Yearly Archives: 2016

#realChristmas!, forlorn, reconciliation

. . . and we beheld His glory

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My wife calls me a grinch after the children’s story of the gremlin that tried to steal Christmas.  I’m not against Christmas.  I am against 1) the commercialization of Christmas and 2) the ongoing secular takeover of the Christmas holiday and subsequent separation of the “baby Jesus” from the beaten, scorned and betrayed Savior who arose triumphant from the grave.

Christmas does have it’s own joy and life as it embodies the hope of genuine reconciliation to God.  But this was kept secret until after His death and resurrection.  So much of the story was was kept hidden such that there may have been many thousand people who saw the young Jesus but had no idea that he was indeed the Christ [ the prophesied, anticipated and heralded Messiah].  The context of the story was that four hundred years had passed since a prophet had transmitted a word from God.  After such a long time, it would seem that God had forsaken us, that we were forlorn and lost.

But there were indeed “Good tidings of Great Joy” that the foretold Savior had come.  Isaiah declared “His name would be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  Of his Kingdom there would [will] be no end.”  [Isaiah 9:6-7a]

But only a few people actually celebrated the first Christmas.  The marvelous virgin-birth of the God-man, King of Kings was only REVEALED to a few as told by Luke the physician.  First were the shepherds watching their flocks.  Next the devout Simeon, who prayed for a chance to see God’s fulfillment of the promise.  Because he sought to see the Messiah and vigorously followed the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Anna the prophetess was at the temple also.  She saw the child and began an anthem of praise, declaring to everyone how the child would bring Jerusalem out of bondage.

The Magi were the last.  I wrote about them last year {http://www.phatonfruit.net/2015/12/25/the-faith-of-the-magi/}.  They traveled far to worship the coming King.  They arrived bearing gifts and were overwhelmed as they saw him.  They like those mentioned above, saw him for who he is.  He was not hidden in plain sight, He was revealed for who He is . . . and they beheld His glory.

News Cycle, Police Action

Happening Now!

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I was saddened to see that a Christian friend was very upset about police action shootings and resultant conversations that she spoke out in anger with expletives on social media toward the offenders.  I wasn’t saddened at the outburst; we are all alarmed at the unraveling of events.  It made me sad to see the extent of our grief and anger.

Our outrage at the cowardice and audacity of the perpetrators is understandable.  We hurt with the victims’ families and cringe with anger at the antics of the malefactors.  It is startling to watch these events unfold seeming to get worse day by day.  
 
There are however, two important things we need to be mindful of:
  1. Jesus foretold that there would be wars and rumors of wars; see that you be not troubled  [Mt 24:6]
  2. Jesus also said “Offenses must come”  [Mt. 18:7] and we may not be able to predict where they might come from. 
 But know this!  Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus who by the Holy Spirit, comforts, and constrains us from being overwhelmed so that we can continue to minister to the world rather than be trapped in anger or fear. 
 

This message need not be overly preachy.  We are not citizens of this world, we need not fall prey to the age-old tactics of the enemy to make us think that God has deserted us.  Take a deep breath and a step back.  Today’s news cycle will pass.  There is nothing new under the sun and Christ is seated at the right hand and we are seated in heavenly places.  

Mocker, Tailgating

Don’t Correct a Mocker

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I made a grand error.  I frequently do.  I couldn’t figure out a way to confess it to you until today.  I was listening to a version of audio Proverbs and these verses slapped me across the face. 


Whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse.
Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:7-8       New English Translation (NET)

The story behind this?  I was driving to the grocery when a driver began to tailgating me, even attempting to pass me on a one-lane road.  Upon arrival at the grocery store I found that the driver was in the parking lot also.  Upset with the episode, I asked the driver [a female in a party of four] what was the big hurry to get to the grocery.  She was not disrespectful, they looked at me like I had 3 heads.  They did not apologize.  The party went in the store and I went in.  When I re-emerged from the store, my car had been scratched all the way around with a key.   I was astounded.  I began thinking that as a older man I man I may have pressed them unduly.  I don’t think that I pressed them or distressed them to the extent that they damaged my car.  I had an inkling to leave before I went in but I told my self that I would only be a few minutes.  When I emerged from the store, they were long gone.  The store would only release the surveillance footage under court order. I was sent a check from my insurance company.  I have been waiting to save up the deductible to keep from losing thousands off the  value of my car.  

Dear readers, I enjoy my car – I do get a little irate at other drivers (I don’t think I’m alone), but the scripture is unbroken.  I corrected someone who was undeserving and undisciplined.  I am paying the penalty.  Perhaps you will be more wise than I.


Uncategorized

Pretty is . . .

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My grandmother had lots of maxims.  Some might call them proverbs or wise sayings.  She shared them with my mother who would then share and explain them to us kids.  We would hear them and they were part of us but we as with all things of value, they needed to stay with us for awhile until we learned their depth and validity. 

I was talking to one of my students, a lovely bright-eyed Latina, and told her “Pretty is, as pretty does”.  She said okay but I could tell that she didn’t really hear it.   I asked her if she understood, she later confessed that she didn’t.  I began explaining about my grandmother’s maxims.  How they were illustrative of greater truth but had to be lived and experienced to bear the fruit of their contained wisdom.  

“Pretty is, as pretty does” literally describes how pretty people (male or female) are only as pretty externally as their behavior matches.  Just because you are appealing to the eye doesn’t make you beautiful.  Your demeanor, personality and actions must align.  Compare with the following proverb:

Proverbs 11:22
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful face on an empty head
[MSG.]

dedicated to the memory of Myrtle Mullens

Election 2016, mantra, Worry

Eat, Pray, Worry?

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I don’t remember where this saying came from.  Shortly after I received it, it became a sort of mantra.  I quote it to my favorite worry warts hoping that they would get it too.  The saying is “If you’re going to pray don’t worry and if you are going to worry, DON’T PRAY.

I say this after a conversation  with a friend who admitted being afraid for the outcome of the election.  He is worried about the ramifications if the wrong person is elected.  I am concerned, not so much about the outcome of the election but about the state of the country.  What we are thinking, feeling and how it is shaping our behavior and values across communities and cities nationwide.  [More about that soon]

But I am not worrying.  For a refresher on what worry is about, see  Quiet 2  http://www.phatonfruit.net/2012/02/

A message poignant for today’s audience and Boomers like me comes from Pastor Andy Stanley: 

http://qpolitical.com/pastor-harsh-message-election-every-millennial-needs-hear

Gestalt, Personification

What are God’s Thoughts About You?

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It does boggle the mind. As humans, we personify everything.  It’s what we do.  We have turtles who are human teenage ninjas, there’s a man in the moon, nature is a maternal female.  We personify God and as any who studies Gestalt Psychology will tell you, the God we create is a projection of who we think He is.  Who we think God is clearly identifies whether we are speaking of the God of the Holy Bible or a god of our own making.  Some people have limited knowledge of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or as He made himself known later, Jesus the Christ.

I never considered that God thought of me personally.  I remember as a child saying prayers each night and singing “Jesus on the Main Line” in church. We personify [assign human qualities] God as a phone operator, a delivery boy or even Santa Claus.  Obviously, He is neither.

Have you ever considered that He thinks about you?  Psalm 40:5 says ” Thou hast increased, O LORD my God, thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts regarding us; they are beyond our ability to express, declare, or speak; they cannot be told..[Jubilee]”  His thoughts about us are so many and so extravagant that they cannot be expressed!!  The author of the universe not only thinks of me but has many wonderful thoughts of me!!  How could I ever care what any person has to say about me?

Jeremiah 1:5 says “I knew you before I formed you”, He thinks of you when you’re in trouble, comforts you when challenged. He knows the plans He has for us and our future.  (Jer. 29:11) All this and yet he still gives us spouses and children for fellowship, companionship and pleasure.  He meets all of your needs, protects us, guides us.  He asks that we get personal with Him.  What do you think of that?

Uncategorized

Conflictual

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People who don’t know the Lord lose perspective as they navigate life’s conflicts.  We often conflict with others including bosses, card playing buddies, or even mothers-in-law.  Conflict often arises with circumstances beyond our control with work issues, traffic, the economy or the lack (or overabundance) of rain.  Finally, we face conflict in the daily effort to achieve finances that include the press of competition, access to commodities, and ill will due to greed.

Conflicts face forward and confront obstacles that impede progress.  The world teaches that we should pin our ears back and stare until we beat these obstacles.  Face-to-face confrontation forces us to look at the obstacle and measure up to it.  This is the perspective by which the battles are lost.  Simply put, by looking at the obstacle, it’s easy to be overwhelmed looking squarely at it.  The devil is in the detail as you scan every nuance and distortion seeming amplified and bigger than life.
 
No one feels comfortable confronting their obstacle alone no matter what the old school conquistadors have to say.  There are those who say that seeking help from God is a cheat, the real fighter does battle alone. How ironic does the Apostle Paul appear when he says “ . . . when I am weak, then am I strong (II Cor. 12:10 ) 
 
 
Being aligned and allied with God allows me to see everything from its proper prospective.  I see my boss, mother-in-law, the economy and even the country’s problems in light of the Lord’s ruling presence.  He shows me the people, the bills, the floods and storms of this life and reassures me that even with them all,  He will NEVER leave me alone to deal with them. I am not overwhelmed by circumstances, because I am not alone. 

Baton Rouge, Dallas, Expletives, Police Action

Happening Now!

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www.foxnews.com
I was saddened to see a Christian friend so upset about police action shootings and resultant conversations that she spoke out in anger with expletives on social media toward the offenders.  I wasn’t saddened at the outburst; we are all alarmed at the unraveling of events.  It made me sad to see the extent of our grief and anger.

Our outrage at the cowardice and audacity of the perpetrators is understandable.  We hurt with the victims’ families and cringe with anger at the antics of the malefactors.  It is startling to watch these events unfold seeming to get worse day by day.  

There are however, two important things we need to be mindful of:
  1. Jesus foretold that there would be wars and rumors of wars; see that you be not troubled  [Mt 24:6]
  2. Jesus also said “Offenses must come”  [Mt. 18:7] and we may not be able to predict where they might come from. 

But know this!  Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus who by the Holy Spirit, comforts, and constrains us from being overwhelmed so that we can continue to minister to the world rather than be trapped in anger or fear. 

This message need not be overly preachy.  We are not citizens of this world, we need not fall prey to the age-old tactics of the enemy to make us think that God has deserted us.  Take a deep breath and a step back.  Today’s news cycle will pass.  There is nothing new under the sun and Christ is seated at the right hand and we are seated in heavenly places.  
Dallas, Fatness, pacified, satisfied

Delighted in Fatness . . .

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Isaiah 55:1-2 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me,  and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

 

Broken and Empty

My pastor talks frequently of peoples’ collective brokenness where we (both churched and unchurched) are so fragmented that we reach to the world with our anger, pain or hunger to quench the pain of being broken.  The past week has certainly demonstrated this.  I shared with a friend how the Church is the place to find healing  and a hospital.   The default response is to reach for a past life remedy that we have previously used to appease us.  Intriguing to see how some people turn their brokenness inward as they imbibe intoxicants (or in extreme cases cut themselves to create physical pain to mask emotional pain [ or brokenness] they’re experiencing.  Others push their pain outward indulging in everything from bar room brawls to acts of reactive terrorism. [e.g.  the solo sniper in Dallas]

Hope to Be Fed

Through the Prophet Isaiah we are offered a way to fill our emptiness.  The offer is made to all who thirst (thirst as a metaphor for emptiness with a desire to be healed) even those without money.  Isaiah challenges to buy without money in the way that a person with a litter of kittens insists that you want the kitten before they give it to you.  This is illustrated in the way that Jesus always asked supplicants what they would have him do.  We must ask to buy the wine and milk. Wine is symbolic of joy and milk is symbolic of spiritual food.  If you are really thirsty you must seek after that which will satisfy.

The next verse is rudimentary in meaning but asks a question that is very searching in poignancy: Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and labor for that which doesn’t satisfy?  I remember Bishop Jakes commenting about how we look for things that pacify but don’t satisfy.  A baby may want milk or frequently desire to suckle when their tummy is full. If you give a pacifier, she gets the sensation but not the nourishment.  We search for sensation instead of the stuff that will feed our souls. [Side Note:  I wrote previously on what the soul is and  how it needs feeding see ” A Heaping Portion of Soul Food”.]

I have these verses on my business card referring to the fatness.  When properly prepared, beef neck bones are considered a delicacy. The dish yields cooked bone marrow that for some is delightful.  The dish is rich and fatty leaving the consumer very satisfied.  Thus, “Phat on Fruit” refers to being satisfied through the Word as it yields Fruit [satisfaction] in our lives.  I’m sure you were wondering where the name came from . . .

grace & peace

 

 

Agape, Foreigner, phileo

I Wanna Know What Love Is [Part II]

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I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
And I wanna feel, I want to feel what love is
And I know, I know you can show me
excerpted lyrics: Mick Jones, Foreigner 1984
 
 It has been that kind of week with madmen shooting people for NO reason and other madmen insinuating that more weapons is one solution.  A celebrated playwright declares that “love is love is love is love is love”  and a Facebook friend of mine declares that there cannot be a God or else we would not have had this tragedy.  
 
All of these seemingly non-related details seem related because we’ve all been made with a yearning for real love, the kind no man or woman is able to give.  We are much like another popular song ‘Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places’.  We however get confused and accept erotic love as love.  Sometimes we give all we have and that phileo* love looks like love. It’s selfless but frequently, there is a string attached –  a condition.  I’m giving and at least you can acknowledge that I am giving to you.  
But there is one love, that treats enemies to an everlasting inheritance. The cost was astoundingly high and its acceptance requires devotion but it is described like this “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  [Romans 5:6,7 NIV]
 
Who would you die for?  We say we would die for our loved ones, our children, our spouses.  Would you die for your enemy?  For someone who mocked you, ignored you, spited you, betrayed you?  Killed you?  For someone who really didn’t know love, who violently abused others without remorse?   
 
It happened.   And this love is love.

Some say there is no God because of all the evil in the world.  Some say however, that there must be a God in order for there to be love, the most irrational of constructs.  No, I do not intend a straight forward ontological argument for this entry.  My point is that we desperately seek love, the entire world longs for it, but we are so tarnished by the world that we don’t recognize it.  

 
 
 
But it is the Agape love, that is UNCONDITIONAL.  PERIOD.   
 

phileo is the root from which was derived the city name Philadelphia.  “Brotherly love” used here to denote brotherly philanthropic donation for other among other definitions.