Category: life lessons

Wondering Where the Lions Are?

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Lynda Finch Art

“Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.”

1 Kings 10:20

These statues had to be remarkable.  They seemed to stand guard, everyone who entered had to pass by them.  Symmetrically and aesthetically, they would’ve been placed six on the right and six on the left.  Each lion was placed at the end of the step.  Over the centuries, lions are a wonderful symbol of sovereignty , and in them, like nothing else, we can hold concepts of strength, dignity and royalty.

Lions are emblematic of ‘rootedness’ and stability.  Those who ‘wear the lion’ are intentionally connecting to this ‘strength’ and are stating they admire and respect all that the lion represents.  King Solomon intentionally chose the lion to guide the kingdom and give direction.

Lions cannot be domesticated.  They serve no one.  They cannot be made tame or docile.  Being carnivorous their appetites are something to be aware of.  (Lions have a tendency to be a tad irrational when hungry.)  But in spite of this they are amazing animals.  Fierce and intense, when they need to be, they watch over each other.  They do not mingle with other species of animals. They are set apart.

For the Christian believer, there is a definite ‘lion connection’.  We know Jesus as ‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah’, (Rev. 5:5).  His majesty and power have been intentionally referred to by believers throughout the centuries.  Jesus exhibits all the good attributes about lions, and none of the bad.

I wonder where the lions are?  Where are those who would stand against the evil we see today?  John, the Baptist stood in the light, and he would not take a step back.  We see him boldly confronting the wickedness of his day, and in it all, he would not bend; and yet it seems that’s what others thought he should do.

The lions, where are they?  There is a boldness that is missing in our churches.  It seems as if the lions on the front steps have been taken from us.  We haven’t even noticed, but they are not there anymore.  Even if the lions were returned to us, there would be a whole scale rejection of such fanaticism.  Lions are simply not ‘in style’ for the modern American believer. Lions defy so much of the protocol and etiquette of this present moment. They are simply not ‘politically correct.”

But what will we do without the lions?  Their absence may seem somewhat minor.  We don’t need them to give us authority or moral courage, after all we really should do this on our own. But we must receive a boldness and decisiveness from the Holy Spirit.  He has the ability that we need to follow Him.  We need men and women to live their lives as ‘spiritual’ lions.

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ybic, Bryan

Open Doors

gay

Jesus comes for each man, woman and child.  Every person is precious. Our sin may separate us from others. Jesus Christ seeks every heart. Sin has been dealt with on the cross, completely and surely. We are loved down to the deepest fiber of our being.

Sometimes cultures create categories of sin. But handling sin without the protective gloves of the Holy Spirit will only contaminate us, no matter what the sin. Taking precautions we should help each other find freedom, not condemnation.

The sin maybe adultery, drunkenness, stealing, hatred, or murder. It could be cheating on our income taxes. It could even be homosexuality. But only God’s love can be trusted to forgive and restore us. A repentant heart is all it takes. Why not ask Him to show you how to repent? Jesus told the woman who had committed adultery:

 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11, NLT).

 

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, I declare to you that all sin is forgiven. Return to Him like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). “We’ll keep the porch light on.”  We look forward to the party of the redeemed heart.

aabryplain

Blisters & Porcupines: How We Learn to Love

Dog vs. Porcupine

“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.”

2 Cor. 5:17, CEV

“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.”

Philippians 4:2

I learned about blisters learning to ride a horse.  Starting out I envisioned John Wayne, and every ‘cowboy’ movie I had ever seen.  Being 11 years old, gave me tremendous wisdom and experience.  Needless to say I gave up after being thrown headfirst three times.  The ground was very hard, and I’m sure the horse thought it was hilarious.

I also got blisters on my butt from the saddle.  Funny, I healed up pretty quick from the ‘throws’ but not so much when it came these tiny sores.  They were the worst pain I ever confronted in my short life.  These excruciating little carbuncles caused me several days of grief.  (My mom got me a pillow to sit on at the supper table).

There are blisters on the Body of Christ.  Little sores from too much rubbing.  Over time of contact, there comes an abrading and a redness.  Soon after it will deepen and get larger in size.  It’s very possible you will not notice until it is too late to avoid it.

So many of us are like porcupines.  (I think they are the official Christian mascot.) When challenged our quills get deployed.  A porcupine is pretty much defensive focused rodent.  It is only when handled that it will get riled up.  Again, many of us are reasonably passive, but when crossed we have a real problem.  Some have tamed this response, and as a result are more approachable than others. Others will lash back.

Our relationships will be a continual issue for us.  We will often meet people who will trigger a response in us.  Some have a ‘hair trigger’ around certain people they meet in their day.  We generally surround ourselves with those we’re compatible with. Part of the reason is that it is taxing and it requires so much energy to extend our quills. 

We learn to steer clear of personalities that are not worth the level to maintain. But generally “porcupine people” teach us more than we realize. I think that is their true purpose.

How we treat each other as believers is critical.  We must beseech the Lord to give us soft and loving hearts.  He was compassionate to us when we were so abrasive to Him (and others).  We need to see that we are not called to be compatible– we are called to love.

Part of our transformation will come when we learn to serve.  When we surrender our rights, and humbly submit, something changes in us.  We will become like Jesus (long-term) when we become like Jesus (short-term).  It is all on you.

aabryscript

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The Real God-pleaser

pleasing-god-view

“Brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.”

1 Thessalonians 4:1, NLT

We live to pleasure God. This is the way of the Christian believer. It is one of the driving purposes of the remainder of our lives. Pleasing God is fundamental. We live to gladden His heart.

Jesus lived to please His Father. At His baptism, “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy” (Matthew 3:17). And we read Jesus’ own words,  “And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” (John 8:29).

God was pleased with Jesus; He not once did a thing apart from His Father’s will. I’m certain Jesus could have– but He didn’t. Jesus the Son, always wanted to live a life that would make His Father proud.

In our own discipleship this level of piety and devotion “gets the hiccups.’ Things seldom run so smooth. Remember when you first tried to drive a stick shift. Down the street I went stalling and jumping and jerking. It was a miracle any of my passengers survived. But this is how you learn.

Paul wrote the Church in Thessalonica, “to live in such a way as to please God.” In spite of what you might think, this is the proper attitude of His servant. It is attainable and authentic way to live. Just as Jesus pleased God with the Holy Spirit, we too can be empowered to live a God-pleasing life. We do this through our faith.

The singular issue (it seems to me) is making right choices. I know many other things are involved in this, but saying ‘No’ to disobedience is a significant decision. And it’s just as important to say ‘Yes’ to our Father’s will. This ‘no-yes combination,’ fueled by the infilling of the Holy Spirit, will lead us to please the Lord.

I simply want to encourage you to be a ‘God-pleaser’ today. Just for today, live to bring Him joy. Charm Him. Ask God to fill you and then guide you through your busy day. He most definitely will.

aabryscript