July 4, 2017

I'm in a delightful neighborhood in Greeley, CO, visiting my son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.  Last night the sky was filled with beautiful colors as neighborhood families celebrated our national Independence Day, and the City of Greeley put on quite a show.  The explosions and noise went on well past midnight in our neighborhood.  I was glad that I didn't hear the sound of emergency vehicles, which often accompanies such celebrations.  What I did hear, despite the late hour, was the sounds of wonder, laughter, friendship, and revelry.

It made me think about my own wonderful family.  I am grateful to be part of multiple families!  My sons are married to wonderful women, joining us to two new families.  My daughter is getting married to a wonderful man, and we'll be joined to yet another family.  When I married Cathy 43 years ago, I became part of another family.  (Her family was the first group of people I met that enjoyed true family values.)  Our family values are posted on our family room wall.  (God first, love well, forgive quickly, praise often, walk the talk.)  I began to think about the people that founded this country in the 1600s, and established the values that led to the Declaration of Independence and eventually to our Constitution.  It was their family values that formed the basis of what they believed and how they acted.

Men like Patrick Henry, a true patriot, made an impact on history.  He is noted for his famous statement:  "Give me liberty, or give me death!"  Few remember his other quotes and wisdom.  Here is one that our revisionist colleges and present government have worked hard to erase:  “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!  For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”  Where did he learn to think like that?  If you look at the founding statements of the colleges of that era you will easily discover that our universities and colleges were very different back then.  For instance:  Harvard’s requirements declared:  “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus which is eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.”  Yale–a college “for the liberal and religious education of suitable youth”–required:  “Seeing God is the giver of all wisdom, every scholar, besides private or secret prayer . . . shall be present morning and evening at public prayer.”  Princeton produced nearly one-third of the two hundred-plus Founding Fathers, including men like President James Madison and Signers of the Declaration Benjamin Rush and John Witherspoon.  The founding statement of Princeton University in 1746 set forth its educational philosophy:  “Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ!”

Under British law, slavery was permitted in the colonies.  Did you know that Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush spoke against slavery?  Our declaration declares that all men are created equal!  When British authorities demanded they stop talking abolition (ending slavery, for those of you who don't know that word), those two worthy men founded the first abolitionist society in Boston.  These were brave men who believed that God's word (the Bible) was the standard by which all men should be governed and treated.  Our constitution is based on that belief, though many modern day historians would have us believe otherwise.

You may well ask the question:  Why?  If one takes God and His incomparable Word out of government, out of science, out of ethics, one can do whatever one wants without consequence.  That is why.  Men want to silence those who believe in the one true God, and follow His Word, practice His principles, because then there are no consequences for sin.  We don't talk much about sin.  It is not a pleasant subject.  Those who follow Jesus know that they are sinners, saved by grace, and that there is nothing worthy within them deserving of that salvation.  Man doesn't like to admit that he is not worthy.  I know I don't.  But I do know the truth.  I am a sinner.  My only claim is the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross.

I am proud that our founding fathers attempted this great task, of forming a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, set upon the standards of Scripture, so that all men could and should be treated with respect and dignity.  Being a realist, Understand that we are all sinners, and therefore capable of some pretty awful acts of cruelty, debauchery, and immorality, I accept that we often get it wrong.  The underlying principles are there!  So I celebrate our independence!  Celebrating the amazing men who dared risk so much to create a government designed to protect the rights and privileges of mankind, I applaud them, and rejoice that such worthy examples were set for us to follow.  Our country will never be perfect, no man will ever be perfect.  Yet we can do our best to achieve our highest moral values, live in such a way that other people are respected and treated with dignity, speak and act accordingly.  Yes!  I am proud to be an American.

In a way, we are all part of a huge family.  Every American should treat every other individual he or she meets, as a person worthy of respect, honor, and dignity, as part of his or her family.  Just like every family member has flaws, every culture has flaws.  Yet we can live together in peace and harmony if we recognize that God loved every human being so much He gave His only Son.  How much is one drop of Jesus' blood worth?  There is no treasure great enough to pay for just one drop.  He died for every man on this earth.  How much, then, is every individual worth?  Let's make an effort this year to remember the worthiness of our neighbors, the people that live in our communities, and in our country.  I believe we can make this a country of which to be proud!  

In the Spirit's Power

In any given moment, whatever the circumstances, I want the Lord Jesus to know that I trust Him completely.  When I am at peace and my heart is thankful, I am saying to Him:  "I love You, Lord Jesus."  To walk blamelessly before Him has nothing to do with me, or my circumstances.  Always and forever it is about Jesus.  His blood cleanses me and makes me blameless, not something I do, neither some sacrifice on my part, nor some effort I make.  So, what exactly is my part in all of this?

Wrestling with this question, I am driven to Psalm 119.  With the Psalmist my heart cries out to God:  "Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes!"  Figuring out what that looks like should not be difficult!  Why then, so very often, do I get confused and miss the mark?  I try to do His work in the power of my flesh rather than that of the Holy Spirit!  That is why I fail, why my church fails, and why the global church fails.

In his letter to the believers in Ephesus Paul writes:  "Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.  So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father, and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."  (Ephesians 5:15-21 NASB)

Have you ever asked:  "What is God's will for my life?"  I Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives the answer!  "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."  Isn't the warning in verse 19 interesting?  "Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances."

Now I know what it looks like to do things in the power of the spirit.  In any given moment my heart will be full of joy, I will be connected to Jesus, and my lips will be able to pour out thanks, even when nothing seems to be going right!  What exactly will be going correctly?

My Lord will receive recognition and glory, and I will mean nothing because He means everything.  I so often get in the way!  People will know that Jesus is real, that He is active in touching lives and acting in history when they see men and women who in any given moment, regardless of circumstances, exhibit peace and a thankful heart.  As long as I allow the Holy Spirit to fill me with joy, stay connected to Jesus through prayer, and remain thankful, He can use me to change my world.

My eternal Lord Jesus is extraordinary.  His love is perfect, and in His love there is no fear.  I can do extraordinary things when I allow Him to do them through me.  When I follow Him, and allow the Holy Spirit to control me, I will not seek to live conservatively or safely, but to courageously share His truth and love.

Lord Jesus!  Let the eyes of my heart be enlightened, so that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in me, and what is the surpassing greatness of Your power toward me, because I believe in You! This is in accordance with the working of the strength of Your might, Father, which You brought about in Christ, when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come!  This is my prayer. 

From my beloved wife of 43 years to my littlest granddaughter Sutter Grace I have been blessed with many "darling valentines" and wish to express to all of them something special on this day.

Cathy, my love, I begin with you.  I can still remember the jolt I felt in my inner being when I first met you!  Your sweet kisses still linger on my lips and in my memories; from that first icy cold kiss in Chicago to our sweet kiss goodbye this morning in the kitchen.  I love you more every day, though that just doesn't seem possible!  You remain, and will always be, my true love, best friend, wisest counselor, and dearest companion.

Serena, my dear sweet daughter, you bless my life with laughter and your own special brand of sweetness mixed with hilarious sarcasm and wit.  Thank you.  I'm thrilled this valentine's day to see you enjoying it so much.

Tawny and Savanna, my wonderful daughters-in-law, I would say I'm speechless, but neither of you would believe that, so I'll be honest.  Finding words to express how much you have blessed our lives isn't easy.  Both of you are such loving wives and mothers I am often deeply moved as I observe you in person, and see the things you post on line.  Thank you for adding so many blessings to our lives.

Bristol, Brighton, and Sutter Grace!  Grandpa and Grandma love you very much.  I wish I could hold each one of you on my lap today and just give you hugs and kisses.  My arms aren't long enough to reach to Colorado, so just pretend I'm hugging you!  Happy Valentine's day!

I can't forget my sister, Elaine, and my Niece, Tami Rae.  Happy Valentine's day you two very special ladies.  

Intentional Change

Not being one to make New Year's resolutions I do contemplate each month what I want to change about myself.  It takes at least thirty days to form a habit, and so I am intentional about finding an area for improvement and growth, and concentrating on that for a month until I have formed the habits I believe will help me be more successful.  With each change, I also write a mantra, a motto for the month.

January's mantra is simple.  Gratitude is the attitude that brings altitude to my life.  When Harvard University was founded Harvard’s requirements declared:  “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus which is eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.”  I believe that all foundational wisdom can be discovered in the Bible, and so I began to search for the foundation verses for helping me change, and found them in I Thessalonians 5:12-24.

"But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (NASB)

How do I use this foundational material to help me change?  My goal is to memorize these verses and repeat them every day, and every time I get frustrated because I want to control things.  God is in control, not me.  I must value those around me, because I cannot inspire anyone that I don't value, nor can I be inspired by anyone I do not value.  Joy is something God has given me, a wonderful gift, and I can experience it if I value every experience, both the good and the bad!  Staying connected to the Lord in prayer is paramount to any change, and being thankful will keep my attitude where it needs to be to achieve altitude.  My focus must be the Lord Jesus, and I must turn to Him every time I feel frustrated because I want to control things, rather than allowing Him to have control.  He has set me apart for His service and He is faithful!

At the end of each day I jot down a record of how I feel I performed in keeping Him as my focus, where I failed, and where I succeeded.  I will journal weekly, from those jots, to remind myself what I need to improve, and giving myself a pat on the back for my successes.  But all of that is useless if I don't share it.  There is power in sharing my journey, both the successes and the failures.  My beloved wife of 43 years is my best friend and confidant, prayer partner, and loving critic and cheerleader.  Sharing with my friends at work is important too.  Some will encourage me, some will politely listen, and those who are negative I will keep at arm's length.

If I value those I work with and under, let God fill me with joy, never disconnect from Him, and thank Him continually I will see change.  Will I fail along the journey?  Often!  Every failure is an opportunity to learn.  Discerning the root cause of my failure and correcting that will strengthen me.

My goal, the end result of this change, is to become a more grateful person on a daily basis.  Notice that I am looking for change daily, not a sudden transformation or reaching my goal by the end of the month.  What I want to do is establish a habit of being more grateful, growing each day.  Being intentional about growing and changing will influence everything.