Clean Your Spiritual House

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…”  (Colossians 3: 8 – 10)

The approach of a new year motivates most to clean up and throw away things. My wife just told me she organized the food pantry. I have gone through my clothes closet and thrown away or given away a number of things that no longer fit or have served their day. Why not apply the same techniques to your moral and spiritual life? The text gives an inventory to work with, things to “put off.” 

Anger, org? is the emotion of instant displeasure on account of something.

Wrath, thymos, is anger on steroids, to be “snorting angry.”

Malice is a desire to destroy something or someone.

Blasphemy primarily means to defame someone, also it is impious, and irreverent speech against God.

Bitterness is the number one sin of Christians. There is the old axiom, “Bitterness does more harm to the vessel it is stored in than it does to the one on which it is poured.” Therefore, “Be kind, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake has forgiven you.”

Filthy language, enough said.

Equally clear is the meaning of a lie. It is meant to deceive. Now look at the New Living Translation of the text.

“But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Colossians 3: 8 – 10)

Now after this house cleaning you can begin to “put on the new nature,” the person God created you to be. It is expedient to clean house and build your spiritual resources. Not knowing what is ahead, we need all the strength possible to deal wit it. We have no assurance 2021 will be better than 2020, nor that it won’t be worse. For self-encouragement sing to yourself . . . . 

“… because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future, 
And life is worth the living just because He lives.”

For an encore sing, “You are Good Good Father.”

Your Emotional Equilibrium

Happiness is not something to be sought or bought. It is a beautiful by-product of a job well done, a secondary or indirect product. We get detracted from the objective of happiness when we think it is to be found in good things, places and people. That trio is important, but as objective in seeking happiness they do no not result in happiness. Car bumper stickers assure us, “I would rather be…” Fill in the blank.

Happiness cannot be traveled to, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience resulting from doing your best at everything, living every minute with love, grace, and devotion to God and those around you with gratitude.

Happiness is a beautiful by-product, the result of another action, often unforeseen or unintended.

Imagine you are a teenager in high school with a big test coming up. The night before you stay up until midnight studying for it. Your eyes are burning, your shoulders cramping, and your back aching.

The next day you take the test and ace it, a perfect score. You are overjoyed, happy, elated. The night before while studying you were not thinking about happiness, you were concerned about doing a good job. You did, and the beautiful by-product was rightfully happiness.

The same is true of every task you undertake throughout life. Do a good job and enjoy the benefit … happiness.

A theme text of mine has been Colossians 3: 23, “Whatsoever your do, do it heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto man.”

Pleasing the Lord in the way you do all you do can bring happiness.

If you do what you do in a way that pleases the Lord and people complain and criticize you, you don’t get depressed, you didn’t do it for them, you did it for Him.

If you do what you do in a way that pleases the Lord and people brag on you, and compliment you, you don’t have an ego fit, you didn’t do it for them, you did it for Him.

This can help maintain your emotional equilibrium, avoid faux highs and lows, that is.

Always be kind to your tomorrow-self by doing today what you do well and pleasing to the Lord. Your tomorrow-self must live with the memories being created by your today self.

Happiness looks good on you … wear it well.

So live and serve as to hear the Master say, “’Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

Peace On Earth

Twas the season to be jolly.  With Christmas in the rear view mirror, now what?

Jesus Christ, “the Prince of Peace,” knowing His followers would be aliens in an antagonistic society said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

At His birth an angelic messenger said, “Peace on earth, good will toward men…”  Cynics scoffed at such an idea. Mockery is still made of the idea. 

Misanthropists delight to say it has been nearly 2,000 years and this promise hasn’t been realized.

Henry W. Longfellow penned the words that sum up the concept held by many:

“I heard the bells on Christmas day 
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth good-will to men.

“And in despair I bowed my head:
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said.
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

True, hate is strong. Read it in the headlines of international news. Observe the daily local news reports of lives taken. Observe it in our schools where students have so much going for them, yet, they show disregard for one another and inflict physical, emotional, and psychological pain on each other.

In despair we might agree, “There is no peace on earth!”

A Biblical perspective seems to have swept across Longfellow’s thoughts as he continued to write:

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
God is not dead, nor does He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will toward men!”

It is to people in the antagonistic environment where hate is strong that Christ said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

This angelic message is misunderstood to be a prophecy of peace. Instead it is a prescription for peace. Only when taken does it work.

There is an acid soil in which a sweet fruit grows. In Galatians 5:22 “the fruit of the Spirit” is noted. First, to be mentioned is “love,” followed by “joy,” and third is “peace.”

These virtuous fruit have their source in the Lord. They are sustained and maintained only by Him. These are not human achievements. They are the product of the work of the Holy Spirit in human lives.

Christ said, “My peace I give to you…” It is a gift that is ours because of Christ’s  atonement, not our attainment. 

Christ said it is “My peace” and I “give” it. It isn’t like that which the world offers. The world offers what it cannot give, the world cannot take away the peace Jesus offers.

Like any prescription, it has to be taken to be effective. Commit to the Lord and take His offer of peace.

Merry Christmas!

Today we celebrate the wonderful miracle of our Savior’s birth, called Christmas. May your celebration contain time to pause and say “Thank you Lord.”

This post is brief to allow time for togetherness, if possible.

In there is no one with you for this celebration, you are really not alone for He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you, I will be with you always.” He is there. Rejoice and read the following which is from Luke 2:1 – 20.

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

May you currently glorify and praise God to insure it is a MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Joy Was Worth the Journey

The celebration of Christmas as a religious event is based on the Bible narrative of the events associated with the birth of Jesus. Extra-biblical insight gives a fuller understanding.  I have traveled the reputed route more than 25 times and marvel that a teenage girl, nine months pregnant, could make the 90 mile trip in approximately six or seven days. This is the customary route and conditions of the era for travel from the Galilee to Bethlehem and/or Jerusalem. These  two latter cities  were only about 13 miles apart.

Ancestors of Mary and Joseph had been moved from Bethlehem to the area of Nazareth by the government years earlier. That is why the two villages are associated, causing some people confusion as to where Jesus was born.

First, the method of travel. There would have been no donkey. Donkeys were small animals employed for village and urban use, not long journeys. Camels were for commerce, horses for wealthy Romans. If there was an animal used in their travels, it would have been the more popular mule. However, it is highly unlikely there was an animal involved. The poor young couple could not have afforded one. They would have likely walked.

For this same reason the Wise Men would not have ridden camels, Such a commercial animal would have been beneath their dignity, Again donkeys would not have been the choice. They probably traveled on mules. Camels had only been domesticated for a short time.

Mary and Joseph would have left Nazareth and rendezvoused with a group at the south end of the Sea of Galilee. Robbers and predators made it essential to travel in groups. Small militias were paid to escort groups.

One day out from the Sea of Galilee they would have camped outside the pagan city of Beit She’an. They would not have spent time in the city because of its pagan nature.

Here they would have crossed to the east bank of the Jordan River and walked four days through the area of Perea, governed by Antipas. This part of the journey to Jericho would have brought them to the place known as Bethabara, “Place of Crossing,” where they could cross the Jordan back to the west bank. Here they would have encountered the hostility of the people of Judea who detested Galileans. 

Roman soldiers were always at the crossing searching for travelers and Zealots who despised Romans. Mary and Joseph would have made efforts to avoid the Romans in that they were pagans and contact would have defiled them, making them ceremonially unclean.

This was the area where John would later have baptized Jesus as an adult.

The site is today known as Qasr el Yahud.

From here they would have experienced the two hardest days of the journey.

On this section of the journey they would encounter many Roman soldiers.

They would have ascended nearly 2,000 feet through the Wilderness of Judea to Bethlehem. Years earlier David referred to the valley in the 23rd Psalm as the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Today it is known as Wadi (valley) Kelt and runs from Jerusalem to Jericho.

Now reflect, mules, distance, terrain, robbers, predators, Romans, detesting Judeans, and Mary’s condition made for a challenging journey requiring  a hearty and determined couple. Seems like an unplanned trip. Reality is it had been planned and prophetically written of years in advance to have a MERRY CHRISTMAS.