One Won One - Blog

Blankety-Blank

5/16/2019

BLANK people are BLANK

Most of us could spin the dial in our head, see what color comes up in the first blank, and have a ready answer for the second one. Let’s try it – read these and see what word comes into your head to fill in the blank.

“Red people are _____”
“Yellow people are _____”
“Black people are _____”
“White people are _____”

My wife is “yellow”, and I have visited Asia many times. People are people - every group has every type of people - racist, lazy, drunk, criminal – you name it.

I can say with confidence that God’s Word is clearly against having this pre-defined attitude towards people who are 'different' from us:

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? (James 2:1)

If you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. (James 2:9)

And the famous parable that Jesus told of the Good Samaritan is specifically targeting people who look down on others.

We are all – ALL – created by God and for His Glory. It is shameful and sinful to treat one human being as inferior to any other – regardless of their age, the color of their skin, or where they are from. Let’s fill in the blank with love.

How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony! (Psalms 133:1)

“Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world”

#LoveMatters

Refuse the Refuse

5/13/2019

Ah, the good ‘ol English language... we use the same word pronounced two ways to mean different things... here’s an example:

“I refuse to deal with the refuse in my life.”

To refuse [rəˈfyo͞oz] is a verb, meaning one is not willing to accept or grant something offered.

But refuse [ˈrefˌyo͞os] is a noun, meaning something to be thrown away or rejected as worthless; trash.

The brother of Jesus tells us to refuse [rəˈfyo͞oz] the world’s corruption:

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:27)

From the prophet Isaiah we learn that even the things we do that we would consider good or righteous are nothing more than refuse [ˈrefˌyo͞os]:

We are all infected and impure with sin.
When we display our righteous deeds,
they are nothing but filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)

One is something I need to do - the other is that thing I need to do it to... We should not accept this world's trash into our lives. We must get rid of the refuse in our hearts, and then refuse to take any more of it from this corrupt world we live in.

#LoveMatters

House of Mirrors

5/9/2019

As the tears came, she began to shake uncontrollably, nearly collapsing as she fell to her knees...

This is an illustration of life. Like one piece of a puzzle, we may begin thinking something terrible has happened as we read about the flood of tears this woman sheds. Only as the picture becomes more complete can we really know the full story...

One thinks they are overweight, while others wish they could be as fit and toned... one thinks their bronze skin is ugly, while another spends time and money trying to attain the same shade. One prays for Gods merciful hand to extend the life of their suffering loved one, while God in His mercy ends the persons suffering to bring them into the glorious presence of Christ, where there is no pain.

We live in a house of mirrors, with only a partial and distorted view of the things going on all around us. God in His perfect love sees all things clearly, and knows the end from the beginning. Nothing happens that can ever ruin His good plan, regardless of how it may seem in the moment.

Let’s return to where we started and see how this plays out:

As the tears came, she began to shake uncontrollably, nearly collapsing as she fell to her knees....in joy! She cried out in thanks to God, as she saw her baby boy being carried unharmed out of the burning house.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

#LoveMatters

When Jesus Goes Off-Script

5/6/2019

Jesus is kind and loving, and we should strive to be more like Him - we all know this right? What people tend to gloss over, however, is how clearly (and sometimes brutally) Jesus would call out those that were doing wrong. It’s easy to forget about Him making a whip and turning over tables, or telling the Pharisees they are like whitewashed tombs.

It can be a little shocking when our loving Lord goes off our own carefully constructed script of sweetness for Him.

“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world." (Luke 11:47-50)

The reason Jesus tells them they are guilty of murdering the prophets is because they hated (and later killed) the very One whom the prophets were sent by and speaking about for hundreds of years!

What about us? We have access to even more information and revelations from God than they did. How will we be judged? How often do we work to show ourselves worthy of those around us, while all the time neglecting our relationship with the Creator of Life? How often do we 'murder the prophets' by our indifference - or our idols?

Only by the blood of the One who the prophets spoke of - only through the One the prophets and the Word of God testified to - can we avoid the same ultimate fate as these Pharisees!

#LoveMatters

The Buck Stops Here

5/2/2019

The Commander of the Air Force base I was stationed at had a sign on his desk that read “The buck stops here”. For those that aren’t familiar with that phrase, it basically meant the responsibility and ultimate decision-making for the base didn’t go any further than him. In the military the buck may stop at the base commander. In business the CEO.

But really the Commander reports to the General over the Strategic Air Command, who is beholden to the Joint Chiefs, and ultimately the President. The CEO, in turn, is beholden to the Chairman of the Board and ultimately the shareholders.

Satan is the ruler of this world (if you don’t believe it just look around). But thankfully, the buck doesn’t stop there. He is beholden to the King of kings - he can do nothing that God does not allow.

We are part of the resistance in this world. We don’t recognize the authority of the devil because we know he is “the father of lies”.

Where does the buck ultimately stop? No where until it gets to the throne room of Heaven… There is only One who knows the end from the beginning, and only One who is the ultimate stopping point. Do not be afraid – it’s all under control!

“Then He placed His right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” (Revelation 1:17)

#LoveMatters

Tale of Two Shepherds

4/29/2019

In Ezekiel 34, God is speaking about the shepherds residing over Gods flock in Israel – and He is clearly not pleased. The leaders of His people were heartless and greedy:

“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.” (Ezekiel 34:7-8)

God then makes a wonderful prediction through His prophet of a time that was yet to come:

“I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak.” (Ezekiel 15-16a)

Compare this to Jesus’ statements in the New Testament about being the Good Shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15)

Unlike the leaders that displeased God, our Savior lived and died a faith-filled and perfect life. He was and is our Good Shepherd, and He gave up everything to save us!

#LoveMatters

Self-Destruct Mode Disabled

4/22/2019

Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. (Jeremiah 17:7)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

What I know:

When I feel closest to You; when my spirit is in sync with Yours - it is the most wonderful feeling in the world… When I am in a state of pure worship and Your love is just flowing through me, I want it to last forever!

What I don’t understand:

Why do I make decisions that take me away from this feeling of bliss? It’s like pushing the self-destruct button on a perfectly working machine.

Of course, I know I’m not the first or only person to deal with this miserable state of being. The great Apostle Paul writes about this struggle:

Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:21b-24)

So what can we do with this dilemma? Nothing but call on our Lord!

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25)

Whether we like it or not, this flesh remains with us for as long as we live on this earth. Until the day we can finally shed this flawed shell to be replaced with something better, we must daily fight against our flesh.

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

#LoveMatters

Falling Into Love

4/22/2019

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

It’s easy to beat myself up over my missteps and sinful actions. And of course, I should try to obey God’s instructions, repent when I fail and strive to live a holy life. But...the truth is, even on our best day we fall short of God's holiness. And this is not a surprise to Him - that’s why He sent His Son. Only Jesus can solve our dilemma!

When we recognize our many sins and turn to Jesus, we open ourselves up to His love. And as someone who spent the first half of his life avoiding Him and living a life of sin and shame, I can attest to what Jesus told the Pharisee who was shocked at Jesus' actions towards the 'sinful' woman:

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47)

In this passage from Luke, Jesus is explaining to the self-righteous man the reason for his lack of love – he has not been forgiven! He wasn’t forgiven because he did not recognize that he was in the presence of God’s only Son. The sinful are forgiven and provided with a great storehouse of love - if they only turn to the Source of forgiveness and love so they can be healed.

I have sinned much, and I should show my gratefulness through my outward expression of His love. The love I show to others in turn does me much good.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

#LoveMatters