“Is Life a Riddle?”

A riddle: a question or statement so framed as to exercise one’s ingenuity in answering it or discovering its meaning.  It’s also been described as a conundrum or a puzzling question.   OK, riddle me this:

  

Who makes it, has no need of it.
Who buys it, has no use for it.
Who uses it, can neither see nor feel it.
What is it?  Got it?

Life’s no riddle.  Real life is found in Jesus Christ!  Period.  God speaks openly and honestly.  The Bible’s straight forward.  Stuff like: “If you have the Son, you have the Life,”  “You’re either for Me or against Me,” “Follow Me,” “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Is there any ambiguity?  How about uncertainty?  Is there a lack of clarity?  Beating around the bush? 

Life is NO riddle.  Jesus said clearly and confidently, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Well I hope so…and by the way, if you didn’t get the answer to the earlier riddle, it’s a coffin. 

Make every moment count in this life, and for the life to come.  Be high on Jesus and live coffin-free! 

“What Did You Say?”

When words lose their meaning, at best, life becomes confusing, and at worst, everything starts to fall apart. 

Have you ever tried to be friends with someone that seemed less than honest, mildly confusing or downright deceptive?  Can a marriage survive if the relationship fails to communicate clearly, openly, and honestly?  How difficult is it to learn the material and pass a test if the teacher can’t impart the information in a language or methodology you can understand?

“Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

Chaos and Confusion are the first names on the Christian’s enemy list.  Distort the truth.  Change the truth. Belittle the truth.  Manipulate the truth.  Disguise the truth.  These are all communication killers, and effective tricks used by our enemy to trip us up.  The Apostle Paul said, “we are not ignorant of his schemes.” 

So…“Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

Remember, words mean things.  Communicate wisely, clearly, honestly and do it all in love.  According to a 2002 study conducted by the University of Massachusetts, 60% of adults can’t have a ten minute conversation without lying at least once. 

“Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH…”                                                                    Ephesians 4:25

Paradise of "Pair-a-dice"?

Everyone must make a choice.  God’s intentions in the Garden of Eden were clear.  His vision and purpose for mankind were on full display.  God desires to walk with us in the cool of the day.  His passion is to simply be with us, to be our everything, to meet our every need, to fill our lives with His overflowing, never-ending, always abounding, certainly satisfying grace!  So what’s your intention?  Your passion?  Your choice?

After Adam and Eve had already experienced Paradise in the garden, they gambled it all away on a chance.  With some help from the serpent, and his trickery and outright lies, Adam and Eve walked a road of open rebellion against God for the risk of what they thought was a better way, their way.  So they made their choice. Hey God, thanks, but no thanks.  The serpent cheered, Adam and Eve feared, and hid themselves from God.  Wow, what a game-changer.

Adam and Eve passed up a sure thing, Paradise, for a Pair-a-dice and a bad beat on their future.  Unfortunately, despite the bad odds, we’ve all made the same bet and gambled on ourselves.  Overcome the urge to risk your life on your own best efforts and a chance at short term gain.  Don’t gamble your future.  Bet your life on a sure thing, and the place where winners live forever…Paradise!  

To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'

                                                                                          

                                                                

Revelation 2:7

"American Sniper"

"American Sniper,” starring Bradley Cooper is all the rage.  Is he a real-life hero or a real-life coward?  The buzz is intense, pro and con.  And apparently there’s no in between.

Only 10 years ago, “The Passion of the Christ" which brought in nearly $84 million during its opening weekend was considered a blockbuster despite the media’s lack of attention to its success; however, “American Sniper” has absolutely crushed that mark by grossing nearly $119 million total in its short release.  

Between 2004 and 2014 the world has radically changed, hasn’t it?  In 2004 the world was challenged to look at the real-life story of a man named Jesus making a decision about life and death to save a lost and endangered world.  Today, our endangered world is now intrigued by the real-life story of an American sniper making decisions about the life and death of others through the lens of his sniper scope, hoping to save them from a real and unsuspecting danger in our world, terrorism; Hero or Coward?  That appears to be the debate.  

But what grabs my attention is the stark contrast of how God saves the world and how we must now try and save it…let’s not fool ourselves and believe that words alone will save this lost world; Jesus tried a diplomatic approach with Pilate, but he rejected God’s argument of salvation for a lost world when he turned to Jesus and said, “What is truth?”  Don’t get me wrong, politicians, ambassadors, diplomats and even American snipers can help bring a temporal peace to this lost and destitute world, but only One can bring true salvation and lasting peace.  And that is, the Prince of Peace, the King of Truth, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, Jesus, the Christ!  I wonder what we will be talking about 10 years from now?  

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

                                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                               John 14:6 

"His Year"

Happy New Year!  It’s what we say at this time of year, isn’t it?  Often just words though.  Just like the guy passing by you in the cereal aisle at the grocery store.  He makes eye contact with you, and in that awkward moment you say, “How’s it going?”  But before he can respond, you’re half way down the aisle exploring the special on pop tarts.  He didn’t really care you asked, and you didn’t really want to know how he was doing.  So why say it…just words…it’s what you’re supposed to say, right?  It’s a new year so you’re supposed to say it.

As the horns, whistles, fireworks, and confetti canons blast, you can hear the shouts of “Happy New Year” resounding everywhere; a hopeful recognition that this year will be different, but that hope often fades quickly.  Soon, very soon, the excitement of a Happy New Year becomes the blah reality of simply “Another Year.”  My prayer is that 2015 will be “His Year” in your journey.  Start your new year under new management.   Turn the same old, same old “Happy Another Year” into a refreshing “Happy New Year” by committing yourself to making it “His Year”!   His way will keep you celebrating long into this next year!

”Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.”                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                     Psalm 37:4

“Cataracts”

After cataract surgery, I lay around the house with an awkward pair of glasses over my eyes to lessen the discomfort of the bright lights around me, but that quickly opened me up to some good-hearted family ribbing.  “Wow, Dad looks like a thug” one kid text, while another walked in laughing saying, “Hey Ray Charles, how are you feeling?”   In the midst of my recovery, I had a whole new opportunity to “look” at things differently…literally.  I certainly appreciate the testimony of the blind who celebrated, “I once was blind, but now I see.” Grant it, to a much less extend.

Nevertheless, you and I celebrate Christmas.  We’ve heard the story.  It’s old news, but familiar news.   A baby a manger, no room for him in the inn, but an angel appears and directs the lowly shepherds to witness His birth.  They make the choice to find the Savior and worship Him.  Yada, yada, yada.  Could the years of seeing the old story of Christmas played out in our lives leave us today with a complete reversal of the blind man’s fate?   I once could see, but now I’m blind.  Has the long, slow development of a cataract clouded our ability to see the real meaning of Christmas? The Answer is simple….if you’ve truly come to worship Him and been changed by His Presence in your life, your eyesight is probably fine; however, if you just can’t see it, and things are blurry and out of focus this season, then maybe it’s time for surgery. 

"Let's go to Bethlehem and SEE this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

                                                                                                                                                                                 Luke 2:15

Epic: Black Friday vs. Thanksgiving

What was once a routine win for the “Thanksgiving” enthusiasts has now recently turned into an epic battle with the “Black Friday” warriors!  Past seasons saw easy victory for the people who saw autumn as the perfect time for reflection and thanksgiving, but slowly and consistently avid bargain shoppers and retail giants have exploited the consumers thirst for a bargain and pulled even in the fight for supremacy in the mid-fall classic.

Have big sales, bargain prices, and month-long campouts at retail door fronts become the victors in the hearts of people who once made it a priority to stop, remember, and make an intentional effort to reunite with family and friends to reflect on God’s goodness in their lives?

As you’re flooded with advertisements this Thanksgiving Season, don’t forget that a God who shed His grace on Thee, America, deserves our gratitude and thanks.  I hope Thanksgiving wins out in your heart this season.  What’s your game plan?

…in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

 1 Thessalonians 5:18