This is the fourth part of The Upside Down World of Theology

Chapter Three

God’s economy is not like ours!

            One of the things about the Church that has always amazed me is that we always try going to the world for our methods of operation.  If the world is indeed upside down, then so are their methods and they could even be destructive to the church.

            The goal of the world is to gain profit and get more things.   The Bible tells us that we are to give to others as God has already given to us.  The difference between the world and God’s methods is found in both their source and distribution.

“9 You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it. 10 You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. 11 You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.” (Psalm 65:9-11 NKJV)

Source

            The world sees wealth and prosperity as being created by the skills and knowledge of a human being.  To get more one just has to work harder, better, or smarter.  To get more, one must do more.

            This basic concept gets more complicated as we decide who is to have power over the economy.  Is it to be the workers and owners in a capitalistic society?  Or will it be the government in a communistic society.  In truth, every government is somewhere on the scale between the two with no one being totally one or the other.

            But the real trouble is in the assumption that wealth and prosperity are created by man.  More than anything else, this assumption makes the economy unmanageable.  Like our own finances are unmanageable.  Those “acts of God” have a way of ripping through the best laid plans of human beings.

            If God is the source of all things then we who are of God would be foolish to turn to a bankrupt system to fund our ministry.

 “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 RSV)

            Scripture teaches us that God is the source for all our needs.  Through God, all the resources of heaven and earth are at our disposal.  Not just the use of money, but so much more!

            Money received through worldly means usually carries with it a sense of ownership by the giver.  They believe that since they gave the money, they should be able to decide how it is spent.  Often churches are so bound up by money which has been given that they struggle financially.

            When the source of resources is God we have many more possibilities with fewer strings attached.  Many times I have seen God provide in unusual ways.  Usually through the church coming together to meet needs.  Miracle Sundays and miracle gifts are not that unusual.  The wonderful things about these “miracles” are they not only provide ministry, but they glorify God!

            Gifts for tax benefits or to get a committee off your back carries little blessing and often are used to meet unnecessary wants.  After all, some of our spending items are often more worldly than we like to admit.

Distribution

            That last thought brings us to the question of how the blessings are to be distributed.  Church budgets are interesting more for the what they spend on, than for the how much they spend.

            It is challenging to look at our own checkbook to see where we are spending the most money to see what is most important to us.  It would be interesting to have churches do an honest check over their budgets and expenses to see where the money goes to show where there hearts are. 

            Recently costs for a church to have a preacher have been rising faster than the giving in most churches.  This causes the church to look for areas to cut, and that usually is program expenses.  We would never think of cutting comfort, but usually it is money for missions or program that grows smaller each year.  It is easy to forget that the program and missions funds are not only the reason we are here, but they are the future of the church.  That is why many churches are slowly dying as their outreach and influence in the community lessens from year to year.

Solution

            The solution is actually quite simple.  If every member lived out their Christianity and gave the tithe (10%), plus a love offering to meet special needs, then churches would have more than enough to meet their needs and the needs of their communities.

            We must trust in God, and love Him enough to give as we have been given to.  Then the blessings would roll through the Church into “all the world”.  God would be glorified and lifted up and then all would be drawn to Him.  Money given from a joyous and loving heart carries a blessing with it.  God can multiply both the gift and the giving as He did those loaves and fishes to feed many from the small gift!

Do we really “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow”?

Do you trust God will provide for you or are you trusting in yourself, family or the government?

(There is an old saying that what you look to for sustenance and protection is your god!)

Should a church budget for the money or for the mission?  What would that mean?

October 30, 2017 Monday

            Today is an unusually good day for me.  Usually I still am hurting and weary from going to Worship but I feel rested and the pain is better. 

            Bonnie and I had our devotion and prayer.  We have so many prayer requests and we try so hard to be faithful to each one.

            Lately we see so many worrying about the future and stocking up for a big crash.  We have some emergency supplies in case of storms but I want to trust in My Love for He has been so faithful to us.  Also I want to live and not spend my life trying to keep from dying.

            Before I was a Christian I was just existing and when they told me I had 3 months to live it didn’t matter because I had never really lived.  But when I came to Jesus I learned to live and everyday has been a miracle and a blessing!  Bonnie and I look back and we have seen God work in so many ways and I have enjoyed life as I watch My Love change lives!

            We had a good day together even though we spent most of the time reading.  It is so good to be able to read again as with my eyesight and the pain it was hard to even focus on even an easy book.  Now I can read easy books and occasionally read deeper books.

This the third part of The Upside Down World of Theology.

Chapter Two

Life is rough, and then we die

            This one really sounds like one of the classic signs of depression.  But it isn’t.  Over the years I have discovered that there is a great deal of difference between depression and realism.  And our society wants very little to do with realism.  In fact, to many realism is defined as depression! 

            We would prefer to live in a world of advertising slogans and upbeat theology, even if it all has little to do with how we live.  We have divorced what we believe from how we live to the point that we can no longer tell a Christian by their fruit.  We claim to be Christian by what we believe, failing to understand that what we really believe cannot help but affect our actions and form our way of living.

Life is rough!

            Look at it any way and life is rough!  One person told me that the only thing we know for sure about life is that we won’t get out of it alive.  From potty training to potty training we live our lives out from being dependent upon our parents to being dependent upon our children. 

            We educate ourselves to prepare for the world of work.  We work to prepare for the day when we will get married and have children.  We raise our children for the day when they grow from us and go on to their own lives as God intends.  We then prepare for the day when our children will have to take care of us as we took care of them. 

            Growing older means the fear of Alzheimer's, the myriad of others diseases that threaten us, or of not being able to do certain things.  Growing older often means watching as our loved ones leave us to be with the Lord (hopefully). 

            This is not to leave out the many times of joy and celebration, or to say that life is without the great fulfillment in the love we share with God and with others.  There is a great joy in watching your children grow up and grow in the Lord.  To see them discover their gifts and graces and to grow in them.

            There is also the spiritual growth that is such a blessing.  As we grow to discover God and grow closer to Him in our life we see God’s great work in our lives, our families, our communities, our country and the world.  We come to see the glory of God in the stars above, and in the diversity of life around us.  His greatness is shown to us in everyday life and through the lives of others.  Prayers are answered in ways that could only be the glory and power of God!

            But even the spiritual side can be rough.  Even after coming to Jesus Christ and receiving forgiveness from our sin we wrestle every day with the sin in our lives.  Like Paul we say,

“For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.    Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me.”  (Romans 7:19-20 RSV)

Can you imagine the horror of having to face eternity with this spiritual battle on our hands?  To know that the effects of sin would never be totally taken from our body and soul?

            Before I became a Christian I was an alcoholic for several years.  Because of my drinking I developed a blood disease which killed off or distorted my bone marrow and caused me to become a free bleeder.  The doctors told me I had about 3 months to live.  There was also a great deal of pain as parts of my brain were dying from the bleeding.

            To this day I struggle with my memory and my health is still impaired because of it.  It would be horrible to have to struggle with this forever.  It is hard enough to have to live out the effects of our sins in this life.  How much harder to think we would never know relief from the suffering.

            In James we are taught that trials are not optional! 

“2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:2-6 NKJV)

            Indeed, the trials and struggles in our life are the tools God uses to strengthen us and draw us to faith and wisdom!

And then we die!

            After the Fall God closes the door on the Garden of Eden and blocks the way to the Tree of Life.

“Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever"--    therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.    He drove out the man; and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”  (Genesis 3:22-24 RSV)

We so often see this as part of the punishment, but I believe that this is the blessing of God.  God drove them out so they wouldn’t live forever, or at least existing like we are now, getting weaker with each year as the effects of sin wears us down.  So we wouldn’t be struggling forever in our physical bodies with the spiritual battle with sin with no hope of it ever ending.  Can you imagine a world filled with nursing homes where the patient’s couldn’t die but just get weaker and more helpless!  That would become hell itself!

            By keeping us from the Tree of Life God gives us the hope of new life through Jesus Christ!  A life where the old body is the seed from which a better life will come into being.  Where we will leave the husk of our sin behind in the ground and go on to a new life where even our body will blossom anew in a new world!

            Rather than being depressing, this is the realism of hope!  The hope that we will put off the sinful flesh and receive a new body of which Jesus Himself was the first fruit!  The hope for Christians is death becomes a friend that will take away the tiredness and the struggle, the weakness and the illness as well as the pain and the tears.

            So maybe it should be life is tough and then THANK GOD we die!

What part does God play in your suffering?

What part does suffering play in your life?

What part does death play in your life?

October 29, 2017 Sunday

            I was able to go to Worship and even Sunday school even though I felt bad.  But it so encourages my soul and body to be able to be with God’s people.  The service was good and they honored Jack Davis who has been a strong help and blessing to Asbury.  Jack was such a blessing to my family when we served there.

            As usual I crashed after the service and rested.  Bonnie and Rebecca got to go to a movie.  I am so glad that they take opportunities to for re-creation.  They need that to be able to be of help to me. 

Many people pray for me but I ask them to pray twice as much for Bonnie and Rebecca.  Caregivers become overloaded as they still have their stuff to take care of and they must also take on the things I used to do as well as the pain of all I am going through.  Bless them My Love for the love they show me every day!

October 28, 2017 Saturday

            This was a terrible day and I spent most of it in bed.  Part of the reason was I felt so bad but also I knew if I rested I would be more likely to be able to go to Worship at Asbury.

            Ate very little because I really didn’t want to eat anything.  That seldom happens.

            But God was so good and reminded me that He is still faithful in the terrible times.  I feel His presence so much and when I pray I feel like I sit in god’s lap and I can experience His love and strength.

October 29 Matthew 22:34-46 Grand Commandments 21^st Sunday after Pentecost     Going from 1 to 10 commandments then back to 2.               Psalter reading Psalm 1:1-6

1   Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2   But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. 3   They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. 4 But not the wicked!  They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.  Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6   For the LORD watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 1:1-6 NLT

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “ Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37   Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Whose Son Is the Messiah? 41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42  “ What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.” 43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, 44 ‘ The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand  until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’ 45  Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” 46   No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Matthew 22:34-46 NLT

The world sees the 10 Commandments as a limitation and a threat.  So much that they try to eradicate it from every public place.  There is a great movement to keep the Bible out of the hands of people while the Qur’an and other “religious” books are part of school curriculum. THEY FEAR THE BIBLE!!!

When I served a congregation in a farming and dairy area I learned what the 10 Commandments really are.  Just as a farmer will fence in cattle to protect them so God uses the 10 Commandments to protect from our nature to “graze” on the wrong things that will and do destroy us!  Living in that safe pasture keeps us life and soul destroying pastures.

But God knew we couldn’t follow the 10 Commandments and they also show our need for someone to save us and that is Jesus the Christ who offered Himself for us!

So Jesus in our scripture shows us 2 Commandments that not only can we live in with Jesus but which Jesus lived out for us and before us!

Following these commandments:  “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Protect us from ourselves and as we live it out draws others to Jesus to experience God’s love and forgiveness!

Rest in the safety of Jesus and in living out the Commandments Jesus not only gave us but lived for us!!!

October 27, 2017 Friday

            I was woken early and had about 2 ½ hours of listening to Ephesians and in prayer.  It has proved very helpful to use the prayer cards from www.joshuaproject.net which allows you pray for nations, people or religions.  You can even choose to pray for the unreached or for all.  It is so interesting to see the many groups in countries around the world. 

            Praying for them reminds me of God’s love for them and that His heart cries out for them.  In this time of being disabled I have been still and heard God’s voice and call to pray for those He loves.

October 26, 2017 Thursday

            I woke early and praise be to God the pain is much less.  But I guess while true I must also say that I am learning to praise God even when I wake up and the pain is terrible for all is good if only it brings glory to My Love.

This the second part of The Upside Down World of Theology.  Let me know if you enjoy this.

Chapter One

No good deed ever goes unpunished.

            Over the years my wife has claimed that I am a pessimist for stating this.  But as I grow older in the Lord I see more and more the truth of this statement.

            Many people will do good things to get good in return.  We give money on Sunday in order to get more blessings from God.  We help others so we can get help one day when we need it.  Our actions are often an investment in good that carries the expectation of a return of goodness in our lives.

            This becomes so dangerous as a theology because each of us must face sickness, loss, hurt, pain, and in the end, death.  When we build in this expectation of good we can become despondent when the troubled times come.  We are warned by our Lord, “Remember the word that I said to you. ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20 (RSV)

            In these days when personal security and pleasure are the chief aims of the world, it is to be expected that this will affect how we see the Bible and the Gospel.  We expect of God what we expect of our political leaders, that they will protect us from trouble and make our lives comfortable.

            This is most clearly seen in the current theology about the rapture.  Most today accept a pre-tribulation rapture which will get us out of town before everything falls apart.  I must admit there is a part of me that hopes this is true.  But the verse listed before and 2,000 years of history seem to go against that.

The seed of the Church

            Looking back over the history of the Christian Church one can see where the “blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church.”  Most of the times of great spiritual growth have come during, or just after times of great suffering and pain by the Church.  At times of great persecution the Church goes through seems to extend itself as well as grow deeper. 

            During times of great prosperity and wealth the Church tends to grow weaker and lose its focus as we settle into the comfort the world offers.

            The belief in a pre-tribulation rapture also seems an affront to not only those who have suffered, but who are suffering now.  How do we joyfully tell them they won’t have to go through the tribulation, when they are already?  Many today give their lives, their jobs, and their freedom for the love they have for Jesus Christ.  The pre-tribulation rapture has come too late for all those from Stephen on down through today.

            The fact is that we are called to a Gospel that more often than not has brought ridicule, loss of status, family strains, and even death.  We are called to live out and fulfill the ministry of Jesus Christ and that leaves us with a cross to bear, as well as a message to share.

            Now this is not all negative.  Many will see blessings and joy as they minister.  They will reap harvest and celebrate the good things they see God doing.  But others who are just as faithful will find hardship and even death waiting as the reward for their faithfulness.  They will discover the greater joy in this.  As Stephen Curtis Chapman asks in his song What Kind of Joy.

            “What kind of joy is this, that counts it a blessing to suffer?

            What kind of joy is this, that gives the prisoner his song?

            What kind of joy can stare death in the face and see it as sweet victory?”

The next words answer, “This is the joy of a soul that’s forgiven and free!”  Then he states, “I’ve found this joy for my soul is forgiven and free!” 1

            It must be remembered that we serve a God of whom scripture states,

“Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand;” (Isaiah 53:10 RSV)

Some versions even state, “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him:”  God’s pleasure is not in the pain or the suffering, but in the blessing and eternal hope that comes through it.  Because of sin, and the evil of Satan, often those who seek good are bruised and this shows both the weakness of evil, and the strength of God and the Church. 

            From the days of the Roman persecution we have the story of Christians being taken to the Coliseums to die for their faith.  The women and children were tied to poles and the men were allowed to be free to protect their families from the wild animals which were turned loose with them.  The crowd anticipated good sport.  But the Christians started singing and the crowd grew still.  Even as some of the Christians died the others continued singing praise and faith in Jesus.  Then something wondrous happened.   Some of the people got up from their seats and started moving toward the arena itself.  They climbed over the wall and went into the arena with the Christians.  When one was asked why he was going to his death, the response was that these people have something worth dying for, while he had nothing worth living for.  2

            Christians are a people who can make places of worship in Catacombs (basically where the entire cemetery is underground and the bodies are up close and personal) and honor the God of life there.

Works righteousness

            Another great danger is that this is too close to works righteousness.  If I am good enough, then God will bless me and then God must save me.  Yet scripture is very clear that no one is good enough, or can ever be good enough except Jesus Christ.

            Whether our lives are good enough or not has little to do with the blessings or trials of life.  We are told in the Bible.

 “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  (Matthew 5:45 RSV)

            God’s grace is extended to all, THANK GOD!  It is not because of how good we are, but because it is God’s very nature to love and to bless.  Jesus shows us the nature of God.  Or in other words, it’s because of how good God is!

 “But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,    bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.    To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.”  (Luke 6:27-29 RSV)

            This is not God commanding us to do what He wants.  It is a glimpse of the very character of God.  When Adam and Eve chose their own way and wanted to be gods themselves, God had compassion and made a way back for them and us.

            How did God respond to Adam and Eve rejecting God and seeking to become god themselves? “Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"” (Genesis 3:9 NKJV)

            That is the true heart of it.  That we do good because God has been good to us.  That we give because God has given so much to us.

            We are told to give a tithe, a tenth, of all we receive back to God.  How much is the tithe of salvation?  How much should we tithe for God’s love?  How much can we give to be a tithe of our very life which is a gift from God?  To be totally honest we never could offer even a tithe of all the blessings God has already given us.  Our attempts to do so only become a source of guilt to us.  So we learn that we must accept the grace of God with thanksgiving and praise.

            So, you see, this is not a pessimistic doctrine, but a glorious message that the love and grace of God are more than sufficient to give us the victory in life, as well as from life!  As my favorite song says, “Victory in Jesus!”

1  From the CD For the Sake of the Call by Stephen Curtis Chapman.  Produced by Sparrow.

2  This is an old story for which I have not been able to find the source.

Why did God ask "Where are you?"” after Adam and Eve fell?

Why do you think God leaves us here when we are saved?  Wouldn’t it be better for God to take us to heaven after we are saved?

Why do some Christians suffer and others seem to live secure pleasant lives?

How does the sacrifice of Jesus affect how you face your suffering?

October 25, 2017 Wednesday

            I slept well and caught up on Facebook.  It is so nice to be able to see what is going on in so many people that I know life. Today I shared from Colossians chapter 1 that we must take seriously sharing faith with those around us and that we must seek God’s strength to help us.  I know I am disabled but I pray, send cards and seek new ways like Facebook and this blog to reach others!

            Pete Higgs called to check on us and gave an update on Renovatus.  They are making an eternal difference in so many lives coming out of addiction.  I pray My Love will bless them.

            Was able to do a few things but as the day increased the pain and weariness increased until it was terrible.  The pain washed over me and even made it hard to walk.

            Jonathan came and helped move a chair Grandmommie gave us and stayed for supper.  It was great to see him.

            Even as I struggled was able to spend time in prayer and read through Galatians.  Have some prayer cards from different countries, regions and peoples that I use to help me prayer.  These prayer cards are wonderful and are available at: www.joshuaproject.net

October 24, 2017 Tuesday

            Slept well but still woke tired and weak.  It is a day when my skin felt like creepy crawlies and I really felt bad.  But I know that God is so good.  Finished my second reading of the Bibl e this year and have started an in depth time of listening to Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.  An amazing time!

            One of the great things about my disability and even my pain is that I have so much time to read the Bible, pray and spend time with my Lord and My Love!  In times of severe pain listening to the Bible and prayer calm my fears, ease the pain and calm my soul.  In my list of what prayer is my favorite is “Prayer is sitting in your Daddies lap!”

            May you sit in your Daddies lap and find His healing and love!

Sometimes I feel I have lost my mind and other times I am sure.  Months ago I started this study but looking back I see I didn't finish it.  So hope I will complete it this time!

THE UPSIDE DOWN WORLD OF THEOLOGY

By Ronald Ramsey

INTRODUCTION

“18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1Corinthians 1:18-25 NKJV)

Over the years of studying the Bible I have discovered that the world we live in every day is upside down to the Bible.  We, who not only live in the world, but are still touched by it often find the teaching of the Word confusing and even foolish. 

            Each chapter of this book is a theological “statement” which on its face may seem humorous, or even ridiculous, but which I hope will help you see the Gospel and the world as God does.

            That last statement may seem egotistical on my part.  But I can only show you what God has revealed to me over my years as a Christian and as a minister.  I can offer you no more than that and wouldn’t offer you less.

            True theology (which just means the study of God) must not only be easy to understand while being complicated, but must also be able to be lived out.  For we do not just know Jesus Christ, we must live in Him!  I pray that each chapter will help you understand God better, and help you live out the Gospel.

            (Theology is really just a friend getting to know their best friend better!)

Chapter One No good deed ever goes unpunished.

Chapter Two Life is rough, and then we die

Chapter Three God’s economy is not like ours!

Chapter Four You get out of Worship what you put into it.

Chapter Five Where two or three are gathered together there had better be food.

Chapter Six Churches are like cows, they digest slowly.

Chapter Seven The Ten Commandments are like a protective fence.

Chapter Eight Love is decision not a feeling.

Chapter Nine Committees are formed so we can say we did something without having to do anything.

Chapter Ten Faith is not what we live for, but what we are willing to die for.

Chapter Eleven Hope is a four-letter word everyone can use.

Chapter Twelve Theology is a friend getting to know their Best Friend.

Chapter Thirteen God never asks anything of you that He hasn’t already given you.

Chapter Fourteen God loves you enough to accept you as you are, and loves you enough to not leave you there.

October 23, 2017 Monday

            Slept sporadically last night and I feel very bad today.  Still have to go see Dr. Byrd and am not looking forward to it.  But I hope this will either help or at least keep her up to date.

            Dr Byrd recommended doing some moderated yoga to get strength and to keep limber.  Got a Amazon video but haven’t tried it yet.  Also took a blood test since they thought my vitamin D was low. 

            God continues to bless my time of prayer and lately it has been mostly a time of praise.  God is so worthy of praise and it is such a blessed time to meditate on God’s glory and celebrate not only what He has done but Who He is.

October 22, 2017 Sunday

            What a wonderful day of Worship!  The Worship service at Asbury was great and so was Sunday school.  Then there was a meal after to celebrate Fall Festival and thank those who worked so hard.  It was a good time.

            Rev Underwood texted.  He and Anne are so thoughtful and such a blessing!  I still miss so much the people at First Jefferson City.  They were such a blessing to my family and I.

            I pray for each congregation I served and each one is so much a part of me.  I am sure most of the early ones no longer remember me but that does not matter.  What matters is that they remember My Love and their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

            As usual on Sunday I crashed for the rest of the day.  Bonnie fixed a wonderful meal for us and Mom that was so delicious.  She also went to Choir practice.  She is growing to be such a part of Asbury.

October 21, 2017 Saturday

            This is a better day but still not good.  My mind is so scattered that it is hard to even spend time in prayer and reading the Bible. Bonnie went to Asbury to practice the organ for tomorrow. 

            Watched football most of the day.  The day was so long and so bad but it seems with the increase in the Lamotrigine the jerking and muscle twitches are much less.  Thanks be to God.

            I had a hard time getting to sleep again because of the pain and the weariness.  Once again I had a very special time of prayer in the night.  We traveled across the Orient and there were so many places and peoples to pray for.

October 20, 2017 Friday

            This is a terrible day.  Little sleep for me and I woke early and listened to the Bible some and prayed.  Bonnie and I did our devotion and had a time of prayer.  There is so much to pray about.  Tried to rest some but still hurt most of the day and just watched some TV.  Have been reading more but that is gone today.

            Jonathan came by and got dinner for us.  It was so good to see him and that he is starting to recover from Fall Festival.  We are so proud of him for the good job he did at Fall Festival and for Rebecca and him singing at Fall Festival and at the Worship service.

            Last night and tonight I have been in such pain that I had to come out and didn’t get to sleep until about 2 AM.  But I did have a good time of prayer and of Worship.  The pain is so bad it is hard to even listen to the Bible since I cannot concentrate.  But I have had wonderful time of Worship during my time of prayer.  God is so amazing and at times I spend over an hour just praising God.  My Love is so worth it!

October 22 Matthew 22:15-22 God things  20^th Sunday after Pentecost         We must learn what are God things and what are ours.                             Psalter reading Psalm 99:1-9

The LORD reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! 2The LORD is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. 3Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy. 4The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His footstool— He is holy. 6Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them. 7He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. 8You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, Though You took vengeance on their deeds. 9Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the LORD our God is holy.      Psalm 99:1-9 NKJV

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

Matthew 22:15-22 NKJV

Over my years as a Christian I discovered that most of my troubles came from when I tried to do what I call God things. 

When pressed by the Pharisees if people should pay taxes to the very ungodly Roman nation Jesus pointed out there are God things and things that are “Caesars”.  We often are so caught up in the taxes we miss the central teaching of this passage that there are God things and our things.

We may think we “save” people, “change” people or even “judge” people but these are God things. God is the only one who can touch a person’s body, spirit and soul to bring new life to them!  God is the only one who can “recycle” a person.

The Psalm passage speaks about this:

“, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, Though You took vengeance on their deeds.” 

God is the one who can judge and take vengeance on us for what we do and God is the only one who can forgive us to bring redemption.  Notice the “LORD our God” is to us the “God-Who-Forgives “.

Our job is to worship God, introduce others to God, love justice and to participate in the world in which we live so God can work through us to bring redemption into this world.

The Pharisees marveled and walked away at what Jesus taught.  So do we at times.  How can this make sense to us?   We are so used to thinking we are to change lives and the world for Jesus that we struggle with this much like the Pharisees and so our ministries are limited by our own power and abilities.

Trust in God to take care of the “God things” and use you through the gifts God has given you to you.  Then you are only limited by the power and abilities of God!  

October 19, 2017 Thursday

            I woke early and had a time to celebrate God.  But my mind wouldn’t let me stay on worship.  My sleep was better with long periods of dreams but still feel weary.  This is the long day of seeing both the ophthalmologist and my Neurologist. 

            The Ophthalmologist said I have the nerves behind my eye like I have glaucoma but I do not have the pressure.  He wants me to come back in 9 months to compare the previous tests.

            The Neurologist said all he could do is slowly increase my meds.  There are no more tests he can do so he will treat me symptomatically.

            Got back early and was fully exhausted.  Earlier Bonnie and I had our devotion and time of prayer.  Prayer had become a daily calling for me at times God wakes me at night to pray and at times during the day I am called to pray.  It is at times for a nation, at times for a situation and at times it is praise.