Outlive Our Earthly Lives

A brief post today, but one that I found especially important and inspiring. In the book of Acts, Peter was being asked by a crippled beggar for some silver or gold coins.

Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. (Acts 3:4-8)

Max Lucado writes in his new book, Out Live Your Life:

What if Peter had said, "Since I don't have any silver or gold, I'll keep my mouth shut? But he didn't. He placed his mustard-seed-sized deed (a look and a touch) in the soil of God's love And look what happened.

It is interesting to note that the beggar didn't thank Peter for the healing - he at least knew enough to thank God for it!

Other beggars wanted healing. They watched the cripple dance and exclaimed, "I want my healing! Touch me!"

Lucado:

So Peter complied. He escorted them to the clinic of the Great Physician and invited them to take a seat. "His name,...faith in His name, has made this man strong...Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins my be blotted out, so that time of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord" (vv. 16,19)

Blotted out is a translation of a Greek term that means "to obliterate" or "erase completely." Faith in Christ, Peter explained, leads to a clean slate with God. What Jesus did for the legs of this cripple, he does for our souls. Brand-new!

The Bible verse that tells us that we all "fade as a leaf" in this world indicates that our time here is quite brief - especially compared to all of eternity.

Isa 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness's are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

It is because of our iniquities that we needed a Savior, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place in order that we could repent and be reconciled back unto God.

The story from the book of Acts in the Bible demonstrates the absolute fact that salvation is something we take with us, while money, possessions, fame, education, clothing, food, and everything else that we could do, accomplish, earn and utilize on this earth are all temporary; just items that we leave behind at our death.

However, the love of God and our love for others we take with us into God's kingdom! That is why our own personal salvation and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ for the sake of salvation for others is our daily duty as Christians.

The final commandment that Jesus gave his followers before he ascended back to God the Father was the Great Commission. (see Matthew 28 below).

Lucado:

An honest look led to a helping hand that led to a conversation about eternity. Works done in God's name long outlive our earthly lives. (bold mine)

Mat 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.


Mat 28:2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.


Mat 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.


Mat 28:4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.


Mat 28:5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.


Mat 28:6 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.


Mat 28:7 "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."


Mat 28:8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.


Mat 28:9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.


Mat 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."


Mat 28:11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.


Mat 28:12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,


Mat 28:13 saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'


Mat 28:14 "And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."


Mat 28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.


Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.


Mat 28:17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.


Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.


Mat 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,


Mat 28:20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

NKJV Footnotes:
(28:2) NU-Text omits from the door.
(28:9) NU-Text omits the first clause of this verse.
(28:19) M-Text omits therefore.
(28:20) NU-Text omits Amen.

Hat Tips:

Max Lucado.com: Outlive Your Life book

Blue Letter Bible

Sharing The Bread Of Life

I just began reading Max Lucado's latest book, "Outlive Your Life - You Were Made to Make a Difference." It was one of the gifts that my son bought me for Christmas. Since I had two other books to read before getting to this one, it has taken me two months to start Lucado's book.

I really enjoy Lucado's writing style. He always places some humorous anecdotes in his books while revealing profound truth about living the Christian life that Jesus would have us live. Even though I am only on page 40, the book has already had a great impact on my life.

After reading several pages of Lucado's book, I decided to go online and read what has been published on some of my favorite blogs. However, I got that usual annoying message that my borrowed laptop was "in need of repair." I wanted to skip over that, so I clicked on the choice "start windows manually." Well, after looking at a blank dark screen (except for the tiny "Microsoft" trademark message at the bottom of the page) for fifteen minutes, I decided it might be a good idea to listen to the recommendation to start up using the repair mode. So, I shut the computer off, restarted it, and this time I clicked on the "start up repair (recommended)" icon.

After watching the repair message at work for what seemed like 15 more minutes, I clicked on the choice to "cancel repair." Well...I must have waited too long because the message I got said something like this:

"The current repair session cannot be cancelled."

Lucky for me, it only took about five more minutes for the repair to be completed. I still had a bit of trouble. My computer was supposed to restart on it's own, but nothing was happening so I shut it off myself and then restarted it.

I thought about the statement, "the current repair session cannot be cancelled" and thought of God's mercy and grace through the cross of Christ. It must have been because I was reading Max Lucado's book that I drew a parallel between the computer message and God's message to mankind.

I have often stated here at this blog that Mercy is God withholding what we do deserve, and Grace is God giving us what we don't deserve. The gospel of salvation through the cross of Christ is the world's "current repair session that cannot be cancelled."

In chapter four, Lucado shares a humorous story about going on an errand, at the request of his wife, to buy bread at the grocery store. When he gets there, he collects his favorite cereal, milk, Oreo cookies, barbecue chips (does this guy love junk food or what??) and some ice cream. He checked out and went home. His wife looks at the purchases and then asked, "where's the bread?"

Max had forgotten the big item.

"The one thing I went to get. The one essential product. I forgot the bread."

Lucado goes on to write:

Might we make the same mistake in a more critical arena? In an effort to do good, we can get distracted. We feed people. We encourage, heal, help, and serve. We address racial issues and poverty. Yet there is one duty we must fulfill. We can't forget the bread.

Peter didn't.

Now, listen to what I have to say about Jesus from Nazareth. God proved that he sent Jesus to you by having him work miracles, wonders, and signs. All of you now this. God had already planned and decided that Jesus would be handed over to you. So you took him and had evil men put him to death on a cross. But God set him free from death and raised him to life. Death could not hold him in its power. (Acts 2:22-24 CEV).

[Peter] would eventually speak about poverty. The church would soon address the issues of widows, disease, and bigotry. But not yet. The first order of the church's first sermon was this: pardon for all our sins. Peter delivered the bread.

[Would] you consider the offer of Jesus? "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again" (John 6:35 NLT).

Max Lucado gives us some insight into what it takes to make bread.

The grain-to-bread process is a demanding one. The seed must be planted before it can grow. When the grain is ripe, it must be cut down and ground into flour. Before it can become bread, it must pass through the oven. Bread is the end result of planting, harvesting, and heating.

Jesus endured an identical process. He was born into this world. He was cut down, bruised, and beaten on the threshing floor of Calvary. He passed through the fire of God's wrath, for our sake. He "suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all--was put to death and then made alive--to bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18 MSG).

Bread of Life? Jesus lived up to the title. But an unopened loaf does a person no good. Have you received the bread? Have you received God's forgiveness?

What an awesome and powerful analogy!

Our God is a God of second chances! If we will simply believe that Jesus is who He said He is - the Son of God, Savior and Lord, and we confess our sins at the foot of the cross of Calvary and accept him as Lord and Savior of our lives, we will be forgiven and saved. People, make sure that you receive the Bread of Life of Christ Jesus. The ONLY Bread of Life that really matters now and will ultimately matter in eternity.

Someone very dear to me and my family passed away in January. I can't know for sure if this family member was saved, but I tried my best to witness to her over the course of 15 or more years.

I usually do not share detailed personal information at this blog, but I will state that in the eulogy that I wrote for the funeral, I was led to share the gospel of Christ for the sake of the people attending. I do not know if what I said encouraged anyone there who is not yet saved to receive the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior. Perhaps a seed or two were planted. However, when someone dies we realize just how brief this life on earth truly is. The Bible tells us that "it is but a vapor" compared to eternity.

Once a Christian receives the Bread of Life, it is our duty to pass it on. Max Lucado writes:

After all, if we don't, who will? Governments don't feed the soul. The secular relief house can give a bed, a meal, and valuable counsel. But we can give much more. Not just help for this life but hope for the next.

[So] along with cups of water, plates of food, and vials of medicine, let there be the message of sins forgiven and death defeated.

Remember the bread.

The secular world climate these days reveals an open hostility towards Christianity in general, and Jesus Christ in particular. Despite the fact that believers are often ridiculed and hatred is constantly being hurled at us, we must turn our distress, sadness, and fears into boldness so that we continue to be faithful ambassadors for Christ.

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:19-21 NLT).

Hat Tip:

Max Lucado: Out Live Your Life

What Do We Do With Disappointments?

Hi Everyone! Had jury duty this morning, but since all the cases were "continued," (I think that was the term used) the entire group of jurors were released at 10:30 a.m. today! Woo Hoo!

I seem to get summoned for jury duty each year. Got there ten minutes late due to waiting in line at the scanners. I did get to view most of that boring film that I have seen over and over again. However, I did find out something that I had not realized before. I have always assumed that if a juror gets on a case, they don't need to serve again for three years. Not so! Whether you participate in the "one day" or "one case" scenario, you can still be called back for jury duty after one year. Well...I was glad to get out of it so fast and easily this time!

During the two and one half hours I was there, I had the chance to read a few more chapters of "Traveling Light" by Max Lucado. Chapter 15 is called, "Slippery Sheep and Healed Hurts - The Burden of Disappointment."

While attending a Bible study back in 2006, I utilized portions of this chapter in Lucado's book and portions of Bill Keller's book called, "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23." Previously, I wrote a blog post about it over at The Way of God in Truth blog that dealt mostly with how the good shepherd "anoints" his sheep with oil for preventative purposes. However, Our Good Shepherd - Jesus Christ - "anoints our heads with oil" for an additional purpose - to heal our hurts, our wounded hearts, the pain in this life and to not allow it to consume our lives.

Lucado explains:

A disappointment is a missed appointment. What we hoped would happen, didn't. We wanted health; we got disease. We wanted retirement; we got reassignment. Divorce instead of family. Dismissal instead of promotion. Now what? What do we do with our disappointments?

We could do what Miss Haversham did. Remember her in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations? Jilted by her fiance' just prior to the wedding, her appointment became a missed appointment and a disappointment. How did she respond? Not too well. She closed all the blinds in the house, stopped every clock, left the wedding cake on the table to gather cobwebs, and continued to wear her wedding dress until it hung in yellow decay around her shrunken form. Her wounded heart consumed her life.

We can follow the same course.

Or we can follow the example of the apostle Paul. His goal was to be a missionary in Spain. Rather than send Paul to Spain, however, God sent him to prison. Sitting in a Roman jail, Paul could have made the same choice as Miss Haversham, but he didn't. Instead he said, "As long as I'm here, I might as well write a few letters." Hence your Bible has the Epistles to Philemon, the Philippians, the Colossians, and the Ephesians. No doubt Paul would have done a great work in Spain. But would it have compared with the work of those four letters?

This is when it hit me. Perhaps it was a minor revelation from God through the Holy Spirit. But before I share it, I must share my previous state of mind.

Ever since the election, I have been asking God, "what are you doing, Lord?" I know that I need to trust Him. I do. Most implicitly. However, watching our nation go down into a spiraling cesspool of immorality, crime, greed, and financial disaster is frightening. Plus, seeing an individual who is involved in a lot of such evil things; plus being a possible usurper through manipulating a fraudulent election has been very disappointing. Seeing this man get away with it is highly disconcerting - not only for me, but for millions of other Americans as well. Am I allowed to ask, "what are you doing, Lord?" Of course. But then comes the time where I need to also say, "not my will, but yours."

When I read about Paul's goal to go to Spain in this chapter, but instead - he was sent into prison, I thought about our nation. Of course, Paul hadn't lost his way, but our nation has. Perhaps we, as a people and nation need to bear the burden of this liberal licentiousness and socialistic prison that we are about to enter into for four years through this new administration in order for more people to realize just Whom they REALLY need to turn to - Jesus Christ.

THAT was the answer to my question to the Lord! It was as if I could say out loud, "Oh...THAT is what you are doing!"

Our entire goal, as Christians on this earth is to share the gospel with those who either do not know Jesus yet - or who may have previously rejected him. Just like in the case of Paul NOT going to Spain - and instead ending up in prison - he most likely would not have reached any where near as many people in Spain as he obviously did as his letters were passed down through centuries via their inclusion in the Bible.

So too, perhaps Christian believers will have the opportunity to reach more people with the Gospel than ever before because of the disappointment that will inevitably befall our nation once most realize that they have placed their faith in the wrong person. So many have placed much hope in one human person who, unfortunately, has replaced (in their secular humanistic minds) the REAL Messiah - Jesus Christ - for a fraudulent one who is, in reality, just like them; that being, another flawed sinner in need of the Savior!

This was my revelation today.

Lucado goes on and describes how wounds can lead to bitterness, disappointments lead to irritations, and the daily swarm of frustrations and mishaps can lead to heartaches. Some of our deepest hurts come from butting heads with other people.

Other wounds come from just living. We have to face aging, loss, illness, betrayal and injustice.

Lucado:

Live long enough in this world, and most of us will face deep, deep hurts of some kind or another.

We, like the sheep of the pasture get wounded, however, we, like those sheep have a shepherd.

"We belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends" (Ps. 100:3). He will do for you what the shepherd does for the sheep. He will tend to you.

Lucado:

If the Gospels teach us anything, they teach us that Jesus is a Good Shepherd. "I am the good shepherd," Jesus announces. "The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep: (John 10:11).

Lucado provides many examples of Jesus tending to those who belong to him. He protects us against disappointments. In the Bible we read how Jesus prevented wounds and healed wounds. He touched the eyes of the blind man, the disease of the leper, and the body of a dead girl and raised her back to life.

Jesus tends to us not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Recall how he touched the searching heart of Nicodemus, the broken heart of the woman caught in adultery, the confused heart of Cleopas, the stubborn heart of Paul, and the repentant heart of Peter. What does this tell us?

Jesus is in the business of redemption. He is constantly redeeming us here on this earth.

Maybe some reading here today are wondering what the verse in Psalm 23, "You anoint my head with oil" has to do with the hurts that often come from the disappointments in life. I hope the following helps you to "get it."

Lucado writes:

And [meaning God] will tend to you. If you will let him. How? How do you let him? The steps are so simple.

First, go to him. David would trust his wounds to no other person but God. He said, "You anoint my head with oil." Not, "your prophets," "your teachers," or "your counselors." Others may guide us to God. Others may help us understand God. But no one does the work of God, for only God can heal. God "heals the brokenhearted" (Ps. 147:3).

Wow! Is that an awesome paragraph or what??

We are to take our disappointments to God. Have you? Many of us share them with relatives, friends and neighbors, but have you taken them to God?

James says, "Anyone who is having troubles should pray" (James 5:13).

Lucado:

Before you go anywhere else with your disappointments, go to God. Maybe you don't want to trouble God with your hurts. After all, he's got famines and pestilence and wars; he won't care about my little struggles, you think. Why don't you let him decide that? He cared enough about a wedding to provide the wine. He cared enough about Peter's tax payment to give him a coin. He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers. "He cares about you" (1 Pet. 5:7).

Your first step is to go to the right person. Go to God. Your second step is to assume the right posture. Bow before God.

In order to be anointed, the sheep must stand still, lower their heads, and let the shepherd do his work. Peter urges us to "be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes" (1 Pet. 5:6).

When we come to God, we make requests; we don't make demands. We come with high hopes and a humble heart. We state what we want, but we pray for what is right. And if God gives us the prison of Rome instead of the mission of Spain, we accept it because we know "God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them" (Luke 18:7).

We go to him. We bow before him, and we trust in him.

The sheep doesn't understand why the oil repels the flies. The sheep doesn't understand how the oil heals the wounds. In fact, all the sheep knows is that something happens in the presence of the shepherd. and that's all we need to know as well. "LORD, I give myself to you; my God, I trust you" (Ps. 25:1-2).

Reference source: Traveling Light by Max Lucado, 2001 W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214, pp. 125-130.

P.S. Another great post written by my friend Tammy during that 2006 Bible study:

God's Spirit is With You Always

Why We Need Our Shepherd

My Dear Blogging Friends,

Have you ever been so busy that you are tempted to recycle a blog post from the past during a major holiday? I'm guilty! In fact, I just typed in "Thanksgiving" into my blogger search and I have four years of Thanksgiving posts to choose from! Here is one of my favorites: Give Thanks to God.

OK. I'm done. Happy Thanksgiving! (j/k)

Actually, I'm not really done. There is more to write today!

During our Thanksgiving dinner, my family usually goes around the table and shares what they are thankful for. Each of us give our own, individual answers. Most of the time, we state that we are thankful to God, for His mercy and grace for sending Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are thankful for parents, children, relatives (well - most of them - heh heh), friends, our fellowship with church members and Bible study group members and our acquaintances. We are thankful that we live in a free nation. We are very thankful to our military that works hard and willingly sacrifices life, limb and time to keep our nation safe.

Today, I want to mention that I am thankful for all of my blogging friends! Each of you have encouraged me and inspired me. Even some of my detractors have helped me to grow as they continue to challenge me here at Talk Wisdom. These are all good things. Challenges keep us alert as to just what might be keeping non-Christians from coming to Christ.

Years ago, I often posted on atheists/agnostics/skeptics message boards. I wanted to find out what makes them "tick," so to speak. Well, the conversations ran the gamut! Many were downright nasty and made every attempt to ridicule me away from posting there anymore. I'm sure many Christians who have visited such boards to share Jesus Christ and God's Word with non-believers experienced similar situations. Occasionally, a nice skeptic would come along and carry on a decent conversation. I loved that. They attacked my "reasons for believing" rather than attacking me, personally, or what they might perceive as my "ignorance for having faith" in Jesus Christ. It was quite refreshing!

We can never know this side of heaven how we, as Christians, may have positively influenced a skeptic to consider (or even reconsider) Jesus Christ.

Does anyone here watch the new show on the Fox News Channel called, "Huckabee"? Recently, the show host, former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee, had an interview with Bill Maher - who is a well-know celebrity and atheist. They were discussing Maher's movie, "Religulous." If you have ever seen Maher's HBO talk show, you know that his favorite sport is to insult, degrade, ridicule, disparage, and spew hatred and contempt at anyone who believes in God - especially Christians.

At one point during the conversation, Maher was caught completely off guard when Mike Huckabee agreed that Christians have times of doubt in their lives. Maher couldn't believe that Mike would admit that - especially in front of millions on a national cable T.V. show! Apparently, Maher developed some sort of new respect for Mr. Huckabee, as a person (and former pastor, I might add) because he admitted that Christians are not "perfectly" faithful - which Maher has often suspected all along.

I thought of that incident when I read a portion of Max Lucado's book, "Traveling Light" this morning. In Chapter 3, entitled "I'll Do It My Way" - The Burden of Self-Reliance, Mr. Lucado expands upon Psalm 23:1 - "The LORD is my shepherd."

Towards the end of the chapter, Mr. Lucado writes:

When David, who was a warrior, minstrel, and ambassador for God, searched for an illustration of God, he remembered his days as a shepherd. He remembered how he lavished attention on the sheep day and night. How he slept with them and watched over them.

And the way he cared for the sheep reminded him of the way God cares for us. David rejoiced to say, "The LORD is my shepherd," and in so doing he proudly implied, "I am his sheep."

Still uncomfortable with being considered a sheep? Will you humor me and take a simple quiz? See if you succeed in self-reliance. Raise your hand if any of the following describe you.

You can control your moods. You're never grumpy or sullen. You can't relate to Jekyll and Hyde. You're always upbeat and upright. Does that describe you? No? Well, let's try another.

You are at peace with everyone. Every relationship as sweet as fudge. Even your old flames speak highly of you. Love all and are loved by all. Is that you? If not, how about this description?

You have no fears. Call you the Teflon toughie. Wall Street plummets - no problem. Heart condition discovered - yawn. World War III starts - what's for dinner? Does this describe you?

You need no forgiveness. Never made a mistake. As square as a game of checkers. As clean as grandma's kitchen. Never cheated, never lied, never lied about cheating. Is that you? No?

Let's evaluate this. You can't control your moods. A few of your relationships are shaky. You have fears and faults. Hmmm. Do you really want to hang onto your chest of self-reliance? Sounds to me as if you could use a shepherd. Otherwise, you might end up with a Twenty-third Psalm like this:

I am my own shepherd. I am always in need.
I stumble from mall to mall and shrink to shrink, seeking relief but never finding it.
I creep through the valley of the shadow of death and fall apart.
I fear everything from pesticides to power lines, and I'm starting to act like my mother.
I go down to the weekly staff meeting and am surrounded by enemies.
I go home, and even my goldfish scowls at me.
I anoint my headache with extra-strength Tylenol.
My Jack Daniel's runneth over.
Surely misery and misfortune will follow me, and I will live in self-doubt for the rest of my lonely life.

Why is it that the ones who most need a shepherd resist him so?

Ah, now there is a question for the Van de Veldes of life. Scripture says, "Do it God's way." Experience says, "Do it God's way." Every Scot in heaven begs, "Aye, laddie, do it God's way."

And every so often, we do. And when we do, when we follow the lead of Notre Dieu and keep the driver in the bag, somehow the ball stays in the fairway.

[Note: Earlier in the chapter, Max tells the story of Jean Van de Velde who, rather than taking his caddie's advice to hit three short shots in the British Open in '99 - where he was six strokes and 480 yards away from a major championship, a wad of cash, and a place in history. All he needed to do was score a six on a par four.

Logic says, "Don't go for the green."
Golf 101 says, "Don't go for the green."
Every Scot in the gallery says, "Aye Laddie. Don't go for the green"
Van de Velde says, "I'm going for the green."]

Long story short - Using his driver (no!!!!) the ball caroms off the bleachers and disappears into a marsh tall enough to hide a lawn gnome! To make the story even shorter - he lost the play-off.

[Y]es, Van de Velde reminds me of me.

After losing the play-off, he kept his composure for the crowds. But once he sat in the scorers tent, he buried his face in his hands. "Next time I'll hit zee wedge," he sobbed. "You'll say I'm a coward, but next time I'll hit zee wedge."

You and me both, Jean.1

Reference source: Traveling Light by Max Lucado, 2001 W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214, pp. 22, 24-26.

End notes:
1, With appreciation to Rick Reilly and his chapter on Jean Van de Velde, "Mon Dieu! Better Safe Than Sorry!" in The Life of Reilly (New York: Total Sports Illustrated, 2000), 175-77.

He Restores Our Hope

How do I begin a blog post when I want to share three things that are not necessarily related? I used to do a "News Roundup" once in a while. But now that blogger has the neat little "blog list" feature, all you need to do is read the title and snippet of information provided in my sidebar to find many great blogs with the most important and exciting news of the day.

However, I do want to share one link that I found via Israpundit. Wishful Thinking and Iran: New Governments in Israel and the U.S.. I thought that the article was filled with excellent information and very well done.

The second item that I wanted to share should probably go in my "New Feature" section which I started a few days ago. Whenever there is news about the Obama birth certificate/U.S. citizenship question, I will post those links at the end of my latest blog post. Today, I found a website that has the most comprehensive coverage of all of the lawsuits pending against Obama. Check out Overview - Save Our Rights.Wikia.com Caution! You might be at your computer for days (or, as someone close to me and his friends used to say, "fa daze." )

Oops. Now I'm in trouble. He told me NEVER to say that in public.

te he!

OK. Now on to the main blog post for today.

I want to continue sharing more from Max Lucado's, "Traveling Light" book. Since I have started reading it again, it has helped me immensely in my walk with Jesus Christ. It has also helped me take my focus off of all the turmoil swirling around our havoc-filled national problems, too.

It's a jungle out there...isn't it? Don't you often feel the same way? I do. Plus, as the years go by the political "jungle," in particular, seems to be getting deeper, denser, and more radical than I could have ever imagined.

Before I delve into Chapter 7 of Lucado's book, I wanted to mention one of my favorite T.V. shows - Monk. If you are at all familiar with the show, you know that Monk is a former police officer, turned quirky detective. His mannerisms and phobias are over the top (e.g. He's obsessively clean and neat. Uses hand wipes after shaking someones hand!) But his detective work is brilliant.

Anyway, the show opens with Randy Newman's song called, "It's a Jungle Out There." Here is a link to a video of the shows opening Monk extended theme song opening.

Here are the lyrics.

LYRICS:
It's a jungle out there
Disorder and confusion everywhere
No one seems to care
Well I do
Hey, who's in charge here?
It's a jungle out there
Poison in the very air we breathe
Do you know what's in the water that you drink?
Well I do, and it's amazing
People think I'm crazy, 'cause I worry all the time
If you paid attention, you'd be worried too
You better pay attention
Or this world we love so much might just kill you
I could be wrong now, but I don't think so
It's a jungle out there

Any Monk fans out there reading this?

Well, if you are a fan than you already know about the greatest tragedy that happened in Monk's life. The car bomb death of his beloved wife, Trudy. If it wasn't for his detective work and his visits to his psychiatrist, Monk might be viewed as a man without hope.

This brings me to the chapter for our discussion.

The title of the chapter is, "It's a Jungle Out There - The Burden of Hopelessness."

The Bible verse for Psalm 23 reads, "He restores my soul. - Psalm 23:3

Lucado writes:

I wonder if you could imagine yourself in a jungle. A dense jungle, A dark jungle. Your friends convinced you it was time for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and here you are. You paid the fare. You crossed the ocean. You hired the guide and joined the group. And you ventured where you had never ventured before - into the thick, strange world of the jungle.

Sound interesting? [Note from Christine - not to me!] Let's take it a step farther. Imagine that you are in the jungle, lost and alone. You paused to lace your boot, and when you looked up, no one was near. You took a chance and went to the right; now you're wondering if the others went to the left. (Or did you go left and they go right?)

Whatever, you are alone. and you have been alone for, well, you don't know how long it has been. Your watch was attached to your pack, and your pack is on the shoulder of the nice guy from New Jersey who volunteered to hold it while you tied your boots. You didn't intend for him to walk off with it. But he did. And here you are, stuck in the middle of nowhere.

You have a problem. First, you were not made for this place. Drop you in the center of avenues and building, and you could sniff your way home. But here in sky-blocking foliage? Here in trail-hiding thickets? You are out of your element. You weren't made for this jungle.

What's worse, you aren't equipped. You have no machete. No knife. No matches. No flares. No food. You aren't equipped, but now you are trapped - and you haven't a clue how to get out.

Sound like fun to you? Me either. Before moving on, let's pause and ask how you would feel. Given such circumstances, what emotions would surface? With what thoughts would you wrestle?

Fear? Of course you would.
Anxiety? To say the least.
Anger? I could understand that. (You'd like to get your hands on those folks who convinced you to take this trip.)

But most of all, what about hopelessness? No idea where to turn. No hunch what to do. Who could blame you for sitting on a log (better check for snakes first), burying your face in your hands, and thinking I'll never get out of here. You have no direction, no equipment, no hope.

I have never been lost in a jungle. But, I was once lost on a beach. I was probably about 5 or 6 years old. Apparently, I wandered away from the blanket my mother had spread out on the sand. I can't remember the reason why I wandered so far off. Perhaps, looking for a better place to play in the sand with my pail and shovel? I cannot recall how long I was lost. My mom and several others were anxiously looking for me. When my mom eventually found me, I can still recall the look of relief on her face. When we talk about the incident, she tells me the two things she will never forget is how worried she was and that I was badly sunburned. When my frantic mother found me, I simply looked up and said, "Oh...hello mommy."

You see...I didn't even realize that I was lost! However, everyone else looking for me knew it - and feared for the worst.

I have very fair skin. I burn easily. I'm sure that my mom slathered my skin with sunscreen, but back in the 1960's - the SPF wasn't very strong. Perhaps I was lost for an hour? Maybe less?

But I will never forget the look of relief on my mother's face when we were re-united.

As an adult, I discovered that I was lost in sin. For many years, however, I did not realize that, either. But when I started studying God's Word - especially while doing a Bible study on John 3, it was then that I realized that I desperately needed to be saved from my sin through being born again in Jesus Christ.

Recall in the movie, Forrest Gump, when Lt. Dan asked Gump, "have you found Jesus yet?"

Forrest replies, "I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for Him."

There are lots of people on this planet earth who don't know that they are supposed to be looking for Him. However, thank God that Jesus will leave a flock of 99 sheep to go and rescue the one that is lost. What a great Savior we have!

Back to Lucado's story:

Can you freeze frame that emotion for a moment? Can you sense, for just a second, how it feels to be out of your element? Out of solutions? Out of ideas and energy? Can you imagine, just for a moment, how it feels to be out of hope?

If you can, you can relate to many people in this world.

Today, there was a horrific story that told of a teenager who committed suicide and put it on YouTube. A young man, took his own life and broadcast it to the world.

Why?

No matter all the reasons that led up to it, he was obviously out of hope.

Lucado:

For many people, life is -- well, life is a jungle. Not a jungle of trees and beasts. Would that it were so simple. Would that our jungles could be cut with machete or our adversaries trapped in a cage. But our jungles are comprised of the thicker thickets of failing health, broken hearts, and empty wallets. Our forests are framed with hospital walls and divorce courts. We don't hear the screeching of birds or the roaring of lions, but we do hear the complaints of neighbors and the demands of bosses. Our predators are our creditors, and the brush that surrounds us is the rush that exhausts us.

It's a jungle out there.

And for some, even for many, hope is in short supply. Hopelessness is an odd bag. Unlike the others, it isn't full. It is empty, and its emptiness creates the burden. Unzip the top and examine all the pockets. Turn it upside down and shake it hard. The bag of hopelessness is painfully empty.

Not a very pretty picture, is it? Let's see if we can brighten it up. We've imagined the emotions of being lost; you think we can do the same with being rescued? What would it take to restore your hope? What would you need to re energize your journey?

Though the answers are abundant, three come quickly to mind.

The first would be a person. Not just any person. You don't need someone equally confused. You need someone who knows the way out.

And from him you need some vision. You need someone to lift your spirits. You need someone to look you in the face and say, "This isn't the end. Don't give up. There is a better place than this. And I'll lead you there."

And, perhaps most important, you need direction. If you have only a person but no renewed vision, all you have is company. If he has a vision but no direction, you have a dreamer for company. But if you have a person with direction --who can take you from this place to the right place--ah, then you have one who can restore your hope.

Or, to use David's words, "He restores my soul."

Our Shepherd majors in restoring hope to the soul. Whether you are a lamb lost on a craggy ledge or a city slicker alone in a deep jungle, everything changes when your rescuer appears.

I don't mean to skip over our upcoming holiday of Thanksgiving, but as we enter the Christmas season of joy which celebrates the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the words, "everything changes when your rescuer appears" is just so fitting.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "O Holy Night." Within the lyrics, we find words similar to the joy of realizing "everything changes when your rescuer appears."

O Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Refrain 1
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!

Refrain 2
He knows our need, To our weaknesses is no stranger.
Behold your King, before him lowly bend!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Refrain 3
Christ is the Lord, O, Praise his name forever.
His power and glory every more proclaim!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Lucado:

Your loneliness diminishes, because you have fellowship.
Your despair decreases, because you have vision.
Your confusion begins to lift, because you have direction.

Please note: You haven't left the jungle. The trees still eclipse the sky, and the thorns will cut the skin. Animals lurk and rodents scurry. The jungle is still a jungle. It hasn't changed, but you have. You have changed because you have hope. And you have hope because you have met someone who can lead you out.

Your Shepherd knows that you were not made for this place. He knows you are not equipped for this place. So he has come to guide you out.

Jesus told us:

"In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world."

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

The King James version:

Jhn 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

What a fabulous truth. How AWESOME is our God! His "overcoming the world" occurred at the cross of Calvary. He died - willingly - so that I (you, we) may live with him forever in eternity!

What a marvelous promise we have in Jesus! There is no better Rescuer in life - or in death.

There is a cliche-type of saying that is popular for Christian bumper stickers. It reads, "Jesus. Don't leave earth without Him."

Lucado:

He has come to restore your soul. He is the perfect one to do so. He has the right vision. He reminds you that "you are like foreigners and strangers in this world" (1 Pet. 2:11). And he urges you to lift your eyes from the jungle around you to the heaven above you. "Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ...See things from his perspective (Col. 3:2 MSG)

David said it this way, "I lift my eyes unto the hills --where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber...The LORD watches over you...the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm --he will watch over your life." (Ps. 121:1-7 NIV).

I have a favorite "Casting Crowns" CD in my car. It only contains seven songs. However, the number "7" is very significant in biblical teaching. It is the number of perfection and completion.

One song, in particular fits quite well with this chapter in Lucado's book. It is called Praise You In This Storm. Some of the lyrics include Psalm 121:1-7.

Lucado:

God, your rescuer, has the right vision. He also has the right direction. he made the boldest claim in the history of man when he declared, "I am the way" (John 14:6). People wondered if the claim was accurate. He answered their questions by cutting a path through the underbrush of sin and death...and escaping alive. He's the only One who ever did. And he is the only One who can help you and me do the same.

[J]esus doesn't give hope by changing the jungle; he restores our hope by giving us himself. and he has promised to stay until the very end. "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20 NIV).

[Perhaps] you don't need your hope restored today, but you may tomorrow. And you need to know to whom to turn.

Or perhaps you do need hope today. You know you were not made for this place. You know you are not equipped. You want someone to lead you out.

If so, call out for you Shepherd. He knows your voice. And he's just waiting for your request.

*******

Reference Source:

Traveling Light by Max Lucado, 2001 W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214, pp. 55-59.

*******
Update:
Obama Birth Certificate/ U.S. Citizenship Controversy


Today, I found a website that has the most comprehensive coverage of all of the lawsuits pending against Obama. Lots of additional links to articles, blog posts, and discussion forum posts (like Hannity's).

Overview: Save Our Rights.Wikia.com

Update on 11/26/08 at 7:00 a.m. PT:

Here is a copy of an email I received regarding the Alan Keyes/Dr. Wiley S. Drake/Markham Robinson lawsuit case:

----------------------------------------
Team Obama:"All I can tell you is that it is just pure garbage."
----------------------------------------
According to the WorldNetDaily headline above, that was the retort of an Obama campaign spokesperson when asked about complaints requesting that Senator Obama produce a valid Birth Certificate to prove that he is constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States.

Article 2, Section 1, of the Constitution of the United States, states, "No person except a natural born citizen of the United States, at the time of adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President."

The Constitution of the United States is NOT "garbage" and furthermore, securing the rights of the people under the Constitution is NOT "garbage"!

The Obama campaign's response is an elitist, condescending slap in the face to patriotic Americans. No one is above the law and Team Obama cannot make the question of Obama's eligibility go away by disrespecting the American people - and, by inference, the Constitution of the United States.

That's why we just filed an action that Senator Obama will not be able to ignore... an action that WILL NOT GO AWAY!

In fact, in my humble opinion... we will ONLY "LOSE" if we do NOT have the resources we need to carry on for as long as it takes, and we will "win" as long as we can carry on this fight (more on that later).

SO PLEASE KEEP READING... I promise that when you're done, you will agree that we have filed the mother of all actions.


Why The "Berg Case" Is Dead In The Water And Why USJF Will Succeed...

You probably already know that Pennsylvania attorney Philip J. Berg filed a suit in U.S. District Court several months back contending that Senator Obama is not a "natural-born" citizen.

And you probably already know that the court dismissed the suit claiming that Berg, as a private citizen, "lacked standing to bring the case."

Of course, Berg is not the only one who has filed an action and the "Berg Case" is not the only one in which the courts have relied upon the lack-of-standing technicality.

Georgia Superior Court Judge Jerry W. Baxter denied an action saying to the plaintiff Rev. Tom Terry, "I don't think you have standing to bring this suit."

Washington State Superior Court Judge John Erlick dismissed yet another suit ruling that even the Secretary of State did not have authority to inquire about Senator Obama's birth certificate.

Can you believe it? What's going on? Well, perhaps Berg said it best;

"This is a question of who has standing to uphold our Constitution. If I don't have standing, if you don't have standing, if your neighbor doesn't have standing to question the eligibility of an individual to be president of the United States -- the commander in chief, the most powerful person in the world -- then who does?"

Of course, Berg's statement also illustrates why the "Berg Case" and some of these other actions are doomed to fail and why we believe our action WILL succeed!

Simply stated, the lack-of-standing argument is already out there. Yes, it's egregious but the all too sad reality is that judges will continue to grab onto it like a life-preserver now that it has been put into play... the die has been cast!

That's why USJF is taking a different approach. Our petitioners are Dr. Alan Keyes, Dr. Wiley S. Drake, Sr. and Markham Robinson!

We state in the Petition we just filed with the court:

"The parties in this case have standing to bring this litigation, due to the fact that Dr. Keyes and Dr. Drake, Sr., are candidates on the California ballot for President and Vice President of the United States, and Mr. Robinson is an Elector for the Keyes-Drake ticket, and Vice Chairman of America's Independent Party, of Fenton, Michigan, which nominated Dr. Keyes for President. He is also a Chairman of the American Independent Party (California), which nominated Dr. Keyes and Dr. Drake for President and Vice President, respectively. Based on the foregoing, it is imperative for SOS to be provided proof that Senator Obama is a 'natural born' citizen."

Alan Keyes and Wiley Drake were actually on the ballot in California and Markham Robinson is an Elector for Keyes-Drake. If they don't have standing, one would be hard-pressed to find ANYONE who has standing and if the court attempts to use the lack-of-standing argument, it's an implied admission that NO ONE has standing to enforce the Constitution!

The Usurper-in-Chief...

Now... a dose of reality. Frankly, a case of this magnitude could be in the courts for years. There are no quick solutions... BUT THAT'S OKAY.

The key is in the following statement which also appears in the Petition:

"Should Senator Obama be discovered, after he takes office, to be ineligible for the Office of President of the United States of America and, thereby, his election declared void, Petitioners, as well as other Americans, will suffer irreparable harm in that an usurper will be sitting as the President of the United States, and none of the treaties, laws, or executive orders signed by him will be valid or legal."

Part of that statement bears repeating:

"... none of the treaties, laws, or executive orders signed by him will be valid or legal."

In other words, as long as this case is in the courts, a cloud hangs over Senator Obama's head and for the sake of our Constitution and our Republic, the issue MUST be resolved!

If President Obama issues an Executive Order to rescind the Mexico City Policy and allows the tax dollars of Americans to fund organizations that promote abortions overseas, the door to question the legitimacy of that Executive Order remains open.

If President Obama signs a treaty with an unfriendly power or an agreement with the United Nations, the door to question the legitimacy of that treaty remains open.

If President Obama signs a bill granting amnesty to illegal aliens into law, the door to question the legitimacy of that law remains open.

If President Obama appoints new Commissioners to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) who bring back the so-called Fairness Doctrine, the door to question those appointments and the legitimacy of the actions taken by his appointees remains open.

That's not to say that he can't or won't be able to fulfill the duties of his office, but until this matter is resolved... until he can validate that he is constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States, the door will always remain open to question and challenge the legitimacy of his actions and the dire consequences of those actions.

In short... as long as we have the resources to fight, we're ahead of the game!

That's where you come in.

I'm Not Living In The Real World...

To be brutally blunt, a case of this magnitude may not be won or lost on the merits.

I'm very proud of USJF's accomplishments over the past 29 years.

We've defended Minuteman Civil Defense Corps members protecting our borders from illegal aliens.

We handled litigation against Hillary Clinton for campaign finance fraud in her 2000 Senate race.

We've submitted testimony before the United States Senate on Supreme Court appointees.

But all that won't really matter. It won't matter which side has the most skilled attorneys. Talent, competence and experience do not assure victory.

Here's the bottom line.

Team Obama presently has THREE LAW FIRMS at its disposal - and a seemingly unlimited ability to raise funds from the far-left for more legal help.

This potentially translates to hundreds of attorneys and law clerks who can literally throw paperwork at us until we crack under the sheer pressure and cry uncle.

Team Obama WILL try to wear us down (which by the way is yet another reason why the "Berg Case" and many of the others - as mentioned earlier - are doomed to fail and why we CAN get the job done).

They'll stall and delay and throw paperwork at us so fast, so furiously and for so long... then they'll wait for us to break under the strain and give up. Or so they think...

Team Obama doesn't fear our skill or the merits of our case.

The ONLY THING THEY FEAR IS YOU!

They hope and pray that you will not support our efforts or that you will grow tired of the fight. What they fear most is that you will join us and support our efforts!

They know that if you support us, we'll have the ability to take on additional clerical and research staff, cover court fees, file briefs and take on outside counsel on an as-needed basis.

That's why they're praying you don't help us... but we're praying that you do!

USJF wasn't approached by a group of hot-shot movers and shakers. We took on this burden because like you we love this great country and we REFUSE to stand idly by while the Left disrespects the Constitution, the American people and our electoral process.

USJF is a nonprofit public interest, legal action organization. We go where others fear to tread. We're adept at taking on vastly superior forces. And we're committed to hitting the trenches on this one and willing to get bloody if we must.

That's our promise to you.

But, in the end, our commitment and our "pit-bull" determination doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

Winning or losing is NOT in our control... and it's not in Team Obama's control... IT'S IN YOUR HANDS!

A lot of folks are very angry over Barack Obama's refusal to validate his eligibility to be President of the United States.

Is it worth a TAX DEDUCTIBLE effort of $5000 or $2500 or even $100 or $50 or $25 to defend the Constitution, the rights of Patriotic Americans under the Constitution and the integrity of our electoral process?

Is it worth forwarding this e-mail to your family and friends with a personal note asking them to join the fight?

The choice is now up to you.

Please help us and after helping us, please forward this e-mail to everyone in your address book.

We're in... how about you?

In His Service



Gary Kreep, Executive Director
United States Justice Foundation

The United States Justice Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public interest, legal action organization that instructs, informs and educates the public on, and litigates, significant legal issues confronting America.

USJF was founded in 1979 by attorneys seeking to advance the conservative viewpoint in the judicial arena.

Since 1980, USJF has submitted testimony to the U.S. Senate on Supreme Court appointees and sponsored conferences on a variety of important legal issues.

USJF publishes studies and reports on topical issues and distributes them free of charge to opinion leaders, students and the general public.

USJF has contributed directly and indirectly to legal defense efforts in many celebrated cases involving fundamental conservative principles.

USJF recent activities include representing Peter Paul in his case against Hillary Clinton's fraud in campaign finance disclosure in her 2000 Senate race and joining the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps as their legal defense corps.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE A SECURE DONATION TODAY TO THE UNITED STATES JUSTICE FOUNDATION TO HELP IN THIS CRUCIAL EFFORT TO UPHOLD OUR CITIZENS RIGHTS TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IS A NATURAL BORN CITIZEN ACCORDING TO OUR U.S. CONSTITUTION - AND THUS KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT HE IS ELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Thank you!

I Will Fear No Evil

For anyone who has been following the news over the past several months, there is certainly good reason to be worried - even frightened - about, and for, our nation. I probably don't need to list all of the anxieties currently concerning most Americans today. On top of those existing concerns, we also have the looming threat of another terrorist attack on our homeland.

Several of my friends have expressed their fear(s) to me. Some have even shared that the anxiousness, fears, and anxiety of their adult children has reached a breaking point. As Christians, what are we to say to them to help comfort and calm such fears?

First of all, we must recognize that their fears are real, genuine, and with good reason. Second, we can try to steer those fears into the right direction. This can be tough because we (you) are feeling the same exact fears!

Those of us who know Who holds the future, can go to our Bibles and find the answers and strength to keep working, watching and waiting for that great Day of Redemption.

However, those who may not know Jesus Christ (yet), or, have not made that born-again decision to confess their sin, repent of it, and ask Jesus to enter their hearts as Lord and Savior of their lives - do not have the same comfort and reassurance that believers own.

I want to recommend a book to read. It is one of Max Lucado's earliest books called, "Traveling Light." It is about the promise of Psalm 23. The subtitle reads, "Releasing the burdens you were never intended to bear."

Though the book often deals with difficult, real life situations, Lucado includes a lot of humor in his writings. However, the chapter on "fear" doesn't include much humor - but a lot of comfort and hope.

For such a time as this, I want to share most of that chapter with my readers here at Talk Wisdom.

In Christ our Lord,
Christine

*******

Chapter 12
From Panic to Peace
The Burden of Fear

I will fear no evil.

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

It's the expression of Jesus that puzzles us. We've never seen his face like this.
Jesus smiling, yes.
Jesus weeping, yes.
Jesus stern, even that.
But Jesus anguished? Cheeks streaked with tears? Face flooded in sweat? Rivulets of blood dripping from his chin? You remember the night.

Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.


Luk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.


Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,


Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.


Luk 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.


Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.


The Bible I carried as a child contained a picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. His face was soft, hands calmly folded as he knelt beside a rock and prayed. Jesus seemed peaceful. One reading of the Gospels disrupts that image. Mark says, "Jesus fell to the ground" (Mark 14:35). Matthew tells us Jesus was "very sad and troubled...to the point of death" (Matt. 26:37-38). According to Luke, Jesus was "full of pain" (Luke 22:44).

Equipped with those passages, how would you paint this scene? Jesus flat on the ground? Face in the dirt? Extended hands gripping grass? Body rising and falling with sobs? Face as twisted as the olive trees that surround him?

What do we do with this image of Jesus?

Simple. We turn to it when we look the same. We read it when we feel the same; we read it when we feel afraid. For isn't it likely that fear is one of the emotions Jesus felt? One might even argue that fear was the primary emotion. He saw something in the future so fierce, so foreboding that he begged for a change of plans. "Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering" (Luke 22:42).

What causes you to pray the same prayer?

[T]he source of your fear may seem small to others. But to you, it freezes your feet, makes your heart pound, and brings blood to your face. That's what happened to Jesus.

He was so afraid that he bled. Doctors describe this condition as hematidrosis. Severe anxiety causes the release of chemicals that break down the capillaries in the sweat glands. When this occurs, sweat comes out tinged with blood.

Jesus was more than anxious; he was afraid. Fear is worry's big brother. If worry is a burlap bag, fear is a trunk of concrete. It wouldn't budge.

[Note from Christine: I know, I know. Just keep reading. The comforting is coming!]

How remarkable that Jesus felt such fear. But how kind that he told us about it. We tend to do the opposite. Gloss over our fears. Cover them up. Keep our sweaty palms in our pockets, our nausea and dry mouths a secret. Not so with Jesus. We see no mask of strength. But we do hear a request for strength.

"Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering." The first one to hear his fear is his Father. He could have gone to his mother. He could have confided in his disciples. He could have assembled a prayer meeting. All would have been appropriate, but none were his priority. He went first to his Father.

Oh, how we tend to go everywhere else. First to the bar, to the counselor, to the self-help book or the friend next door. Not Jesus. The first one to hear his fear was his Father in heaven.

A millennium earlier David was urging the fear-filled to do the same. "I will fear no evil." How could David make such a claim? Because he knew where to look. "You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Rather than turn to the other sheep, David turned to the Shepherd. Rather than stare at the problems, he stared at the rod and staff. Because he knew where to look, David was able to say, "I will fear no evil."

[Note: Lucado goes on to describe the fact that when hitting a golf ball, one does not focus on the trees ahead - but looks for the opening. It's good counsel for golf and in life. Rather than focus on the fear, focus on the solution.]

[T]hat's what Jesus did.
That's what David did.
And that's what the writer of Hebrews urges us to do. "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:1-2 NKJV).

The writer of Hebrews was not a golfer, but he could have been a jogger, for he speaks of a runner and a forerunner. The forerunner is Jesus, the "author and finisher of our faith." He is the author - that is to say he wrote the book on salvation. And he is the finisher - he not only charted the map, he blazed the trail. He is the forerunner, and we are the runners. And we runners are urged to keep our eyes on Jesus.

[Note: Lucado describes his running experiences.]

[T]hings hurt. And as things hurt, I've learned that I have three options. Go home. Meditate on my hurts until I start imagining I'm having chest pains. Or I can keep running and watch the sun come up. My trail has just enough easterly bend to give me a front-row seat for God's morning miracle. If I watch God's world go from dark to golden, guess what? The same happens to my attitude. The pain passes and the joints loosen, and before I know it, the run is half over and life ain't half bad. Everything improves as I fix my eyes on the sun.

[Note from Christine: I have found that everything improves as I fix my eyes on the Son!]

Wasn't that the counsel of the Hebrew epistle - "looking unto Jesus"? What was the focus of David? "You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

How did Jesus endure the terror of the crucifixion? He went first to the Father with his fears. He modeled the words of Psalm 56:3: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (NLT).

Do the same with yours. Don't avoid life's Gardens of Gethsemane. Enter them. Just don't enter them alone. And while there, be honest. Pounding the ground is permitted. Tears are allowed. And if you sweat blood, you won't be the first. Do what Jesus did; open your heart.

And be specific. Jesus was. "Take this cup," he prayed. Give God the number of the flight. Tell him the length of the speech. Share the details of the job transfer. he has plenty of time. He also has plenty of compassion.

He doesn't think your fears are foolish or silly. He won't tell you to "buck up" or "get tough." He's been where you are. He knows how you feel.

And he knows what you need. That's why we punctuate our prayers as Jesus did. "If you are willing..."

Was God willing? Yes and no. He didn't take away the cross, but he took the fear. God didn't still the storm, but he calmed the sailor.

Who's to say he won't do the same for you?

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6 NIV).

Don't measure the size of the mountain; talk to the One who can move it. Instead of carrying the world on your shoulders, talk to the One who holds the universe on his. Hope is a look away.

Now, what were you looking at?

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Reference source: Traveling Light by Max Lucado, 2001 W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214. pp. 97-102

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To view my study notes taken during a Bible study on this book and Psalm 23, please see several posts, starting with The God Who Guides Us over at my other blog called The Way of God In Truth.

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Attention!
Announcing a new feature.

In order to keep up with the ongoing controversy surrounding Barack Obama's "natural born citizenship" status, court cases, information, news articles, new website discoveries, new blog posts and comments regarding this issue, I will place additional information and links at the bottom of my new blog posts each day.

The reason for doing this is so that you can keep up with the news without having to go back to previous posts (where I have been posting updates) and/or searching for new information in the comment sections of Talk Wisdom.

Obama's Citizenship Controversy Updates:


Some previous updates re-posted here:

Ultimately, December 1, 2008 and December 5, 2008 will be significant days concerning two lawsuits.

Please see Texas Darlin blog too. Check out the many posts on this topic.

As commenter "Ted" in the comment section of my previous blogpost said, you really should listen to this Blog Radio broadcast over at Political Pistachio: Why Is Obama's Birth Certificate Still An Issue? Why Does the Media Not Report on the Lawsuits Concerning the Issue?

Lastly, I discovered the following article today.

The Great Birth Certificate Scandal Cover Up Of The 2008 Election

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Update 11/23/08 @ 10:28 a.m. PT

If you want to see the absolute SMOKING GUN SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE that the Barack Hussein Obama birth certificate being passed off on the Internet as "real" on sites such as "Kos," "Factcheck.org," "Snopes," and "fight the smears" websites, please see the EXTENSIVE RESEARCH DONE BY RON POLARIK OVER AT HIS BLOG ON TOWNHALL.COM!

FYI: The page may take some time to load because it is filled with image comparisons that will demonstrate the PROOF that the Obama birth certificate is a FORGERY!

Additional Note: When you click on the link above, you will need to scroll down a bit to begin reading/viewing the post.

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NEW Update: 11/24/08 at 9:23 a.m. PT

Just found this message forum that has lots of information and links (including several that I have already posted at Talk Wisdom) about the Obama birth certificate controversy and the U.S. Supreme Court cases coming up in December:

U.S. Supreme Court to Review Challenge of Barack Obama’s Citizenship

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Update 11/24/08 at 11:04 a.m. PT:

Lots of new information and possible speculation over at Texas Darlin's blog in today's Open Thread

I want to point out that one commenter seems to think that the "Kenyan Ambassador admitting that Obama was born in Kenya" could be "misinformation." I haven't gotten over to the forum where this is being shared (apparently, it is a democratic forum against Obama), but I want to be honest with my readers when any doubts arise about anything that I have previously posted.

Usually when something is listed as "misinformation," it means that the rumor is being spread by the other side (namely, the Obama campaign) in order to discredit any legitimate information that is being shared by bloggers regarding the Obama citizenship questions and requests for proof of his vault-length COLB to be shown to a judge and/or the public.

Just a heads-up on that.

Again, it still may be a legitimate recording and the Obamabots want to place doubt in the minds of those reading and listening to the broadcast. But like I said before, I want to share whatever I find out and be open and honest in my postings about this issue.

Wow. After I got finished typing this update, I found this link in my email:

Barack Obama: The Naked Emperor

Glanced through it - it's LONG! Now I will go over and read it. [Note: I did notice that the author is a "Bush-hater." But I am posting it anyway because much of what is written about Obama and his campaign is very enlightening and shows how millions of Americans were duped into voting for this fraud!]

****Check back for any additional information and links found today.****

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Update @ 1:54 p.m. PT

FYI regarding Snopes.com

Many have suspected Snopes is bent towards liberalism.

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Update @ 2:04 p.m. PT

I have long suspected (and written about here - just type "Soros" in the search blog box) the evil financial manipulator, George Soros, is involved in our financial crisis. Read The new world devised by Maurice Strong and George Soros

Funny how the name of "Soros" keeps popping up in many of these Obama articles...

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Update @ 7:57 p.m. PT

A New Video by Dr. Ron Polarik which demonstrates that Obama's Birth Certificate being passed off as real on Factcheck.org (and other sites) IS A FORGERY!!