“Farther Along…”

 A hymn we sing in worship is titled Farther Along by W.B. Stevens. The chorus lyrics are:

“Farther Along, we’ll

Know all about it.

Farther Along, we’ll

Understand why.

Cheer up, my brother;

Live in the sunshine.

We’ll understand it;

All by and by.”

I often refer to this when things in life don’t make sense to me. Instances such as:

• When a friend that you trusted for years betrays you…
• The shootings in Paris…
• The disappearance of the Malaysian and now AirAsia planes….
• The total and utter disrespect given to President Barack Obama that has never been given to any other president…
• When evil people seem to prosper and good people suffer or die too soon...
• When people reveal their “true colors”…
• When people that you esteemed highly prove not to be who you thought they were…
• America’s desire for greed at the expense of human life…
• How the wealthy can have so little compassion for the poor…

The Bible highlights this:

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct[a] your paths.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV): 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Romans 8:28 (NKJV): 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV): “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NKJV):  That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.

Memorable Quotes:

“I don’t know what my future holds, but I know who holds my future.”  - Tim Tebow

 “Every experience God gives us, every person he puts into our lives is the perfect preparation for only a future He sees.” – Corrie ten Boom

“Be okay with not knowing for sure what might come next, but know that whatever it is…you will be okay.”

“Faith is a place of mystery where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our sense of uncertainty.” – Brene’ Brown

“If you live in fear of the future because of what happened in your past, you'll end up losing what you have in the present.”

“I need to learn how to be content with simple not knowing and be at peace with the notion that everything does not need an explanation.”

“Accept what is, Let go of what was, and Have faith in what will be.”

We must strive to enjoy today and know that one day,” farther along, we’ll understand  why"…

“You Knew I Was A Snake…”

Many of us have heard this story:

A man started to climb a high, steep mountain when a snake asked the man to carry him along. "But you're a snake," the man said. The snake smiled. "Don't worry. I won't bite you." After days of arduous climbing, the man reached the mountain summit, whereupon the poisonous snake bit him. As he lay dying, the man cried out, "You said you wouldn't bite me!" His reptilian hitchhiker looked at him and said, "Ha! You knew I was a snake when you picked me up." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV2AYZ6Y3ds

The Farmer and the Viper is one of Aesop's Fables. It has the moral that kindness to the evil will be met by betrayal. The singer Al Wilson introduced a variant telling of the fable in his song "The Snake" (1968).

There it is a 'tender woman' who finds a dying, half-frozen snake on the side of the road and takes it home to revive it. The snake later bites her, then says as she is dying in disbelief, "Silly woman, you knew I was a snake before you brought me in!"

[11] This version is repeated in the film Natural Born Killers (1994). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farmer_and_the_Viper

Modern day applications of this include:

• If you fall in love with a man who is cheating on his wife to be with you, while he did the same thing to his 3 previous wives…
• George Zimmerman, who was acquitted for murdering Travon Martin, can be used as an example of consistency of character. He had a past record of domestic abuse, narcissism and law breaches. He has had three arrests since his acquittal in 2013. http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/10/us/george-zimmerman-arrested/
• On her TV show, “Fix My Life,” Iyanla Vanzant interviewed a man that had fathered 34 children, yet had not committed to any of them. Shouldn’t any woman who becomes involved with him consider this? http://www.oprah.com/own-iyanla-fix-my-life/Why-a-Father-of-34-Children-Never-Considered-a-Vasectomy-Video

When you reflect on these things, this quote comes to mind:  “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Albert Einstein

The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (NIV): 33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God…

Matthew 10:16 (NKJV):  “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

Romans 12:21 (NKJV): Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Memorable Quotes:

“When people show you who they are, believe them the first time,” – Dr. Maya Angelou

“If you did what you always did, you will get what you have always gotten.”- Henry Ford

“God did not create evil. Just as darkness is the absence of light, evil is the absence of God.” ― Albert Einstein

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein

“And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power to make of us not simply victims, as nature and accident do, but active accomplices.” ― Joyce Carol Oates

“To see evil and call it good, mocks God. Worse, it makes goodness meaningless. “ ― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“And I must believe that man has the power to know the right, to choose between good and evil and know that his choice has made a difference...” ― Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

Moral of the story:  Evil is Evil. Good is Good. We can have less drama and more peace in our lives if we see, accept and understand  people and things as they are and not how we want them to be…

Your Spiritual “Pat Down”…

Pat Down is defined as “an act of searching a person for concealed items such as weapons or illegal drugs, made by passing the hands over their clothing.”  https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=pat+down

Most of us are aware of the security regulations when traveling by airplane. We are aware of the items you can carry onto the plane and what you cannot.  

When the Security Agents require more assurance of you not being a threat or choose to select people randomly, you will be required to be “waned down” or submit to a “pat down.”  They have to be very clear and confident that you are not taking anything prohibited on the flight.

However many of us need to see this in a spiritual perspective.

Here are a few items that will not be allowed:

• Hate
• Anger
• Bad Thoughts, Words or Deeds
• Resentment
• Grudges
• Lack of love for each other
• Lack of Forgiveness
• Attitudes

How do we think we can enter Heaven and eternity with God, while holding anger, grudges, judgment of others, hatred, discrimination, greed, love of wordly things or even unkindness in our hearts?

We can’t…

This even includes the three major categories of sin:

Sin of omission:  by the Scripture found in James 4:17, ”Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Sin of commission, or perpetration: When one commits this type of sin, they are going into it with full intent and eyes wide open, knowing full well it is against all standards of the Word of God.

There is another description of sin, simply.....” The transgression of the law.“ It takes into play our experience in the everyday work of life. Wherever we are at, whatever we are doing the loving law of God must be observed.  http://www.christianhusbands.org/writings/sin.html

The Bible explains:

1 John 2:1-2 (NIV): My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 3:4 (NIV): 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

Matthew 15:19(NKJV):  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV): 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV): 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

1 Peter 4:8 (NIV): 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 John 1:9 (NKJV): 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Memorable Quotes:

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” – unknown

"Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God." - John Piper

“Worst sin you can commit is a sin you think you can get away with.” -  David. A. Bednar

“The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” – inknown

“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but what we do not do.”

We must be about the business of ridding our minds and hearts of sin so that if God requires you to have a spiritual “pat down,” you will be cleared to enter the gates of Heaven…

 “You’ve Actually Got To Fly the Plane…”

I experienced a flare up of my MS. (Got diagnosed in April 2012) It resulted in a 5-day hospital stay and a 10-day inpatient aggressive rehab stay for occupational and physical therapy. I received 3 hours of therapy per day.

I have been blessed to NEVER have been ill before, in 48 out of my 50 years of life. All of this continues to be a new, yet very humbling experience for me.

One day, as I was working with my Occupational Therapist (Lewis), I shared with him what I resented most about this MS.  Before this diagnosis, I could go about life as I pleased. Now…I have to be very strategic, detailed and logistical about EVERY thing I do.

Case in Point:  “I am going to the grocery store.”

•         How many steps to my car?
•         Which one has the easiest access and mobility carts?
•         Which has the best customer service? (will bring my bags to the car and return  cart to the store)
•        How many bags can I manage when I arrive home?

His response to me was profound: He said:

“Most of us live our lives in “auto pilot”. You are now at a stage in life that “you have to actually fly the plane.”

I now realize that so many people do not pay attention at all to what they are thinking, saying, eating or doing.

It is amazing, when you actually have to grab the steering levers, monitor the control panel and manually & consciously navigate your life.

An article on the blog Tiny Buddha  titled  “ How to Be Fully Awake Instead of Living on Autopilot”  by Loran Hills shares a few tips:

Waking up in the morning and taking off in a flurry of activity after a cup of coffee is not equivalent to being completely awake. It takes practice to calm down, slow down, and become more aware. As creatures of habit, we all tend to move through the day on automatic, sticking to a schedule and a plan. Have you ever arrived at work without quite knowing how you got there? Have you eaten your lunch at your desk and not even tasted it?

What kinds of things can you practice to become more fully alive, more open, and calmer?

1. Sit in stillness.

2. Go outside and feel the wind on your face, smell the fresh air, and connect with nature.

3. Connect with another person, smile, and make eye contact.

4. If you have pets, connect with them through touch.

5. Tune in to your body, let it move, and feed it well.

6. Breathe deeply. .

7. Write, draw, paint, journal, or listen to music.

8. Take pictures with your phone or camera.

9. Give love to yourself and others.

10. Accept things the way they are.

You have to be willing to change before you can take action. If you are willing to fly out of the nest rather than be thrown out, you will be embracing spaciousness. You will experience freedom. http://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-be-fully-awake-instead-of-living-on-autopilot/

The Bible says:

James 2:17 (NKJV): Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Matthew 5:10  (NKJV): Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV):  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Memorable Quotes:

 “A pattern of behavior can become so habitual that one barely notices anymore what it prompts one to do. One feels automatically, thinks automatically and acts automatically.” - ~ Martine Batchelor

“Don’t complain about the results you are not getting by the work you are not doing.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to experience life.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

“Very often, human beings are living like on autopilot, reacting automatically with what happens. What interests me about the life of an explorer is you are in the unknown; you are out of your habits.” - Bertrand Piccard

"We can’t become what we need to be by remaining who we are.” – Oprah Winfrey

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin

So, as challenging as this MS is, it has actually been a blessing. It has forced me to be still; wake up; pay attention; be empathetic; be present and to fully rely on God…

Are you living on “autopilot” or are you actually “flying the plane” of your life?

“Pregnant with Possibilities”

Pregnant is defined as “of a woman or female animal : having a baby or babies developing inside the body; filled with meaning or emotion because of what is going to happen or be said.” http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pregnant

To conceive is to become pregnant or to come up with an idea. Both imply planting a seed for something, either a baby or a thought.  An idea is sometimes called "a seed" or "the seed of an idea," and conceive means to produce something from inside the mind. Another expression is "pregnant with ideas" or "pregnant with possibilities," and someone who can "conceive of a thousand ways" to solve a problem or design something is full of new ideas. http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/conceive

I have heard this expression in the past. Although it sounded interesting, I wasn’t quite sure what it meant.

A blog titled, “PastorDawn” discusses this:  Ian Lawton insists that, “Every moment in life is pregnant with possibility. Every moment awaits your sensual wonder so that you might birth new life in the moment; new possibility, new insight and greater wisdom.” http://pastordawn.com/2014/11/26/pregnant-with-possibility-advent-1b-sermon-mark-1324-37/

Every moment we exist is developing our gifts and talents, waiting for us to “give birth” to them. God has given each one of us unique talents and gifts. It is our responsibility to realize what they are and utilize them for His purpose.

In a blog post titled, “The One Greek Word You Should Know” by J.R. Briggs explains:  Kairos is pregnant time, the time of possibility – moments in our day, our week, our month, our year or our lifetime that define us. It is a crossroads. It has the ripe opportunity to make you bitter or better. It is a teachable moment. It is the right or opportune moment. They are rarely neutral and always leave an impact on us. From a ministry perspective, kairos is the time of God’s activity, the time where we sense God may be trying to get our attention, where we anticipate He may be up to something and it would be wise for us to pay attention in this suspended time and place. http://www.jrbriggs.com/the-one-greek-word-you-ought-to-know/08/

The Bible says:

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV):  And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

1 John 4:4 (NKJV): You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Matthew 19:26 (NKJV): But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 9:23 (NKJV): Jesus said to him, “If you can believe,[a] all things are possible to him who believes.”

Luke 1:37 (NKJV): For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Memorable Quotes

“I dwell in possibilities.” – Emily Dickinson

“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this:  You haven’t." – Thomas Edison

“Nothing is ‘impossible.’ The word itself says: ‘I’m possible.’ “ – Audrey Hepburn

“It all seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” – J.K. Rowling

Our futures are “pregnant with possibilities.” We must make time to be still, pray and "give birth" to them when they are presented to us…

“Do You Know Where You’re Going To?”

The song, “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” was recorded by Diana Ross as the theme to the 1975 Motown/Paramount film Mahogany. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_from_Mahogany_%28Do_You_Know_Where_You%27re_Going_To%29

A few of the lyrics are:

Do you know where you're goin' to?

Do you like the things that life is showin' you

Where are you goin' to? Do you know?

Do you get what you're hopin' for

When you look behind you, there's no open doors

What are you hopin' for? Do you know?

http://www.metrolyrics.com/do-you-know-where-youre-going-to-lyrics-diana-ross.html

As we are about to embark on a new year, this question comes to mind for all of us. 2015 holds many new opportunities to embrace and pursue.

Most of us go through the tedious task of  setting New Year’s Resolutions, but eventually end up not adhering to them.

This may be the time to evaluate the past year. Acknowledge the successes and lessons-learned; the triumphant and trials; the tests and testimonies.  This evaluation may be the compass in helping us determine where we are going.

Nevertheless, I am often reminded of this quote:

“You may make all of your plans in pencil; however, just remember that God has the eraser.”

I have found that the wisest thing for me to do is to pray deeply, asking the Lord what His plans are for me. Understand that He may not reveal it to you all at once. The key is to remain open, humble and receptive to whatever that may be and obedient to it.

The Bible says:

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV):  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV): 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV): 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Proverbs 16:3(NKJV):  Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.

Memorable Quotes:

“Clarify Your Purpose:  What is the WHY behind everything you do? When you know this in life and design, it is very empowering and the path is clear.” – Jack Canfield

“It is never too late to be who you might have been.” – George Eliot

"The most wonderful thing in the world is somebody who knows who they are and knows where they're going and knows what they were created to do" - Bishop T.D. Jakes

“One day, Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. 'Which road do I take?' Alice asked. 'Where do you want to go?' was the Cheshire's response. 'I don't know,' Alice answered. 'Then,' said the cat, 'it doesn't matter.' " – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures  in Wonderland

“God knows where you are today, And he knows how to get you where you need to be. Trust him and follow his leading.”

“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra

 “Which DIRECTION will you take? Do you know where you want to GO? The direction MUST be your OWN. If you don't have a PLAN in place, then you will fit into the plan of someone else. Don't cross your fingers hoping you are going the RIGHT way. You won't get there overnight, but once you TURN a NEW direction with a MAP in hand, you WILL arrive at a BRAND NEW DESTINATION that is crazy.”

“One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go.” – Sheila Murray Bethel

“Do you know where you're going to?” 
Ultimately, we should target our final destination to be Heaven…

“Believe It or Not”

Believe is “to accept or regard (something) as true: to accept the truth of what is said by (someone): to have (a specified opinion) “ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/believe

Belief and Faith are interchangeable.

Faith is “strong belief or trust in someone or something; belief in the existence of God : strong religious feelings or beliefs”  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith

Our society has become one in which we are conditioned to disbelieve things without quantifiable evidence. Yet, I wonder:

• We don’t see the wind, but we feel it blow through our hair…
• We don’t see what makes the rain, but we enjoy the feel on our skin…
• Some may not believe that man can walk on the moon, yet they have…

Just because you choose not to believe something doesn’t make it “not real.”

Many struggle needlessly in believing that God exists.

I read this brief message from Rick Warren in his daily email called “Daily Hope By Rick Warren.” It stated:

In short, you’ll need to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. Most people do just the opposite. They doubt their beliefs and believe their doubts. That’s just dumb. Believe what God tells you in his Word.

I saw a bumper sticker many years ago that said, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” It may be a nice sentiment, but it’s bad theology. The truth is, “God said it, and that settles it — whether I believe it or not.” God’s truth isn’t based on whether you believe it or not. It’s still true even if you don’t believe it, because God can’t lie.  http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/shield-of-faith-protection-money-can-t-buy2

The Bible says:

John 3:18 (NKJV):  “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Luke 1:45 (NKJV):  “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

John 20:29 (NKJV):  Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Matthew 19:26 (NKJV):  But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 9:23 (NKJV):  Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Mark 5:36 (NKJV): As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Powerful Quotes:

“I believe in the sun when it’s not shining, in love when I am alone and in God even when He is silent.”

“Life has a funny way of working out just when you start to believe it never will.”

“I will walk by faith even when I cannot see.”

“Faith is not knowing that God can, it’s in knowing that He will.”

“I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun. Not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.” – C.S. Lewis

God is still our Creator, our Heavenly Father and from whom our blessings  flow. He gave His son Jesus Christ who died on the cross to save us…whether  you choose to believe it or not…