THE SPIN ON CHRISTIANITY

In recent years, we non-professional audience people have become familiar with a media term - "the spin" or "putting the spin" on something.

The dictionary defines the term as: "To twist a report or story to one's advantage; to interpret an event to make it seem favorable or beneficial to one self or one's cause."
In this election season, it's easy to see what I'm writing about.  Just take your remote control and flip back and forth between the different news channels.  On one channel a candidate is the savior of the nation and just one flip of the remote later that same candidate is satan in human form.

It's not just media people who "put a spin" on things.  We all do it all the time.  For example, when a friendship hits a wall, and possibly ends... the "spin" on what caused it's demise will be different depending on which side of the friendship you hear from.  No one I know ever says, "Well the friendship ended because I am intolerant and unforgiving."

People put a spin on things because they want the people listening to receive and embrace and accept what they are saying. 

Sometimes, lately, I've noticed lots of my brothers and sisters in Christ becoming concerned with whether or not what we are saying about Christ and the Gospel is acceptable to the masses.  They seem embarrassed by the narrowness of the idea that Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me."  They seem to shy away from the fact that He point-blankly said, "The path to follow Me is NARROW and FEW will find it."

Now, I'm not talking about being narrow-minded. I applaud people who whole heartedly question the status-quo and with open hearts take the time to investigate thoughts we embrace as Holy Truth but are merely human tradition.

However, I see a subtle "spin" being put on Christianity.  It's a "let's move away from the whole Cross thing, the whole sin thing, the whole only begotten Son of God thing" and lets move to something more palatable.  Let's say that Jesus made the way so that even people who don't believe He is The Way are going to be o.k. in the end."  With all my heart, I wish this spin were true. Because so many people I love deeply are not on that Narrow Path.

It's a wonderful spin.  It just isn't Truth.

"For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.  They will reject the truth and chase after myths."

1 Timothy 4:3-4

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:32 

For some reason that verse, and especially that word "tenderhearted" has been running through my mind all morning. 

I investigated the word and it means what it seems like it means.  Having a tender, soft, merciful heart toward other Christians. It should have seemed unnecessary for Paul to have to remind the people whose Leader pointedly commanded them to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.. that... uh... well.. He MEANT what He said about the whole LOVE ONE ANOTHER THING.  It should seem obvious that The Forgiven should be the first ones to tenderheartedly forgive.

He was also reminding them.. in case they had forgotten... that it wasn't because they were worthy of being forgiven.. or deserved God's mercy... or because they had been chosen and predestined from the foundation of the world to be God's child...

but it was 

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE

that God chose (and chooses) to forgive us.  

Live. Give. Forgive. Love.
For Christ's sake.

If that's reason enough for God to forgive....who are we to think it is NOT reason enough?

XO,
Love

SAM, THE BARKING GRANDDOG.

His name is Sam.  He is my "granddog."  He is a member of our family through the compassion of my son and daughter-in-law who agreed to let him live with them as an act of kindness to my mother, Molly.  She was 90 years old at the time she expressed to us that all her life she had always wanted to have a little white toy poodle, but never bothered to pursue it.  When your 90 year old mother expresses an unfulfilled wish you want to do whatever you can to fulfill it. BUT TRUTH IS... although she was a 90-year-old wonder woman doing all her own cooking, cleaning and housework she couldn't take care of a dog. Philip and Renee - in an unselfish act of love and compassion - told me that IF I was able to get her a toy poodle, they would let it live with them, and my mom could see it whenever she wanted to. He would join "Buddy" - my first granddog - and live with this happy family. Such compassion for a young, busy couple with three children to agree to this.

So we made a plan.  And it worked.  I found a private breeder who lived three hours from our home.  My husband and I drove there to purchase the dog.  The family gathered at my parent's house waiting for our arrival.  It was love at first sight.  The name "Sam" was decided upon, but my mother simply called him "Baby."  Every time he arrived for a visit she'd say "BAaaabeeee."   Now that my parents are gone, Sam is just another thing about their lives here on earth that reminds me of them.

Everything about Sam's inclusion in our family started with love.  Love for my mother.  Sam doesn't realize this, however.  He doesn't know enough to know that if my husband wasn't willing to drive three hours because he loved my mother, and if my son and daughter-in-law weren't willing to take on the responsibility of another dog because they loved my mother, he would not be part of our family.  Sam doesn't know anything about dollar bills and that it took over three hundred of them to win him in to our family.  It cost time, and money to include Sam in our family.  And the cost was worth it because of love.  We loved my mother.

Sam, is adorable as you can see from the picture.  But Sam barks a lot.  A lot.  He barks at anything he sees.  He also doesn't know that he is a toy poodle. His behavior indicates that he thinks he is a mountain lion.  The other day, for example, I opened the back door at the exact moment a cat was walking through our yard.  The cat was easily twice Sam's size.  Sam ran out - barking wildly - and chased the cat in to the woods.  He would not listen to me as I screamed, "SAM.. SAM!! INSIDE!"    He did not return for at least ten minutes. I heard screams and barking.  I didn't know if I'd have to tell my grandchildren that the next door cat had eaten Sam. Eventually, Sam walked out of the woods unscathed. And if dogs could have a smug look on their faces, Sam did, as if saying,  "Yup, I took care of that cat!"

Three days ago, while my grandchildren and their parents were on a trip out of town Sam stayed with us.   I love holding him and snuggling him.  He doesn't bark at me. I call him "BABY" every now and then to remind him that my mother loved him.  But for some reason, that day, he kept barking at my husband, Phil.  Seriously barking. (My friend, Hollis will comment on this blog because when she showed up at our house one day while we were watching Sam, he ran at her at the front door.. and..was barking at her viciously... "He's a mean dog!", she said. She was correct. He was acting wildly.)

The other day, as I watched Sam barking at Phil, I said to him, "Sam if it wasn't for Phil's willingness to have you here, you'd be sitting in a cage somewhere... Locked in a cage, unable to run, unable to be free."  I mean, his absolute freedom to run around our house instead.. was because people have compassion on Sam.  Phil doesn't like dogs... but he likes me... and if I want Sam here.. then he brings him here....  It's love for ME that has Sam at our home... But Sam is too much of a dog to realize the kind of compassion it took to bring him here.

As Sam was barking at kind-hearted Phil, I saw myself in Sam for a brief moment.   Barking at God because I want what I want when I want it.  Immature in my ignorance of the price it took for God to adopt me in to His family. Smug in the incredible life of peace and joy that I did not - and cannot - earn.

I often forget the compassion and love that is the cornerstone of my being adopted by GOD HIMSELF.  It is because "GOD SO LOVED" the world that we have a "get out of hell free" option.  Sometimes, I forget that I am but dust... Dust that has been given ETERNAL LIFE.. Dust.. that is going to be able to share in the glory of Jesus....  Dust.. living free and happy and at rest.   The reason I am free, the reason I walk in freedom is because of HIS LOVE.. not because I deserve it.   God does not owe me an answer to prayer... it is LOVE that chooses to even listen to a prayer from a dust-creature. It is LOVE that chooses to hear and answer prayer..  Compassion.

Who gets annoyed at the Hand that feeds her?

Sometimes, I remind myself of Sam, the Barking Granddog.  Thankfully, though, I also always remind my heavenly Father of His Son, Jesus.  It cost Him everything so that a nothing like me would be adopted in to His Father's family.
Thank you, Jesus.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!"
 1 John 3:1

JEALOUS BABYLONIANS and HOW GOD DEALS WITH THEM.

Can you take a little teensy, weensy bit more about Daniel? I am learning new things about his life that can be an example for those of us who are living in "Babylon" - held captive in a society of people who neither know or honor God. Because.. honestly... that's where we're living right now. 

We know that Daniel was a fervent pray-er.   I grew up with people like that.  My parents were fervent pray-ers.  All through the book of Daniel we find that the Babylonians described him as being someone "full of the spirit of the gods."  When someone is full of the Spirit of God - it is OBVIOUS - even to heathen Babylonians.  When they need help, they know who to call.  I watched this in the lives of my parents.  People would scoff at them because of their unyielding devotion to God and His ways.  But WHEN THEY NEEDED PRAYER... when they wanted a daughter to conceive a baby... or a father to be healed... or a job to materialize.... THEY KNEW WHO TO CALL.

Daniel prayed three times a day... facing toward Jerusalem.  We know that there is NO POWER in a city... but Daniel faced Jerusalem, I believe, because he remembered he was praying to the God of his fathers.  Jehovah - the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He wasn't praying to a compromised version of a conglomeration of Babylonian gods and Jehovah.  Sometimes "Babylon" can get in to our spirit and we can begin to think that the gods of Babylon - gods the people made themselves - are capable of helping and providing for us.  The kings of Babylon were consistently warned by God to not think that THEY had accomplished IN THEIR OWN STRENGTH and POWER what they had accomplished.  When they refused to acknowledge that only GOD gives whatever they happened to have - He took it away.  While we live in "Babylon" we have access to great advances in technology, medicine, finance and knowledge.  But they are simply tools that God is using to provide for us.  We acknowledge that anything we have comes from God.

Daniel prayed for two reasons - according to Daniel 6 -  He gave THANKS and HE ASKED GOD FOR HELP. 

He was THANKING GOD while in CAPTIVITY?  YES. And though he had prospered in Babylon... he didn't rely on his OWN ABILITIES but asked God for HELP.    You can prosper in Babylon doing things the Babylonian way.  That's true.  But to be PROMOTED to a level of INFLUENCE - you need God.  ONLY GOD can do that.  Promotion comes from God.  Remember this and rejoice when someone you know who loves God and is filled with His Spirit is prospering.  It is God who is promoting that person.  So they can be an INFLUENCE in BABYLON.

The Bible doesn't say Daniel stepped on his Babylonian neighbors to achieve what he'd achieved.  GOD PROMOTED DANIEL.   God decided to give Daniel the wisdom and ability that promoted him to such a position of influence in a foreign land.
This annoyed the Babylonians around him.
THAT'S why they made the law to trip him up. 


Daniel 5:17 shows us something else about Daniel:  he didn't want the Babylonian's money or approval.  He wasn't concerned about his popularity on Twitter or Facebook. He wasn't about HIS REPUTATION.. and HIS "PLATFORM."   He was just FULL OF GOD AND HIS SPIRIT.   Why?  He prayed.

The end of the story is that the way God dealt with those jealous Babylonians was to throw THEM in to the lion's den they had prepared for Daniel.  They and their families were destroyed.  What they wished for Daniel happened to them. And their families.

Daniel was simply a man of prayer.
God took care of Daniel... and the people who were jealous of him.

Be careful when you are jealous of someone simply because God has chosen to bless that person.
And don't worry when people mean to do you harm because God is with you.

Keep your eyes on God.  Continue to thank Him and acknowledge that you are nothing without His help.

God will take care of you.  And your enemies. 
The End.

WHILE YOU'RE LIVING IN BABYLON

Yes.. yes.. it's a drawing of Daniel in the lion's den.  I like this artist's interpretation of the situation because Daniel isn't looking at the lions but he was looking up to God. 
The backstory of the story of Daniel is that he was living as a captive slave in Babylon. God had warned His people that they would suffer dire consequences if they didn't begin to live the way He had instructed them to live. Truth is... God's warnings to them became like, "Right.. God.. blah.. blah.. blah.. Judgement.. blah.. blah.. blah.. You keep sending warnings.. and then nothing happens... "  They weren't so concerned with being God's people. Or concerned with God.  They just lived like the world around them, unwilling to be set apart.  So, He removed His protection from them and badda bing! - they were conquered and led away as slaves to heathen Babylon.

So we know the story.  The King is talked in to signing a law that specifically targeted Daniel.  A law forbidding anyone to pray to anyone but the King for 30 days. THIS IS WHO DANIEL WAS WORKING FOR --- A HEATHEN KING WHO HAD NO PROBLEM SIGNING A LAW REQUIRING EVERYONE TO PRAY TO HIM.  AND TO HIM ALONE.


Here's what Daniel DID:

• Daniel decided to be diligent in his work... even though he was working for a heathen.  HIS LIFE gave glory to God even though the people he worked for did not. (This story can be found in the book of Daniel, Chapter 6)

• Daniel's life was SO trustworthy that the people who hated him could only find HIS RELIGION as something to trap him with.  Daniel was diligent to live according to God's design even though he was surrounded by Babylonians who HATED HIM.

• Daniel's exemplary life caused the KING to encourage Daniel to trust God - "May your God whom you serve so faithfully rescue you." (v. 16) DANIEL'S LIFE BEFORE THE LION'S DEN WAS SEEN AS FAITHFUL TO HIS GOD EVEN BY THOSE WHO DID NOT TRUST GOD.

• God delivered Daniel. "Not a scratch was found on him for HE had trusted in HIS GOD."

Ultimately... this situation changed the opinion of the King about who is God and who is not. He decreed that "everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel" (v26).  However.. Daniel didn't know he was "Daniel of The Bible."  No he was just a guy who missed his homeland... who was a slave.. doing his best to do his best in a world of Babylonian heathens.

Here's what Daniel did NOT DO:

• He did NOT stop praying or practicing his faith in God even though the world around him hated him for doing it. 

• He did NOT defend himself against those who hated him. 

• He did NOT start a mass boycott against the Babylonian super store.

• He did NOT post rants on Facebook about the fact that the Babylonians were acting like.. uh... uh... heathen Babylonians.  He kept looking to and praying to GOD. His eyes were on God.  NOT the Babylonians. NOT the LIONS.. 

• He acknowledged that the current situation of God's people was the fault of God's people turning from God rather than God turning from His people. (Daniel 9).  His prayers were NOT "God this is NOT FAIR."  but.. rather.. "God you are right to have done this to us.  We neglected and rejected you.. yes. .WE your people did."

• He DID NOT try to get out of the lion's den, but rather trusted God to take care of the lions.. and his enemies.  

• He DID NOT blame the heathen King.  He DID NOT blame God.  He just continued to live righteously.

ANYONE who names the name of Jesus is living as a marked person.  All through the New Testament, Jesus CLEARLY warns His followers that we would be hated because we love Him.  He doesn't say He will change their hatred to love and admiration. He says to not be surprised to be hated.  So why are we surprised?

So.. for those of us who are existing in "Babylon"... we can learn from Daniel that while you're living in Babylon keep your focus on the God of Heaven.   If Daniel had lived a cushy life with no resistance from the heathens.. there would be no glory being given to His God.
God received glory from Daniel's life.

If being hated will bring God glory.. then... maybe we will be like our LORD.. who was hated.. killed.. and RESURRECTED.   And is coming back to get this planet back to square one.. He will rule in righteousness.

People around us are watching us. Some watch to accuse and criticize. But others are watching to see if what we say about God.. is real.  Some are watching to see if the "God of ________(insert your name) is the One True God. "  Your life - the way you live - will bring others to acknowledge God as God.  And be delivered also. And be saved. And be children of God. 

In our flesh.. we want to protest. Scream. Lash out.
In the Spirit... we give all things to our Lord.  

We are living in Babylon. Someday we will be home.  Someday our Homeland will became reality. Until then don't expect the Babylonians to act like God's people.

God's people need to act like God's people.. and let the Babylonians do what Babylonians do.
God will deliver us.
From the mouths of lions.

XO,
Marie

TO ALL THE LOSER FOLLOWERS OF JESUS

Just to set the record straight the woman writing this blog is not the perfect little church lady who has never made a mistake and has never has failed the Lord.  I have failed. BIG... TIME.  I used to think I was supposed to be the perfect little church lady and that put a lot of pressure on my already inflated ego.  It took a couple of great big failures to understand that it isn't about ME holding on to HIM but about HIM holding on to ME. He remains faithful to us.  Even when we are disappointing disciples.  During a particularly trying time in my life two decades ago I was praying about the stress filled situation I was going through.  I said, "Lord, why are You allowing all of this? Don't you already know what's in my heart?"  I heard Him answer me, "Oh, this isn't happening so that I can see what's in your heart.  I'm allowing this so that YOU can see what's in your heart."   I didn't get it then, but I had gunk inside that was keeping me from being free.  He wanted me to see who I REALLY was and not who I THOUGHT I was.   When I finally saw myself the way HE saw me... and understood that He did not get a great big bargain when He got Marie... and when I understood that He was CA-RAZY about me anyway... then I understood His LOVE. 

When we fail the Lord... and we all do at times.. the enemy comes in and tells us that He's done with us.  He doesn't want us anymore.   But that is a lie.

I was reading Mark 16 this morning.  It's the story of the women who went to Jesus tomb and found it empty.  Well, not exactly empty.  They saw "a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side."  It was an angel.  "The angel said, 'Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He isn't here!  He is risen from the dead!"

THE MOST IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY.  

The angel continued, saying, "Now go and tell his disciples, INCLUDING PETER, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee."

INCLUDING PETER?  The greatest announcement in the history of the world, and PETER the loser follower of Jesus gets a personal shout out from an angel?

Wow.  So the Big Time Deny-er of Jesus.. was singled out?  Yes. 

While Peter was walking with Jesus for three years, and congratulating himself for being the most important and most dedicated disciple..  

JESUS KNEW that Peter was way weaker than he thought he was.  

He allowed Peter to see who and what HE ACTUALLY was... in order that Peter could comprehend who JESUS really is.
 
It isn't until we see our WRETCHEDNESS that we can fully understand HIS LOVE.

Is it good to fail the Lord?  Not in any way.  Is it the end of our relationship with Him when we do?  Not in any way.

So...... you've walked away from Him.
So...... you can remember when you USED TO love Him.
So.......you let go of Him.
So.......you're embarrassed of your behavior. 
So?
Jesus is calling today.
He isn't calling to perfect followers.
He is calling to followers like me.
Followers like you.

It isn't about YOU holding on to Him... but HIM holding on to you.
He will never let go.

He has gone ahead of us.  Not to Galilee but to His Father's side.  He has gone there to prepare a place for us.  He has gone there so that where He is we can also be.

If you think Jesus is done with you, you are thinking incorrectly.
If you think Jesus disappointment with you is bigger than His love for you, you are thinking incorrectly.

TO ALL OF THE LOSER FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, He says,

"Go and tell My disciples.. including ________________________ (insert your name) that I have gone ahead to prepare eternity for them."

You are not too far gone.
Come home.

NO ONE WHO CALLS ME "DAUGHTER"

It has been eleven months now and I don’t really talk to anyone about how much I miss my mother and father. After all, they were 91 and 92 years of age. They lived long, happy, fulfilling lives. They died within 37 days of one another. Their marriage of seventy-two years was a happy one and we were blessed with the great security children have when their parents adore one another for over seven decades.  I know people who have suffered incredible grief, people who have lost children and spouses and parents at a young age.  I am aware that my parent’s lives ending peacefully after living it for more than nine decades is not a tragedy.  It is simply the thing we call “Life.”  You are born, you live and then you die.  I have the wonderful hope and assurance that although they are absent in their bodies, they are now “in the presence of the Lord.” It was what they lived for all their lives.  To see Jesus. To be together with Him.  I am happy for them.

            But though they are there, I am still here. And whether or not my tragedy pales compared to the tragic events others have endured, it doesn’t keep me from missing my mommy.  Missing my daddy.  I had them in my life for over six decades.  And now they are gone.  The Lord is helping me, just as He assured my mother He would.  She knew how close we were.  She knew that her passing was going to be a challenge for a little girl who grew in to a grown woman who still called her ten times a day.  And for the last fifteen years, they lived so close to our home, that we saw them almost every day.   As she was dying she assured me, “Jesus has promised me that He will help you through when I am gone.”  And He has. 

            Still, there are times when I just MISS THEM.  I JUST MISS THEM. The other day I was shopping in a craft store, and for some unknown reason, the thought popped in to my mind that there is no one alive anymore who calls me daughter.  I thought, “Wow.  I am no one’s daughter. No one calls me ‘daughter’ anymore.”   It was a small thought with a big tug at my heart. Being my parent’s daughter was one of my primary identities. And now it’s gone.   I sighed the sigh that people sigh when there’s absolutely nothing you can do about something that you wish you could change because it makes you sad. I pushed my shopping cart, the tears welled up.  

And then I "heard" His voice so loudly in my heart, it was almost audible. He said: 

“I call you 'Daughter'.  You are My daughter.”

Oh. Right.  I have a HEAVENLY FATHER.  I am in AN ETERNAL FAMILY.   Death cannot come and end that relationship. Death cannot separate us. It will endure NOW and FOREVER.  His voice brought me peace.  As it always does. And reminded me that my parents are members of that ETERNAL FAMILY.  We will see each other again. UNTIL THEN....AS I LIVE EACH DAY ON EARTH...

              

There is Someone who calls me daughter.   

And He always will. 

 "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God." 

1 John 3:1