Even Deeper Deep Sea Diving into God's Word

Lest I get too cozy with God's extravagant patience, understanding and tolerance of my frequent temper tantrums in His royal court while the watching angels and living creatures surrounding Him cringe and marvel at my ignorant audacity...

Lest in my presumptuous state I begin to make up lame excuses for my pitiful condition as His image-bearer and ambassador to this world, clinging to my favorite,

Well, nobody is perfect, you know... we are just humans...

Lest I skew the Word of God to make Him fit my personal preferences, opinions and agendas...

I turn to the Gospels where I plow into Jesus, front and center, flesh and bones, hair and blisters, always there like a brick wall of down-to-earth holiness, simplicity and clarity of vision, who seems totally unfazed by the insurmountable limitations of my wretched humanity, calling me with the voice of carefree authority to be and do the impossible...

You are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect...

So deliciously politically incorrect...

Unless your righteousness surpasses that of theology students and Christian workers there is no way you'll go to heaven...

...And...

Don't give what is holy to dogs and don't throw your pearls before pigs... (Did I just hear Him calling people names?!!!)

But, of all Jesus' many, many outrageous statements, I find by far the worst the following:

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you... Rejoice and be exceedingly glad when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me...

I look, and look, and look for just a little wiggle room here...

For a tiniest little loophole... And I find...

None!

And I ponder, and ponder, and ponder who is crazy here....

The world I live in OR Jesus?

Am I crazy?

Or, is Jesus the crazy one?

And I wonder what kind of psychiatric medication and at what dosage would my psychiatrist prescribe to my Lord to help Him chill out....?

Suddenly the seriousness of my religious calling hits me like a ton of brick.

For I am faced with a choice...

And the choice...

The choice sits like that ton of bricks in the pit of my stomach. For I find myself simultaneously irresistibly drawn to this strange Person depicted in the Gospels, and equally terrified of His proximity and Presence.

And even though He could easily overpower me with the slightest breath out of His nostril, He actually simply stands and waits for me...

to make that choice...

free

un-coerced

un-intimidated

no bribe

no manipulation...

A free choice to say 'yes'

or to say 'no'

Knowing that the answer to this question will determine the course of my earthly life and my eternal destiny.

Deep Sea Diving into God's Word

The best way I can describe my approach to reading God's Word is going...

Deep Sea Diving!

My favorite entry points are Proverbs, Psalms in the Old Testament and any one of the Gospels in the New. Sometimes, I just stay there and dive under, for any of these books offer ample room for going as deep as you wish.

I love the fact that in Proverbs I am oh, so matter-of-factly reminded every day how stupid I am and how much I need God daily to give me ample supplies of common sense, which doesn't seem to be so common after all. For, there appears to be a world-wide shortage of this commodity, if I might add, especially among those who call themselves God's people.

Another word for common sense is wisdom... and it is often associated with old age. Sadly, just because somebody is old doesn't necessarily mean they are wise either.

If I had to choose my favorite book of the Bible (I know, I know, it's like asking a parent which is his or her favorite child...), I would go with Psalms. I think there is more passion packed inside these poems than all the early afternoon soap operas of the world combined. Love, hate, hope, despair, loneliness, stabs-in-the-back, rest, joy, depths, heights, freedom, bondage, ... you name it. What Psalms tell me every day is:

It's O.K. babe, God loves you just the way you are. You can be real with Him. He already knows it all anyway. Don't fake it. Lay it all out before Him, He can handle it. He knows and understands you better than you know and understand yourself. And with Him it's always safe to be real... And that's the only pathway to true growth... Stepping out of the shadows of pretense and hiding and coming out into His light....

Who Wants a Drunkard as a Surgeon?

Dear His Writer,

How is it possible that the same words from the Bible can in some instance bring hope and healing and in another discouragement, depression and hopelessness?

Scratching my head in Seattle...

Dear Scratching-Your-Head-in-Seattle,

I am not sure whether this is going to help or not, but check this out:

Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard,

so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

Proverbs 26:9

The Word of God is spoken to us by God Himself only and always to bring His redeeming grace and restoring truth into our lives. However, because of our rebellious condition, sometimes He needs to use it as a surgical scalpel in the hand of a skilled Physician to cure deadly soul disease - our willful independence and indifference towards our Creator and Redeemer. The Holy Spirit is the Physician and He alone knows what we need and when we need it. So, when the Holy Spirit speaks His Word to our hearts, even if it hurts, the Word also brings healing, hope and genuine growth in our lives.

Sadly, based on the above Scriptures, in the fallen world we live in, many fools take upon themselves to play the Holy Spirit in our lives (been there, done that, never-ever want to do it again!) , and rather than using the Word as skillful Surgeon, they resemble more an out-of-balance, out-of-control intoxicated alcoholic.

Needless to say, there is a huge difference in having a scalpel in the hand of a skillful Surgeon and in the hand of tottering drunkard. If I need a surgery, guess which one I would rather go to?

As if this is not horrible enough, there are people who actually hire fools and give them power and authority to carry on their destructive mission. I guess most job interviews don't screen applicants for their wisdom vs. foolishness quotient. A fool can be smart enough to fool even the most intelligent individuals by their deceptive words, especially if they carry themselves as experts and authorities in any particular field, religion being the most dubious field of all. This is why I wouldn't be too severe on the employers of the fools, although they certainly bear some responsibility:

Like an archer who wounds everyone

so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.

Proverbs 26:10

As you can see, we live in a treacherous world where God's Word, meant to be used as source of life, salvation, truth and grace is often turned into an assault weapon in the hands of fools. You and I need to be aware that God's Word is never spoken in a spiritual vacuum. The Enemy of our souls who very much alive and active, knows the power of God's Word and will stop at nothing to thwart God's children in knowing this and appropriating their rightful place in the spiritual battle. For, according to Ephesians 6:10-18, the only offensive weapon given to the child of God in this war is the Word of God. Our capacity to stand in the evil day will be in direct proportion to our knowledge of the Word of God Himself.

Hope this relieves at least a little bit of that itch on your head. I am sure it has opened up other, perhaps even bigger area of itching, but keep always in mind

You are from God, little children,

and have overcome them:

because greater is He who is in you

than he who is in the world.

I John 4:4

The Enemy is a defeated foe, who knows that his clock is ticking.

Dangerous Discipline of Bible Reading 101 Indeed!

Of course, I would be a liar if I didn't warn my readers that reading your Bible with the help of the Author Himself is anything but an innocuous activity.

In fact, I would say that turning haphazard, random, periodic, unsystematic Bible-reading into prayerful, consistent, intentional, faithful, Author-seeking adventure may actually invite a host of troubles your sleepy, self-satisfied, distracted, haphazard, self-sufficient, independent Self knows nothing about. The trade-off is well worth it, but quite beyond the grasp of self-indulgent individuals who only want what they want, when they want it, in the exact way they want it - and all this applies not only to their drive-through burgers and fries, but also to the Almighty God. Neatly packaged, like an Advil PM... called upon to mainly treat the unpleasant symptoms of life's tragic journey, rather than addressing the deadly disease buried under the surface.

Perhaps this is why Jesus says in the Gospel of John,

He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

I would be an idiot if I didn't realize that there is a rather severe competition for our time and affection. God is not helping the matter in the way He presents Himself to us. He is sooo... how shall I put it???... so unimpressive, and unobtrusive, so.... humble, that it is really easy for us to ignore Him, avoid Him, mock Him and completely miss Him!

When you look over my bookshelves, nothing sets the Bible apart from any other book. Every morning, I have to choose to ignore hundreds other books and choose His Word instead. Every day, I have to choose from a gazzillion opportunities knocking on my door, promising health, wealth and prosperity, and ask God:

What about You? What would YOU like me to do today?

It's hard to be constantly barraged by so many good offers and not be able to just surrender to the torrent that everyone else is surrendered to - bigger, better, faster, more hi-tech, easier, quicker, pain-free, have-your-cake-and-eat-it, and on, and on, and on...

Sometimes I wonder am I the last fool remaining on this planet that's going down the tube - admittedly fancy, impressive tube, but down the tube nonetheless... But, then I remember all the other fools the Bible talks about - Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, David, Job, Peter, Paul, or ... or even JESUS???? And I find myself in a dran good company!

For I would much rather be counted a fool with these guys than win anything this world has to offer, no matter how alluring the promise may be.

Dangerous Discipline of Bible Reading 101

Isn't reading the Bible on your own dangerous? My spiritual authorities tell me I need help understanding my Bible, since it is such a difficult book to understand.

Yours truly,

Confused

Dear Confused,

Thanks for bringing this important issue up. Like with any other book, you really need to understand the intent of the author in order to understand the book he or she wrote according to his or her original purpose. Despite the fact that the Bible was written by many different individuals over the span of many centuries, the real Author of this book is God Himself! I think this is incredibly cool!

And, if I can be bold in stating this, fully aware that I am not God nor do I know all (or much at all, for that matter!) that is in God's infinite mind, He wrote this book as a self-revelation and invitation to His straying humanity to come to Him and know Him in a personal way since He Himself is a person.

Now, there are many other bonuses that come as a part of the package, but we need to keep the main thing, main thing - all the time!

So, in a sense, I agree with your spiritual authorities that we need help in understanding the Bible. But, the help we need to seek is from God Himself, not necessarily or exclusively from so-called spiritual authorities (there is a reason to this I hope to get to in subsequent entries).

Coming from decades of daily experience (I guess I am appealing to you through my 'spiritual authority'), may I suggest a good way to read your Bible? Here it is, the spiritual atomic bomb unveiled for all to see:

Dear God, How amazing that You desire me to want to know You! Please help me understand Your written Word in such a way that it enlightens my eyes and my heart so I can know You indeed and love and worship You as You deserve. Help me not to get bogged down by things I don't understand about You yet.

In the name of Jesus, who revealed You to us by His Word, His life, death and resurrection perfectly,

Amen

Blast from the Past - Bible, Important, Boring and Irrelevant

For the sake of continuity, I feel like I really need to share here an older post that depicts my earlier manner in which I used to read the Bible. As they say,

Confession is bad for reputation but it is good for the health of one's soul,

and since I care much more about my heart's health than about my reputation, here's a rerun of the post originally published on April 10, 2012 as a part of a larger series on Intergalactic Communication

Bible - Important, Boring and Irrelevant

Judging by the number of copies of the Bible I have in different translations, including some that showcase the languages I don’t even know or recognize, one would think I am quite an expert on the subject of listening to God. But, my 'expertise' has been largely focused on ferreting out a single verse, ripped out of its context that ‘speaks’ fireworks into my darkness. The same God who spoke Light into darkness, I gather, aims this little laser at me, fires it, and, Ka-boom! - the light switch is suddenly turned on, my ears tingle and I am mildly dizzy from the intensity of the revelation.

Wow! That was soooo COOL! Do it again, God!

Now, I am not saying that God can’t or doesn't speak and encourage us through this laser gun approach in communicating with His children. In fact, sad as well as embarrassed to admit it, but most of my Christian life has been sustained through such fireworks display. The array of verses has grown over the years, of course, but they read more like a Webster dictionary rather than a compelling, intriguing, heart-wrenching and sometimes hilarious true love story. If watching 24 doesn't seem like a lullaby in comparison, and Jack Bauer's life doesn't illicit an occasional yawn, could it be that there is something terribly wrong with the way I approach God's Word? Could there be a better way to listening to God speaking instead of playing this celestial laser-tag?

Glad to inform you, Mrs. His Writer, the answer to your question is unequivocal,

YES!

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 11

As Oswald’s piercing words about the apparent lack of evidence of sainthood in my life still ring in my ears, I gulp the rest of the coffee down to the dregs and stumble into the kitchen for round two.

Having the last shred of excuse clobbered out of me by Mr. Chamber’s uncompromising dedication to the Lord Jesus and to my becoming a saint (whatever that means), I find myself suddenly rather awake and wondering what on-line Webster would say about the meaning of the word ‘saint’... or Wikipedia... or perhaps, even Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words... I know, I know, I am nuts about words... it's my background, guys! C'mmon, I am a literature geek!

However, instead of being distracted by my perpetual curiosity and running down the rabbit trails the life so aptly affords me all the time, I write the word down on my mental chalkboard for future further exploration. Even though in my humble opinion it is quite antiquated, it seems rather important in the economy where Oswald Chambers lives and operates. Over the years I've learned, if it is important to O.C., it'd better be important to me

My ego thoroughly bruised, my second cup of coffee in my hand, I know I am ready for the real thing. So, I turn on the shiatsu massager for my soul, AKA as The Holy Bible and crack the book open where I last left it off.

I must admit here that for quite a while I wasn't accustomed to doing this. In fact, I used to have a shot-gun approach to reading the Bible.

But then I heard a story about a man who is asking God to reveal His will to him through reading the Bible and the first verse that his eyes fall on after praying and opening the book were,

Judas went and hang himself…

The man is shaking his head, thinking,

Lord, this must be a mistake! So, he closes his Bible quickly and reopens it again, and the next verse he sees is,

Go and do likewise.

By now the man is shaking in his boots and with his trembling fingers, he tries it one more time.

His misty eyes fall on the words,

What you do, do quickly!

I may not be the sharpest knife in a drawer, but upon hearing this story I started wondering if perhaps there could be a better approach to reading my Bible than this random 'shot in the dark' spiritual roulette.

Mercifully, during that time I also learned about the importance of reading individual biblical passages within their immediate context (chapter/s, entire book), with view of the audience (who is it addressed to) as well as the writer’s intent and purpose for writing (why is he writing to this particular audience). This approach involved a bit more work, but it was well-worth it.

Then I also heard somebody talking about the importance of continuity as we read the Scriptures. And that simple word, continuity, seemed to forever change the way I read my Bible.

You Can't Change the World Without Causing a Little Trouble!

We interrupt our regular programming to bring you

this important message

Dear faithful, wonderful global readership of Second Cup of Coffee,

First of all, thank you for your interest in my spiritual 'ramblings'. Your curiosity to hear what this fool has to say brings great joy to my heart. I always pray that whatever you see and hear through this blog would wet you appetite for more of Jesus and more of His amazing, unparalleled Word, both of which you can (and should if you already are not - I am a mom, I am entitled to giving advice!) pursue on your own and with other believers around you, in every area of your life.

I never want to be a competitor for the time and attention the Lord Jesus deserves, and heaven knows, there are a lot of competitors. Even this blog, no matter how much 'good' it serves, can over time turn into a competitor. Plus, if I encouraged you to only consume regurgitated food somebody else has digested for you, I would be neither your nor Jesus' friend.

Having said all this, I want you to be aware of a very interesting opportunity (you can call it an experiment) that I have been considering for a while. It's so wild, and crazy and counter-intuitive that it fits me like a glove!

Anyway, I want you to know that effective July 1, 2012 Second Cup of Coffee will become a private blog. This means I am still around, writing and posting and getting in a little bit of trouble. As my son once said,

Mom, you can't change the world without causing a little trouble!

So, if you care to stay in touch and keep sampling the 'fresh out of the oven' goodies, you will need to sign in/sign up/subscribe, or whatever 'right' techie term you want to use. I want to assure you that this is not a scam, but I will leave it up to you to decide what you want to do. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them as much as I am able.

Yours for enjoying the ride, no matter what twists and turns might come our way,

Sincerely always Yours and His,

His Writer

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 10

Will Not - Believe Not

Why are you not a saint? WHY?

The tone of O.C.'s roar is a mixture of desperate love song, passionate appeal and murderous threat. In the moment, all I can do is repeatedly blink, wondering if he actually expects me to answer the question. My confusion is relieved, or rather aggravated - it all depends how you look at it - when he gets me off the hook and graciously answers his own question.

It is either that you do not want to be a saint, or ...

I close my eyes tightly, shuddering with expectation for the next blow.

... Or that you do not believe God can make you one.

I cautiously open my eyes, wondering if he is done or should I expect another swing of the mallet. Feeling a bit dizzy, I am somewhat surprised that I am still alive after all this pounding. It's not just my head that hurts... I feel like my entire body has been pummeled and battered. But, despite the pain, deep down I know I got exactly what I needed, if perhaps it wasn't quite what I expected or wanted.

Having accomplished his God-given mission for the day, O.C. slowly sets down the mallet, looking ablaze from the inside out as he stands in the morning light. Then he crawls back onto the top of my nightstand, makes himself comfortable, and peacefully goes to sleep.

So far, I've only taken a sip or two out of my first cup of coffee. And I feel quite awake, thank you very much... in fact, perhaps more awake than I ever care to be at such early hour of the morning.

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 9

Watch Out for Deranged Lunatics

Lurking Along Lonesome the Rabbit Trails...

To continue where we left off... The daily devotionals can play an important role in the development of our spiritual life. Here's for example how it works for me:

Before I begin, I want to assure you that my husband has no objections to this unorthodox arrangement. In fact, given the passionate nature of our relationship, he may even say that Mr. Chambers has saved our marriage many times, except that we know that there is only one Savior, and Mr. Chambers, wonderful as he may be, is not Him.

As I was saying... I have brought my friend Oswald into our marriage, since I've known him before I met my husband. Having been such a wonderful friend to me all these years, he has earned his place where he mostly snoozes on the top of my bedside table, next to my Bible. Each morning, however, I reach out and grab him, drag him into our bed and throw him and my Bible on my crumpled-up pillow. Then, I stumble into the kitchen and fix myself some Turkish coffee. While I do that, my friend O.C. (not to be confused with OCD) strips down my cozy, fluffy spiritual blankets and, once I get situated with my first cup, he grabs a bucket of ice-cold water and splashes it into my sleepy face.

Woo....Hey! What was THAT all about?!!! I cry out, all the sleepy cobwebs strung around my dripping shoulder.

God writes the new name on those places only in our lives where He has erased the pride and self-sufficiency and self-interest. Some of us have the new name in spots only, like spiritual measles. My friend responds to my yelps for help cheerfully, reaching for something behind his back. I am not sure what is more offensive to me in this moment - the insulting implication of his words or his cheeery tone.

I... I have no clue what you are talking about... I stutter, shaking my head like a wet dog, trying to get rid of the dripping droplets and ice-chips.

Sure you don't. This is exactly why I am here! I have something that might help you understand it better, he says while pulling what I finally recognize as a rubber mallet which he swings and lands on top of my head once, and then again, and then one more time:

Pride is the deification of self, and this today in some of us is not of the order of the Pharisee, but of the publican. To say "Oh, I'm no saint," is acceptable to human pride, but it is unconscious blasphemy against God. It literally means that you defy God to make you a saint, "I am much too weak and hopeless, I am outside the reach of the Atonement." Humility before men may be unconscious blasphemy before God.

I rub my head in the spot where the mallet has repeatedly hit me, dumbfounded by Oswald's passionate words. In fact, so dumbfounded that for a split second, I, my ever-talkative, ever verbal I, is left utterly and completely speechless. He takes advantage of my silence and hits me one more time on the top of my head... The sound the mallet produces is not much different from the one created by the last nail when pounded into a coffin:

Why are you not a saint? WHY?

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 8

Rabbit Trail

Having said what I just did about daily devotionals, I must add, "Not that there is anything wrong" with daily devotionals, of course...

For I admit that I myself am somewhat addicted to one (Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest) which has been a part of my reading routine almost daily (see, I am a failing sinner just like everyone else!) for the past twenty or so years... One would think, having read through it at least twenty times, I must have it memorized by now (which, at least portions, I do). However, it is quite amazing and even more humbling to be daily confronted with the fickle feebleness of your own mental capacities that forget and keep on forgetting...

Besides My Utmost for His Highest, there are also few other 'daily spiritual crutches' to help us get out of bed that I would actually recommend, but most of those are unavailable on-line or as downloadable apps since they are way too old for most young folks to bother.... I guess such historical amnesia simply goes with the territory for the rootless generation (to borrow Henri Nouwen's term) that considers events that happened 23 minutes ago 'ancient history'...

I do admit personal bias here, for I come from a country that considers centuries old stuff which is tucked away in the dusty musty basement as 'grandmother's junk', while in the country I live in the same junk is viewed as priceless antiques for which people are willing to pay big bucks on eBay. But, to each its own... It's all just perishable stuff anyway...

Anyway, as I was saying... the daily devotionals can play a certain role in the development in our spiritual life. Here's for example how it works for me:

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 7

Somebody, Please, Wake Me Up from My Spiritual

Sugar-Overdose Induced Comma!

As I reflect more on all this, crazy as it may sound, I deeply believe that it is NOT Jesus' words that are giving us spiritual indigestion. Not at all! A little thought actually crossed my mind that, perhaps, what is giving all of us some serious digestive trouble as we take in God's Word is ....that our stomachs might be a tad too accustomed to:

• Spiritual sugar-coated sweets also known as Scar-Pain-Suffering-Free Gospel, which is not the Gospel of the Crucified and Risen Savior at all, but only a cheap imitation of it;
  
  
• Highly processed spiritual milk at best and junk food (perhaps even poison) at worst, served to us in many unsuspecting ways and many forms, sometimes even through sermons proclaimed from the pulpits and places of recognized and 'approved' spiritual authorities around the world (I am not naming any names here, you know who you are);
  
  
• Predigested spiritual 'food' substitutes readily available in the many daily devotionals of the type You-Too-Can-Be-Holy-(and-HAPPY!!!)-In-Just-Five-Minutes-By-Following-These-Three-Quick-And-Easy-Steps

All this, coupled with our own

lazy

comfort-seeking

stubborn

independent

arrogant

I-want-what-I-want-and-I-want-it-RIGHT-NOW!!! flesh makes it almost impossible to resist avoiding God's Word as a plague.

Add to all that our

super-smart,

ever-agile and

on-high-alert Enemy who simply wants to keep us asleep in our artificial-spiritual-sweetener-induced coma...

... and you get a perfect recipe for keeping the status quo- well, same-old-same-old.

C.S. Lewis wrote about this much more eloquently than I ever could in his book The Screwtape Letters. If you have it on your bookshelf collecting dust, I would warmly recommend you dust it off and crack it open... well, maybe not! Most of my recommendations to my readers are quite dangerous and should always be followed only at your own risk!

Considering all this, no wonder one needs to search for a true follower of Christ under a superpower microscope. Or as a famous Greek philosopher used to do, carrying a candlelight in broad daylight.

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 6

Not for Babies or Weak-stomach Vegetarians or Vegans

Having pushed a pause button for a few minutes, exhaling and inhaling several times until I feel my breathing is slowly returning to normal, my brain is once again thinking somewhat clearly, I assess the passage again. I have found that my worked-up emotions tend to interfere with my ability to discern and understand the truth, so whenever I sense them bubbling up, I know it's time for 'pause' button.

Giving the passage the second look, suddenly, I see... I see that there is a lot of thick, juicy red meat in this passage. No baby food, like milk and rice cereal. No one can tell by looking at me, but I admit that I love red meat... I am quite a carnivore, you know... I like sinking my teeth into a nice chunk of solid protein, pig protein being my favorite, especially when well-seasoned and thrown on the BBQ...

So, I start engaging my wild imagination and reflecting on what would life look like if those who profess to know Christ started actually living out His words...

The very first thing that comes to my mind (since I am a MOM!) is that this could downright dangerous!

Not to mention, CRA-ZY!

But the third thought actually surprises even me! Which is... that perhaps, just perhaps, this could also be

ABSOLUTELY,

OUTRAGEOUSLY

BEAUTIFUL, and

WONDERFUL, AND...

FUN!!!

And, that maybe, it is not Jesus' words that are giving us spiritual indigestion. Not at all! Perhaps what is giving us all this digestive troubles as we take in God's Word is ....

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 5

Cavorting With Enemies

I believe that by now we have established that Jesus has made some pretty outrageous claims about filial relationships.

Surprisingly enough, having read the Bible through and through several times, I have never ever come across a place where He apologizes for His 'out there' claims. But, hey, I am not a biblical scholar. If there is one who has stooped down to read my writings, I would invite him/her here to share his/her personal knowledge of such apology. I would be happy to both give him/her my audience as well as a platform to share with us the results of their scholarly findings.

However, what I would like to share today is taking us in the direction of... hmmm.... How shall I put it?

Going off the deep end...?

Walking off the face of the Earth...

Losing touch with, you know, reality. C'mmon, you gotta be real, you know...

For, not only Jesus doesn't apologize for his statements about our nearest and dearest being our enemies. He actually brings it up a notch... or two... or several hundred decibels...

Listen to these - that is, listen, if you dare... and don't complain to me later I didn't give you a warning - word of Jesus:

You're familiar with the old written law,

'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion,

'Hate your enemy.'

I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to

love your enemies.

Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.

When someone gives you a hard time, respond with

the energies of prayer,

for then you are working out of your true selves,

your God-created selves.

This is what God does.

He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—

to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.

If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus?

Anybody can do that.

If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal?

Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. (Matthew 5:43-47, Message)

I don't know about you, but these words make a bit... uncomfortable.

I feel...

I feel like I need to stop and take some time to digest...

Think about it a little.

This is not something I encounter in my everyday conversations with my friends, coworkers and neighbors... It's so... sooo out there, if you know what I mean...

CopyCat 007 No Scar? by Amy Carmichael

No Scar?

Hast thou no scar?

No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?

I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;

I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.

Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?

Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,

Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent

By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.

Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No Scar?

Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,

And pierced are the feet that follow Me.

But thine are whole; can he have followed far

Who hast no wound or scar?

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 4

God's My Streetlight in a Dark Alley on the Wrong Side of Town

You turn the lights on,

You liberate,

You captivate,

You fortify.

Don't know about anxiety,

when You turn the lights on;

You fortify me.

You fortify me.

Don't know about anxiety.

God's a streetlight in a dark alley

on the wrong side of town.

He's my bodyguard -

so who's about to mug me?

He's my protection -

what's about to worry me?

Don't know about anxiety,

since you've been around.

Psalm 27

the street bible by rob lacey,

Zondervan 2003;

for more information, visit

www.thestreetbible.com

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 3

All in the Family...

With the living and eternal God as my goal and guide

fear and anxiety preempt no place in my life.

All the evil in the world is not able to destroy Him,

nor can it destroy anyone within His loving embrace.

The very legions of hell lay siege to my soul,

only to be thwarted by a power far greater.

I have one primary and ultimate desire;

to abide within the love and acceptance of God.

Within His tender care I know I am safe.

Thus I shall stand tall

regardless of threatening enemies and the tyranny of evil.

I will counter the subtle voices of temptation

with exclamation of praise to my God.

My God does hear when I cry out to Him.

He does not ignore my needs,

nor is He indifferent to my desires.

He will not let me go

even if my very own family should turn against me.

He will sustain me and keep me on course

through the dangers and pitfalls of this life.

It is possible to know and experience God's love

in this uncertain, tumultuous existence.

Take courage,

step out in faith,

scorning consequences.

Let God have His way with you.

Psalm 27

(poetically expressed by

Leslie F. Brandt, Psalms Now,

Concordia Publishing House,

St. Louis, Missouri

1973)

Apology to my Russian Brothers and Sisters

It has come to my attention that in one of my not so recent posts I might have inadvertently offended some of my Russian brothers and sisters.

I will not use my warped sense of humor, nor my most sincere motives as an excuse for something that can cause unwarranted pain in another human being. There is enough pain in this world as is, and I have absolutely no desire to create or add to pain to the already inevitably painful human existence since we live in the world after The Fall.

My heart's hope and desire has always been (since I came to know Christ) and continues to be that I am an empty vessel fully surrender to God's loving hand so that the Spirit of Jesus Christ who lives in me (and all of those who receive Him) can have an unhindered way to pour His love, grace, truth and healing into anyone who is open to His gracious offer of forgiveness and life eternal.

Of course, like anyone else, I am very much a work-in-progress. I fail every day. I sin every day. I confess my sins and appropriate the cleansing afforded to us through Christ's death on the cross every day. I invite the Holy Spirit to fill me again and again many times throughout the day, because I am so stinkin' independent and bent on speeding through life guided by my own sense of values, priorities and often external pressures.

I also see the Lord using my failures and weaknesses (in addition to just the plain 'getting old') to slow me down, to 'force' me to turn to Him in prayer and to rely on the wisdom of His word and the gracious ways of His Spirit moment by moment, day by day in all my dealings with His world and the people I interact, both in real life and virtually.

All this to say, if God turned the most cataclysmic event in human history - the death of His Son - into a transforming power-house of eternal life, hope, salvation and wisdom for daily living poured into our lives, it is my prayer and earnest hope that this offense and my public acknowledgment and repentance would become a source of healing and hope not only for me and my Russian friends, but also for many others throughout the entire globe who read this blog.

Needless to say that my true and honest feelings toward all my Slavic brothers and sisters are so far from any off-hand, silly comments I might have made in a feeble attempt to be funny.

I LOVE my heritage. In a healthy way, I am proud of it and of all the peoples that belong to the wide river of Slavs both in general and in their specific groupings. I love our the deep passion for life, the extravagant capacity for suffering and ability to rise out of ashes like phoenix again and again. I love our dedication to reading, to history, to amazing hospitality and generosity (these are the areas I still need to grow in and develop!).

We love to argue and still be friends. We talk sex. We talk politics. We talk relationships. We talk RELIGION!!! We talk about things nobody else on earth dares talking about except under the strictly-regulated relationship of mental-health counselor and their client (paying, of course, a handsome fee every time - 50 minute session - for the privilege we, without a thought, freely and generously offer to each other over a drink in a local coffee shop!).

I believe this world would be much poorer, shallower, more superficial place if there was no Russia, and no wonderfully (and dangerously!) wild Slavs, for that matter, on the world map. I could say so much more but I hope this will suffice to articulate some of my thoughts and feelings towards my larger Slavic family. I hope these thoughts would be tiny footsteps towards greater intimacy in our relationship with the Lord who created all of us, and greater appreciation for the marvelous complexity of the global Body of Christ and the delightful world of variety we live in.

I am grateful in advance for the forgiveness I hope you will extend to me.

Most sincerely,

Your Writer and His

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 1

With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemies?!!!

If you haven't realized this already, let me spell it out for all of us:

Filial relationships are terribly complicated.

Some loves in our lives are agents of hate and suffocation.

Some hates are agents of true love and freedom.

Now, who in the world can figure this one out?!!!

Jesus, of course, has a word or two to say on such convoluted topic - not that His words help us clarify the issues, at least not at first sight. In fact, it seems like He makes it all the more confusing!

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I didn't come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' Matthew 10:34-36 NKJ

Jesus is not talking here about our usual, daily, fleshly, self-serving bickering and fighting with each other inside our households. Some level of fighting and disturbance of our 'precious' peace and comfort may actually be quite healthy for our spiritual growth and development. This is how children become adults. Without the wrestling and working through the process until the heart resolution is reached, people remain children, no matter how many years they have lived on this earth.

What He is talking about here are deeply embedded bonds of filial affection which run through the core of our being. These affections, if left unchecked, will eventually strangle the life out of us and ultimately destroy us:

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Matthew 10:37-38 NKJ

Before we could experience true freedom in Christ, we must face the suffocating grip of our most precious filial relationships - between parents and children; husband and wife; closest friends.

Who is my true friend? I often wonder.

This is too difficult for us to figure if we rely solely on what we see and hear, or even feel towards another person. In order to discern 'friends' from 'enemies' we need strict evaluation of the fruit the other person is bearing in our life - is it leading to life and more life, or is it going in the opposit direction. We also need the spiritual discernment the Holy Spirit gives to all who ask Him. For, things are rarely as they seem. But, the Lord God Almighty is never fooled by apearances, by the sham, by the facade. He sees right through them.

Where His gaze is fixed is on our heart and the fruit-bearing capacities of our lives empowered by His Holy Spirit. This is where the battle between good and evil is won or lost. Everything else flows from this wellspring of life or pit of darkness and death.

For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12 NKJ

CopyCat 007 - Filial Relationships... The Many Faces of Love Part 2

The Many Faces of Love Part 2

Could It Be that My Most Cherished Friend is Perhaps My Worst Enemy...?

As if exposing the suffocating aspect of out-of-bounds loving feelings wasn't complicated enough, Jesus comes to us with yet another blow to our smug self-satisfaction and false sense of security.

Listen carefully to Jesus' words in recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew 10:34-39:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Huh?!!??

Let me clarify this again.

Huh?!!??Huh?!!??

I still clearly remember even though it happened more than a quarter of a century ago when I heard these words of Jesus spoken in my hearing for the first time. At the time, I was very young, very, very ambitious, quite educated atheist and beyond description proud of all my 'amazing' accomplishments which I have achieved by exertion of self-determination, impeccable work ethic I inherited from my parents and through exercising and developing my unique gifts and sense of calling on my life. I thought I was 'all that' and actually had a resume to prove it, if anybody dared question me. Nobody did. At least not until the day I heard Jesus speak, loud and clear, in my own mother tongue, through His Written Word.

My instant gut response to the outrageous claim He had made was,

Who do You think You are to make such outlandish claims?!!! No ONE on this Earth has the right to demand such wholehearted allegiance to him or herself!

I was miffed!

I don't think He really responded in words to my anger and outrage. His response was more like a gentle breeze, like a rumor of a mountain stream carrying a message of love, grace, truth and acceptance... Something like along the lines of...

Great question... good point... Let's work on it...

Work on it?!! What are you talking about?!!! There is nothing to work on! It's a YES-NO question. It's EITHER-OR. I offer no negotiation option to the enemy, whoever he may be.

I admit it - all my life, my youthful zeal has tended to haunt and harass me as my greatest weakness... But, as I am getting older and hopefully, wiser, I've also recognized that I can channel it in such a way that it becomes a wonderful strength. Surrendering not simply to the force of passion, but to the God who has woven is fearfully and magnificently inside our mother's wombs, the God who both gives us the passions and helps us master them by His Holy Spirit to His glory and praise.

"A man of too many friends comes to ruin,..." Proverbs 18:24a

Are you with me?

Copycat 007 - No Guts No Glory

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17,18

Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord
2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:1-13

Spiritual Formation for Dummies - Never despise the power of small things (especially if they are children of God)

Never ever underestimate the power of small, seemingly insignificant and irrelevant things - especially if you proclaim that they are important... like a useless activity such as prayer, or the boring, ineffective and non-sensical word of the Living God...

Note from the author: This post was originally published on March 19, 2012 under the tittle, I want patience and I want it RIGHT NOW, as a part of a larger series Whining Fast 101 that evolved into Spiritual Formation 101, now tweaked to Spiritual Formation for Dummies. I believe that the truths conveyed in these posts are so essential to our healthy spiritual growth and spiritual maturity in Christ that I have decided to repost the entries in sequential order, with heartfelt prayer that the Spirit of Jesus Christ would connect the dots for you and all God's children so that you would be strengthened in your heart, mind and spirit and we all would be empowered by Him to live godly lives of courageous faith and humble service amidst the adulterous, self-serving, wicked and perverse generation among whom we apear as lights. Keep in mind that this rotten, corrupt world is the very same world which Christ loved and sacrificed His life for it. We are His ambassadors.

God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconcilliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.2 Corinthians 5:19-21

Now back to the Gardener from Outer Space and his first person singular Dummy...

I roll out of the truck hitting the pavement like a cannon ball. In the palm of his hand there are several individually labeled small plastic bags, each one containing seeds of a different kind.

You gotta be kidding me… I groan, … This is going to take FOR-E-VER! Why can’t we just go to Home Depot and get some of their ready-to-go, instantly blooming perennials…? , but he doesn’t seem to hear any of it, lost in a world all of his own.

He picks up a seed and looks at me,

You want a miracle…? Here’s a miracle, right in front of your nose.

It’s just a seed…

Yes, that’s what you see… but inside this seed… hidden… inside this tiny, lonely, easily ignored and trampled upon, seemingly insignificant seed, there is packed away an entire universe bursting with life, and energy, fruits and flowers and more seeds… ready to explode, creating more universes all around ...

For a few moments I forget to breathe, listening to him, transfixed, feeling I was awarded a front row seat featuring the Creation of the Universe…

But, before any of that can happen, he pauses as if remembering something, the little seed must fall into the ground… and die.

Die??? I gasp, choking on my own breath, suddenly transported back to reality.

Yep, he sighs simply, no other way. Sometimes I wish there were… but, from the way he sounds, I wonder if he might be talking about something else other than zucchini and tomatoes.

Unless the little seed is willing to lay down in the ground and die... He suddenly interrupts himself, and motions with his hand,

But, let’s get to work… I follow him slowly in a funeral procession for the bunch of little seeds. He turns my vegetable garden into a small burial plot for broccoli, squash, basil and cilantro and proceeds with the flowers… My face is so long it drags along the grass as I drag my feet behind. We make small signs and put them next to the neatly sown rows. For some reason, I feel like crying. How can something that's supposed to be happy and festive, a celebration of the crowning gardening activity - planting - turn into something so depressing and sad?!!!

What’s up? He lifts his head and looks at my morose body parts sprawled all across the lawn. I am a dirge incarnate. He shakes his head and bursts into laughter,

Cheer up, you silly goose… this is not about death… at least not all about death… This is about LIFE, real life… this death is just a passage into life … that is Life indeed.

Spiritual Formation for Dummies - National Planting Day!

Note from the author:  This post was originally published on March 16, 2012 as a part of a larger series Whining Fast 101 that evolved into Spiritual Formation 101, now tweaked to Spiritual Formation for Dummies.  I believe that the truths conveyed in this and subsequent posts are so essential to our healthy spiritual growth and spiritual maturity in Christ that I have decided to repost these entries in sequential order, with heartfelt prayer that the Spirit of Jesus Christ would connect the dots for you and all God's children so that you would be blessed and we all would be empowered by His Holy Spirit to live godly lives of courageous faith and humble service amidst the adulterous, self-serving, wicked and perverse generation among whom we apear as lights in the same world which Christ loved and sacrificed His life for it.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. Philippians 2:14-16

Now back to the Gardener from Outer Space and his first person singular Dummy...

I am so taken aback by his statement about insipid gardening that the next few days I just follow him around without asking any questions. We pick up broken branches, pull a weed here and a stray crocus there, he replaces the rotten wood and fixes the sagging backyard fence.

We always take a lunch break – after my seven-year long manure fast I find all my taste buds are wide awake and eager to celebrate food in all its flavors, textures and delightful varieties. He asks me to teach him some Serbian phrases, so I make him conjugate verb ishchachkati person, gender, number and tense and threaten to make him go through all seven declensions of the word komarac – singular and plural. We laugh together as he butchers the grammar and pronunciation of my mother tongue. He fails to convince me of the value of country music and we talk politics for hours without getting mad at each other. It feels as if my life has entered some kind of a time warp and I’m shocked to discover that I actually love it. I am getting used to his pace – he is always working, and yet never rushing and somehow always resting. Even though he doesn’t wear a watch, he just knows the right time… for everything. At first it’s really hard to wake up each morning not knowing every dot, ampersand and underscore of my day. But I am learning to wait on his cue. Sometimes they are as subtle as the truckload of manure dumped on my driveway. Other times it’s as loud as the footsteps on the St. Augustine grass.

One day he taps on the window and announces,

National Planting Day! I jump out of bed like a firecracker, decide I don’t need coffee and bolt out of the front door. This is the day I’ve been waiting for! In my book, the sole purpose of gardening is summarized in one word – planting. I hop onto the passenger seat of his white truck and wait for him to fire up the engine. Field-trip to my favorite place on planet Earth – Home Depot!

What are you doing there? He asks, and clarifies it with another question,

Where do you think you are going? I look at him through the rolled-down window, thoroughly confused.
What do you mean, ‘where do you think you are going’? You said it’s the National Planting Day…

Soooo…

Well, we need things to plant. I am getting a little impatient. When I want to plant something, I go to the place where miracles happen every day, THE amazing miracle factory - our neighborhood Home Depot!

He shakes his head and if I didn’t know him, I would think he thinks I am hopeless.

We don’t need to go to Home Depot. We already have everything we need to make your garden a place ‘where miracles happen every day’ – I can’t tell whether he is mocking me or not - right here. With that, he taps his denim shirt pocket.

I squint, still firmly planted in the passenger seat of his white truck, half-expecting to see the blooming perennials in his front pocket.