment. Same topic, yet different path. If we are to believe in Jesus, that he conquered death, that we will receive a new body, that we'll live forever with Him, then why the tears. Same as a child cries for it's mom when they step out of the room or leaves them at a day care or school. Separation. If you've been with someone, like my wife and I have been for 31 years then sudden separation is traumatic, no matter your beliefs. 

I pray we grow old together, fall asleep one night and walk into heaven hand in hand. Wouldn't that be something. 

So I'll leave with this. I'm sorry this world is still broken and death still reigns in it. I'm sorry for your sudden separation and it isn't fair. I pray you live a good life apart from each other. Yet I know your hearts will always be split in half until God reunites the two of you. I pray God fills you with His love to fill the emptiness you feel. May God be with you, may He comfort you and may He bless you with His Spirit in your time of need. Amen

2025-Dismantle

From where I'm at on this ball we call Earth, 2025 is about 6 hours old. Why am I up, no clue. I went to bed just after midnight, which is not my normal New Year's Eve tradition. I could care less that a new year has begun because it's just another day for me. As I grow older and understand more, holidays fade into the background as something everyone else does. They make little sense in the grand scheme of things and are an excuse for a constant barrage of advertisements trying to grab your money. 

It's a true shame that Christ's birth, although probably on the wrong day, is celebrated with all the materialism. I mean, He was born in an animal hold. Compared to today, it would be like being born in a barn next to the livestock. Not sanitary, nor kingly. He came humbly, lived humbly and went humbly. Nothing about His life and ministry was flamboyant. Him and His disciples walked from town to town, living on people's goodness and contributions, not knowing where they would sleep or eat. 

Here we are, decorations, lights, parties, food, gifts and hideous attitudes. Did not Jesus get upset by what He saw at the temple, the dishonesty and crookedness of those who bought and sold. I keep wondering what He thinks about how we celebrate Christmas. It's such a dark mark.

I know my thoughts are not popular amongst most but see it from the perspective of a humble Savior. Should we even celebrate His birth? Were we given instructions to do so? Nothing in scripture points to celebrating His birth or death for that matter. In fact Hosea 6:6 says, For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. This exact quote was referenced by Jesus in multiple places. It means, the feasts the Jews celebrated and the sacrifices they took to the temple, meant nothing to God. He sought out and desired for us to be merciful to those who may need mercy, love to those needing love, to acknowledge God in all you do and follow His ways.

Christ was born to bring upheaval to a system that relied heavily on tradition and laws rather than love and mercy. They, as Jesus put it Mt 23:23,24 23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Instead of a show of materialistic and surface worship, we see that nothing we do is as important as justice, mercy and faithfulness. The whole point of His coming was to pull those that practiced mercy and had the right heart, to be cleansed and saved. He also tried to turn those hearts that were rigid with tradition. 

If He stood in a church at a Christmas Eve service as a homeless man needing food and shelter, would the church respond to His needs or throw Him out? If He was on the street, would they on any other day but Christmas? The heart of God must be pursued through our hearts intent and our actions not our sacrifices. They had it wrong back then and I believe we still have it wrong. 

Dismantle our churches and take to the streets. Leave our padded pews and search for the distraught, the lonely and the desperate. A house that has no heart for God is not worth having. Take away the celebrations, the sound and lights, the well groomed speeches, the productions and extravagances. We are consumed with judgement, self help, self awareness, and self pleasuring attitudes. We propel our self out into the internet and promote us at every turn. We scramble for likes and subscribers and the money it brings. We cry out look at me and see what I think or believe. 

Yet, as we have been caught up in all this madness of self, we haven't seen others, we haven't loved, or shown mercy. Dismantle all self and build up others, have faithfulness to what Jesus and God intended. 

To God be the Glory