Two Trees

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Pride is the largest tree in the forrest, dwarfing every other resident within miles. 

The giant crown is supported by a massive trunk. The expanse of its canopy is quite impressive and would not be possible without the numerous and sturdy limbs that help to showcase its wonder among the neighboring trees. Thousands of tiny leaves decorate the branches, each one sporting a different shape, with the collective modeling a dazzling display of bright colors. When the wind blows it’s as if you can see the tree dancing. A cacophony of voices blend harmoniously as each leaf sings its own song. From a distance Pride is perceived to be the most beautiful tree in the forrest. It’s distinct features arouse the curious and invite the viewer to come a little closer.

However, there’s something deep within the heart of each person drawn to the mesmerizing beauty of Pride. One might describe it as an eerie sense that something isn’t quite right. Might this be a warning?   

In the Garden, the serpent enticed Eve to question the Truth God had given her. He offered her a beautifully crafted pair of lenses that would bring clarity to her vision as she approached the tree that was blurred by distance. Promising that if Eve partook of its fruit, the tree would enable her to  see things like her Creator. Even better - she’d be a god, like Him.

Every good lie contains an element of truth; otherwise it wouldn’t have the ability to deceive those it entices. The serpent was correct when he said “your eyes will be opened…” (Gen.3:5,7), but that opening was something very different than what was expected. Eve took the bait that pride offered and Adam joined her. Sin entered their perfect world and produced its sentence of death to all mankind.

C.S. Lewis said, “Pride is the complete anti-God state of mind. It is the sin that leads to all others.. “ 

THE LIE

LGBTQIA+? 

What happens when you keep adding letters to your self-imposed identity? You get alphabet soup. The letters have no ability to form and reflect words of truth. All they do is float around in a sea of chaos. And in the end, they’re gobbled up by the ravenous one who captures them in his spoon. 

I’m ashamed to confess that in my early Christian walk I could have cared less who you chose to have sex with. I knew it was wrong, but I excused it thinking that it was a private choice that had no effect on me. I worked closely with a homosexual, and when he introduced me to his live-in partner I thought their sexual preference was gross, but I kept that opinion to myself because I cared for him and didn’t want to appear unloving. 

Was I wrong? Yes. I bought the lie that mixed a counterfeit love with my “own understanding” (something we’re warned not to lean on). I surmised that all was well, but all was, in reality, far from well. Our enemy was quietly collecting the fruits of his tree for a big pot of pride soup.

In her article, “Are We Living Out Romans 1?” Rosaria Butterfield points out the three exchanges homosexual people make in order to embrace a lie. They chose to suppress truth, and as a result: exchanged glory for corruption (1:23), exchanged knowledge of God for falsehood (1:25); and exchanged the creation ordinance for a dysfunctional sexuality that is “contrary to nature” (1:26-28). She points out that no sin is private, and that these exchanges are a progression that will deaden the conscience and sear the soul.

We needn't be surprised by Pride. From the onset, Satan has been on a mission to re-image humanity and deceive people into identifying themselves based on themselves. If he can convince you that you can have a different identity than the one you were created with, you’ve just landed in his spoon.

THE TRUTH

If I truly care for people who have exchanged their God-given identity for this lie, then I will do what I can to expose it (Eph.5:11). To love someone with the same love Christ has for us (Jn.15:12) means that, for the sake of their eternal soul, I need to be willing, ready, and able to share truth with them and pray they will embrace it. If the Bible tells me that pride is not a virtue, and that it precedes a great fall, wouldn’t I want to see those trapped in a lie set free?

In John 8 Jesus tells His followers that He is the Light of the world, and that they need not walk in darkness (8:12). If they abide in His word they will “know the truth, and the truth will set you free (8:31-32).

It’s past time to throw away the artificial lenses that give us a distorted view of reality. The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers (2Cor.4:4), but our Creator (Truth) commands light to shine out of darkness (4:6). His unfathomable love for us desires for us to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1Jn.1:7).

Taking the blinders off can be a very difficult choice, but it’s a necessary one if you want to see the Pride tree for what it really is - a death trap. While it continues to claim to be the largest tree in the forrest by those who boast and promote their godless ideology, a very different view is observed when you look through the lens of Truth. 

Truth reveals Pride’s massive trunk to be one that emits an intense heat from the fire that burns within its core. As you approach it you notice an inverted crown, which indicates a loss of prestige, power, and authority. The limbs that showcase the canopy are a disturbing sight, as they reveal the dismembered human appendages that were torn off by the traps that ensnared them when they touched the tree. And what first appeared to be a variety of multi-colored shaped leaves is actually the disfigured faces of all those who painted themselves to look like something other than what their Creator designed. As you focus your lens of truth, a visible chain reveals all those who are bound to the tree. And when the wind blows, what originally appeared to be dancing and singing is, in reality, each prisoner writhing in pain as their cries of despair echo through the empty darkness that surrounds and engulfs Pride.

When seen through the lens of truth, this loathsome object of disgust is exposed for what it really is. However, the most vile thing you will find when Truth exposes Pride is the serpent who sits under its dark canopy. He meticulously milks all the “leaves” of their tears and collects the “fruits” in his evil caldron. He then bottles his poison and markets it the same way he did in the garden by convincing his targets to question God’s goodness. He plants the idea that they are missing out, and an ungodly desire takes root and secures another prisoner to his tree of death. 

HOPE FOR THE LOST

“I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life…” (Jn.14:6).

Jesus Christ is the only one who can rescue us from Satan’s snare. He said that He came to “seek and save” those who are lost“ (Lk.19:10). He regularly visits the forrest where the Pride tree resides. To all its residents He proclaims, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed…” (Lk.4:18)

How can He do this? Because the tree that He willingly sacrificed Himself on exposed the lie and bought back what the serpent stole. 

The chains of the bound fall away for every prisoner who responds to His voice. The freedom restores them to live as the men and women God created them to be.  

It’s the tree of Truth whose crown is upright, revealing genuine prestige, power and authority. Early every morning, the Son rises and the rays of His glory reflect off of the dew-like living water on each leaf. The bounty of color is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. And when the Wind of His Spirit blows through the canopy, each leaf detaches for one purpose - to encircle the tree, filling the air with dancing and singing praises to the One who created them for this very purpose.

Reject Pride! It may rise up for 30 days every year, spouting a fountain of lies in hopes of capturing more victims, but it is marked for destruction. Don’t be caught in Pride’s snare on the day it implodes. 

Truth has no expiration date. It offers every weary soul renewal and joy forevermore. 

Choose Truth and live!

Perception Isn't Enough

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I like dandelions! I’d be fine if my whole yard was filled with them.

A few days ago I appealed to my husband to wait another week before mowing the grass because I thought the polka-dotted lawn was pretty, and I enjoyed watching the bees go from flower to flower. Given that he’s allergic to bees that probably wasn’t the best way to frame my appeal. As a result, the yellow beauties fell fate to the decapitating mission of the lawn mower blade, forcing our bees to find more socially acceptable flowers for their honey-making business?

Did you know that up until the 1800s people would pull the grass from their lawns to make room for dandelions (and other “weeds”)?

So, what happened to change their status and dethrone these crowned jewels?

Simple. Perception.

To perceive is to “receive impressions of external objects through the medium or instrumentality of the senses…” (Webster’s 1828) It’s what you interpret from your senses. I might see a lawn of maintenance-free flowers while someone else sees weeds that will choke out their grass. It’s a matter of perception.

I recently listened to a conversation between a christian and an atheist. The atheist noted that humans are “sense making beings.” He posited that our brains use our senses to observe how our world works, and asserted that because of this process no one can know truth. This might sound reasonable IF I thought that perception was the only tool in our toolbox.

Perception is important, but it is not enough.

Why? Well, for one thing our perception is limited. Compared to the heightened senses of the animal world, we’d be at a loss if this was all we had to evaluate reality.

Look at the bees. Because they were created with the ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic fields, they never get lost. Imagine that! Buzzbee’s queen always knows he’ll be home on time for dinner. Perhaps if I had the ability to sense magnetic fields I’d never have to experience the fear of getting lost (something I’m really good at).

Perception is also limited because it makes us the center from which everything is interpreted. “If I say dandelions are pretty, who are you to say otherwise?”Can you see how the atheist would come to the conclusion that we can’t know truth when you have everyone concluding something different? Without an objective approach (something that allows us to evaluate our surroundings from an outside-looking-in perspective) reality is up to individual interpretation. How confusing is that?

Thankfully, God didn’t leave us to ourselves. He created humans with an exclusive feature that no other creature possesses.

His likeness. (Gen.1:27)

We have a nature that resembles our Creator - characteristics that enable us to tap into more than what our limited perception allows.

For example: We’ve been given 1) A moral conscience. 2) The ability to think and reason in abstract ways. 3) And, like our Creator, humans have been endowed with the ability to create through invention, composition, art, etc.

With these universal tools, believers can then add the power of God’s indwelling Spirit, which gives us the ability to rightly align our perception to God’s perspective and see things the way they really are. This enables us to view things from the outside-in (objective) rather than the inside-out (subjective).

People may have thought dandelions were pretty before the 1800’s, but their value was derived from the medicinal properties God gave them. Perhaps if I’d of framed my appeal this way they’d of kept their heads.

Allowing perspective to rightly align my perceptions has another benefit.

It expands my capacity to feel empathy - for my friend who had two abortions, for the person who left their family to pursue their same-sex attraction, for the person addicted to a substance that is destroying their body, etc.

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses…”

Jesus Christ came in the likeness of man and modeled God’s perspective to us. If we aspire to “be like Christ” then we have the capacity to love those who differ with us. With the goal of planting seeds we can challenge them to question the validity of their perceptions and consider God's perspective. It may not produce a field of dandelions, but if cultivated it will provide the medicine their soul craves.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Listen And You Will Hear

(by Lorie Codispoti)

They call it the “death rattle.” It’s the very distinct gurgling sound that a dying person can make as they near death, and if you’ve ever heard it you will never forget it.

One care taker’s manual explains that the sound is the result of air passing through mucus that pools in the throat of a person who no longer has the strength to cough and clear them.

Watching her father die, one writer noted, “In death, you discover the body is baroque in its unintended flows and suppurations. It contorts and contracts until, finally, it returns to the clay from which it was pulled.”

I Can Hear It

I’ve always been very sensitive to sound. I’m practically blind without my glasses, however, I can hear things that many people cannot. I liken it to a super power, or the closest I will ever get to one anyway. The downside is that this ability comes fully equipped with an equal measure of kryptonite. Things don’t have to get very loud before I’m reaching for my earplugs.

Decibels are what we use to measure sound, and anything above 150 will burst your eardrums. (Like standing next to a jet taking off, or firing a shotgun without ear protection.) Many soldiers have even died in battle due to the “blast overpressure” from explosions. The most interesting thing about this kind of damage is that there is no external evidence of injury. It’s all internal: eardrums burst, lungs rupture, and the GI tract turns to mush.

But the sound I want to draw your attention to is one that extends beyond the measure of decibels. Most people cannot hear it, yet it’s the loudest noise of all. I can hear it, and If you pay attention you will be able to hear it too.

Horton Heard It

Just because we can’t hear it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

In my favorite Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears A Who, the biggest creature in the Jungle of Nool is the only one who can hear the tiny creatures that live on a speck of dust. They are too small for Horton to see, but he vows to save them nonetheless. His jungle neighbors, however, can’t hear anything and don’t believe him, so they mount an opposition.

The story has a good ending, though.

Horton cared enough to risk the persecution of his neighbors, but the ultimate thing that saved Whoville were the people who rallied together, with one collective voice.

God Hears It

When God confronts Cain about murdering his brother He says, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” (Gen.4:10)

Did you hear that (pun intended)? Abel’s blood “cried out” to God? Reading this sent a chill through me. It also sparked my curiosity.

Does blood have a measurable sound? I’m not talking about the swishing noise we hear as it passes through the various chambers of the heart, but the cells themselves. Do they emit the kind of sound that only God can hear? Turns out, they DO!

An advanced form of ultrasound, called photoacoustics, harnesses the power of light to pick up the sound a blood cell makes. This is exciting news for cell whisperers, as it puts them on the edge of being able to identify factors that differentiate between healthy and sick cells.

(Imagine that? Science, once again, confirming what Scripture tells us.)

Can You Hear It?

Do You Hear What I Hear? This question was posed in a song written by a couple in 1962, as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. They were asked to write a Christmas song, but the couple was so burdened by the threat of annihilation that they found it difficult to harness their creativity…

...UNTIL this experience …

“In the studio, the producer was listening to the radio to see if we had been obliterated. En route to my home, I saw two mothers with their babies in strollers. The little angels were looking at each other and smiling. All of a sudden, my mood was extraordinary.” A glimpse of these babies filled Noel Regney’s heart with poetry. The little ones reminded him of newborn lambs. Thus, the song begins, “Said the night wind to the little lamb….”

We may not be facing off with the residents of Nool, or fearful of nuclear war. We may not have literally committed murder, but our hands are saturated with the blood of over millions of babies (3,000+ a day), and the blood of Christ is the only thing that can wash us clean.

“With a voice as big as the sea” their blood cries out.

Can you hear it? It’s the silent death rattle of murdered babies and the cacophony is deafening. Take out the earplugs and be sobered to action by what you hear.

I echo Horton’s plea, “Please don’t harm all my little folks who have as much right to live as us bigger folks do.”

Let us cry out with a loud voice! And may the collective sound reach the ears of our Father as we weep for the unborn and beg for His mercy.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Which Version Of The Pilgrim's Progress Is Right For Me

After reading my last article (Faithful - found here: GloryUsGate.blogspot.com), several requests for a recommendation came to my attention. 

So, this week I thought I’d write a follow-up article addressing these requests & giving my thoughts on how to chose the right version of The Pilgrim’s Progress for your reading pleasure.

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Which Version of The Pilgrim’s Progress Is Right For Me?

It’s a great, but hard, question to answer, precisely because there are so many versions to chose from. It’s kinda like trying to decide which Bible to choose.

My simple, cheap, & quick answer would be to go to your local public library & check out several versions (children’s & adult) & scan them to see which one suits you best. 

For a more thorough response to your question, however, I’d suggest narrowing down a few parameters. 

Do this by asking yourself the following:

~ Who is my audience?

Personally, I can’t get away from children’s versions, evidenced by the fact that I have more of those than adult versions. I prefer them no matter my audience. I think I’d even choose one of these for my book club.

~ Is this for reading aloud or is it for personal, silent reading?

It makes a difference because if you plan to read the book aloud to your children, you want a version that flows. (The original is written in Old English & reads like a script.)

I enjoy silent reading, but I love audio versions. When I was homeschooling, we always read our history books together. One of my favorite things today is to read aloud with my husband. Whenever we take a car trip we read a book together.

~ Do illustrations matter? If so, do I prefer black & white, color - modern or antique?

I have two very old versions, (published in 1872) & the artwork is exquisite. There is such amazing detail that I could sit & look at the B&W paintings all day. 

The children’s versions very greatly. Some I like; others I could do without.

The version I’m currently reading to my grand-littles is Little Pilgrim’s Progress by Helen L. Taylor, & illustrated by Joe Sutphin. This may even be my all-time favorite children’s version. They completely hooked me with the illustrations, & proceeded to reel me in with the way the author used animals as characters. This volume includes a revision of John Bunyan’s accompanying story about Christian’s wife, Christiana, and her journey to the Celestial city. I basically told my husband I could not live without this version. LOL!

~ Do I plan to incorporate this into our curriculum?

If so, you may want to consider a version that has an accompanying study guide. Helen Taylor has another children’s version (same title as the one above), that you can use with Deanna Conrad’s LPP Adventure Guide. Unfortunately, my preferred version (above) does not come with any kind of study aids, so I use the Adventure Guide, along with a teacher’s edition of Pilgrim’s Progress I purchased, from A Beka Books, decades ago to help me formulate discussion questions for my littles. (See why I need all these versions. ;-) )

I should add that there are a variety of free online versions, both text and audio, if you prefer that route.

I hope this helps to inform your decision for the second-only-to-the-Bible best book ever published, printed, & sold.

Enjoy!   

Faithful

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Today’s the day I've been dreading.

It’s the saddest part of the book (The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan), and I can hardly hold back the tears as we approach the chapter where Christian’s companion, Faithful, dies after being falsely accused, beaten, chained, and persecuted. Even the children’s version is difficult to get through.

So, why not skip over this part and spare my grand-littles the anguish? Because, while it’s a good thing to insulate children from some of the cruel injustices that fallen people meat out on one another, we cannot isolate them from trying to understand the broken world they live in. At some point they are going to be confronted with the reality that human beings can be incredibly evil. Who better to help them navigate those rough waters than the ones who can point them to the only Answer that makes sense?

Faithful's Trouble

Faithful lived up to his name, as he refused to be influenced and enticed by false ideology. By exposing the real enemy and his deception, he drew the attention of the residents of the wicked prince's city. He wouldn't recant or compromise the truth, and for that he paid the ultimate price. But, what he gained can’t even be compared to what he lost.

“We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Cor. 5:1)

The Driver

Tim Mackie (Bible Project) asks the question: What energizes faithfulness for God’s people when faithfulness means constantly swimming against the culture we live in?

Scripture is filled with examples of those who were faithful and those who were not. The reason the faithful ones were full-of-faith, remaining steadfast under bleak circumstances, is because they had a clear understanding that their human experience was temporary. They knew that whatever cruelty or injustice they faced wouldn’t last forever. And that energized them with the courage they needed to persevere and to the end.

But, if we’re honest, we know we need more than that. We need something more if we’re going to be faithful in our marriages, faithful parents, and faithful in every situation as we engage our culture and swim against its strong current. We don’t need less than a faith that enables us to see beyond the now; we need more to motivate us to dive into the storm. Our faithfulness is not enough.

What we need is the faithfulness of God. Armed with the assurance that He is steadfast we are fueled to engage the seemingly impossible.

In Deuteronomy 7, God calls His people to conquer the inhabitants of the land He promised them. The Hebrews were vastly outnumbered, untrained, and lacked the resources for battle. The odds were against them on every level, but Moses reminds them that they weren’t chosen for their numbers or ability. God had set His love on them, and He was keeping an oath that He swore to their fathers. Verse nine says, “Therefore, know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” It was the assurance of God’s faithfulness that drove their ability to faithfully discharge Moses’ orders.

Faithfulness Is A Fruit Of His Spirit, Not Ours

We cannot sustain our faithfulness to God apart from His help. Marriages fail, parents abuse and abandon, friends disappoint, and people exploit and betray one another all the time. Our ability to secure and maintain any kind of faithfulness hinges on one thing: God’s faithfulness. Even when we fail, His Spirit reminds us of the fact that He never will.

2Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

In this passage, the Apostle Paul knows he is about to be martyred for his faith in Christ, so he wants to admonish Timothy to remain faithful. Paul acknowledges Timothy’s “sincere faith” (1:5), but he’s also been with Timothy long enough to recognize his weakness (timidity) and he lovingly rebukes him. He wants to encourage Timothy to be faithful, so he tells him to“be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus,” “be a soldier,” “be an athlete,” “be a hardworking farmer,” “be a diligent workman,” “be a vessel for honor and flee youthful lusts,” and “be a slave of the Lord.” In chapters 3-4, Paul continues to infuse strength into Timothy by saying, “continue in the things you have learned,” and “preach the word.” He wraps it up by telling Timothy that he’s ready to die, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” (4:7)

Paul remained faithful to the end, and he wanted to encourage Timothy, that with the help of God’s indwelling Spirit, he could do the same.

Separation Is Not Forever

Faithful and Christian were both warned that they would suffer at the hands of wicked people. They were even told they could lose their lives. But they believed the faithful words given to them by the King in the Good Book, and were assured that if they lost their lives they would be immediately transported to the Celestial City and live forever with the King.

Paul said as much to Timothy when he told him, “…For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.” (2Tim.2:11)

No child goes to sleep dreaming of becoming a martyr, but they should be able to drift off thinking about all the heroes (real and fictional) of the faith, and how their lives made a difference for the Kingdom of God. The real super-heroes are the ones who are willing to dive into choppy waters, and with God's strength, swim against the evil current - all the way to the Celestial City.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb.10:23)

The angels came to escort Faithful into the presence of the King, where all His children will gather one day to celebrate His never-ending faithfulness.

I’m glad we didn’t skip this chapter.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

Our Present Comfort

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“Look how far you’ve come.”

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

If I had to pick two phrases I can hardly stand hearing, these would be listed among my top five.  

The words have a tendency to feel comfortable on the tongue, so I understand the tendency to invoke the familiar. But, it’s like the needle of a record player that finds a comfortable divot in a well worn vinyl record. (Remember those?) Like a broken record, it settles into the space and repeats over and over until you want to take a sledge hammer to the ensemble. 

People can be like this. They hope to comfort by repeating familiar phrases, but it seldom works. I usually try to prepare myself and smile through the urge to scream when I hear these well worn, well intentioned cliches.

And, truthfully, there is a time and place for these statements. We all need to be reminded of how far we’ve come, and that there is a greater glory that awaits - a glory that will dwarf every bit of suffering we endure in this life. The reality of these truths, however, is not minimized by the fact that they bring no comfort whatsoever when spoken at the wrong time. Gasoline is needful, but not when poured on a fire. 

Here’s the problem: When you are in the middle of intense anguish, trying to fix your mind on the past (how far you’ve come), or the future (things will be okay) simply does not work. How many fire fighters do you know who bring a sqirt gun to a blazing house fire? 

My pain is present and the comfort I need must also be present if it is going to strengthen me for the battle.

Here’s the solution: Our ever-present Comforter. 

God knows when to remind us of how far we’ve come and encourage us with what’s ahead, but He also knows the importance of reminding us that He is present with us in the fire. 

Remember what happened when the fire was fueled for those three Hebrews who refused to bow to the king’s edict? Did their friends show up during visitation hours and point out how far they’d come, and assure them that everything would be okay? No. In fact, I only read about One visitor - the One who was their “very present Help in time of need.” (Psa.46:1) God is not the Friend who visits with empty platitudes. He’s the Friend who says, “I’ll get in there with you and whisper words of life into your spirit."

When God gets in the fire with us, His words of strength bring the needed comfort to our hearts. True, they are words that reflect the goodness of the past, and instill hope for the future, but the difference is that they are given while being present in the furnace with us. Only God has the power to do that. His is the only record whose divot I welcome. 

Before the risen Messiah ascended, He assured His disciples that He would always be with them. (Mtt.28:20) He could offer this assurance because He alone paid the price for it. He was willing to take our sin upon Himself, which would separate - for the first and only time - He and the Father, in order to guarantee that we never, ever, ever, have to experience that kind of separation from Him.  

"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zeph.3:17) (One of my very favorites to remind me that God is present and mighty “in the midst” of the flames.)

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isa.41:10)

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deut.31:8)

"I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psa.16:8)

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psa.23:4)

The next time you plan to visit a friend who is suffering through a tormenting trial, memorize the lyrics on this record. Set the needle in the groove so that it repeats over and over in their mind. These Words will get in the fire with them, remind them of “how far they’ve come,” and assure them that “everything is going to be okay” - all because of Who is present with them in the furnace. 

GloryUsgate.blogspot.com

Everyone Believes Something

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Everyone has a doctrine (belief system). And behind every doctrine is a god that is worshipped.

For Christians, our doctrine is based on Scripture; it identifies our God and articulates our beliefs.

God is the Author of Scripture; He inspired and produced it.

“All scripture is inspired by God…”( 2Tim.3:16) (The Hebrew word communicates that God literally breathed His word into the writers.) This inspiration is not subjective (based on human experience or interpretation). No. God’s word is Objective; its inspiration is inherent because of its Author.

Scripture is used to convert and sanctify us.

For example, look at how God uses one chapter of the Bible to express how it conforms believers:

In Psalm 119, God's Word... cleanses our hearts (vs.9), gives us direction (vs.10,24), protects us from sin (vs.11), provides strength & comfort (vs.50-52), gives us wisdom in relationships (vs.98), shows us how to be godly (vs.104-105), is our refuge in times of trouble (vs.114), and offers genuine peace (vs.165).

If one chapter has that much influence, imagine what the entire book has to offer.

So here’s my question to unbelievers: Have you taken the time to really consider the claims of Scripture? Would you be willing to use your skepticism as a launching pad to investigate those claims with an open heart? Most of the unbelievers I've talked to prefer to speculate rather than investigate. Are you willing to look at the historical evidence that verifies Biblical events? Because, whether you're agnostic (no-knowledge), atheist (anti-theism), or hold to some other non-Christian belief, you can’t park your reason in the spot marked: “not enough evidence.” That spot simply does not exist.

Friend, if your doctrine and your god fail to lead you to objective truth, then consider whether you’ve taken a wrong turn and parked your heart in a lot that is scheduled for demolition.

I am not a biblical apologist, but I can give you a reason for the Hope that we Christians have residing within us.

Don't delay. You only get one life to know Jesus as your Savior. After that you will only know Him as the Judge who extended the mercy that you rejected.

Doubt

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Have you ever experienced doubt as a Christian? Contrary to what you may think, having questions about God, the bible, and other aspects of your Christian walk can be a very healthy thing.

Author Peter Enns writes: “Sometimes we think of our faith as a castle—safe, comfortable, familiar. But what if God doesn’t want us to be comfortable and safe? What if comfortable and safe keep God at a distance? Doubt tears down the castle walls to force us on a journey. It may feel like God is far away or absent when in fact doubt is a gift of God to move us to spiritual maturity. Doubt is not a sign of weakness but a sign of growth.”

As a young Christian, I questioned very little about my faith. I was comfortable, and felt perfectly safe within the confines of my castle wall. From atop the fortified keep (highest tower), I could look out over the King’s country and admire the lovely view, but it was not healthy.

The problem with castle living is that God never called us to a sequestered existence. When Jesus gathered His disciples in the upper room it was to commission them to go out. The safety of our Father’s “strong tower” (Prov.18:10) is there for us to run into during times when we are battle weary and need rest and reviving, but it was not designed for residential living.

TREMORS OF DOUBT

The story of Hien Pham is a great example of how doubt can feel like the tremors of an earthquake - the after effects of a crisis that tries our faith and shakes us to the core.

Hien was a Vietnamese Christian who was thrown into prison after the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam. His charges included translating and teaching the Bible. 

From the first day, his captors attempted to indoctrinate him against Christianity. He was bombarded with communist propaganda and the deluge caused him to have serious questions about his faith. He began to wonder if he had been lied to and deceived about the existence of God. He made a decision to stop praying and abandon his faith when he was assigned to clean the latrines. When emptying the bin of used toilet paper, he noticed a piece of paper with words he recognized. When he washed the page, he read these words from Romans 8, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him….for I am convinced that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." He began to weep and his faith was restored.

The guards were dumbfounded when Hien requested to be assigned regular latrine duty. Apparently one of the officials was using Bible pages as toilet paper, and Hien decided to collect and clean the pages, knowing that God's word would enable him to survive his dire circumstances. God met Hien in his doubt, and used His word to strengthen his faith.

STRETCHED BEYOND UNDERSTANDING

In the New Testament, we read of three circumstances where believers are stretched beyond their ability to understand.

In Mark 9 we read about the guy who sought healing for his son. Jesus tells him that “all things are possible to him who believes.” (Vs.23b) The man replies with, “I believe; help my unbelief.” (Vs.24) Notice that belief and unbelief are present at the same time. This man is wrestling with doubt. What stands out to me is that Jesus doesn’t condemn the man for his lack of faith. Rather, He provides the evidence the man needs for his belief to win the battle.

In John 20 we read about the resurrected Christ appearing to His disciples. Thomas was missing from that event and refused to believe their eyewitness account, “unless I see and put my finger into the nail prints in His hands, and my hand in His side.” (Vs.25, paraphrased) Did Jesus rebuke “Doubting Thomas”? No! He met him in his doubt and provided the opportunity for Thomas to touch and believe. (Vs.27-28)

Using the example of John-The-Baptist, bible teacher, Allen Parr, gives us five recommendations for those times when our situation raises doubts that stretch our understanding and challenge our faith.

1. Never base your beliefs on your circumstances.

2. Turn toward God, rather than away from Him.

3. Pay attention to the evidence.

4. Don’t condemn yourself for doubting.

5. Accept the fact that not all your questions will be answered.

We know that John was imprisoned for making Herod mad for calling him out over sleeping with his sister-in-law. It’s in this place where John begins to think deeply about things and battle the doubts that attack. (Insert recommendation #1.) He sends two disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Mtt.11:3) (Insert recommendation #2.) Did Jesus respond with, “John, you know better. You heard my Father’s voice when you baptized Me; you know who I am.”? No! Instead he points John to the evidence. (Mtt.11:4-5) (Insert recommendation #3) And rather than condemning John for his doubts, Jesus says of him, “… of those born among women, there has not risen one greater than John-The-Baptist.” (Mtt.11:11a) (Insert recommendation #4)

Were all of John’s questions answered before he was killed? (Insert recommendation #5.) I’m guessing not, but that’s not the point. Our faith doesn’t rest on the removal of all doubt. It rests on whether or not we believe that Jesus is who He says He is, despite our doubts.

EMBRACE THE JOURNEY

Deut.29:29 indicates that there are “secret things that belong to the Lord.” We are going to have unanswered questions - even doubts - that coexist with our faith. Don’t be alarmed by that. God is big enough to handle our questioning Him. In fact, He invites us to embark on a mission to seek and find, search and know, knock and open.

“I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the places where I have driven you…” (Jer.29:14)

If the tremors of doubt have torn down your castle walls through catastrophic or other means, put on your armor and embrace the journey that God has assigned to strengthen your faith. I promise, you won't regret it.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

She Laughs

(by Lorie Codispoti)

We seem to be facing an endless barrage of frightening uncertainties, and everyone I know is concerned about something.

What thoughts come to mind when you ponder the future? Wanna know how the Proverbs 31 woman handles her thoughts about tomorrow?

She laughs!

Huh? She laughs? How can someone look ahead, especially in these times, and laugh? That response seems callous and feels inappropriate.

Obviously, there’s something much deeper going on here, so let’s ask some questions of the text and dig for the answers.

WHAT KIND OF WOMAN IS THIS?

By way of cultural context, the women of that day didn’t have much going for them. They were considered a curse, and the source of all evil due to Eve’s sin. They were subordinate to men and viewed as property, with their value linked solely to their ability to produce male children. Therefore, they were not educated and had no rights. Even the writings of their day were derogatory and degrading, subjugating women on every level.

This is P31’s world, but when we read through the text (Proverbs 31:10-31) we find a counter-cultural woman. And she’s not the only one going against the flow. Her husband verbally praises her to all the important people. And her son, King Lemuel, values her wisdom so much that he puts it in writing.

Among other things, we read that P31 is strong (physically, emotionally, and spiritually). She doesn’t shy away from hardship or run from her circumstances.

In many of our Bible translations, we read that she is “virtuous,” with the emphasis being on her moral character, but the Hebrew word communicates something much deeper. The word is actually “valor” - a term referencing her civic life, evidenced by the actions we read in the passage. One writer describes her valor as “brave, persistent, audacious, resourceful, and ready for anything.”

This word, “valor,” gives P31 a persona of a victorious warrior, which fits with her husband’s trust in her as she returns home with the spoils of her warfare (vs.2) - giving her a “worth far above rubies.” (Vs.1)

(Read that again.)

THIS is who the P31 woman is, people. She is a kick-butt warrior, “clothed in strength and honor.” (vs.25) She resides in the King’s palace, but she doesn’t hide there. Under His authority, she’s daring enough to venture out and risk countering her culture.

WHAT KIND OF LAUGHTER IS THIS?

When we understand who P31 is, we begin to see how she can “laugh” at the future.

“Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.” (Prov.31:25)

The Hebrew word for “rejoice” in this verse is “laugh.” Make no mistake, however, this isn’t the same kind of laughter exhibited when your toddler says or does something cute. Quite the contrary, this is a mocking type of laughter - the kind that derides out of contempt. This laughter scorns its subject, making a mockery of him. It’s the same Hebrew word we read about in Psalm 37, where it talks about God laughing at the wicked who plot against the just, “for He sees that his day is coming.” (vs.13) We also see it in Psalm 2, where the nations and kings of the Earth foolishly plot against the Lord and his Anointed… “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.” (vs.4)

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

The P31 woman laughs because her fear of the Lord (Prov.31:30) is greater than any calamity. She laughs because, “She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.” (Vs.21) The harsh realities of a cold, dark winter may visit us, but for those wrapped in the covering of the King’s shed blood, there is a day of rejoicing on the horizon, a day no winter can destroy.

Don’t allow the enemy to cripple you with debilitating fear during these uncertain times. We've read the book and know how the story ends. So P31 up, ladies! Fear (respect, honor, revere) the Lord, gird yourself with strength (Prov.31:17), and go out into the unknown, trusting the future to a known God.

Let’s join the cacophony that laughs at the King's enemy. For "his day (of destruction) is coming" and our forever with the King of glory is nearer than we think.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com