Never lose your head!

I normally write about scripture and tie it neatly all together so that the casual reader can apply it to their own life. However, today is different! My question to myself "How many accounts of beheadings are in scripture?" My curiosity was aroused because those latter day Christians will suffer beheadings for Christ's sake. Is that God's will? His plan? I wanted to take a look at scripture to see if beheadings are his will or simply when he removes the hedge, so to speak.

 

With that thought in mind, learn with me as we look at Bible beheadings:

 

The first account are of Oreb and Zeeb. They were Midianites who were descents of Abraham and his wife's handmaiden Keturah. They were Semites, cousins to the Israelites. They worshiped the gods of the Moabites,  Baal Peor and the Queen of Heaven, Ashteroth. The Israelites were enemies of these pagans and upon the finish of a battle of 300 soldiers picked by God against the entire Midianite army, they were destroyed and their leaders, Oreb and Zeeb beheaded.  Here's the account of that:

 

Judges 7:25 "And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan."

 

As a young shepherd lad, David came to power by killing the Philistine giant, Goliath, and beheaded him and presented his head to King Saul. David became a "man after God's own heart", King and ancestor of Jesus, who was called of the line of David.

1 Samuel 17:46  "This day will the Lord deliver thee (Goliath) into mine (David's) hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." 1 Samuel 17:51 "Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled."

In disrespect to the will of God, who had anointed King Saul before removing the anointing, the Philistines, allied with David slew King Saul and beheaded him.Thereafter, the Philistines further disrespected Saul by putting his armor in a pagan temple.

 

1 Samuel 31:8  "And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people. 10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

 

Upon hearing that Saul was dead, David in righteous anger, put the man to death in Ziglag even though the man thought he was doing good! Now, Saul's grandson, who was lame and was the son of Jonathan, David's best friend, was also put to death and beheaded:

 

2 Samuel 4:6  "And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

⁷ For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
⁸ And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the Lord hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed."   2 Samuel 4:12 "And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron."

Sheba was against David's kingship and David's men deserted him for Sheba. Joab rallied an army in support of David and went to seek out the armies of Sheba. As Joab's army was battering the walls of the city a wise woman advised Joab that she would handle the situation. Inside the city she advised the Israelites and they beheaded Sheba and threw his head over the wall. Joab returned to Jerusalem and peace was restored:
 

2 Samuel 20:21 "The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. 22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king."

 

Jehu plotted to overthrow King Ahab of Samaria. Jehu sent letters to the city officials. It turned out that to appease Jehu the great men of the city killed and beheaded the seventy princes, sons of Ahab. It turned out that none of the seventy had plotted to overthrow Ahab. It was Jehu himself. Jehu used wile to have his enemies killed and beheaded:

 

2 Kings 10:6 "Then (Jehu) he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel. 8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

 

Now we move to the New Testament. The beheading continues. Because John the Baptist preached against the adultery of King Herod, animosity existed between John and the Tetrarch Herod. Although Herod had wanted to kill John, it was Herodias who pursued that evil:

Matthew 14:7  "Whereupon he (Herod) promised with an oath to give her (his adulteress wife, Herodias's  daughter) whatsoever she would ask. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother (Herodias), said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. 9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her."  Matthew 14:10 "And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. 12  And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus."

 

King Herod had John beheaded and his head brought to the daughter of Herodias on a platter.

 

These are all the beheadings mentioned in Holy Scripture. Let's take a look at them now:

 

1) Oreb and Zeeb beheaded. They were pagans and Midianites, enemies of the Israelites.

2) David killed the Philistine giant Goliath and had the head of that pagan. As a result he became a trusted general and finally king himself.

3) David's allies, the Philistines, killed King Saul and beheaded him, all against God's will. Saul had fallen out of favor with God because of presumption.

4) David's supporters who though they were doing "good" killed and beheaded Ishbosheth, Saul's grandson to insure the throne for David although he was not even a pretender!

5) Sheba mutinied against King David and took all the army with him. When he was besieged a wise woman convinced the Israelites to sacrifice Sheba. He was killed, beheaded and his head thrown over the wall to David's general Joab. The war was over.

6) Jehu overthrew King Ahab by framing the seventy sons of Ahab who were summarily killed and beheaded. Jehu went on and killed all the opposition and became king himself.

7)  For revenge Herodius beguiled King Herod into beheading John the Baptist.

 

These are all the beheadings. Oreb and Zeeb were beheaded because it was God's will that the Israelites inhabit Canaan. It was God's will that Goliath be killed so that David would become King, a man after his own heart. Sheba was beheaded because he rebelled against God's choice for King; that David was the rightful heir. It was God's will that he die and peace be had.

 

All the other beheadings were because of disobedience. God did not desire that Saul be beheaded. It was not in God's plan tat Ishbosheth, an innocent young man, be beheaded just because of who he was. It was not God's will that Jehu use trickery to obtain power resulting in the beheadings of seventy princes.  It was not God's will that John the Baptist lose his head to Herodius. However, God had  a plan for mankind, Although it was not in God's plan for evil to be done, it was necessary that the evil that was done be done. Nothing happens without God allowing it to happen. He could stop anything at any time!

 

In the case of John, his ministry was complete! He had come to prepare the way for Jesus and he did just that. If he had lived longer scripture shows us that some were ready to follow him, believing him to be Elijah or the promised Messiah himself. John's beheading was not a punishment from God, but God allowed John to die for him as a show of faith. A martyred death is the greatest honor to God!

 

During the tribulation period there will be Christians who profess a belief in Jesus. That's not what the Anti-Christ demands, so just as John the Baptist those Christians will be "beheaded for the witness of Jesus"!  They will be the ones who have the faith and confidence in the divine nature of Christ that they fail to submit to what's evil!  If they "go along with the crowd" by taking the mark of the beast and adhering to the government/god of the Anti-Christ, all would be copacetic. Not so! They were faithful to Jesus. There reward? "They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years"! Death is no obstacle for Jesus. A misplaced head isn't an issue. God is omnipotent!

 

If we're here when Christ returns and we're faithful, we will arise in the air and go to heaven with Jesus. Later, there will be Christians who finally see the error in their thinking. These will be those who are persecuted. You have a choice. You, if you're wise, will never face eternal death, you will never face the guillotine! However, for others, here is a sordid account of what will happen:

 

Revelation 20:4 " And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

 

If you want to read about dying for Christ sake, read Foxes Book of Martyrs. If you need more modern evidence, read the history of the French Revolution!

 

The beheadings are part of God's plan. He doesn't desire that his followers be killed and guillotined, but he allows evil for a spell. His plan is that if we're tested we follow his plan. The thought of being beheaded even for Jesus is staggering, but the loss would be the ultimate privilege. A privilege those in obedience now will never have to face!

Extinguishing anguish: Yes it can be!

A friend of mine gave birth a few years back to a very large son!  This child had the chest of Atlas. It seems that he crawled quite well down the birth canal, but his chest became lodged in the pelvic area. He would move no further. I heard screams of anguish from my friend in my remote position in the hospital! My friend couldn't pass the child and the pain was unbearable. An emergency Cesarean section ensued and the barrel-chested baby made it through. Twenty five years ago mother, or child or both would have died.

After recovery the mother was wheeled out on a gurney. It looked as if she had been beaten to a pulp! Not physically scarred, but emotionally drained. My thoughts were that there is no way this young anguished mother would ever ever give birth again. Surely she had learned her lesson. Not so! She birthed another child!

John 16:21 "A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world."

Anguish! We've all had it. It's the agonizing torment to either our minds or bodies. This young mother certainly experienced physical pain, but the "drained girl" who I saw had mental agony as well. How was she able to forget and enjoy a pregnancy again? John 16:21 tells us that "for joy that a human being has been born into the world"!   The miracle of God is a child born!  Each baby born into this world is a complex entity of perfectly interacting and complementing systems who God intends will make you happy, happy, happy! Indeed a newborn baby is about as precious as can be.

Men never experience the anguish of giving birth. Most doctors say that women are stronger than men because their endurance for pain (i.e., giving birth) is better. I won't argue with that!  I do know from experience that men fail to notice pain as they work if they are concentrated on what they're doing. Sometimes after working on a car I come into the house all bloody and have no idea that I've been injured! This isn't pain endurance, but concentration so intense that it's not interrupted by pain. Perhaps God built that into our complex identities so that we never have to anguish more than we can handle. Scripture nowhere says "God will never give you more than you can handle"! He did say that he will never allow you to be "tempted" more than you can handle (1 Cor 10:13). "Temptation" is not anguish!

Who handled the most anguish (from scripture)? Job! The author of his anguish was Satan! Job anguished because God allowed the devil to inflict injury, both physical and mental anguish. Although God never "said" that he wouldn't give a person more than they can handle, he did demonstrate that attribute in the way that he put a "hedge" around Job. If we're Christians God puts a "hedge" around us so that we don't have to bear more than we can handle!

Yes, when we're down and out, we can have joy again! Job prospered and had joy after his anguish and we can too! When it seems that the end of the world has come for us a brighter day is ahead... if we're faithful!

Matthew 25:23 "His lord said to him (the servant who doubled the two talents), ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ "

Yes, if we're faithful we may "Enter into the joy of your Lord". I've lost all my possessions before and some in my family have been destroyed financially. For each of us "doom and gloom" was our despair. How can we go on? It's by faith!  I realize that what I have is borrowed, or at least a gift from God. When I leave I'm taking very little with me. My hope is that all I have shall be restored because in Heaven I'll live in a mansion with all my needs met! My earthly possessions are temporal. They mean little to me in the afterlife, but what I have is admittedly desirable in this life. Hope abounds in my heart and joy is in my heart!

How about my dear ones? Just as mothers anguish is brightened by the joy of a child, what happens when the worst happens to one of our children? Anguish again. For me the most dreaded thing in life is for a catastrophe to happen to one of my children. Even more so than my own eminent death!  I don't know how I could bear the loss of any one of my three children and hope the "hedge" remains around them. I'm not only speaking of death, but dire circumstances. I would rather starve myself than see one of my children starve. I would rather my life be ruined by poor decisions than the lives of my children ruined! That's not meddling. That's love! That's the love of that same child who was born so innocent and brought so much joy! I pray often for the best for my children. Not what I deem best, but God's will for them.

Here's a promise that maintains my hope, my joy:

Proverbs 22:6  (NKJV) "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."

 

All my children are properly "trained in the way (they) should go", but may not be living it consciously right now. The seed is planted. There is a drought. Perhaps a long one, but the promise is  "And when he is old he will not depart from it." While the child is "in the flesh" (worldly) he or she may think that they don't need the Lord, but in their hearts, that's exactly what they know they need and will seek communion with God again someday as they have been taught! The harbinger is God! He doesn't promise he will wait. Although a grown child's heart may still be tender, it may be that God removes that protective hedge for just a while (as a test) and Satan provides anguish. Children of all, return to the Lord before the agony arrives. The promise is joy!

 

Smoking Leafy Insanity: Is marijuana the soma of life?

The mantra is “I think marijuana should be legalized.” “Thought” must be based on knowledge. A person's emotional opinion is a path to destruction!

Is marijuana safe to ingest? Who knows? Should marijuana be legalized? That's the question! Colorado and Washington are flagrantly violating federal law by legalizing the use of marijuana for recreational purposes and nineteen other states for “medicinal purposes”. Federal law banning marijuana is the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Yes, regardless of where you live, the use of marijuana is still illegal! Those who continue to use marijuana are aiding and abetting criminal activity including drug wars!

Many of us remember the “town drunk” rationalizing his inebriation by saying “It's for medicinal purposes!” Since, marijuana has become legal in California (commencing with Oakland California Proposition Z) for medical use, the term “town pothead” has replaced “town drunk”. However, it's not just one eccentric, but a society of misfits, around the arsenal-like dispensaries which have flooded urban street corners. As the abortion excuse “for the mother's health” became meaningless, so too has “for medicinal reasons” in the drug culture!

I'm a libertarian. The Declaration of Independence, which resulted in the Constitution declares freedom as: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. However, any ideology in the extreme infringes on the liberty of others. Libertarianism in the extreme is anarchy! While I cherish my right for personal pleasure and freedom, it must never infringe upon the rights or endanger others. Marijuana use is not victimless!

The main ingredient, THC has known effects including sedation, relaxation, euphoria and acts as sort of an anti-Viagaraê; and THC remains in the brain up to one year. There are in excess of 60 cannabinoids in marijuana and the effects are manifested by THC interacting with them (Gales Medical Dictionary). While I have empathy for those who can't face life, I have resentment toward those who negatively impact me and the good of society! Furthermore, the undesirable side effects are yet to be fully studied and cannabinoid knowledge is obscure. Just as Nancy Pelosi said about Affordable Health Care "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.", the same outcome is likely for legalizing marijuana!

There are effects on society. Marijuana is psychologically addictive, is a gateway to harder drugs and stunts emotional growth when used regularly, hence the term “burnout”. Furthermore, marijuana use creates a dysfunctional family since one member of the system has an imbalance. The entire family gets “sick” because one person is emotionally sick! Drug control, which keeps some of it out of the hands of youngsters, is expensive! By legalizing it and non-enforcement, marijuana will be readily available to our children.

I've never used marijuana (In contradiction to the words of Bill Clinton) and few of my friends have. We were serious about our futures and “You can't soar with the eagles when you fly with the turkeys.” It's just common sense that we should live as alert as we can to enjoy life to it's fullest. I've known marijuana users who took little time for their families and a typical evening was lying comatose on the sofa in a euphoric state. For a sane person, most consider that type of life insane!

When marijuana is legalized who bears responsibility for damages to society? Who pays for the health care of users since marijuana has the same destructive outcomes as cigarettes, only magnified? What happens to my insurance rate when those “high” cause accidents? What happens to my life when “potheads” injure my children due to euphoria? Who pays for enforcement to keep users off the streets? Who pays for crime committed by those who steal to pay for marijuana. Who pays for the loss in efficiency in society since marijuana robs motivation? The answer is "you"! Would you like your surgeon to be a marijuana user? Of course not, but the odds increase with legalization that he may be!

A child I know was robbed of his life. He died at eleven years old! His heart still beats and he still speaks, but his words and emotions are not his own. He has gone through life “high” (just marijuana) and although an adult, his emotions are as if he's still a teen! He can't keep a job nor even a girlfriend. He has lived often by stealing the innocence of the young to whom he sold marijuana. When he's caught, he lives by manipulating others. He's smart, but not wise! He could have been anything! When many his age succeeded, he failed! He's still flying with the turkeys! His motis operandi is blame. That lifestyle has cost his family thousands of dollars, bailing him out of emotional and financial troubles! Marijuana users don't deal with life. They circumvent life. Somatic euphoria is indeed the onset of spiritual and emotional death!

 

Lack of joy leads to a road more traveled. Those seeking fulfillment look in all the wrong places. Mankind needs something to fill that void, a tier neglected on Maslow's "Need" Pyramid. There is a need for "hope". Without hope joy isn't possible and the adventurer is unfulfilled. The feeling of "lacking" must be filled by "something". Those enlightened fill that void with hope. "Hope" that there is something beyond the futility of this life. Those living in darkness seek solace elsewhere. Many turn to drugs. Marijuana is the drug easily justified and readily obtained. One teen moved to a new community and by the first day's end, had found the vertulac willing to suckle life from him by peddling his illicit wares; notably marijuana. Lackadaisy was his lady. Motivation remained unkindled.

Sane people deal with life rationally. Drug use is irrational and self-defeating. Joy in life is shattered by drugs. Others deal with life through hope! My hope is when there will be no sickness nor pain and no sorrow at all. However, there are things we must do for that reward: 1 Peter 1:13 “... with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”

Rationally consider the effects of legalization, which is tacit approval for use of the drug and is enabling the user. Do you truly like where we're headed? Say “no” to marijuana legalization! Even the legalization of industrial cannabis (hemp) confounds eradication by camouflaging marijuana!

If marijuana is legalized we have conceded failure, but also, those we love lose the promise of “grace” which is available to all who are alert enough to receive it.

A Moral Inventory: How to handle stress!

For some life is tough. They miss their children, really like their friends and hate dissension. God has been good, but some days they're ready to move on. Won't it be great when joy will be abundant and trivial things won't interfere? Maybe God knew that his creation wouldn't be happy with immortality. Yes, some look forward to heaven to be delivered from the stress of life!

Proverbs 12:25 (ESV) "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad."

Part of being "weighed down" is dwelling on challenges. People have a tendency to "build cases" against people or situations. For example, if I walk into a restaurant and see a Christian friend sitting at the bar, my first impression is that he's there to drink booze. "What a jerk!" He tells everyone he hates drinking. He probably comes here to party and carouse." I think. The longer I "think" the more irrational I become! My friend is likely sitting in the bar at the restaurant because of space or a specific situation. I have unfairly judged him and harshly so!

Luke 6:37 (ESV) “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven..."

The emphasis on Luke 6:37 is "right and fair" thinking! Even some friends are ready to judge and to judge harshly! The fair thing to do when I see the Christian in the bar is to say "hello", be friendly, never assume, don't share the situation with others and love that person (whether they're innocent or have failed your expectations).

It seems that when a person feels the best others are displeased with how they feel. It makes people stressed when they disappoint friends. Some friends actually get too involved in the lives of others!  (They become busybodies!) Right now are you weighed down about anything? If so, pray for direction and follow the direction God gives! You're not responsible for the insecurities of others and while they're examining your life with a microscope, problems loom in their own.

Many wish they were perfect. They all fail! The devil steps in and puts roadblocks into a Christian's life, their family system and in the church. Friends are to help fellow Christians by support and prayer. Gossip and uninformed judgments are unfair. A person's heart is known by themselves only and by God. Some pray often for a pure heart, but obstacles do get in the way.  That's where you're responsible for self-control and for controlling yourself. Others can't do it for you.

The Serenity Prayer by Reinholdt Niebuhr says:

 "God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference."

There are just some things that are ingrained or out of the individuals realm of control. For example, I hate rock music and see it as utterly destructive. However, I have learned to live in a world where most people think differently. That's God's answer to my prayer for serenity (peace)! I am incapable of changing the entertainment choices of the world so I focus on the hope that is in righteousness only. I have made peace with that! Rock music still rules, but I'm not miserable.

Scripture always provides the answer to everything, even anxiety:

Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..."

The "peace of Christ" goes right along with the serenity prayer. We can't help how others feel and think about us as individuals, but if we have peace in our own hearts that's what counts! It would be great if others contributed to that peace that people seek by understanding, love and trust.

A Moral Inventory is a useful tool for change and peace:

What was your challenge for the day? Were you tempted, critical, jealous, covetous or sinful?

How did you handle the challenge? Was your response to the challenge rational, without over-emotion and righteous?

What was the outcome of your response to the challenge? Did things get better or worse?

How do you feel about the outcome? Did others get annoyed, angry or hurt with your response? Do you feel better or stressed out?

What does scripture say about the challenge? Seek direction in the word for appropriate ways to handle challenges. Anger, resentment, punishment, etc should never be the way to handle a challenge.

After reviewing scripture, how should you have handled the challenge in the right way?

Is it possible to correct the wrong outcome of your challenge? How can you make it right?

Apply scripture to the challenge. Revisit the way you handled it. Did the outcome improve using Christlike methods? 

How do you now feel?

Make a list of your blessings for today: Great kids, prayer answered, etc.

What is your scripture verse for today? (Any topic which is helpful!)

The Moral Inventory is used extensively for irrational behaviors. I have modified it for the Christian who truly seeks God's will in all things.

Perfection: Shall we not strive because it's unachievable?

I'm in a hurry. I'm impatient. I must have been "born that way" because I've always been this way as far back as I can remember. Mom was always hurried. To raise seven children a good mother had to scurry all day! Perhaps I'm hurried because Mom was so hurried.

 

When I'm shopping with my wife, I am always way ahead of her and seem to walk backward ten minutes for every minute I move forward. Even in retirement I ask myself "What's the hurry?" My answer "I must have been born in a rush!" 

 

Impatience and haste carry over into my driving. At last count I've had forty-some speeding tickets. Most of the time I wasn't even in a hurry, I was just impatient!  When driving at excessive speeds I have at many times, not only endangered me, but also my family and even strangers in other cars. Those hurt in my haste were victims. Haste is not a victimless behavior.

 

There are laws against speeding and reckless driving. Speeding is reckless in that others are endangered! If I drive safely by obeying posted speed limits I am obedient to the law and empathetic to others. Posted speed limits have built-n safety values such that most people, if obeying all speed limits, and by defensive driving are striving for "perfection".  Even by striving, being humans, people fail and accidents occur. God made perfect systems for us to inhabit, but the woes of life diminish the effectiveness of the system! By law even violations of speed limits on accident are still violations!

 

One day I decided that I had broken the law too many times. My insurance was getting high, no canceled, and I was suffering the consequences of my disobedience. Most of my speeding was on purpose and even when I wasn't hurrying, I exceeded the speed limit in my passivity. Speeding had become normative behavior for me. My lifestyle was one of disobedience. I had an accident one day where I jeopardized the life and safety of my only daughter. I had a "peak experience". I recognized it was time for that change I had thought about earlier. (I had several "warnings" from God and my attention was finally caught.).

 

I pledged to myself that I would change; not because I enjoyed driving slowly, but because I was tired of the consequences!  I disappointed those in authority and my rebellion hurt no one, but me!

 

There are two ways to change: 1) Do it on my own the way I see it, or 2) Ask for divine assistance in making changes. If any person opts for the first choice failure is eminent because humans are frail, selfish and prone to disobedience. If one opts for choice two, success is assured!  Now, let's look at "success". To be successful one doesn't need to be perfect, but by endeavoring to be obedient in all things, failure is still likely, but the frequency less often. Although, we still fail, we please those in authority because we are using self-control.

 

Many just say to themselves "Why should I change? I like things just the way they are!" People with selfish attitudes are candidates for failure. Since they seek only self-desires, and selfishness is at odds with authority, they are in disobedience and are doomed to many failures. Since there have been no attempt to please authority, perfection can never be approached, let alone attained!

 

Enough of the lesson on driving! Let's apply this to "righteousness".  Being righteous is doing what is in God's will with God as our model. Paul tells the Roman church of this transformation:

 

Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

"Transformation by the renewing of your mind" is "change". As a new person in Christ you should have had that "peak experience", recognizing that your new goal in life is obedience!

 

Matthew 19:7b "...if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

 

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21 "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."

It is clear that those who love God keep his commandments. This is not optional! It's a display of love and respect for God who made a way for you to be saved! Keeping the commandments is obedience. It's living a righteous life. It's sanctification.

Some with Calvinistic beliefs, even single-point Calvinists, don't see the necessity in following what was once The Law because Jesus came and now we're under a covenant of grace. Thus we are, but grace is not a ticket for disobedience and salvation is more than a moment of faith. Salvation is a walk in faith!

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God..."

Ephesians tells us how any can be saved. It's by grace, we can't save ourselves and salvation is a gift of God. Calvinists minimize "through faith". Faith to them is merely a decision made at the time of repentance. It's mere belief. However, faith is endurng, continuous steadfast belief in Jesus Christ. It's not feeling bad for a church service and then walking in darkness. Christians walking in faith are required to be obedient, not because obedience saves them, but to please the One who died for them!

I hope that I have established satisfactorily that "obedience" is a good thing! It's not an endeavor to save yourself by "good works". It's evidence of Christ living in you. We are admonished to be "perfect" in scripture:

 

Matthew 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

 

We are to be "perfect". What's the standard of perfection? By being as God is! We are to be God-like and do his will. He is our role model and that is to be desired! Will we ever achieve perfection? Just as obedience to safe driving laws, we fail because we're imperfect by nature, as Christians we will fail to be in perfect obedience. Shall we give up and not even try?  Not any more than we should quit trying to drive safely! We suffer the consequences of our disobedience and we disrespect authority by not heeding to those in charge. In the case of "perfection" that authority is God himself!

 

2 Corinthians 7:1 "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

 

From Paul's second letter to the church at Corinth we see that WE "us" are to "to cleanse ourselves"!  This is more than ceremonially cleaning up our outward flesh, but expunging the "filthiness of the flesh and spirit". We are to meld our physical body to be in harmony with the spirit of God now residing in us! Sin and God cannot inhabit the same temple which we become after salvation. We are to be holy (without sin) because we fear God! Fearing God is reverence for who he is, not because we're afraid he'll give us our just deserves; which is eternal punishment!

 

2 Corinthians 13:8 "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection."

 

Paul's wish for us that we be in perfect obedience to the will of God! That's what God wants and expects from us. In civil law we have police, courts, jail and driving school. Although the law pretty much states that in order to avoid penalties we are to drive perfectly, they know that some will make little attempt at obedience and that others will strive daily to obey all the laws, but because we're human, we too can fail. Likewise, God has "just laws". If he knows that we're striving for obedience his mercy to us is that he will overlook our imperfection, making us perfect is his gift of grace. However, to obtain Christian perfection, we must realize that we'll never attain it, and the forgiveness of us missing the mark is by the grace of God. He makes us perfect in our self-control because he's omnipotent and can do so!

 

No, salvation is more than accepting God's grace. It's thanking God! We thank God by living a righteous life, endeavoring to be perfect although we'll never achieve that standard. By failing to obey even the easiest standards of God, where are our standards for things of the heart? If we can't even quit using bad language, where can our love of man be? Where is our love of God? If we quit cursing and talking filth, that doesn't save us, but it does show that we're truly redeemed!

 

I've appeared in court before. I've had the judge say, in essence,  "Yes, Larry, you are guilty of speeding. I know that you were tired and absent minded. I see that you have made a change in your past driving habits. I will suspend your fine, but take this as a lesson. You must always stay alert and obey the law. It's for your own good and obedience to the law is not an option!". 

 

That's the way God is! The judge knew the standard of law is "perfection", but he knew my limitations because I'm not a perfect person. He accepted my striving as reverence for the desires of the law and redeemed me by being graceful!  That's just like God! 

 

Please, don't sin just because as a Christian there is liberty do do so! God's desire is perfection. You won't achieve it, but he loves you for the attempt at self-control!

 

 

Bridges

Sarah Palin made the "Bridge to Nowhere" famous. It was the Gravina Island Bridge serving 50 people at a cost of $398,000,000. Simon and Garfunckle made famous the song "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" Surely the "Bridge to Nowhere" was a "Bridge Over Troubled Water" because Sarah fought the establishment in her own party to save the country the many millions! Although the lyrics to the song and the actual bridge are unrelated, there must be a message there somewhere! That's my queue. We're to learn something from these two examples.

John 4:10 "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."

"Living water" is the Holy Spirit. It's no stagnant water in the bottom of the well, or even from the pail. It is water which flows! Baptism represents "living water". Ideally baptismal water would be deep and flowing.

John 7:38 "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

It's implied that when a Christian is saved there shall be fruits of the Spirit. That "fruit" is love, both divine love and love of others, especially the unsaved.

1 John 5:6 "This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."

Whereas, we come to salvation by water only, Jesus came by the water and blood. Our water baptism is a symbol of the cleansing blood of Jesus, but Jesus was the only one to shed his own blood in our place. Thanks to his mercy, we aren't saved by the shedding of our own blood! We get off easy!

John 19:34 "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water."

Jesus' actual death resulted in water and blood to stream from his side as it was pierced. Jesus knew his destiny for back in John 7:38 Jesus said of the believer "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Not blood and water; just water!

Jesus was the bridge! The old rugged cross represented that bridge. It was the sturdy structure which bridged eternity. That cross, that bridge, had flowing under it "living water". It wasn't the water which saved, but the blood of Jesus. The water was symbolic of the saving blood. The cross was the "Bridge to Eternal Life"! without the shedding of blood there would be a "Bridge to Nowhere"!

Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

Belief in Jesus and accepting his shedding of his own blood is essential for salvation. While the living water flowing from our own side is symbolic of Jesus shed blood, it also represents the Holy Spirit who dwells within the believer! The blood is a "Bridge to Somewhere"; a "Bridge between the coldness of the grave and the mansion with its own room?! Works and idolatry are "Bridges to Nowhere"! For me and my house, we'll take the "Bridge Less Traveled"!

Simon and Garfunckle wrote inspiring lyrics in "Bridge over Troubled Waters".

 

Although inspired, these lyrics are not referring to Jesus. In all liklihood Paul Simon was mourning the soon-to-be split between himself and Garfunkle. Some say the song has political overtones and Cuba was the "troubled water"; "Cuba Yes, Nixon, no". One thing is clear: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the "Bridge to Nowhere"! If you're depending on the lyrics of this song to get you closer to the Lord, you're wasting precious time! Likewise, if it's politically motivated there's no hope in it at all! Even the most biased cannot ignore the inhumanity of Cuba's brand of Communism; which is in itself, a "Bridge to Nowhere" a the minimum and a "Bridge to Hell" in reality!

Heaven yes. Simon and Garfunkle, No!

Jesus, yes! "The Bridge to Eternity"!

Jealousy

Jealousy is the fear of losing ones affection. Resentment and bitterness are characteristics of jealousy. Insecurity is identified with those who are overly jealous.

Key words are "overly jealous". By that I mean there is a degree of jealousy which is a natural emotion. Jealousy beyond that is cause for alarm. Also, extreme jealousy is a normal reaction in the case of real reasons. The most notable example of normal jealousy occurs in the following scripture:

Numbers 5:12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him ¹³ so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), ¹⁴ and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— ¹⁵ then he is to take his wife to the priest.

The previous scripture can also be applied in the same manner for a jealous wife. In short, if a woman gives the husband reason to truly believe she has been unfaithful, the husband is rightfully jealous, and they are to go for spiritual counseling. The husband in this case has a rightful reason for being overly jealous, and jealousy, in this case, is justifiable and a normal emotion. The husband is making an attempt in restoring both the marriage and righteousness.

"Normal jealousy" is when a relationship triangulates. Normally the triangulation is sexual in nature and may be real or perceived. An example of normal jealousy is when a husband or wife loves the spouse so much that even the thought of competition gives way to mild anxiety. For instance, the wife may feel that exclusivity is violated when the husband pays too much attention to the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. That's normal "uptightness" that the husband would even have the least notice of another woman. All women know that their husbands do find other women attractive, but it still intimidates!

Those who are overly jealous can get sick! The psychiatric term for one who gets jealous to this extreme is "morbid jealousy" or "delusional jealousy". It's a disorder where the person has strong delusions that their partner is being unfaithful although there is no evidence to back up the thought. People who are morbidly jealous imagine all types of sexual events are occurring and build a case in their mind with a worst case scenario. An example of this would be when a man smiles at a woman or teases. Before the morbidly jealous person is through the "smile" becomes a "knowing exchange of intimacy" and the "teasing" becomes "mental foreplay". In each case the man is usually being friendly or at most having fun with attention for which all people desire. Rarely does the "friendliness" result in sexual encounters, mainly because people will not ordinarily desire or risk the consequences of triangulation.

Morbidly jealous people have anxiety. They feel betrayed by their loved one because of their own insecurities. The third party may seem more attractive, smarter, more fun or sexier than the one who is insecure. In many cases the third party may truly have those impressive "credentials", but the case is likely, if he or she is that extraordinary, they likely won't be attracted to the spouse or other loved one. All men and women fantasize some. Face it and live with it! That doesn't mean they're going to run away with every blond they see!  Is this wrong in God's eyes? Admiring beauty is not; lust is!

Lust is wrong! Although most people do it at some time or the other, that doesn't make it right!

James 1:14 "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

No excuses here! Lust is wrong yet we all have done it. That's why Paul tells us it's better to get married ;"It's better to marry than to burn"! (1 Corinthians 4:9). That's a big reason that I got married and a big reason many others do as well! The second largest reason is that the emotion of "love" requires exclusivity! Just as God is a "jealous God" and wants his bride (us) to have an exclusive relationship with Him and Him alone, having love for other gods is called syncretism riles God's ire! Likewise, triangulation (the introduction of a third person into a sexual relationship) is called infidelity, and it causes humanity to be jealous of one another!  You have lusted and so has that person you love. Wrongful emotions, but human emotions which we all have.

Don't condemn the one you love for having the same weakness we all have. It would be great if we were all beyond sin, but unfortunately, we're not! Trust can go along way and ensuring that triangulation doesn't occur because delusional jealousy will alienate that very one who you're trying to keep! A mate of the morbidly jealous is in a mental jail. For all practical purposes morbid jealousy creates extreme unhappiness on the part of the mate and emotional sickness on the one who's morbidly jealous. The person who is delusional in their jealousy provokes their partner!

Colossians 3:19 (ESV) "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. " 
    

Ephesians 5:25 (ESV) "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..."

 

These two verses pretty much mean "don't provoke your spouse" since they apply equally well to husbands and wives. By accusing and blaming, the jealous spouse is "provoking".  The wrongly accused person feels resentment and anger, especially when there is absolutely no cause for the mate to be jealous!  The mate of the morbidly jealous person has already been arrested, tried and sentenced! Life afterward is unbearable! A man may avert his gaze even while talking to keep the woman from mentally torturing him!  The relationship is in jeopardy:

 

Proverbs 25:24 "It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman in a whole house."

 

The man may resort to the a "corner of the housetop".  It may be on the basketball court, fishing hole or even work, but the man will find that seclusion to escape contentiousness (quarrelsomeness)!  A quarrelsome spouse is one who blames and fails to accept reasonable justification. No matter what the husband says, it's refuted by more blame and yelling!  It may appear that only women can be contentious! No, I'm not saying that. The example is for women, but men are equally able to be morbidly jealous and contentious.

 

Morbid jealousy, as mentioned, can cause sickness. Anxiety impairs both emotional and physical well-being. One may suffer heart burn, feelings of suffocation, distress, depression and even tiredness and insomnia.  By being unfairly jealous a person creates a dysfunctional relationship and further alienates the partner. The more sick the jealous person becomes the more estranged is the relationship. Finally, escape must occur for the systems (persons) to seek healthiness. Oftentimes divorce occurs because of delusional jealousy.

 

What can one do to prevent the sickness of delusional jealousy or even being overly jealous? Trust!  A spouse must feel confident that their mate is faithful to the relationship. That trust must be embraced when the spouse is "guilty" only of normal social interactions. Men do have women friends and women do have men friends! Enjoy those friendships yourself and trust will be instilled. A man doesn't desire having to hide a opposite sex friendship and neither does a woman, The concealment of a friendship doesn't mean infidelity, it means fear! Fear of being falsely accused.

 

Mutual trust tears down that jail! Mutual trust rids oneself of anxiety!

 

1 John 4:18 (ESV) "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

 

In a circular cause and effect, fearlessness in love enables trust and trust in a marriage removes fear from marriage. On the other hand delusional jealousy in love destroys love.